CAMO

Went out shopping yesterday with the family, and started looking at CAMO, so many patterns and different things. I think I will definitely be layering, but what pattern guys?

It depends on what surroundings you are going to be hunting in.Gobblintom is a camo expert and I am sure he will have some good advice .

LOL Expert? OK LOL...Everyone has different opinions and This is Just Mine...

Turkey Hunting: Mossy Oak Obsession- Hands Down!!
Deer Hunting: Mossy Oak Break Up
Waterfowl: Mossy Oak Duck Blind

Like you Stated, There's is so many Patterns out there..Diane asked me what I wore as we walked around at the Classic and I started pointing out and naming the patterns and Think she was confused after the first 3 LOL.
Mossy Oak and Realtree are at the Top of all the Patterns, About like Coke vs Pepsi I guess you could say and everyone else is just tagging along but just those 2 companies have enough Patterns to make you head spin!!!

My New Scent-Lok is in Realtree APG which is also a great all season Pattern...Why, Did I pick it instead of the Mossy Oak Break up that was in My choice? Simple, It was on Sale and the Mossy Oak wasn't LOL...Like Diane Stated...It all really depends on what YOU think looks Good for YOUR surroundings and the area you are going to be hunting.

Also think about what the Tree is going to Look like after it's foliage is gone..The Scent-Lok that was on Sale was Realtree and Scent-Loks own Pattern Vertigo and I was torn between the 2 so I bought Both and Glad I did because I remember making a post about wearing the Realtree APG after My tree was 'bare' and sticking out BUT The Scet-lok Vertigo Tan would look just like another part of the sky-Line in that situation.

OK I'll Stop now because, I'm starting to confuse myself LOL........Good Luck

I have always wore the Real tree AP which has IMO the best all around blend of colors for deer hunting.

I'll try to find the article but there is a company researching digi camo for the military, that showed how a consistent pattern and size may blend in well up close but at a distance tends to stand out as a blob. What this company was doing, was blending digital patterns of different sizes together in one suit to make the suit blend in at every distance.

This is the reasoning behind Scent Lok's Vertigo pattern. Their first presentation to the market was Vertigo with large white patches. IMO...there was too much white on the suit for Southern State hunters. White is the alarm color deer use. White ears, flagging of the white tail. For this reason I stayed away from Vertigo.

Then Scent Lok introduced Vertigo Grey. IMO they were starting to get it right but, I still wasn't sold on the color pattern. Now they have Vertigo Tan. I will be wearing Vertigo Tan this coming deer/Turkey season and we'll see how it does. In theory it should be superior to patterns of the past!

Bottom line IMO Real tree AP is hard to beat....I'll let you know if they've been beaten by Vertigo Tan after next year!

What is Vertigo?

Whitetails and other big game use a combination of peripheral vision, keen noses and sharp hearing to assess danger at all levels. Irregular shapes such as the human outline, often cause deer to sharply focus on them, especially when contrasted against a light sky background. Add to that, traditional camouflage, though excellent at up-close distances, creates a dark 'blob' shape as distances increase.

The Vertigo camo system combats these challenges in the field providing visual concealment. Vertigo is a design concept that brings the normal, high-contrast lines from the outer silhouette to well inside the body lines and helps the hunter's body blend naturally into the field of view. Simply put, Vertigo camo virtually destroys the human silhouette.

We achieved this design through strategic placement of large, highly-contrasting shapes in the positive and negative regions of the garment. These high contrasting elements virtually eliminate the game's opportunity to 'connect the dots' and distinguish a human form.

Secondly, we realized that not every hunters' terrain and conditions are the same. Because of this, we developed two color choices that effectively allow users to make smart choices when it comes to their gear. Vertigo Tan allows hunters to better utilize ground positions or early season hunting conditions, while Vertigo Grey is excellent for stand hunting and mid-season conditions. Either way, the tonal effect and high contrast macro-pattern are equally present, allowing for maximum effectiveness in both versions.

As I expected some very good info! The vertigo does look pretty good in the TAN! So was thinking, bibs, long sleeve shirt, and coat with hood. Is that enough layers? Then of course hat, gloves, and face, have not decided on boots...

As far as layers go.....I'm a (hunting on a budget) kind of guy. I use the Scent Lok Savanna EXT suit. It is a light weight, zip up jacket and 6 pocket pants. I buy it in a size larger than I usually wear. That way I can wear it in Bow season and layer under it in cold season with Military grade thermals and flech without being bulky. Therefore one suit for the entire season.

The Jacket can get too warm in bow season so I'll wear a longsleaved camo Under Armor shirt with the pants and pack the jacket until dark 30 which as we all know is usually the witching hour!

Good luck. I'll try to take some comparision photo's of the 2 suits now that I have both!

I personally dont think one camo pattern is much better than another as long as you sit still. Dont get me wrong you want something that blends in pretty good but the main thing is be still. I do like realtree apg because it has a nice break up but i wonder if the animals even notice. i have 2 types of mossy oak, 2 or 3 types of realtree, and some other stuuf that i dont even know what it is called and have killed things in all of them. i would try to find something that looks pretty good at a pretty good price.

Cant wait to see the pics, I have been looking at the suit set they have at Cabelas. Seems like a great price point, might have to pick that up, do boots matter in your opinion?

If your asking me, I believe in Rubber Boots 110% when Deer Hunting..I personally LOVE Lacrosse Alphas...They fit like a Nice Running Shoe...There are several GREAT Boots out there though...Rocky,Lacrosse,Muck ETC....Good Luck

I personally use Realtree AP for turkey hunting and early season whitetail hunting. After the leaves drop I will switch to my Scentlok Mossy Oak Tree Stand if I am going to be elevated. There are so many good ones out there so good luck. Like someone else said..it doesn't really matter if you sit still. I just like to dree to my surroundings. Whether it makes a hill of beans or not I do not know...I know several guys that are successful every year and they just where brown pants and a dark shirt so the choice is yours..

I hear ya I hear ya, I have a great pair of wellington cat waterproof boots that I love, probably just keep with those. OK here is another question for you guys, stand or no stand?

I say stand if we're talking about deer hunting becuz I can see further in a stand. When the leaves start coming off I climb 25 to 30 foot high - never have to worry about deer seeing or smelling me. Although somehow that darn coyote still saw me even though I was that high. LOL
But I've had deer all around me & they have no clue I was even in the world. I've shot a doe and taken a second doe because they didn't know where I was so they didn't which way they should go.
Also, I believe that it's a law that you've got to be at least 6ft off the ground when shhoting a high-powered rifle. I always climb so maybe someone else can confirm that.
I don't have nice wide open oaks where I hunt so I feel like I have an advantage being elevated over anyone on the ground below me but that's just my .02

It just depends for me. I love hunting in ground blinds as well as elevated stands. Ground blinds can be really tough in the early season with the heat and the bugs. Once they find you you are in trouble. The thermocell works great until it feels up the blind and it looks like a litt smokehouse in the woods lol.. The good thing about using them in the early season is how far you can see. When the trees are full of leaves the best thing to do is stay below them. However being elevated does lessen the risk of spooking the game imo. No matter where I hunt though I always hunt the wind. I just love being eye level with the animals I am after though!!

I strongely believe in a climber over a ground blind or ladder stand. The deer walk through the woods looking at everything mostly at eye level. They see a ladder stand they seem to look up to see what it is. Ground blind similar. The only thing that helps using a ladder stand or ground blind is setting them up way in advance so the deer get use to them but IMO it's hit or miss and you might still get busted.

I started using a climber when every deer that walked into my shooting lane would first look at my ladder stand to see if I was there. I bought a climber and climbed a tree 20 yards behind the ladder (I didn't want to move the ladder stand because they would know something was different) but I would observe them sneak out, look at the ladder and see I wasn't there and come on out....Their first and last mistake!

Climbers also let you move around and play the wind a little better...even if you're in the same spot or field. Can't tell you how many deer have walked under my climber and the only way I knew they were there was they were licking my pull up rope and I saw it moving!

If you decide on a climber get a comfortable one. I swear by the Summit Viper with surround seat and fold out foot rest option. There are some others just as comfortable Members can refer you to but I'd say there might be only 2 out of 10 that are truly comfortable, light weight and easy to use! IMO

I have back issues and can't stand being on a platform type seat for long but I can spend all day in my summit viper w/ the 'hanging' type seat. The only stand I'd even consider over the viper is the goliath becuz it gives you a couple more inches of space. My viper is older & I don't have the wrap around seat but maybe I'll upgrade the seat sometime.

I personally like both. I always sit on the ground or in a ground blind while turkey hunting but those deer just dont seem to like pop up blinds. I love to hunt in boxstands because you can move more and be comfortable. Someone said they get 25-30 foot in the air and there is nothing wrong with that but I am a little to nervous to get over about 15 foot lol.

Here's Mine!! I have had them all and I mean that!!! And This New Summit 180 Max SS is the BEST...Little weight to it (26lbs) but you can sit ALL day in this Stand..I caught it Mid-Summer for $259.00 Total with Shipping on Ebay and that's a DEAL!!! for this Stand..I Camoed it and added a Footrest and Saddle bags and I LOVE this Stand...If you consider a 180, and want the Surround Seat...You will need to be sure you get the 180 max SS...SS Stating 'Surround Seat'...My friend found out the Hard way and ordered a regular 180 max and it had the regular Seat..My only complaint is The Oval bar on the front but that's where the 180 Names comes in..This is a face toward or Away Stand...If you don't like facing the Tree..Get the Titan or Goliath...Big Roomy Stands but without the oval Front Bar which kinda makes it a little tough climbing but I have got Used to it....Good Luck!!!!!

P.S....Check the Platform if you order 1..You will notice mine has 6 Rungs and most have 5..I say this because I have seen the 180 max SS with Both Platforms? Not sure the Logic behind that but that extra space is Priceless!!!

Me personally, I think the Realtree AP pattern is great for deer hunting in a oak ridge. Mossy Oak Breakup hunting in a pine thicket or swamp bottom. And when the leaves fall and you are in a climber the Realtree AP works nice but i really like the new Vertigo pattern. Just igmagine your background you plan to hunt and pick the pattern that fits that background the best. For your first pattern, I strongly suggest the Realtree AP. And welcome to NC. Lots of good people on this site.

@ GT - the 'SS' is a designation for what year(s) the stand was made. The 'SS' is for stands made from 2006 to 2010, before that they had the 'X' series - X4 was 2004, X5 was 2005 and so on. I have a Viper SS but it doesn't have surround seat. The Viper that I have seen sold with that seat was the 'Ultimate Viper'.
I also have an X5 that the powder coat was coming off of so I took all of the pads and the seat off and had it 'Linex' sprayed. It is really cool - noone else can claim it is theirs and it made a quiet stand even quieter.

Thanks justintime, That Explains why I have seen some 180s with and some without the Surround Seat.Guess I was Told wrong because That's a Question I asked when I was trying to Figure out Which Stand I wanted... I bought a Spare Regular Seat for Mine because during Bow Season, That Surround Seat will cook ya!!! How much more weight do you think the Linex added to your Stand? And your right..You would think that with a Quality Stand like a Summit, The Powder Coat Paint or whatever it is, Would hold up Better..It will Flake off real easy as you Know...My Friend has a older Aluminum Summit Open Shot with FootRest that he wants $100 for I believe he said, If you Here of anyone looking for a Summit Climber.

Your right about their 'powder coating' - that's the only complaint I've ever heard about Summit stands.
I haven't out right weighed it but I'd guess that it added a couple lbs at most. If I hold the X5 w/ Linex in one hand & the SS without in the other I can't really tell a difference in the weight.
The Linex makes the stand even quieter and never any slick railings - it's probably better than Summits newest 'SD' (Sound Deadening). The Linex people use a type of masking tape that has a wire in it so you can tape off what you do not want Linex on and after the spray coat dries you just pull the wire and it cuts a nice even edge on the Linex. I taped off the 'triggers' for the cables and the 'teeth' that bit the tree. Sounds way more complicated than it was.
For your 180 - the straps for the seat don't slide as smoothly on the Linex textured surface. That doesn't cause me any headaches but I'm not sure how that would affect the function of your 180.

I Like Kw1 (Killer Weed) For some Dove Fields. Realtree Apg For Doves And Early Season Bow. For Turkey 3D Bugsuit In Mossyoak Obsession. Muzzleloader Deer And Bear Realtree Ap, and Conifer Camo (Dont make it anymore). When The leafs Are gone and in my tree Stand I Use Mossyoak Treestand (Hard to find now) And i use the new Mossyoak Break up Infinity Topped With a full Mossyoak Blaze Vest. Ducks And Geese I Like Mossyoak Duck Blind camo And Max-4 Camo. And also Drake Old school camo Pattern Brown. Squirrels I Like Realtree ap The Best!! It All Depends on what your Back and fore Ground is Or Just whatever You Like!!