Camouflage is something that many people probably don’t think much about, except to note that it is used by military forces around the world to help the wearer blend in. It also has used for hunters, and anyone who doesn’t want to be so easily seen. The first true “camouflage” was arguably just sand colored clothing used by the British military in India in the 1840s and 1850s – and this took its name from the Persian word for sand, which just happens to be “khaki.” Today we think of khakis as a comfortable type of pants, or a color. Likewise, camouflage clothing has become a bit of a fashion statement, while still serving a purpose.
And camouflage has also gone digital, with the current U.S. military utilizing patterns that are more random and thus blend in more with the environment. Rather than just stopping with what it has, the U.S. military is reportedly evaluating this, and Krypek Outdoor apparel has been named a finalist in the process to select new U.S. military camouflage patterns. While we won’t likely see this in army/navy stores for a while, these patterns could be the next fashion wave in a few years – and will likely be embraced by hunters and outdoor enthusiasts.
KRYPTEK™ OUTDOOR APPAREL NAMED A FINALIST IN PROCESS TO SELECT NEW U.S. MILITARY CAMOUFLAGE PATTERNS
Company’s Proven Nomad™, Highlander™ and Md Mandrake™ Camouflage Patterns Undergoing Extensive Military AAnalysis, Evaluations and Field Trials in 2012
Kryptek™ Outdoor Groups Law Enforcement Armed Forces (L.E.A.F.) division headquartered in Fairbanks, Alaska has been selected to an elite group of finalists approved by the Secretary and the Chief of Staff of the Army to have its camouflage patterns further evaluated during 2012 — bringing the company an important step closer to its goal of becoming an official camouflage pattern provider for all branches of the U.S. military.
In the U.S. Army’s search for a family of camouflage patterns that will prove effective across myriad environments, the selection process required each participating company to submit a family of patterns (desert, woodland and transitional), along with a single coordinated pattern for the Organizational Clothing and Individual Equipment (OCIE). According to a news release from the Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier, finalists “were chosen following a rigorous technical evaluation backed by solid scientific analysis and incorporating critical Soldier input from the field.”
The patterns provided by Kryptek and selected for further evaluation are the company’s high-tech Nomad™, Highlander™ and Ma Mandrake™, each developed to provide users with extreme stealth in specific environments and challenging conditions. Like all Kryptek camouflage patterns and gear, these were developed for tactical users and hardcore hunters based on the extensive battlefield and Special Ops experience of the company’s principals and pro staff. This background contributed to Kryptek’s formation of its Law Enforcement and Armed Forces (L.E.A.F.) division; created to serve the performance-based apparel needs of law enforcement, armed forces, first responders, homeland defense and other government agencies.
Now that it has reached this important selection milestone, these Kryptek patterns will be put to the test — literally — by the Ue U.S. military. During its Fiscal Year 2012, the Army will put these patterns through continued rigorous computer analysis, evaluations and field trials over an estimated nine-month period.
“To have met the scrutiny of military testing and be selected in this final group of four is a significant achievement and an honor in itself,” said Kryptek CEO Butch Whiting, an 11-year veteran of the U.S. Army who served in Afghanistan and Iraq and received two Bronze Stars among other recognitions. “We are extremely confident in the effectiveness of our patterns. They will continue to excel through the phase II field-testing. Kryptek camo will provide users with enhanced lethality, survivability and overall success. There is simply nothing else as effective as Kryptek out there, whether you are on the battlefield or in the backcountry,” added Whiting.