Fieldcraft Army Digital Camo (ACU)

C

camomallninja

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 9, 2009
235
0
#1
Need some info
I have been testing it and it appears to work great in Urban/Desert/Rocky and some woodland.

Who made it?

What is it made to blend with? Please don't say everything.

What is the theory behind it?

Why those colors?

If anyone knows the actual facts and not just personal opinion I would appreciate it.
 
#2
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

So far, this seems to be the best environment for ACU's

63ygiu.jpg
 
#3
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

well camo, i would reiterate some of the info i found in researching the origins of acu and the company that designed it but since technically im neither a military or le sniper the opinions i express here will probably be misconstrued some how as posing by some of the regulars here so maybe u can evoke one of their holy responses to this. sorry
 
#5
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ROGUE7A</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So far, this seems to be the best environment for ACU's

63ygiu.jpg
</div></div>

well it beat out marpat in most of the test I did


100_1099.jpg


100_1131.jpg


100_1132.jpg


100_1135.jpg


100_1138.jpg


100_1141.jpg


ACU performed well in desert (far left) But losses to MARPAT Desert on far right.

7305.jpg


7309-1.jpg


Urban ACU is on it's own and no other current Military camo has been able to blend in

(50 yards)
Picture030-1.jpg


url]

 
#7
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

ain't that the truth marduk,, military and le sniper and still get bashed by some of the unprofessional weinies with to much time on their hands lrrp
 
#11
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

Marduk,

No need to be sarcastic. If you have the info then spill it. If you're challenged, then back up your info. It has nothing to do with what your qualifications are, it has to do with where you got your information.

Anyone can recite or parrot something they read obscurely on the internet. How do we distinguish between that and first hand information gathered from being personally involved?

How do you distinguish between the knows and no's on the internet? I don't think it's too much to ask for someone to prove their knowledge as either first hand or rightly gained regardless of their affiliation.
 
#12
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LRRP1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ain't that the truth marduk,, military and le sniper and still get bashed by some of the unprofessional weinies with to much time on their hands lrrp</div></div>

lrrp,

Everyone gets bashed on here, we don't discriminate. The problem is we see so many airsofters here that just because one makes a claim doesn't make it fact.

One can claim to be an Admiral with an MOH and then when you question it then they say you're bashing them. So if you expect that every statement be accepted unconditionally just because you happen to be telling the truth then you're going to be disappointed. That doesn't happen here or any other serious forum I know of.

 
#14
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

camomallninja, it appears to me that your pics all have the same gray hue in the backgrounds. that could be why your ACU's blend so well. i can promise you that woodland marpat works 100% better in the forests around here. your photos seem to be staged to make the ACU's look better. you only included desert marpat in one area. in others, where it would likely be used, it would probably work as well as the ACU's. no pattern is universal. thats why there are 2 marpat's. Multicam does better than many, but it still isnt perfect.
 
#15
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

na yer right mike, i was gonna basically paraphrase some stuff from some sites i visited the other day and also other conclusions ive myself drawn from photos as they relate to my camouflage attempts in my region on predator hunts and turkey hunts,(gobblers can spot ya if it aint right. anyhoo this is one site i was gonna reference, theres a bunch of others i cant remember right now on the acu subject but the idea of multi-fractals resonated. it seems like the near versus far is a tuff cookie with patterns. if they blend well near they dont break up enuf far away. also colors for universal use may always be problematic. [url=tp://www.uniteddynamics.com/camo/c2g/ght.][url=tp://www.uniteddynamics.com/camo/c2g/ght.]tp://www.uniteddynamics.com/camo/c2g/ght.[/url][/url])
 
#16
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: praharin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">camomallninja, it appears to me that your pics all have the same gray hue in the backgrounds. that could be why your ACU's blend so well. i can promise you that woodland marpat works 100% better in the forests around here. your photos seem to be staged to make the ACU's look better. you only included desert marpat in one area. in others, where it would likely be used, it would probably work as well as the ACU's. no pattern is universal. thats why there are 2 marpat's. Multicam does better than many, but it still isnt perfect. </div></div>

I am having a hard time finding an area where Marpat woodland blends in where I live it's mostly gray, I placed them both in green bushes to give Marpat a fighting chance! When I do find a brown spot Marpat has outperformed ACU. The problem I have ran into with Marpat is that when it's shadows in deep forest it blacks out! Marpat works really good when laying down up against brown/green.

ACU works best when you are hiding behind a bush/gray woodland/deep shadow forest. It really sucks in a brown area.
MARPAT WOODLAND works best in brown/green not good in deep forest and works good against green.
As far as the dessert Marpat I don't have some and had to borrow the pictures from a test done by a friend.
If your trying to imply that I like ACU more then Marpat then that's false. In the picture you posted Marpat would not be effective either,I don't see brown anywhere. I think CADPAT would work much better been mainly green.Truth be told ACU out performs Marpat woodland where I live. I have different camo for different occasions.
If I was in a brown green area rest assure I would have MARPAT on.

this is what it looks like where I live

ACU_works.jpg


I love MARPAT more then you think

100_0837.jpg


marpat.jpg


Like I said it works good when laying down in brown

check out this test ACU is on the left MArpat on the right (top pics)

http://dustysdepot.com/t&e/411/411.html
 
#17
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

i didnt post a picture, that is my signature. i disagree about marpat blacking out. i have used them in the jungles of okinawa and they worked very well. is the stuff you tested the real deal, or 'woodland digital'? many of the fake stuff i have seen seems darker, though all mine have faded quite a bit now.
 
#20
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

On the second test it's real Marpat. I have compared my Marpat to issue and colors texture everything was the same. They and others fulfill marpat contracts.

But I assure you the second test is Marpat.

Marpat requires light in order to work when your standing.
But when you lay down it picks up the same light as the ground making it disappear.

I am not trying to turn this into a MArpat vs ACU contest but learn how it was made. I have and others always made fun of ACU until I started testing it. Over all it works good enough in most woodland.
In Urban it's on it's own and in desert works good enough, it's not as good as Marpat desert by any means but if you roll around on the ground and get it dirty a little it works really well.


This is real Marpat on far right and real ACU on the far left.

In this test they are issue and they blacked out as well.
ACU is on the left and Marpat on right

4113.jpg
 
#21
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

Get what works best in your environment. I live in Florida and use multicam, because it is a green environment year round. That arid, mountainous region you live in is not lush enough to make digital woodland work, that is way the grayish Army Pattern works so well. Use the Army pattern in Florida and your going to stick out like a sore thumb. The same goes for the Air Force's new pattern, which makes the guys wearing it look like WW2 Germans (The overall grey appearance).

Also, as far as I know MARPAT is not on the market for sale. As Praharin said, it is a fake version that you have.
 
#22
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

The Marpat is real issue.


4113.jpg


This is from the website of a Marine that sells actual issue MArpat.
Here is a link to it

http://dustysdepot.com/t&e/411/411.html
Here is what he had to say

In this section I'm comparing five camouflage patterns. Army ACU, U.S. Issue Woodland, Rothco's Smokey Branch, Rothco's Tiger Stripe, and USMC Issue MarPat Woodland. All performed admirably. The ACU performed better than I had anticipated it would. Check out the pictures, and decide which to use on your next adventure.

All pictures were taken on April 11, 2006, with my Sony Mavica MVC-FD73. I know, it's old, but it works. Pictures are as they appeared to the camera, with no cropping, enhancing, or anything else. It was mostly sunny, about 70 something degrees, with some light winds. The pictures were taken on my land in Hancock NH. Ranges varied from about 5 meters to about 15 meters.
 
#23
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

I just ordered real issue Desert Marpat and will be here soon!

PS I am not a Marine or in the Army so I tell it how I see it.
I am just a camomallninja wanabe superhero,you now kind of like how little girls play dress up.
 
#24
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

ok here is what I found


At this time only 3 companys make all the tops and bottoms for the USMC. Propper Int, American Aparrel, and E.A. Industries. A fourth company, American Power Source, was contracted to make an initial run for the testing program. They may be still making some but I have not seen any current production from them.

All three meet the USMC stringent specs and are hard to tell apart. All three are found on the racks at clothing sales. There is a slight difference in the shape/size of the pockets on the sleeve, mainly the flap. Also as I mentioned before the proppers have a differently constructed waist band/fly design which results in a slightly looser fit in that area. The corp allowed this difference due to the type of machinery the companys already had for production.

The boonie hats are made by SEKRI. South Eastern Kentucky Rehabilation Industries.


The Corp calls the initial production run by these companys Buy 1 and it ran from 2002 until 2006. Buy 2 was scheduled to begin now. Different companys may win the bids, who knows. Buy 2 may include all of the uniforms being treated with chemicals such as "Bug Off" which has been tried on a limited basis already. Supposedly no differences in construction will be allowed in Buy 2.
 
#25
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

FWIW those patterns will all be easily detected IN FRONT of the cover. Try putting them behind shrubbery or other cover. None of them are good for every environment, but I wouldn't expect any pattern to work if I just stood up IN FRONT of cover.
 
#26
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hipshot</div><div class="ubbcode-body">FWIW those patterns will all be easily detected IN FRONT of the cover. Try putting them behind shrubbery or other cover. None of them are good for every environment, but I wouldn't expect any pattern to work if I just stood up IN FRONT of cover. </div></div>

I did it was this picture


100_1135.jpg
 
#27
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hipshot</div><div class="ubbcode-body">FWIW those patterns will all be easily detected IN FRONT of the cover. Try putting them behind shrubbery or other cover. None of them are good for every environment, but I wouldn't expect any pattern to work if I just stood up IN FRONT of cover. </div></div>

shrubbery isnt cover, its concealment. TRUST me on this. there is no <span style="font-style: italic">natural </span>cover (that i know of) that will allow the enemy to see you no matter what you are wearing.

another thing, i think CMN is testing the camo in the worst case scenario. in front of everything, where the camo itself is tested.
 
#28
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: praharin</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hipshot</div><div class="ubbcode-body">FWIW those patterns will all be easily detected IN FRONT of the cover. Try putting them behind shrubbery or other cover. None of them are good for every environment, but I wouldn't expect any pattern to work if I just stood up IN FRONT of cover. </div></div>

shrubbery isnt cover, its concealment. TRUST me on this. there is no <span style="font-style: italic">natural </span>cover (that i know of) that will allow the enemy to see you no matter what you are wearing.

another thing, i think CMN is testing the camo in the worst case scenario. in front of everything, where the camo itself is tested. </div></div>

He is right you could be naked behind bushes and be effective.
What I have noticed is that MARPAT works really well if you have vegetation behind you in open field. ACU works good when you are running or hiding behind bushes and bare looking trees. Also works good on trails when you are more likely to be spotted.
Over all I think ACU works best in URBAN MARPAT in open field woodland.

ACU does work good enough in woodland and good enough in desert and is the best for Urban.

I think that MARPAT needs to be a lighter brown loose the green and black and add gray almost like ACU but make the TAN color more brown.
You are more likely to be detected in the open then concealment so it needs to match the ground of woodland then the green bushes.
Another thing I noticed was when I looked around me and pictured a real combat situation and taking cover, that everything that I would take cover against was gray ROCKS, TREES,WOOD STUMPS and so forth, I would not just be laying out in the open.
 
#29
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

The Army needs to go back to having two separate patterns. If we ever had to fight somewhere like say....SE Asia, I don't think ACU's would work the best. When we got them when I was at Polk (LA) we were shocked that the Army gave them to us because of the lack of effectiveness. My last deployment in Iraq we had no problem with them. The fact of the matter is that warfare oversees nowadays, (specifically Iraq) camouflage has a different standpoint than the traditional Army ideal. Although, I have seen a guy make a ghillie out of trash once.

When I went to Afghanistan we found that they stain easy. Especially in that shitty ass soil. This had a good effect on the ACU's however, and helped to keep us concealed when we did set up OP's. We also used to fade our BDU's back in the day. This helped them blend in better.

But in the end it doesn't matter. Because we will never have what's "the best" of anything. As long as Grunts keep adapting and making best of whats given, then thats all that matters.
 
#30
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: crazy bay</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The Army needs to go back to having two separate patterns. If we ever had to fight somewhere like say....SE Asia, I don't think ACU's would work the best. When we got them when I was at Polk (LA) we were shocked that the Army gave them to us because of the lack of effectiveness. My last deployment in Iraq we had no problem with them. The fact of the matter is that warfare oversees nowadays, (specifically Iraq) camouflage has a different standpoint than the traditional Army ideal. Although, I have seen a guy make a ghillie out of trash once.

When I went to Afghanistan we found that they stain easy. Especially in that shitty ass soil. This had a good effect on the ACU's however, and helped to keep us concealed when we did set up OP's. We also used to fade our BDU's back in the day. This helped them blend in better.

But in the end it doesn't matter. Because we will never have what's "the best" of anything. As long as Grunts keep adapting and making best of whats given, then thats all that matters. </div></div>

That's how you use them roll around in the dirt really good.They stain easy because they are made to stain and pick up the colors of the dirt in the environment your operating in.
I can tell you they work good everywhere I tested them but best in Urban
 
#31
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

I said it before and Ill say it again all services should have access to all patterns.

Think about it if your in Moscow or Beijing you need ACU to blend in with Urban, most conflicts in the future will be in Urban.

If your open field woodland then MARPAT woodland

Desert Marpat for middle east unless you are working in the down town area then ACU.
 
#32
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

Further testing today ACU beat MARPAT woodland where I live.

100 yards the ACU looked too light the MArpat too dark
200 yards Both were hard to see.
300 yards ACU was very hard to find Marpat looked like a green dot.
400 yards ACU could not be seen with naked eye Marpat looked like a smaller green dot.
500 yards ACU was not visible MARPAT looked like a Black dot.
 
#33
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

I don't want to be a dick, but conflicts are going to be fought wherever one of the combatants feel that the odds favor them and the other isn't able to back out of the conflict.

What good is an urban center when the agricultural fields that feed it are controlled by the enemy.
 
#34
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: crazy bay</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> We also used to fade our BDU's back in the day. This helped them blend in better.

</div></div>

I was surprised at how well that works. Years ago I was on an Ex with Marines, their BDU's were plenty faded and I thought they'd stand out like a sore thumb in the Canadian bush. Surprisingly they blended in very well. Of course we were wearing combats that were OD only, so we kinda stood out...lol
 
#35
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

just a note on fading woodland bdu's.... i built a scarecrow using them 3 springs ago and after being out in the weather all that time theyre really faded now and yup, theyre blending better now than ever.
 
#39
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Switchblade45</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The effectiveness of camo clothing solely depends upon the environment it is seen in. Some work well where others will not. </div></div>

Where I live in URBAN, ACU takes it
in Desert or dirt areas I would say MARPAT desert but there is gray vegetation so ACU is good enough when your going over dirt until you hit vegetation again.

But yes If your in a green/brown area the MARPAT all the way!.
Where I live ACU takes it.
 
#40
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)


I have been in love with my issue DESMARPATs for hunting in Texas the last three years... blend well for all of my AO from West Texas to near Dallas in the Summer, Fall and Winter seasons - most of the grsses are brown, tall and blend well.



3-9-09-03192.jpg


12-13-08028-1.jpg




I also use the 'natural gear' pattern, works well, mainly for tree-stand hunting when it's cold...


12-13-08055.jpg




And after reading this thread, I'll be buying some ACUs to try out - I think they'll have a place for summer and spring tree stand pig hunting.

Frankly, I've worn BDUs enough to feel naked without all the pockets.
laugh.gif



Thank you for a great thread with pictures. Really helps - love the patrol shot in your AO, it's what sold me on the ACU.


.


 
#42
Re: Army Digital Camo (ACU)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rat-30</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I have been in love with my issue DESMARPATs for hunting in Texas the last three years... blend well for all of my AO from West Texas to near Dallas in the Summer, Fall and Winter seasons - most of the grsses are brown, tall and blend well.



3-9-09-03192.jpg


12-13-08028-1.jpg




I also use the 'natural gear' pattern, works well, mainly for tree-stand hunting when it's cold...


12-13-08055.jpg




And after reading this thread, I'll be buying some ACUs to try out - I think they'll have a place for summer and spring tree stand pig hunting.

Frankly, I've worn BDUs enough to feel naked without all the pockets.
laugh.gif



Thank you for a great thread with pictures. Really helps - love the patrol shot in your AO, it's what sold me on the ACU.


.


</div></div>

Yes sir where you live MArpat Desert all the way.
I just bought some real issue on ebay from a Marine.
It's almost here.
 
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