Fall Gray works great ANYTIME of year. One of the best patterns ever made. It is not too light for early season IMO. Here is why. Go into the woods and look-up. What do you see, even with a full canopy? Well, lot's of leaves and some sky. When you are wearing Fall Gray in the early season, the leaves of the canopy are blocking you as much as the trees, sky, etc... You don't glow, considering that deer only see shades anyway - you just look like "nothing" up in the trees. I wear it year-around, that's what makes the pattern the BEST, and all the others (except for Intrusion Treeline) just very well advertised and marketed blob camo that doesn't break any outline.