Well, all you had to do was ask!

This is a quote from Marc Barger, the gentleman who designed Predator camoflage -- obviously taken from a different thread, but it explains his rationale behind never wanting to develop a 3-D suit. I know there will be much disagreement with his viewpoint (I know Rob and Matt disagree, as we've discussed it before), and I post it only to answer Matt's question. Discuss away!

"A '3-D' suit makes a camo darker. Think about it this way. Take a white sheet and stretch it out. Looks pretty white huh? Now cut all the 'leaves' into it. It'll be darker as it creates shadows. So take a good light camo pattern like PREDATOR or ASAT and make all these cuts on it and all you're doing is making the camo darker and doing away with the whole design concept. Additionally, the little bit of 'rough edges' the cuts create do not help break up the human form. Look at the photo of the ASAT in the original thread that fueled this thread. The ASAT Leafy Wear is darker than a guy in just plain ol' ASAT would be because of all the shadows the cuts create. I know this will ruffle some people's ego as they've purchased these things, but facts are facts."

Greg, that makes pretty good logical sense......Then why couldn't one alter the colors specifically for a 3D suit? I mean, would it be possible to do the same pattern in lighter hues, thus after the 3D is made bring the colors back to "normal?"

I haveowned one an used one every season, for about the past 10 years. I buy a new suit about every 5 years.

I've owned 2 and didn't care for either.One was several years back when they first came out. It was either Mossy Oak or Real Tree, can't remember. I then bought an ASAT suit and used it a couple seasons. I don't like the way they feel.. They also seem noisy to me when drawing on a really still day. I also HATE having baggy hunting clothes..

Makes sense Greg / MO,

Maybe the people like me buying the ASAT 3-D are still suckers for what looks like it would work on the shelf (while still knocking the non-open patterns).

But, since I bought the suit and am thinking positive, maybe its a good trade-off, b/c while the leaf effect does cut down a little on some of the openness of the pattern, it might help diffuse the sharp shape of a human, especially if you are going to be in a tree in the woods, like I plan to be.

My other positive thought after not getting Predator Fall Brown jacket (my second choice), and being too strapped for cash for another suit this year, is the 3-D suit is going to be great during those sweltering bow hunting days when I'm sitting in my stand wearing my mesh suit and only Enduraskin (anti-micro underarmour stuff), while firing up my Thermacell to ward off the hordes of mosquitoes.

This falls somewhere along my line of thinking. I see Marc's point (and yours, Lebeau) about the openness, but I also like the effect it has in creating "depth"... I was making a dealer visit this afternoon, and he had a 3-D ASAT suit hanging there and I looked it over pretty good. I had a buddy (Matt/PA) come hunt with me last fall, and he wore his 3-D suit and I liked it then, too.

To your point, mobow... I think the 3-D helped the Nat Gear pattern become more effective; I've never liked Nat Gear all that much (it's too monotone for my tastes; in other words, there's not enoughcontrast in it to effectively break up the human outline into different segments or blocks like I've written about before... I think the wearer is just a light blob instead of a dark blob.) -- BUT, the 3-D really helped it to realize its potential. It's sort of what you were saying -- start off with a lighter-than-normal pattern, and the 3-D effect really works then.

I also like the concept of how 3-D suits are usually strips of mesh tied together underneath the leafy fabric which would make wearing them in the sweltering heat a lot more feasible, as Lebeau said.

I have a 3D bug suit that I wear in early season bowhunts when you could be hunting in 90 degree + weather. I wear a pair of shorts and a T shirt under it (if it is too hot, the T shirt comes off). They do rip, but not as bad as I thought it would.

While I read Greg's replies and have good intentions I still think Predator is missing the market on what would be incredible camo/3D. Especially in Fall Grey, as it's light enough, mores so in some areas, a 3D camo suit in Fall Grey would be incredible come winter/leaves down. I also would think it incredible in Fall Brown (discontinued) and my favorite Predator.

Even in snipers, they go 3D.....while it may darken some, the breakup properties far out weight what the shadowing might darken. IMO.

I also agree with Matt in the degree that the 3D seems to thicken a human however, in that same respects it deminishes the human outline, it's a win/win as far as I can see.

I've gotten away far more movement etc wearing 3D leafy wear than standard camo of the same pattern. The closest I've ever had a PA skittish turkey was in 3D camo.

I'd love to see Predator come out in 3D, I'd damn sure make it part of my arsenal.

Me too, buddy...