Open Country vs Subalpine

[cornfedkiller]

I know there's a couple threads on here already but they are all a few years old, so now that subalpine has been out for a while, I want to ask the opinions of those who have used it or are using it..

I've been wearing open country for a few years and I've always liked it because of how gray it is since most camo patterns are so dark and tend to blob up rather quickly, but lately I've really been liking the look of subapline and thinking about switching over.

I know the camo pattern doesn't make that much of a difference, but I also don't want to switch to something that's less effective or less versatile. Subalpine was obviously designed for green vegetation and they say engagements under 50 yards. Does it blob up badly at a distance? What happens beyond 100 yards?

Open country seems to work pretty well most of the time, so I don't want to switch to something that works really good somewhere but then sticks out like a sore thumb somewhere else.

And I know guys hunt in solids all the time, but those are also mostly grays and earth tones so they aren't too dark.

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

You can kill stuff wearing either. My August - September setup is in subalpine, while my October - December setup is in open country. There is some crossover with pieces. The areas I hunt portray the camo pattern I am wearing, relatively.

 

[1shotgear]

To understand the differences between these two patterns you have to know how the animals see. Animals like elk and deer have eyes on two sides of there head giving them a 280 degree field of view(humans only have 180 field of view) at all times that way they can see you drawing a bow or a lion coming from behind with very little head movement. With that view they gave up clarity only seeing in about 20/40 vision(must humans see in 20/20) and only being able to see two colors yellow and blue the rest is registered as a shade from white to black.
With this info Sitka made the gore optifade formula. The pattern you see is not made to make you look like a tree or a rock it is made to make you look like nothing to the animal. Subalpine formula is made for 50 yards and under while Open Country is made for 40 yards and beyond. That's why when you look at them subalpine has so much more smaller details then open country.

Then with the colors they went with was what the animals eyes are seeing at different distances and were you were most likely going to run into the animal at those distances. Up close elk hunting gets more greens and yellows while fare away gives you darker more earth tones.

If I was you and you were going to be early season a lot with a lot of close encounters then I would start getting a few peace's and trying it out during those hunts but if you are mostly rifle hunting and never see anything under 50 yards then you will never need it.

 

[timberbuck]

Iv'e seen hunting footage of two hunters side by side wearing both patterns from a distance and the subalpine does indeed "blob" up more than the open country but I think the subalpine is a more effective pattern in more situations/environments.

IMO open country and KUIU vias are only good up in the rocks at high altitude. Neither are particularly good for anything else. The addition of a lot of grey in the patterns is actually detrimental as it has been proven that animals can pick up UV glow off of grey easily. I can't tell you how many hunting shows I have seen hunters wearing open country that are appearing to put off a blue glow to the camera.

Much better patterns for overall western hunting including down to the desert floor IMO are the ATACS-AU on the Browning Hell's Canyon Speed line and Ridge Reaper barren/hearthstone. Realtree Max 1 for sagebrush and even kings desert or mountain shadow.

 

[sneaky]

Kings prints their pattern on crappy material that shines under sunlight. Watched a buddy climbing a ridge 3/4 of a mile away wearing kings and he looked like a signal mirror. Wish someone would make ASAT in some better fabrics. The limited run Sitka did early in their existence in ASAT is some great gear but like finding the holy grail of camo.

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[optimusprime]

For what it's worth, probably not much, I saw a guy walk into my immediate AO last year. I watched him sit down and thought for sure he was dressed head to toe in white, like a painter in coveralls. I glassed him to see what he was gonna do only to find out he was wearing open country. He stuck out like a sore thumb in the not very thick timber. Sort of like a beautiful angel coming down from the heavens to scare off all your potential kills lol.

 

[bojangles808]

ive had some very close encounters in subalpine with deer and sheep where i swore i was picked off but got away with it. i think it works pretty well

 

[FlyGuy]

I finally caved last year and bought SA b/c I wanted the Apex pant and hoodie which was only offered in that pattern. I have this weird OCD thing about wearing only matching camo. Mixing patterns just makes me itch, so I had to basically duplicate my entire wardrobe in SA.

I tend to use it as they imply. Archery elk and/or WT in timber I use SA. I don’t get to hunt “real” sheep, but for my Ibex Tag this year, or any Aoudad hunting I get to do here in TX, I’ll run the OC.





You can’t cheat the mountain

 

[Jimss]

The most important thing you want to do with camo is break up the human profile. If you wear the same top as bottoms you are making yourself look like a human! I always wear different patterns on top vs bottom.

Next, colors and vegetation change from summer through winter. I change up my camo colors depending upon the time of year I'm hunting. I usually wear snow camo if there is lots of snow! You can have the best camo pattern available but if it's dark against snow you are somewhat screwed! The same is true in early season. Vegetation may be green in September and brown in late fall. When I'm hunting sheep in rock I'll likely wear different patterns/colors than open grassy hillsides. I always bring a large selection of camo and pick the ones that blend in the best in the country/vegetation I'll be spending the most time.

I'm somewhat colorblind so likely see things differently than hunters that see colors. I've heard most wild game have different rods or cones than humans....so see colors differently. I would expect patterns may sometimes be more important than colors but I certainly see shades of color (dark vs light).

All game species aren't created equally. Moose have horrible vision compared to sheep or pronghorn. I'll be bighorn hunting again this fall and they have incredible eyes. You can bet I'll be wearing the best possible colors/patterns this fall to pull everything possible in my favor. Believe it or not turkeys have incredible vision. Turkeys and eagles have tiny eyes in comparison to moose. You've heard the comment that someone has eagle-eyes!

If you want to be super picky take a photo of your clothes in color and black/white in the country you'll be hunting. You'll likely see which ones blend in or stand out! My 2 words of advice is to wear different color/patterns on tops vs bottoms...….and have a selection of camo to choose from.

 

[timberbuck]

Kings prints their pattern on crappy material that shines under sunlight. Watched a buddy climbing a ridge 3/4 of a mile away wearing kings and he looked like a signal mirror. Wish someone would make ASAT in some better fabrics. The limited run Sitka did early in their existence in ASAT is some great gear but like finding the holy grail of camo.

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Agree, the Kings patterns on some their polyester offerings is shiny, their older prohunter shirts and pants were better.. Their clothing line is also not of the quality of Sitka ect.
Not promoting them just stating that the patterns are decent.

 

[timberbuck]

The ATACS-AU was golden for me last year on a Wyoming antelope hunt. Multiple encounters and successful stalks on pronghorn and even coyotes without detection. Match the camo to the area/environment.

I don't buy the current thought that camo is not effective or needed to gain advantage while hunting.

 

[cornfedkiller]

Only 3-4 people on this site using subalpine?

 

[optimusprime]

I have a hat and a core lightweight hoody. I love both. As for effectiveness, I'm sure it works somewhat. All camo patterns are probably just Gucci for hunters. To be honest, When I go into my tote, I have to look twice at what piece I'm trying to grab because all of them seem to look the same unless you are actively staring at them (I have a mix of Sitka, FL and Kuiu). Obviously the Kuiu Vias pattern looks way different as does the open country, mostly because of the almost white colors they have, but the FL patterns and subalpine look nearly the same when stacked next to each other at a quick glance. That being said I have had multiple encounters with elk at less than 3 yards wearing my FL fusion top with one of the encounters being 6 branched bulls encircling me at around 3 yards or less looking right at me snorting. None of them saw me for about 30 seconds, then I'm guessing they caught my scent and bolted. Most likely, the reason they didn't see me is because I wasn't moving, but at the very least, the pattern didn't make it any worse.

 

[sneaky]

Only 3-4 people on this site using subalpine?

Plenty of people using Subalpine, just not commenting on this thread. I killed a bull in Montana last year wearing SA. Sitting still was way more effective than the pattern I believe though. Same with anything you wear.

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[Desk Jockey]

I have been running a lot of subalpine in North east hardwood Forrests. In early bow season there are still leaves and greenery and it works great. Spring turkey if is great too. Once leaves drop I start to think it may blob a bit but I wore it last year well into late season. I have been inside 10 yards on white tails and turkeys in it without them giving me a glance. If you are still and manage your scent, I think it offers enough visual confusion to work very well.

 

[Trial153]

Doesnt make a spit of difference

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Game animals don't care but the SA does make you less visible to bipeds unless you are above the timberline.

 

[bowtech840]

Last year I was on a hunt with some friends, I watched them put a stalk on a couple bedded bucks from a distance and first thing I noticed was how bad they stood out. I’m even colorblind and they looked like 2 dark blobs. No blending, no break up just 2 obvious blobs that shouldn’t be on the hillside. One was wearing first lite (fusion I believe) and the other was wearing the cabelas western pattern. After the stalk we met back up and one of the first things out of one of theirs mouths was how bad I stood out in my SA. I’ve killed animals in SA close and at a distance from Iowa to Wyoming so far. I’ve never felt like it’s ever cost me an opportunity.


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[MTbowhunter84]

I have worn both and it came down to my main pursuit and that’s elk in the rut. This made my choice easier and I shot my bull last year in the open and simply remained still when he would look my way. Get the wind right and stay still is my best advice and you’ll be just fine whatever you are wearing. Each system has their place and mine came down the the fact most of my time is spent chasing elk during the rut.


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[fatlander]

I’ve killed whitetails in a tree stand wearing open country and sub alpine. I’ve killed whitetails and turkeys from the ground wearing EV2. Our grandparents killed game in wool that if you were lucky was flannel checkered. The pattern of your camo has about as much to do with your success as the price of tea in China.


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