http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2327265.jpg> A good example of European hunting clothing. As you see, it looks better suited for birding or a late fall nature walk than whitetail hunting from a ladderstand.

To most Americans, the mental image of hunting clothes tend to go one of two ways: the Bugs Bunny cartoon characterizations that lampoon hunters or the new technical clothing that is showing up everywhere from the high mountain ranges to Pilates classes in midtown Manhattan. There's not much in the middle

That's one reason European hunting clothes don't have much of a following outside wingshooting. Their "hunting" clothes are a much more "put together" look with fine natural fabrics, high quality leather and a degree of tailoring more typical in bespoke suits than briar pants.

Recently, we ran the story of X JAGD, a European clothing company that was bringing their new patterns of camo to the United States. The descriptions of their new "DEMORPHING" technology caught my attention. Rather than offer the extreme lifelikeness we expect from most U.S. product, X JAGD is using patterning that doesn't actually blend into the surroundings so much as it "optically dissolves" the wearer.

That sounds a lot like a Romulan cloaking device to me, so I reached out to their U.S. distributor, Steyr Arms, and asked if I could go hands-on with some of X JAGD's new offerings. Despite having very limited quantities, they agreed to let me come check out their new products.

http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2327267.jpg> Two different patterns of X JAGD's DEMORPHING technology demonstrates how you can combine patterns so you're very visible to the human eye while not being very intrusive, despite wearing blaze orange.

What I saw was more than interesting. In their five patterns (Alps for high altitude hunting, Savannah for dry sand, stone and earth formations, Tundra for any kind of snowy conditions, Mountain Effect, and Flash Effect combining camo and blaze) I saw-or more correctly- perceived how they could easily confuse vision at relatively short distances.

The new camo will be offered in a full line of both men's and women's wear, from the usual parkas, jackets, and pants to both long and short-sleeve shirts, base layers, socks, headgear, scarves and gaiters - all distributed exclusively by Steyr Arms.

Looking at the patters, the technology of "demorphing" looked more reminiscent of tie-dyed clothing than the normal razor-sharp patterning of the camo I've always worn. And it didn't remind me at all of the pixelated high-technology what has come-and gone- in the military.

Instead, it looked, well, nondescript. It didn't beg attention- and I guess that's the ultimate goal. Unless you were looking at the Flash pattern - with the blaze orange mixed into it- the pieces of clothing I combined simply blended together. In fact, I took a couple of different patterns, combined them, and realized I could easily be looking at the land along a river bottom that transitioned from dry to wet conditions.

It's very early in the distribution and sale process for anyone to predict whether X JAGD will be successful, but it's a very interesting technology that's not begun to get a lot of attention- yet- from hunting media. But it's certainly something we're keeping an eye on going forward.

After all, something you can't see is big news in the hunting world...and, as always, we'll keep you posted.

--Jim Shepherd