The 2010 line-up of Sitka Gear will be available in the new Optifade Forest pattern in June!

Big Game/Forest Pattern Based on Animal Vision Is Optimized for Tree Stands, Wooded Environment

Elkton, MD (December 1, 2009)–W. L. Gore & Associates today announced that it has developed a new GORE™ OPTIFADE™ Concealment pattern specifically designed for tree stand hunting in wooded environments. Like the Big Game/Open Country pattern, the new Big Game/Forest pattern is based on how deer see, both spatially and colorimetrically. A new line of Sitka Gear featuring the new pattern will be available at retail by summer of 2010.

Gore launched GORE OPTIFADE Concealment at retail in the summer of 2009. Developed by a group of experts, including an animal vision scientist and a leader in military concealment, the pattern was the first to consider how a hunter appears in the eyes of his prey.

GORE OPTIFADE Concealment incorporates a micro and a macro pattern. The unique micro-pattern considers the way a deer or other ungulate perceives color, the ratio of positive to negative space and other visual elements to create an effect that allows the hunter to blend with the animal’s perception of the environment. The macro-pattern breaks up the symmetry of the human body so that if a hunter is detected, the animal will not be able to identify the hunter as a predator.

 “GORE OPTIFADE Concealment is a game-changing technology in the sport of hunting,” said David Dillon, hunting category leader at Gore. “Since the very successful launch of the Big Game/Open Country pattern, we have put our considerable scientific expertise toward developing gear and a concealment pattern that addresses conditions unique to tree stand hunting in a wooded environment.”

While the original Big Game/Open Country pattern is optimized for spot and stalk hunting in western mountain environments, the new Big Game/Forest pattern takes into account circumstances unique to tree stand hunting including:

• The elevated angle of attack common in tree stand hunting
• The vertical effect of trees, which can make detection of a hunter easier for the prey
• Closer engagement distances than those in open country hunting

For the GORE OPTIFADE Concealment Big Game/Forest pattern, Gore has manipulated the micro and macro patterns to account for these differences. Gore has optimized the pattern contrast through shading and colorization to account for how deer see when looking up in a wooded environment.

Sitka Gear, which has seen sales skyrocket with the debut of gear featuring the original GORE OPTIFADE Concealment, will incorporate the new pattern on an innovative line of gear for 2010. The gear itself is specially designed for tree stand hunting, which often requires hunters to endure long sedentary periods in adverse conditions. Pieces of the system also incorporate Gore’s durably waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX® and windproof, breathable WINDSTOPPER® technical fabrics.

“Our system of gear constantly evolves to meet the needs of the performance hunter,” commented Jonathan Hart, Sitka Gear founder. “Whether he’s stalking in the desert, or poised in a tree stand, our aim is to keep him concealed, comfortably protected and focused to enhance his chances of success.”