Buyers Guide Hunting 2017 | Page 5

BY UNDER RIDGE REAPER ARMOUR New pattern developed for the Northwest By Cutter Streeby & Drew Steinberger, Montana Outdoorsmen I nterested in the new Ridge Reaper Barren camo pattern we offer at North 40 Outfitters, Drew and I wanted to get behind the scenes on this new pattern. So, we sat down with Kevin Hollingsworth from Under Armour to get some details on the new camo pattern. “This pattern works in two distinct ways,” Kevin begins the interview, “It breaks up sight recognition by utilizing proprietary shape and color patterns. The first way this pattern works to conceal the hunter is called ‘coincidental disruption’ which breaks the hunter’s silhouette with a designed pattern of shapes that trick the animal’s eye. The second way this pattern works is by utilizing what UA has termed, No Background Color Algorithm. This layering is a variation on both color scheme and value. The special layering creates a sense of depth in the camo which helps conceal the hunter by tricking the eye of the animal he is stalking.” “The Ridge Reaper Barren Pattern was designed to fill a void we felt was pretty apparent on the market, and that was for areas with less vegetation, more open country where there’s not a surplus of leafy vegetation,” Kevin continued. Like the name implies, Ridge Reaper Barren is for areas like Montana with open, rocky areas where the color scheme is more khaki and less green. North 40 Outfitters carries the early and mid-season lines of the Ridge Reaper Barren pattern. “Under Armour has been in the layering game since our inception, and with hunting apparel, it’s no different. People will buy one line of this camo pattern and instead of needing 2 or 3 lines t o match the seasons, they will just layer up to extend the viability of the line they buy—so, an archery hunter who goes out early season will buy the early season line and then layer up underneath it when it gets colder.” When we asked Kevin about scent control, something that’s on every hunter’s mind, he was able to clarify for us the finer points of zeolites and silver. Essentially Under Armour contains zeolites that are fused with silver. While silver has been used extensively to control odor, zeolites are a later addition to the odor control game. Zeolites are crystalline structures that have small pores. These pores keep bacteria molecules from entering a zeolite structure. That means zeolites can be used to filter the sweat from your body and help to control the bacteria that causes odor in the field. “Another added benefit of opting for an Under Armour camo pattern is this: UA considers hunters and fisherman to be athletes, and we have built our name outfitting athletes so they can work better in their pursuits. Threadborne is a proprietary manufacturing process introduced by Under Armour in 2015. We are able to select what threads go into the final products that reach your customers… basically we are building these clothes from the DNA up. If you get a chance to get out in the Ridge Reaper Barren pattern, you’ll be able to tell immediately that the manufacturing process we use at UA is able to provide a superior product.” NORTH40.COM 5