Goggle Camouflage

Jamie Innes
13/11/2004

In theory, the one part of your anatomy that is going to be seen by your opponents, above all else, is your mask/goggle system. It is a highly recognisable piece of equipment which will give away your position if not camouflaged. So how would you go about camouflaging it? Thanks to the aftermarket, this problem has already been taken care of.

So what factors were important to you when you purchased your goggles? was it important that they fit well? be lightweight? be comfortable? not fog?... all these are important for function, but in bushball, omitting the vital camouflage element will aid in you being visible to your opponents. Ever seen somebody play bushball with a white or fluro hopper? I have. And it's a dead giveaway. Now, ever seen somebody use a white or fluro mask?. Same again.

2D techniques

Not a lot can really be said about 2D goggle camouflage. You can use permanent marker to draw a pattern, or paint your mask, or use camo tape. Remember to take your goggle system all the way apart when painting... especially removing the lens. Keep an eye out for new products, you do sometimes see various skin/tape type products that you can use.

Raw Products.

For more info on these products, see the "Marker Camoflage" article. You can use all of these to camouflage your mask. There are no real rules and regulations to using this stuff for goggle camo, that said... very few people take this approach for the following reasons...

•  Don't know how to do it
•  Don't want to expend effort learning and doing it
•  Dislike the camouflage material for reason X
•  Don't see the benefit

1. Using Veil.
Veil (also sometimes called "scrim netting") can be used to cover the top of your head like a bandana, or simply cover your mask, or cover the exposed area/colour of your neck, or can be used like an arab shemagh head wrap, or a combination of all of the above. It's the simplest and quickest way to camo your goggles. Veil can be chopped up, like burlap strips, for a leafy or grassy effect.

2. Using burlap.
Using burlap, you can do the same things as veil. Burlap however is commonly used to achive the leafy effect. SO what is that? The leafy effect is cutting into strips your materal, so that from a distance, that's what it hopefully looks like. How well this actually works depends on a few things. Such as how well you have done it, how well the colours match your surroundings, and how well trained an observer your opponent is. Remember the golden rule, camo isn't about being invisible, it's about being harder to recognise.

3. Jute.
Jute can be something of a nuisance if not properly done. Generally speaking, refrain for applying liberal amounts of jute when camo-ing your mask. Jute jizz are small fibres rom the jute string that can and will get in your mouth or make you sneeze. Getting it in your mouth or up your nose isn't fun.

5. Synthetic leaves
The biggest problem with these is the way they tend to be "out of place". Think about this for a second. You might play on a field that only has grass, and pine trees, with no leafy foliage. If you use any kind of synthetic leaves, check ahead of time to make sure your field actually has the same leaves. Otherwise your opponents will recognise it.

The general rule of thumb when applying these materials to your mask, is to utilise the existing ventilation holes, as places to affix the material. Oftentimes twine, jute string, or cables ties make great ways to attach the material. One you have some sort of base establied, ie- netting or veil, you can add the rest of the material.

Tips:

•  You can affix bits and pieces directly to the ventilation holes rather than the netting, but this will take longer to remove and customise, and will inhibit ventilation more than using veil or netting as a base.
•  Don't forget to cover the earpieces too
•  Keep the visor camo seperate from the rest of the mask. The ability to remove your visor can be quite essential if you wish to add additional ghillie headwear.

Aftermarket products

For a quicker, easier, and more expensive way to do it, there are some noteworthy aftermarket products available. The upside is that these are premade, thus easy to apply and well made, the downside is they are generally not customisable. So if these products become damaged or dirty... you may have to replace the product rather than be able to repair it.

1. Goggleskinz
This is a sticky, synthetic fine net that sticks to your goggles. They inhibit about 20% of your vision, but allow you to look out because your eyes are so close to them. On the other hand, when people look at them from the outside, it's near impossible to see through into your eyes. SOme people love them, some people hate them. But they definitely do what they claim they can do.

2. Goggleflauge
This is a neoprene mask that affixes over the top of your mask. It has spiky/frayed edges to break up the familiar outline of your mask, and comes in a variety of colours and patterns. It has some problems however, these can be hard to clean, hard to install, can restrict ventilation, and partially restrict your view.

Credits:
"Goggleflauge" thanks to www.pbreview.com
"Goggleskinz" thank to "Flatlines Up!" of www.A5OG.net
"Permanent Marker"
"2D and 3D Goggle camo"
"Veil, jute string, cable ties and goggle skinz" all thanks to "Yeti".