Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/929822
parison with Polish wz. 93 woodland camou- flage pattern and the US MultiCam placed in the same place and setting. MAPA camouflage uniforms (MAPA-A and MAPA-B) were made by Specops. But it's important to mention that the uniforms were made of 100% polyester fabric and then covered with the camouflage pattern using wide-format thermal sublimation print- ing – a solution totally unsuitable for long-term use of clothing in field conditions (inappropri- ate breathability parameters and poor imprint resistance to external factors), but sufficient for R&D purposes. In 2012, however, MAPA vanished into the blue, leaving many wondering about the reason of the disappearance. Everyone took it that it was another promising project that ended collect- ing dust. But the idea resurfaced at MSPO 2016. The au- thor of the design, an assistant professor with a PhD at his alma mater, came to to make busi- ness and people and the media interested in his product. This way, it took only two months for the first batch of the fabric to be made. It was made of US22 standard issue fabric of Polish army and in the intended color, so it was ready to be used in clothing production. Also, it offered a lower level of Near-Infra Red reflec- tance. Speaking in simple terms – the materi- al "does not glow" in a night vision, meaning it doesn't generate bright surface that contrasts with the background; during night-vision ob- servation, the pattern arrangement remains unchanged. Since Fall 2016, MAPA has been subject to tests comparing it with other, most popular camouflage patterns with regard to the color scheme, the behavior and perfor- mance of the micro- and macro-pattern, and the ability to "break up" the silhouette. In or- der to make the tests as reliable as possible, all of them take place in the same area, the same weather and lighting conditions, and taking the impact of particular annual vegeta- www.fragoutmag.com