Both camouflaged clothing and rain gear have followed similar paths.

Remember when camouflage came in one color and rain gear consisted of a piece of plastic that leaked at the seams? Now there are dozens of camo patterns, and the rain gear is well fitted and keeps you dry. Not only can active outdoor sportsmen and sportswomen stay dry in the field, but they can also be well concealed at the same time.

Let's look at some of the improvements and how they can help you.

Mossy Oak
The Mossy Oak Break-Up pattern has always been one of the most popular in the company's line, and three key elements distinguish New Break-Up from the original: extremely life-like images of leaves, bark and limbs; added ghost shadows for a more three-dimensional quality; and a completely new background of textured bark.

Mossy Oak has other options, too, including the Brush pattern that provides concealment in Western rangeland, mountain foothills and open cropland areas. There is also Obsession, with the same realistic limbs and ghost shadows used in New Break-Up, plus new, carefully selected fall-tone elements mixed with green leaves and vines. Shadow Grass is a pattern that provides highly detailed reproduction of grass blades and shadows, and is designed for waterfowl hunting in marshy areas, hunting doves in open corn fields and hunting big game in the open country. The new Bottomland pattern, meanwhile, features updates to the vertical bark pattern that helped launch Mossy Oak more than 20 years ago.

Trebark
Unable to be found for a time, Trebark is being resurrected in the Outfitter Tuff brand clothing line. Outfitter Tuff clothing features the original Trebark pattern as well as the new Trebark 005, a computer enhancement of the original Trebark. The Outfitter Tuff product line is available only from its Web site (www.outfittertuff.com). Pants, shirts and bomber jackets are available in sizes small to XXXL. Fabric options include 100 percent cotton chamois and brushed cotton/polyester printed to protect from color fading; 100 percent brushed polyester; and a lightweight 100 percent nylon that is no-shrink, no-fade and dries quickly when wet. The bomber is also available in an insulated version that offers a 100gm Thinsulate lining.

Realtree
Realtree recently introduced its AP and Realtree APG lines, the result of 20 years of camouflage research and refinement by Bill Jordan and Team Realtree.

AP stands for "All-Purpose." APG stands for "All-Purpose Green." Together, AP and APG offer true "season and region" versatility. AP is suited for fall, winter and early spring, while APG is designed for early fall and spring. And depending on time and terrain, the patterns can be mixed to better match your surroundings.

According to the designers at Realtree, 20 years of countless field tests and meticulous design and printing improvements have led to one simple truth: Mother Nature does it best, but Realtree AP and Realtree APG aren't far behind.

Cabela's Seclusion
For the hunter looking for a great all-around camo that works extremely well in deciduous settings so common to whitetails, Seclusion 3D is a tough pattern to beat.

With its mix of greens, browns and grays printed in an open design, this pattern blends into forests, river bottoms and hardwoods. A slightly out-of-focus layer creates a realistic impression of depth. Its open pattern ensures that it stays hidden whether your quarry is at 500 yards or 5 yards, thus eliminating the "blob effect" at a distance but still having enough detail to look great up close.