There are different reasons people want to have a camouflage covering for their tent, clothing or possessions. Hunters do not want to be detected by the prey. Those playing paintball games do not want the competition to see them at all. Having something in the back yard that can’t be easily moved, and needs to be hidden could use a camouflage covering.
For games, and those times when camping alone is desirable, camouflage coverings are desirable. I wanted to camp in solitude recently, without a lot of neighbors stopping by for “visits.”
I bought a small tent, 7′ x 7′ x 44″ high. Smaller is better. At least shorter is better. The store website I found the tent on advertised a camouflage tarp that I could cover the tent with while I was gone for fishing. This covering would protect my possessions and my priceless pet, Tsiri, protection.
No such luck. The only tarps the store had were bright blue; a color that does not occur in nature as a mound. They had brown-colored tarps that were too big and too expensive for my needs. Halfway back from the store, I realized that I had an answer.
I did not have a large brown, green or black anything. But I did have a white sheet, tea and coffee. I could dye the sheet and have a camouflage covering for the tent. It would look like a mound of dirt. Laying broken branches over it during the time I was away would appear from a distance like it was part of a small thicket.
The following is how to make your own camouflage covering.
You will need:
- ·:
I ran the hottest water the hotel had in a plastic pan I had. I poured instant tea and coffee into the water, and then placed the sheet in. Since the sheet had undergone multiple washings, the sizing was no longer there. The sizing material will keep dye from getting to the fabric.
Step Two:
I left the sheet in the hot liquid all night long. In the morning, I wrung it out and placed in a plastic bag that did not leak. It was transported to the campsite.
At the campsite, I took it out of the bag and spread it on the ground. A pair of scissors relieved the elastic that would have made it drape like a giant mushroom.
I donned a pair of rubber gloves and began to pour the dye in non-geometric patterns. A pile of dirt doesn’t exactly have a uniform color. I allowed the green to touch the black. This was okay. The ground surrounding the tent was mostly black. There was green vegetation, but as in all wild growth, it had no real pattern to it.
Step Three:
I waited about an hour for the dye to dry. I made no attempt to rinse any of the dye out. That’s okay. This would appear blotchy when dry. If rain were in the forecast, the sheet could be moved aside and allow to rinse out off the tent. It could be moved back afterward. If it dyed the tent, that was small potatoes.
Step Four:
I placed the sheet over the tent and pulled it down as best I could. Rocks and sticks held it in place, along with small raffia ties. Since it was a little wrinkled, I placed a broken branch upside down (broken branch side pointing up, twigs down) on the side of the tent.
The tent was located in a small thicket under a tree with a hanging down broken branch. If it fell, it would not harm the tent. The broken branch against the tent looked natural.
As I walked away and went to a different area outside the thicket, I had a hard time distinguishing the tent from the surrounding area. I did know where it was.Perfect to camp in while I hiked or fished.
Stealth camping is not praised or advocated by the author. It is often done on private property, owned by an individual, railroad or other business. Illegal activity is not advocated for any reason. Many cities have lists of places through the local tourist bureau where camping is allowed for minimal fees or for free.
For games, hunting, backyard camping and Halloween, making your own camouflage is fun and easy. If the cloth is to be worn, allow the dye to dry first and then rinse it out.
Source: The author of this article has over 40 years of experience in diverse forms of DIY, home improvement and repair, crafting, designing, and building furniture, outdoor projects and more.
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