W.L. Gore & Associates, a leading manufacturer of advanced technology products including GORE-TEX branded products, today announced that it has developed GORE^® OPTIFADE™ Concealment – the first visual concealment technology based on how deer and other hoofed animals see, both spatially and colorimetrically.  In Europe, W.L. Gore is partnering with Harkila, Chevalier, Swedteam, Sasta (Scandinavia) and Beretta (Italy) manufacturers of high-performance clothing for hunters, to bring the new technology to market in 2010. “W.L. Gore has a long history of creating scientifically-sound innovations that improve outcomes for our customers.  GORE^®OPTIFADE™ Concealment is designed to give hunters the best advantage over their prey to-date,” commented David Dillon, Hunting Category Leader at W.L. Gore & Associates.  “We believe this technology is the future of visual concealment for hunters and intend to continue to develop products based on its scientific principles.” The Science of GORE^®OPTIFADE™ Concealment Until now, visual concealment has been designed from the perspective of the human eye.  To create GORE^®OPTIFADE™ Concealment, the team at W.L. Gore worked with a panel of scientific advisors and employed the latest research in animal vision science, camouflage science and computer technology to create a proprietary new concealment pattern. In contrast to mimicry camouflage, which attempts to make the hunter closely resemble his environment, Gore’s technology aims to prevent the animal from recognizing a hunter as a predator, even if the hunter is detected. GORE^®OPTIFADE™ Concealment incorporates a micro and a macro pattern.  The unique micro-pattern considers the way a deer or other ungulate perceives color, the ratio of positive to negative space and other visual elements to create an effect that allows the hunter to blend with the animal’s perception of the environment.  The macro-pattern breaks up the symmetry of the human body so that if a hunter is detected, the animal will not be able to identify the hunter as a predator. Experts point out that predators in the animal kingdom operate on the same macro and micro pattern principles. Beretta to Feature GORE^® OPTIFADE™ Concealment “W.L. Gore & Associates is one of our major partners in the development of technical, innovative gear for hunters and outdoor lovers.  In the last years, Beretta has been interpreting the top-performing GoreTM membranes and fabrics, offering its customers outstanding waterproof, breathable and windproof clothing and accessories, “custom sewn” for the hunters needs. Jackets, pants, sweatshirts, hats, gloves and shoes that allow man to be part of nature, season after season, in all weather and always in the utmost comfort. Beretta today is proud to be partner of Gore in this new challenging adventure: allow man to be not only comfortable in nature, yet invisible!” We believe GORE® OPTIFADE™ concealment will offer a new way to live the hunting experience.” says Ing. Carlo Ferlito, General Manger at Fabbrica d’Armi Pietro Beretta. The best European dealers and the Beretta Galleries, starting from September 2010, will offer two different Beretta-Optifade™ hunting set, engineered for comfort, protection and concealment: the 500 E.L.P., light and packable, and the DWS, particularly silent and durable. 500 E.L.P. means extreme light and packable in only 500 grs of weight. This hunting set is made of GORE-TEX Paclite^® Shell, a 3 layer fabric light and thin yet super performing. The jacket, pants and cap are rich of details and innovative solution from the taped seams to the waterproof zip and the pockets, tailored for the hunters need. The 500 E.L.P. jacket is packable in its detachable hood. It becomes warmer and wearable in extreme weather condition by inserting the Beretta Interactive System padded jacket or vest. The DWS OPTIFADE™ hunting set jacket and pants are made of a particularly durable, waterproof and silent fabric. The waterproof properties are guaranteed by the GORE-TEX Z-liner and by waterproof zip. The jacket is full of multifunctional details from the anti-skid patch on the shoulder, to safely carry the gun sling, to the expandable roomy front pockets with magnetic-closure flaps, able to host a full cartridge box. The jacket also features a lot of details studied to offer the hunters the maximum comfort, such as the armpit ventilation zipper and the hand warmer chest pockets with direct access to the drawstring regulation. Härkila introduces Gore® Optifade™ in their collection “Härkila was one of the first hunting brands in Europe to introduce GORE-TEX and WINDSTOPPER^® garment for the dedicated hunter and has now become one of Europe’s leading suppliers of hunting garment. We see Gore products to be the best choice for the dedicated hunter; GORE-TEX and WINDSTOPPER^® garments will provide the best comfort and protection for all weather conditions. “We are happy to introduce the new Gore Optifade in our hunting collection, says Mr Steen Karlsson marketing director for Härkila. We see this is a new exiting innovation from Gore that will bring a totally new way of becoming “nothing” in the eyes of an ungulate.” Härkila is introducing the Gore Optifade in their very successful WINDSTOPPER^® Q fleece collection. With this new camouflage pattern the stalker has new clothing options for milder days. The extremely silent outer material and concealment pattern makes it possible to move “beneath the radar” and the WINDSTOPPER^® membrane from Gore effectively keeps the wind out.