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Gore Develops New GORE® OPTIFADE™ Concealment Pattern for Hunting Whitetail Deer

Big Game/Forest Pattern Based on Animal Vision is Optimized for Tree Stands, Wooded Environment

Elkton, MD – December 1, 2009 – W.L. Gore & Associates today announced that it has developed a new GORE® OPTIFADE™ Concealment pattern specifically designed for tree stand hunting in wooded environments. Like the Big Game/Open Country pattern, the new Big Game/Forest pattern is based on how deer see, both spatially and colorimetrically. A new line of Sitka gear featuring the new pattern will be available at retail by summer of 2010.

Gore launched GORE OPTIFADE Concealment at retail in the summer of 2009. Developed by a group of experts, including an animal vision scientist and a leader in military concealment, the pattern was the first to consider how a hunter appears in the eyes of his prey.

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.

“GORE OPTIFADE Concealment is a game-changing technology in the sport of hunting,” said David Dillon, hunting category leader at Gore. “Since the very successful launch of the Big Game/Open Country pattern, we have put our considerable scientific expertise toward developing gear and a concealment pattern that addresses conditions unique to tree stand hunting in a wooded environment.”

While the original Big Game/Open Country pattern is optimized for spot and stalk hunting in western mountain environments, the new Big Game/Forest pattern takes into account circumstances unique to tree stand hunting including:

The elevated angle of attack common in tree stand hunting
The vertical effect of trees, which can make detection of a hunter easier for the prey
Closer engagement distances than those in open country hunting

For the GORE OPTIFADE Concealment Big Game/Forest pattern, Gore has manipulated the micro and macro patterns to account for these differences. Gore has optimized the pattern contrast through shading and colorization to account for how deer see when looking up in a wooded environment.

Sitka Gear, which has seen sales skyrocket with the debut of gear featuring the original GORE OPTIFADE Concealment, will incorporate the new pattern on an innovative line of gear for 2010. The gear itself is specially designed for tree stand hunting, which often requires hunters to endure long sedentary periods in adverse conditions. Pieces of the system also incorporate Gore’s durably waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX® and windproof, breathable WINDSTOPPER® technical fabrics.

“Our system of gear constantly evolves to meet the needs of the performance hunter,” commented Jonathan Hart, Sitka founder. “Whether he’s stalking in the desert, or poised in a tree stand, our aim is to keep him concealed, comfortably protected and focused to enhance his chances of success.”

BowTech®, a manufacturer of bows and archery equipment, will offer the new GORE® OPTIFADE™ Concealment Big Game/Forest pattern on its BowTech® and Diamond brand bows and Octane accessories. Gore’s new partner, G5™ Outdoors, will feature the new pattern on sights and rests.

For more information about GORE® OPTIFADE™ Concealment visit www.optifade.com.

About W.L. Gore & Associates (www.gore-tex.com)

Perhaps best known for its consumer products like GORE-TEX® fabric and ELIXIR® guitar strings, Gore is a leading manufacturer of thousands of advanced technology products for the electronics, industrial, fabrics and medical markets. The company is headquartered in Newark, Delaware, posts sales of approximately $2.6 billion, and employs almost 8,500 associates at 50 facilities throughout the world.

About Sitka Gear (www.sitkagear.com)

Established in 2005, Sitka is known for its commitment to using the best technology, fabrics, designs, construction and partners to produce the best products available in the hunting market. Sitka Gear excels in the worst of conditions and is built to last. Sitka: Turning clothing into gear. 870 Napa Valley Corporate Way Suite N, Napa, CA 94558. Phone # (877) SITKA-MG or 877- 748-5264.

About BowTech® (www.bowtecharchery.com)

BowTech® manufactures and distributes the world's finest compound bows and archery equipment. Founded in 1999, BowTech®'s corporate offices and manufacturing facilities are located in Eugene, Oregon. With a worldwide distribution network, BowTech®’s family of brands include: BowTech®, Diamond, Octane, Stryker and WaterDog Surface Technologies. BowTech® is a subsidiary of Savage Sports Corporation, located in Westfield. MA. Brand names include Savage Arms, Stevens, Fox, Savage (Canada), Savage Range Systems and PortaTarget.

About G5® Outdoors (www.g5outdoors.com)

G5® Outdoors L.L.C. is a family owned business established in 2000 and backed by more than 40 years of precision manufacturing experience. G5® strives to provide superior products that are Designed to Hunt™ through precision manufacturing and innovative design. To learn more about G5® Outdoors, visit www.g5outdoors.com or call (866)456-8836.

Contact:

Susan Goodell
Warschawski
410-367-2700 x 15
susan.goodell@warschawski.com

Andrea DiRuscio
Warschawski
410-367-2700 x 20
andrea.diruscio@warschawski.com

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