Couldn't you have dyed them?
Absolutely. More work though and I wasn't feeling it today.
Doesn't spraypaint make the cloth stiffer?
Sure does. For something like a uniform or even a vest I wouldn't spray, or at least only do some conservative lines, but dying is definitely the way for that stuff. For small pouches, it doesn't really matter.
Won't the paint eventually flake off.
Yup. Especially anywhere along a corner. The goal here was expedient camo rather than high art. Eventual small flaking won't destroy the overall effect, especially as the pouches wear and those exposed bits get tinted by dirt.
Why not use [color]?
Used what I had, I'm not buying more spray paint just for this.
I'm well aware of how long it lasts, though I pre-emptively put up my text since spraying gear tends to attract a lot of the same comments. I treat all my gear pretty practically, so losing a little bit of the mint condition on a camo doesn't matter much to me, but some people seem to consider it a bigger deal.