Airsoft Camo: 5 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Ghillie Suit

The ghillie suit is a camouflage clothing that uses three-dimensional features to lend more depth and texture to concealment. Its original use case is hunting, not simulated military combat. The first ghillie wearers hide in plain sight to catch prey off guard. If these cloaking devices work like a charm on wildlife, they can be even more effective on humans. In airsoft, ghillies can turn snipers into ghosts, forcing opposing players to deal with marksmen none of their senses can detect.

Ghillie suits are so effective that more and more airsoft enthusiasts choose to don them, regardless of the battle. Due to the tactical advantages they give wearers, some advocate limiting such apparel to snipers to avoid ruining gameplay for everyone. No matter how you feel about ghillies, there’s no denying that their utility is unquestionable when used correctly.

Premade Ghillie Suits for Sale vs. Custom Ghillie Suits — Which Is Better?

Many manufacturers have cashed in on the rising popularity of ghillies, flooding the market with premade suits. They come with faux vegetation and various color patterns. Although they’re available at multiple price points, premade ghillies are generally budget-friendly and turnkey.

The downside to premade ghillie suits for sale is that they can look unnatural. Like some camouflage strategies in the wild, the fake foliage covering them may fail in motion and can stick out like a sore thumb to eagle-eyed players — even when their colors closely resemble the environment’s natural hues.

Ghillies are typically uncomfortable, but mass-produced ones can cause more discomfort in the field. While you can choose from various standard sizes, finding those that complement your body type can be challenging.

Your suit should loosely fit you without being exceedingly baggy and have adjustable straps to keep it in place, ensuring freedom of movement. Wearing something too body-hugging can cause discomfort and jeopardize your performance.

If you prefer the convenience of premade ghillies, spend good money on high-quality products. They provide reliable stealth in specific terrains and consist of heavy-duty materials that resist abrasion well. Some designs allow for attachments, helping you adapt to unique surroundings.

On the other hand, custom ghillie suits can deliver the ultimate concealment and provide more comfort since their dimensions match your specifications.

Creating one from scratch takes considerable work. It involves choosing base sniper wear, attaching netting, adding burlap or jute, and dyeing it in colors to achieve a desirable camouflage pattern.

Customizing ghillie suits can be expensive. While you have complete control over the design, you have to buy components separately. If you undergo trial and error when experimenting with countless combinations, your expenses will add up.

5 Tips for Wearing a Suitable Ghillie

Regardless of how a ghillie suit comes to form, its effectiveness ultimately depends on the wearer. If you know what you’re doing, you can harmoniously coexist with the surroundings and neutralize enemies like nobody’s business undetected — whether you order your complete suit online or put everything together by hand.

Wear the right ghillie in every airsoft game with these five pieces of advice.

1. Scout the Site in Advance

Your suit should adapt to the environment, not the other way around. There are no one-size-fits-all suits — even when optimized for specific environments because similar terrains are never identical. Plus, the foliage can go from green to orange as seasons do.

For example, two forests can have distinct color schemes due to their native flora. Green, brown and black tones are safe bets in wooded environments. If your suit lacks the correct mix of shades and textures, it won’t properly obfuscate your presence and erroneously think you’re invisible when the other team can see you move from a mile away.

Visiting the airsoft field ahead of the game matters. It allows you to see how it looks at that time of year. Take photos of yourself on-site in camo to notice the strengths and weaknesses of its concealment. This way, you can tweak your ghillie’s design accordingly — like introducing a new hue into the pattern or making everything darker or lighter.

Incorporating natural elements from the field into your suit, such as twigs, leaves and grass, can help you visually disappear when motionless. However, add them on game day since discoloration may blow your cover.

2. Think About the Material

A good ghillie comprises breathable, moisture-wicking and durable materials. It can keep you from overheating, especially when its colors absorb sunlight, and the suit from disintegrating. While you can fuse natural and synthetic fabrics, be mindful of trade-offs.

For instance, strong materials can retain structural integrity under harsh conditions but add more heft to the ghillie and make attention-grabbing sounds like brushing against other surfaces.

If you worry about safety, you can use materials with flame retardants for your peace of mind. Players carrying pyrotechnics can inadvertently start fires — even in moist and cold locations — so better be safe than sorry.

3. Disguise Your Weapons

Airsoft guns are reflective. They can give you away since their metallic surfaces indicate they’re not part of a vegetated environment.

Camouflage your rifle and pistol to avoid drawing foes’ attention. Buy wraps for your replicas to give them a ghillie finish without interfering with controls. They provide mounting options that let you add local or artificial foliage.

4. Consider the Game Type

In games where nimbleness can spell the difference between victory and defeat, wearing a suit that provides full body coverage can make you a liability.

A ghillie with all the bells and whistles is heavy. This dead weight will slow you down, which can be crucial when you constantly have to change sniping spots to avoid detection or withdraw from the battlefield to stay alive.

Ghillie ponchos offer a healthy balance between concealment and mobility. They can cover your upper torso and arms, allowing your lower body to move more freely when necessary. Wear a battle dress uniform with a universal camouflage pattern and face paint to cover your exposed body parts and stay stealthy.

5. Don’t Forget About Maintenance

Any ghillie owner would tell you that suit cleanup can be a chore. Filth comes with the territory. However, keeping your camo outfit spotless post-game can be painless if you use materials you can clean without soaking.

A good suit can look fresh with just a damp cloth. Air-dry it under the sun to cause moisture to evaporate more quickly, preventing mold growth. Store it in a dry, cool place to keep its materials pristine.

Nail Your Ghillie Suit to Be an Airsoft Menace

Putting a lot of thought into your ghillie can minimize your in-field visibility, improve your mobility, comfort and safety, and make maintenance less stressful. Keep these pieces of advice in mind when buying a premade suit or customizing one.