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Rocky’s Reloading Room |
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Ghillie Suit Review
There, in the center of the aisle of the world's largest gun show, stood a bush. A human bush. When I approached it, it turned and shook my hand. I was hooked. Shaking my hand was Jerry Gentellalli, owner of Rancho Safari. He was wearing one of his creations, a carefully crafted ghillie suit.
For those not familiar with the term, a ghillie suit is an overgarment covered with strips of burlap and other materials that in the wild simply disappears from view. The name comes from the suit's inventors: ghillies are river guides and wardens in Ireland, and they are charged with the responsibility of stopping poaching on their lands. These ghillies soon learned that it was very difficult to conceal themselves in the open terrain. By covering their outer clothes with strings and strips of cloth in neutral colors, they could sit still and be virtually unseen. The ghillie suit was born.
Today, ghillie suits are used by many military special forces personnel, particularly snipers. You may remember a field that came to life in the final scenes of the James Bond thriller Golden Eye (Pierce Brosnan thinks he's alone in the field with his latest lovely, when up jump dozens of US Marines, as if from nowhere). If that scene amazed you, imagine how a coyote feels when he trots in to a sound he thinks means free lunch, only to learn far too late that it's his last mistake. That final surprise is one I thrill to providing, and a ghillie suit seemed to me to be a terribly efficient way to deliver it. A few minutes discussion with Jerry, and one of his suits was on order.
Soon after, the brown-suit Santa rolled up to my house in his truck, and a surprisingly heavy box changed hands. I had ordered Rancho Safari's bread-and-butter product, a Longcoat Booney Hood with face mask. Mine is in 4-season color scheme, that being Jerry's best solution to my mountain/desert/brush/snow conditions in Utah. The first item inside the box is a cautionary note to unpack the suit outdoors! That's a nice touch, and I'm sure a lot of spouses are grateful for it! When first unpacked, there are lots and lots of tiny fibers, threads, burlap strands and such that fall out of the suit. The instructions say to hang the suit outdoors for a few days to allow this initial "fallout" to occur. In fact, the instruction packet actually says to hose the suit down, roll it up a bury it for a few days! This allows the suit to mellow and lose some of the strong burlap odor.
I hung my suit, but didn't bury it, and by the end of a few days, the odor was almost gone. (I find it pleasant, and I doubt any critter would associate it with humans as it is a natural fiber smell, anyway.) A close inspection of the suit reveals impressive details and quality construction. Jerry is an avid bowhunter -he also sells an extensive line of very clever and useful bowhunting accessories- and he has clearly put a LOT of thought and field experience into these suits. The suit is constructed of a tough, 1/4" mesh synthetic shell with hundreds of pieces of leaf-shaped materials and fabrics, along with strips of jute burlap sewed to it. A variety of colors, shapes and textures allows the suit to take on an indefinite, formless shape when worn. Colors are selected for various terrain from desert to woodland and even snow.
As to those clever details, the shell is vented on both sides and closed with the familiar hook-and-loop fastening. A 72-inch girth allows room for a small pack underneath the shell, and adjustable waist ties inside permit adjustment. Straps around the bicep areas allow the shell to be cinched in out of the way, a sure sign of bowhunting influence. A hood is attached and it is large enough to allow a hat. Two tie strips that serve as rollup straps are securely sown inside the suit so they cannot be lost. Using these straps, the whole suit rolls up like a bedroll, and there is even a nylon carry strap included. A face mask is included. It has a soft polar fleece headband that won't irritate, and it adjusts to size. The hood has a cord-lock for further adjustment. All sewing is industrial quality. Available color schemes include 4-season, Spring, Fall and Snow.
Here are two views of a typical Utah varmint calling scene. At left, I'm wearing typical camo clothing of hat, coat and pants. Not bad, but clearly still a "human" shape. In the other view, I'm wearing my ghillie suit. Same spot, same pose. But here I look more like a shaggy bush or rock, and there's no distinctive human profile. Surprise, Wiley!
In actual field use, I've had numerous birds, from hawks, crows, magpies and even an owl approach me without even a clue that I was there. I've actually had small birds land on me! To say that a ghillie suit is effective is a severe understatement! Even if I move, as long as I shift position slowly, animals show no sign of alarm. Walking in the suit does draw attention from animals, but they seem to have trouble identifying me as human unless my legs show. Once seated, I feel invisible.
The only real drawbacks are that the suit is a bit heavy (mine scales ten pounds) and it is a chore to walk through brush without getting thoroughly tangled. Crossing a barbed wire fence in it is impossible! Plus, it is a bit too hot to wear in warm weather unless you can find shade. I find it best to carry the suit rolled up and don it when I get at or near my calling spot if I have to cross fences or brush, or if it's hot.
Overall, I rate the Rancho Safari ghillie suit as the best constructed and thought-out of several brands I've examined. The construction is perfect, the details are extremely well planned, and the materials are first rate. For the amount of work, bother and mess involved in making one, buying a Rancho Safari is a bargain. The version I have retails for just over $200, shipping included. Other versions are less, and there are many accessories such as gaiters, gun covers, pants and more available. For details, call Rancho Safari at 1800-240-2094, fax 1760-789-1506 or visit their website at Rancho Safari. |
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Here’s Rocky in “standard” varminting camo. Pretty good, but not invisible. |
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And here’s Rocky in his ghillie suit, Same bush, same pose. Coyote, beware! |