Even though paintball is not a completely new sport, it has seen remarkable growth in recent years. The gear used for the sport has continued to improve ranging from the paintball guns used to the attire each combatant wears. When it comes to what to wear, one type of clothing that has continued to gain ground among ardent paintballers is the paintball ghillie suit. If you are going to be playing paintball frequently especially competitively, then the ghillie suit is one piece of clothing you want to have as part and parcel of your battle kit.
The origins of the ghillie suit can be traced back to Scottish shepherds and game wardens who would use used the suits as camouflage when hunting and as cover from poachers respectively. The suits are nowadays used by the military, hunters and of course by paintballers. The ghillie suits are made using net, camouflage design and synthetic or actual vegetation. The ghillie suit takes blending in with your environment one step further than the traditional camouflage on combat uniforms thanks to the ‘leafy’ and ‘bushy’ appearance.
As far as use in a paintball game goes, the paintball ghillie suit you choose should be based on the outdoor environment in which you play most often. There are different patterns to choose from with each meant to blend with a particular environment. Of course there is nothing that prevents you from using it in several types of environment and still be able to achieve a considerable amount of camouflage from your adversary.
One type of suit is the traditional woodsball style ghillie suit. It is most ideal when one is playing in a forest environment. The suits are characterized by bark-like patterns and covered with dried or synthetic leaves and grass. Then there is the mossy suit. The mossy suits work best in areas where the high amounts of moisture and humidity mean that there is a high prevalence of moss. The suit consists of a number of blends of bold green color with a little bit of black sometimes included for maximum effect.
If your contests are more frequently held in drier areas, there are two styles that would be the best fit. For semi arid areas where there is some level of vegetation such as dead and dried trees, a timber pattern would be ideal. The suit’s olive and tan colors make it almost unrecognizable in an arid woodland. The second alternative for dry areas is the desert style which is meant for desert areas. These light colored suits are the perfect match for areas with tall dry grass or complete desert.
One thing you need to bear in mind is that ghillie suits are very heavy and can thus be very hot. This may be fine for areas with cooler climates even though you will steal have to battle the heat. However, the heat you experience in warm climates will be much more and the excessive sweating can leave you dehydrated and less effective in your game.
The ordinary full ghillie suit design is ideal for someone whose paintball game style is that of a sniper since the role does not entail a lot of running around and which would be a drag when someone has such a heavy suit on. On the other hand if you take on a more active paintball role, you may prefer a shorter ghillie suit or one that is made with just ghillie net as the base. This type of suit will be lighter, cooler and less restrictive during movement.
No matter which style of suit you select, it is crucial that you pay attention to detail when selecting the best paintball ghillie suit for you. Pick a suit that also camouflages your head, shoulders and neck as these are the areas of the body that are most recognizable. The best suits will have (or enable you to fit on your own) high grass accents on the shoulders or on the headgear.
With paintball ghillie suit, your game is bound to improve considerably allowing you to outlast your opponents more than before. Once you start to use the suit, you are not likely to consider entering a paintball battle ground without it.
If you don’t have yours yet, get one from http://www.ghilliesandstuff.com
