Ghillie Construction Questions.

[Sleepy]

Given that there are very few consolidated resources for those wanting to wear a ghillie suit, I thought it might be good to have a single-source point to gather information and ask questions. Just a thought. I'll start.

I'm looking to put knee and elbow patches on my ghillie, but for now I'm still working on the lower half. For the patches, I'm debating what material to use for the panels. Right now its a toss up between getting some green corduroy, or getting some very light denim and dying it green. Both are about the same price wise, and I have the feeling the denim will be more durable, but I'm wondering, for those of you who have done it in the past, what have you used?

For visual purposes, this is what I mean.

[Amos]

For my drags I've used canvas, the same type found in those big green USGI duffel bags.

Mine:



With Cordura (or any other nylon, for that matter), you can use a hot knife to cut the edges, which will prevent fraying, unlike canvas, which you have to either fold/sew or shoe-goo the edges.

[Sleepy]

I like the canvas idea. I might have to scavenge one of my old seabags for it.

[Order_66]

I also used canvas from an old seabag. I also put a layer of closed cell foam between the canvas and the flight suit. I hand stiched the entire thing with un waxed dental floss and then shoo goo'd the entire perimeter.

[KA-BAR]

i went to joanne's and got some leather for mine.

[ogrejager]

I might be under-thinking this, but Carhartt's makes a set of pants that have double-thick front panels for busting brush. I might find it easier to sew attachment points to those rather than panels on pants.

But I'm not one of you elite sniper guys....

[Sleepy]

I thought about that, but decided not to risk messing up an expensive pair of carhartts when BDUs and such are dirt cheap, especially over time.

[KA-BAR]

sleepy if you come to ghilleman 2011 in march, there will be a plethora of people there to talk to , and you can see suits first hand up close.

[Sleepy]

sleepy if you come to ghilleman 2011 in march, there will be a plethora of people there to talk to , and you can see suits first hand up close.

I might come out to observe, but not as a shooter, since I don't have a bolt or a complete ghillie. I might bring a camera and a sidearm just to make myself feel better.

[BoogeyMan]

Here's some examples of what I have. I stitched the hell out of my pieces and did a few modifications. I tried the shoe goo approach at first, but I felt it was really tacky and I did a poor job. I used several different items for garnish (dyed jute thread, stalk grass, and stuff I bought from Tactical Concealment) So after 2 years, this is my second ghillie build:


I cut a hole on the top of the boonie, stitched some mesh and lined with some taping clothing, attached to top of boonie to allow more breathability. I used some woodland clothe stitched to the boonie along with some netting to extend the veil out. Netting stitched to the boonie.


Normal BDU pants with canvas covering on the legs. Added some quilted padding underneath. Netting stitched to the backside.


The BDU jacket is what took me the longest and where I did the most mods. Cut a vent hole on the back, replaced with mesh. I removed the pockets on the chest and put them along the arms. I put canvas on the chest and elbows with padding underneath. Added a zipper for quick donning and doffing. Added thumbloops on the sleeves.

[quigly]

Do you have the netting sewn onto the mesh, or just around the outside? It seems it would be way to loose if you just did around it.

[BoogeyMan]

No it's not sewn directly onto the mesh. The attachment points of the netting are sewn to a piece of canvas, then sewn onto the mesh. Netting sewn to the mesh alone could rip easily when you get snagged.

[Rennie]

Nice set-ups!!! given me plenty of ideas to start my own ghille...once I get a gun. LOL

[pdx650]

This is as far as I've gotten.