Collection: British CAMO Products

It is believed that some of the very first camouflage suits were developed in the 19th century for use by Scottish gamekeepers hunting deer in the Scottish highlands. This earliest camouflage "uniform," called a Ghillie suit (from the Gaelic word gille for servant) utilized loose strips of multi-colored cloth, twine or burlap attached to a canvas greatcoat or loose hooded jacket & trousers, and was designed to appear as foliage. It was the Lovat Scouts, a Scottish Regiment of the British Army, that first designed functional Ghillie suits for military use, worn by sharpshooters during the Boer War (1899-1902). This same regiment revived the uniforms during the First World War, issuing them as specialized outfits for snipers. Such hand-made uniforms were also known as "Yowie suits" (particularly by Australians). In 1917, the Symien sniper suit was introduced, following traditional Ghillie designs, and worn by British troops from other regiments in reconnaissance and sniper roles. Despite their historic origins, Ghillie suits are still used today, and their construction is a skill that continues to be emphasized in many military sniper & scout/reconnaissance schools around the world.