First up, we love a Ghostblind review! Hunters have been concealing themselves to get as close as possible to game for the whole of time.
All methods have their pros and cons, from traditional tree stands to fabric ground blinds, box blinds, elevated box blinds, and natural blinds.
Taking some interest in these novel methods doesn’t mean leaving behind the old ones – there’s a time and a place for each. The Ghostblind has also carved out its niche for when traditional methods don’t quite facilitate your hunt as much as they could.
Ghostblind Review: Specifications
The Ghostblind Predator and Runner Blinds can make a hunter completely invisible, in any location, in any season.
The Ghostblind 6-Panel Runner Blind is a crossbow and firearm runner blind for sitting on the floor, while the Ghostblind 4-Panel Predator Blind is the 6-Panel’s taller counterpart; designed for bowhunters and hunters that wish to raise themselves off the ground.
Honestly, seeing is believing. Check out this video – you’ll be shocked at just how invisible the hunter is:
Most people think these panels are made from cardboard, but they’re made from fluted plastic, making them lightweight yet extremely durable. The fluted design means that any water that enters the ghost blind flutes will run out of the bottom of the blind.
The mirrors are made from plastic, no thicker than a credit card, and designed to be waterproof and flexible to keep them from shattering. The mirrors do not have the perfectly crisp reflection of a bathroom mirror because they are not made of glass. It’s undesirable for weight reasons, and you don’t need it to be a perfect reflection to mirror your immediate ground environment.
The blinds are waterproof and shatterproof and built to fold up so that the mirrors remain on the inside to avoid damage. When your ghost blind arrives for the first time, you’ll see it comes with a protective film on to prevent scratching in transit. You can go ahead and remove this.
The 6-Panel Runner Blind has a height of 26 inches and weighs 8 lbs, while the 4-Panel Runner Blind is 46 inches tall and weighs 12 lbs. Each blind offers height extenders you can purchase separately; the runner blind height extenders add 6.25 inches, while the Predator’s add an extra 7 inches. The latter is tall enough to hide a hunting blind chair or to conceal the longest recurve bows. These extenders are worthwhile for tall hunters.
If you purchase the extenders, it’s tricky to work out where each panel slides. Once you’ve got it, mark the backs with a pen or similar to quickly reattach them in the future. If you’re worried about the extenders getting scratched, Ghostblind has made a separate extender carry bag to transport them safely.
Indeed, the Predator version also has a popular Deluxe Carry Bag to make it easier to carry your existing backpack and chair simultaneously, which is very useful as your total gear mounts up.
The mirrors will reflect wherever you have them pointing. If you lean them back, the sky will be visible, so the mirrors have a natural, in-built forward tilt to ensure there’s no glare from the sun or sky. Thanks to this forward tilt, game won’t see itself until it comes within about four feet.
This blind is excellent for kids. It provides a safe and fun alternative to climbing a tree or being stuck in a tree blind. They feel like they’re out in the forest. You can have fun setting up and moving tree stumps and branches to make a den, although no brushing in is required whatsoever.
6-Panel Runner Blind Dimensions: 98 W x 26 H inches, 26 x 16.5 inches when folded. 8 lbs. Includes: 1.5-inch carry strap, four tent stakes, one bungee cord & instructions
4-Panel Predator Blind Dimensions: 102 W x 46 H inches. 12 lbs. Includes: 2-inch carry strap, four tent stakes, four tie-downs, two bungee cords & Instructions
Pros
- Genuinely novel way to hunt
- Excellent for hunting in places with no trees
- No brushing in required
- Lightweight and extremely portable
- Fun! Great for kids too
Cons
- Expensive when you add up the extras
- No roof/exposed to the elements
- No rear concealment
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Ghostblind Review: Features & Benefits
How easy is it to set up? 10/10
When you open your blind, it’s best to stand behind it and unfold it around you. It’s much easier to set it up from behind than in front of you. Then you take the four tent stakes and slide them through some holes at the bottom of the panels. That stops you from accidentally knocking it over.
On a windy day, you can take the extra step of securing it with strings and stakes to secure it further. On very windy days, Ghostblind recommends propping tree branches against it to prevent it from moving.
I love the fact you can use this blind in any setting, from grassy fields to thickets and brush.
When setting up the blind, you must be careful not to position yourself between changing landscape features. If you’re on the edge of a forest looking out over a snowy field, the blind will look terribly out of place.
In front, you will see snow reflected despite the forest backdrop. It’s easy enough to avoid with a little practice. In this case, you would move the blind back five to ten feet into the forest so that the reflected forest floor coincides with the forest backdrop.
Equally, if you hunt on a cornfield, place the blind behind the first line of crops. It will ensure that the blind reflects the crop line and you become completely invisible.
A high sun or an overcast day is the perfect situation. Where it gets complicated is in the middle of a field with a low-setting or low-rising sun. If the sun sets behind the blind, it will cast a visible shadow that will pick up in the mirror reflection. The best tactic is to set the blind up facing the sun.
Don’t be put off by this, however. A shadowed Ghost Blind before a setting sun is still ten times less conspicuous than a traditional pop-up blind in the middle of a field.
An understandable concern is that the blind only faces one direction. You have a couple of options here. You can find a place to set up that has trees or a bush behind you. Alternatively, you can purchase a cheap throwdown blind to cover your
back.
Game doesn’t have to get used to the blind because they can’t see it. You do not need to set your blind up early, nor to brush it in. Just get out there, open it up and start hunting!
How comfortable is it? 5/10
The blind has carrying handles and a small strap to carry around. These are fine, but if you have many things to take, it can get uncomfortable, so I’d recommend the deluxe carry bag to carry a chair, gear, and blind together.
The Ghostblind is undoubtedly a fair-weather blind. In the end, you’ve no roof and no protection behind you, so you’re entirely at the whim of the elements.
What’s more, if you purchase the 6-Panel, you’re going to be sitting on and shooting from the floor. If that suits you, fine. But many hunters will struggle with this, particularly for long periods. The Predator 4-Panel allows you to set up a stool or hunting chair, making a big difference.
I wasn’t uncomfortable sitting on a stool hidden behind the Predator. Nonetheless, I don’t feel justified giving it a high score for comfort—five out of ten.
What’s it like to shoot from? 7/10
Before going hunting, take your blind out to practice shooting in your backyard. You’ll need to get comfortable shooting through the ports. If you hunt with a rifle, ensure the muzzle sits poking through the ports outside the blind. It avoids damaging your panels with the muzzle blast.
The reflective panels do an outstanding job of reflecting the surrounding, and I’ve never struggled with sun glare, thanks to the in-built tilt.
We all know that the first time animals see a blind, they tend to get a little spooked, but that’s not the case with this blind. They can’t see it and can end up very close.
In this blind, you need to be far more concerned about movement. Crossbows and rifles hide well, but a bow will always have some part sticking out. That part will inevitably move when you knock, draw, or launch an arrow.
How well is it built? 8/10
As mentioned, the mirrors fold inwards to avoid picking up scratches. Over time the mirrors will pick up scratches that aren’t possible to remove. Even so, don’t worry about scratches and marks because when you step back ten yards, you can’t see either the marks or the handholds of the blind.
Try to avoid traveling in vehicles with the blind. The vibration causes the mirrors to rub together, which will create a white mark on them. If you must travel with them, you can place a soft cloth between the mirrors to stop them from rubbing together. Instead of cloth, my favorite option is to put these kitchen cabinet door bumpers on them to avoid them touching.
The fluted design is simple yet effective. Any rainwater that hits the blind will flow down and out through the flutes. Your blind will require washing to maintain the plastic mirrors. The best way to do this is to lean your blind up against a wall and use a water hose and a soft cloth to clean it.
On rare occasions – generally in the mornings – the blind mirrors may fog up due to the changing temperatures. It’s easily fixed by applying an anti-fog treatment to the mirrors.
The plastic mirrors are attached with pressure-sensitive adhesive, which over time may appear that it’s detaching. It’s simple enough to fix, though – lie your mirrors face down on the ground and place a heavy weight uniformly over the back.
Don’t leave your Ghostblind standing up outdoors whenever you’re not going to be using it. Always pack it away for good maintenance to ensure it lasts for many years.
Once wrapped up in its bungee chords, store it properly by lying the blind flat on the floor or hanging it on a wall. Avoid leaning it against a wall because it will warp the shape over time. Don’t fret – lie it flat on the floor with weight on it to resume its original form if this does happen.
Value for Money 7/10
I think this blind is an excellent tool, amongst others, for having fun while you hunt.
All in all, some might say it’s expensive for what it is, but I don’t see it this way. I think it’s a brilliant piece of engineering that has been perfected over time to improve durability and weight. It does get pricey when you add up all of the extras, but I still think it’s worth it for a quality product made in the USA. It transports easily and takes seconds to set up. You’ll get plenty of kills from it at close range – animals never know you’re there.
Ghostblind Review: Alternatives
The Big Cat 350 – The best overall ground blind available this year
Sharpshaft: Read our review of the Big Cat 350.
The Big Cat 350 is the best of the traditional ground blinds, thanks to its ample space, excellent visibility, and strong build, despite maintaining a reasonable mid-range ground blind price. Everyone’s choice of ground blind depends on their needs and required functionality, but we love the Big Cat 350 because it does everything well.
The Ameristep Care Taker – the best two-person ground blind
Sharpshaft: Read our review of the Ameristep Care Taker.
If you want to stay light on your feet with a highly-portable, two-person ground blind that has a roof, then the Care Taker is the best choice. The new Kickout model is outstanding because it allows two hunters ample space thanks to the extra storage the kickouts provide. It’s still small, compact, and lightweight enough not to trouble you on your travels and quickly set up and brush in.
The Ameristep Doghouse – the best budget ground blind on the market
Sharpshaft: Read our review of the Ameristep Doghouse.
The Doghouse is the best ground blind on a tight budget. If you only hunt from a ground blind once or twice a year, then the Doghouse does all of the basics well at an excellent price. It’s compact – arguably a better one-person ground blind than two, but two can fit at a squeeze. The new Run & Gun model is more compact than ever, weighing a feather-light 8 lbs – down 4 lbs on its predecessor – with a smaller footprint of 55-square inches.
Ghostblind Review: What they say
- Hunters were surprised and excited about how close they could get to animals without being detected using the Ghostblind for the first time.
- A positive first hunt with the Predator
- One hunter made one himself for around $150. For that price, you can buy this blind, not make it yourself, and profit from the time and money they’ve put into increasing the Ghostblind’s durability and forever reducing weight.
- This hunter hunts where the trees are too thin to climb and didn’t want to spook local deer by popping up a blind. The whole forum only had good things to say.
Ghostblind Review: Summary
The Ghostblinds have been engineered based on some sound principles: portability, instant response, invisibility, comfort, and safety.
Honestly, I love both Ghostblinds and wish more people would try them. They’re a novel way to mix up your hunting, which, in my opinion, can be more exciting than sitting in a tree stand or a traditional ground blind. Just try to stay warm and dry by making the most of your environment or saving this blind for better weather. You won’t regret it.
