I am making my first two trips to Africa this summer. Where does everyone suggest that one shop for hunting clothes?

You don't need anything special. I hunt in Carhartt work jeans and TAG shirts generally, but anything that's neutral colored works. Greens and browns. I like a broad brimmed cloth hat. It may look a little goofy, but it will keep the sun off your face and neck better than a cap.

I usually wear the cargo shorts that Cabela's sells and Wrangler work shirts from Wal-Mart. I usually take 3 pairs of shorts and 3 shirts for hunting, plus a shirt and jeans for the plane trip. They will probably wash your clothes every day in camp so you can get by with 2 pairs of shorts and 2 shirts. I take a couple of needles and use dental floss as thread if you tear anything. (Dental floss may not match the colors very well but it is really tough.) For boots, I like leather hiking boots that come about to the ankle. You may also want gaiters to keep the weed seeds out of your socks. I got my last pair at REI. Have a great trip.

I buy my hunting clothes for Africa mainly at consignment/thrift stores.
I like Wrangler cargo shorts and khaki or darker colored short-sleeved shirts.

You need relatively dark clothes.

Dark grey is what I wear.

I like cargo trousers because I use the pockets for small camera and small GPS, plus any other items I want with me.

Same for shirts.

Avoid shirts that have breathing openings.

Tse tse flies love to get int through there, and you really don't want them.

Africa is a big continent with every kind of weather.

Spent 5 or 6 months in Djibouti, it was 118 F on days with 80-100% humidity 11 and half months a year and 125 F with zero humidity when the wind would switch off the Desert.

Safaried in Namibia in 2005. It was 35 F at night and 75-80 F during the day in the Kalahari. In the Khomas mountains it was 40-50F at night and 80-90 F during the day. Hot and dry. You'd have wanted tough thorn proof pants and shirts as most of my safari clothes were shreaded in the Khomas, and not needed that in the Kalahri.

It snows in the Drakensburg Mountains and for sure in the Bale mountains of Ethiopia during safari season.

If you want to look like a dude, show up in modern American camo.

I don't recommend showing up with shoes that are not well broken in. Beyond that you could hunt in jeans or well tailored Westley Richards safari pants and the PH won't care.

If it is someplace humid I recommend clothes to suit that.

Depending on where you are hunting, it can get pretty cold in June and July.

Our first two trips to Africa were both in Namibia during the month of June. On both trips we had a couple days of below freezing temps. I have photos of my son picking ice out of a water trough around noon. Riding on the back of a hunting truck on a cloudy windy morning with temps a little below freezing, can be really cold.

Thank you for the feedback!

Knowing when, where and what you are hunting would obviously influence an answer, but generally I’d suggest a couple sets of relatively inexpensive green or brown cotton long sleeve shirts and pants. If you’re not hunting again quickly, those are good to leave with the packers. I treat all my clothing in Permethrin well before traveling.

I travel in blue jeans with a patterned cotton shirt and those can go into the hunting rotation if needed. I wear a dark fleece jacket traveling that’s often needed early and late while hunting. Pack a lightweight rain jacket. I like a short brimmed greenish hat. My personal theory is that if you cannot pickup and carry everything a few hundred yards and up or down a couple flights of stairs, you’ve got too much. That includes gun(s).

Good hunting,

I also suggest to put permethrin on your clothes.

It certainly helps cut down on insects and ticks.

My first Safari was in Namibia in 2012. I bought 3 Cabellas Serengeti shirts and 3 pairs of usedCarrhart light brown pants from EBAY. I still hunt in those same clothes four safaris later.

The first time I hunted in Africa I went through the normal process of buying “safari” clothing from Cabelas and other sources. Before I left on my second trip, I happened to be shopping in a small regional chain store and noticed a pair of dark green pants with numerous pockets that was extremely quiet and soft. I believe it was just over $9.00 since it was hanging on a discount rack. By the time I got back to Africa, I was a little subconscious of my $9.00 pants and was not sure I would even wear them. As we were hiking through the thick green brush of the Eastern Cape, my guide looked at them and asked where I had purchased such a perfect pair of “hunting” pants.

I would suggest clothes

For long pants, I take wrangler jeans, the blue or black work great.

If warn weather permits, I take shorts in either grey or olive green.

Shirts: long or short sleeve, are grey, olive green or dark tan.

Hat/caps: I have taken a crushable stetson (I usually leave them, as they are wanted) or a dark ball cap.

If you need a jacket, I have a dark blue shooting jacket that I take along for the chilly mornings.

I am not sure if your style or color make any difference, when looking at photos posted, you will see any thing from white to black and what ever color you can fill in between them.

If you are hunting an area with heavy tse tse fly, you will want long sleeves and long pants. Also heavy fabric that is hard for them to bite through.

Last few times I hunted I used UNIONBAY trousers from Amazon.

I normally leave them for the camp staff when I leave.

All good answers above. As many have said, it depends on where and when. Layers help. Boots count for a lot.

For actual travel, don’t dress like Crocodile Dundee on the plane, but also have extra socks, underwear, and at least some hunting clothes in your carryon should your checked bag get delayed/lost/stolen. The reason I said to dress like a “civilian” for the flight should be obvious, but you don’t want to be a “mark.”

Have fun and please report back.

quote:

For actual travel, don’t dress like Crocodile Dundee on the plane. The reason I said to dress like a “civilian” for the flight should be obvious, but you don’t want to be a “mark.”

A very sensible piece of repeated advice though the obvious can be somewhat incomprehensible to certain individuals.

Amazing the number of people one sees travelling as if they are part of an advance marine brigade!

I would recommend 5.11 rip stop cargo or “tactical” trousers in any green or brown color, and Filson long sleeved shirts in like colors. You can make a long sleeved shirt into a short sleeved shirt, but not vice versa.

You can hunt in these clothes as well as do just about anything else.