Hi guys,

I've spent the last few months developing a line of English made shooting clothes and accessories, and this week we got the first round of the safari shirts and jacket samples. our next step is to finalise the designs and launch the items at the Dallas show next January so you will get a chance to see any of your comments incorporated into the product.

Our aim is for a high quality garment that will last, but what I am really keen on is to find out which features the real users find to be really helpful, or a real hindrance.

For example our safari shirt has a sectioned pocket on the left hand side which will hold 6 big bore cartridges in 3 pairs. The original didn't have a flap to cover the shells so when jumping off a truck or bank they would jump out of the pocket. We have now amended the design to include a flap with a fastening that can be undone when actually tracking to allow easy access to the ammo.

I'd be interested to hear any feedback people have about what they look for in this kind of stuff. The range includes shirts, jackets, shooting waistcoats, and a range of bags varying in size from small to a weekend/camera bag

By the way there will also be a product give away on AR later in the year to see what people really think of the finished items in the hand.

Rgds,
Kiri

I guess there are 2 things that are important to me. First is comfort, they need to be comfortable so a good fabric that is not stiff or ichie. Second is durability, I am the type that if there is a thorn out there I will find it. I have had several shirts ripped to shreads by thorns.

How about a link to your product line?

Quality heavy duty cotton clothing and wool socks.
No synthetics for me.
The clothing I wear on Safari is the same that I wear for warm hunting at home or even for work.

Quiet!
Non-chafing.
Earth tones (a bit darker than the usual stuff).

True sizes for comfortable fit

Durability without stiffness and overweight fabric

Affordability - botique prices will get you botique customers

Really light weight breathable fabric that breathes and dries really fast - more like a fishing shirt. That should be in a line for hot weather, and then maybe a nice heavier shirt for hunting RSA, Namibia, etc. when it is colder.To me, there is nothing worse than hunting when it is 90 degrees in a hot cotton shirt that doesn't breath and holds sweat/moisture. I have been wearing green fishing shirts almost exclusively lately and am much more comfortable. Light weight ripstop pants and shorts as well.

Solid but comfortable and quite cotton with solid belt loops.

Decent pockets but not cargo pockets.

As already stated, earthy colours.

Probably most important to me are quality manufacture and sensible pricing. I will pay for quality but not a certain "look" or expectation.

+ 1 to Tim's comments and NO velcro!!!!

Darker then the typical British tan.. I like the greens better like Oz is wearing in the above pic.
Kiri, will the shell holder have a stiff fabric behind so it will not sag.

Mike

About size, a lot of shirts have to much cloth in the area where the arms are sewn to the shirt.

A simple test is to tuck down the shirt in your pants in a normal way, then rise your arms over your head.
If you can lift them unrestricted, all is fine, but if by doing so you start to pull the shirt out of your pants, something is wrong with the cut.

I tried to illustrate this with a Cabelas Safari shirt and a Fjallreven trekking shirt.
Both are size large.
The seam on the Cabelas is approx 25,5 cm (10") and the Fjellreven is 23,5 cm (9 2/8")
Not a big difference, but when wearing these two shirts, they feel very different and Fjellreven is by far the most comfortable.
The Cabelas is also much wider across the chest area.






Also some shirts seems to have been sewn to fit rather stocky guys.
A collection should also fit those of a more slim build.

For a right handed shooter, the right breast pocket are more or less a trap for the recoil pad, and I would prefere to see it gone.
Same with the left for a left hander.

Both heavy and lightweigth cotton should be available

About pants, the number of belt loops have been mentioned, and I prefere a couple more loops than what is standard on a pair of Levis.

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Herald:
Really light weight breathable fabric that breathes and dries really fast - more like a fishing shirt. That should be in a line for hot weather, and then maybe a nice heavier shirt for hunting RSA, Namibia, etc. when it is colder.To me, there is nothing worse than hunting when it is 90 degrees in a hot cotton shirt that doesn't breath and holds sweat/moisture. I have been wearing green fishing shirts almost exclusively lately and am much more comfortable. Light weight ripstop pants and shorts as well.

Tim have you taken any of that synthetic fishing gear to Africa? If so how did it survive the very hot irons the staf uses to iron your cloths?

I some areas there are some very small flies that lay their tiny eggs in the fabric so the hot iron is used to kill the eggs, and it is hot enough to absolutely ruin a synthetic shirt or shorts if you don't have the PH tell them not to iron your cloths.

I like the synthetics as well for hnting in hot weather in The USA where I take care of my own clothes. and when the day's hunting is done, I simply empty my pockets and step in the shower dresses. This washes the sweat out of the fabric. I hang them outside the shower and they are usually dry by the time I finish my bath. In Africa I take cotton, shirts with long sleeves to guard against the bugs, but if the bugs are not bad I hunt in tee-shirts and cotton cargo shorts.

I agree that synthetics could be a problem with the hot irons used in camp.

From my perspective, I would "streamline" the garments as much as possible. The shoulder tabs serve no function any more, in light of the modern binocular harnesses that almost universaly are in use, and they tend to get caught up in the brush as one stalks. Anything that sticks our or can hang on brush should be eliminated. Decent and quiet zippers on pockets are another key point: velcro gets very loud when on a stalk.

For shorts, deep pockets, with buttons or zippers are nice.

quote:

For example our safari shirt has a sectioned pocket on the left hand side which will hold 6 big bore cartridges in 3 pairs.....

Food for Thought:

Assuming "Big Bore" refers to .416+ you would be looking at some serious weight concentrated in one spot especially when you get to the .500 range.
Wouldn't you end up with a lop-sided, ill fitting and quite uncomfortable shirt once the 6 cigars are in place?

The shooter might also be left-handed.

I would be looking to buy a shirt that has several pockets which will hold light, non bulky items, and relatively loose fitting which allows for easy ventilation.

Ammo and other odds 'n sods can go in a pouch or holder on a belt.

Most important point in my book is breathability of the fabric. Unfortunately, the majority of "Safari shirts" out there have a too tightly woven fabric.

Linen or a mix of cotton and linen.

The idea of putting an "ammo pocket" is good, the left breast is an easy location to access rounds when reloading a double (I tried to modify some of my shirts like that). Two rounds should be all you need, more than that would be heavy.

Some sort of padding on the shoulders for these long carry marches, when the rifle goes from one tired shoulder to the other...

quote:

Originally posted by retreever:
Darker then the typical British tan.. I like the greens better like Oz is wearing in the above pic.
Kiri, will the shell holder have a stiff fabric behind so it will not sag.

Mike

Ditto. I admit I dislike when clients show up to hunt with the very light color(nearly white) "Hemingway" Tan clothing, (fine for camp or town)... but not a great of choice of color for hunting & stalking in the Miombo bush in Tanzania. Stick with medium or dark "Army" or Drab green colors. While maybe not as "Classic", its certainly a smarter choice for successful hunting.

Important to me is the availability of tall sizing. One thing I really like about Cabela's stuff is that they have always offered their shirts and jackets with a "tall" option. Those of us north of six feet are not an insubstantial market share, and this makes a huge difference. Sometimes I need to swim inside an extra large just to have adequate sleeve length, or long enough tails to stay tucked in.
I don't need hi-rise pants, but my thirty six inch inseam precludes a lot of pants. Better to have an unhemmed version than stop pants leg options at thirty two or thirty four.

I think the whole issue of safari clothing and boots is overstated and over discussed. I good long sleeve t-shirt in a darker color is more than adequate. A pair of shorts and some running shoes and you are good to go. Too many folks are focused on looking like Stuart Granger.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
I think the whole issue of safari clothing and boots is overstated and over discussed. I good long sleeve t-shirt in a darker color is more than adequate. A pair of shorts and some running shoes and you are good to go. Too many folks are focused on looking like Stuart Granger.

Especially when the tracker has a yellow and orange T-Shirt with his toes sticking out the end of his boots....

And as far as lightweight materials such as Under Armor, I have acouple of Under Armor tee shirts that have survived four trips to Africa and I still wear them today.

Buttons that stay on because they weren't sewn on with cheap thread. On my forth hunt my buttons were literally falling off because of the "aggressive" washing they would get in Africa. They were the Cabelas safari shirts. I would pay a couple of dollars more if better thread had been used.

What am I looking for in safari clothes? An amalgam of practicality and tradition.

Practicality to be sure. Heat and humidity, coupled with strenuous activity on safari, require loose fitting comfortable clothes. But equally important to my mind, ‘safari’ conjures up an undeniable obligation of tradition; a preparedness to dispense with certain ‘modernities’ and instead reaching back to the dark khaki and natural fabrics of ‘old Africa’.

Yes, for me safari means a double rifle for dangerous game; khaki instead of camouflage; cotton instead of nylon; Courteney's instead of high-top sneakers; and pray that my PH leaves his ‘Budweiser’ nylon ball cap and camouflage fatigues back at camp.

I want him to look like the African PHs of yore, like Philip Hope Percival or Harry Selby ...



... not an Appalachian 'coon hunter ...



... or Cletus and his brother Billy Bob, and his other brother Billy Bob ...



... or this guy ...



For many I’m sure, hunting in Africa is simply a remote version of hunting anywhere else, Alaska or Kansas or wherever. But for others of us, perhaps of a certain age I suspect, there is an undeniable romance to safari: a host of classic and time-honed images indelibly etched in our mind’s eye that hearken back to the books by Nyschens, Hunter, Roosevelt, Bell, and so many others. We want to relive - if but for a brief snapshot in time - those bygone days that captivated us as kids watching Bold Journey.

So there you have it. For my safari I’m looking for something more than a trophy; I’m looking for an experience. And tradition is an important part of that experience. A hunting safari is, in itself, an anachronistic pursuit. So, no matter the practicality of it all, give me epaulets or give me death!

Agree with Kim. He said all the things I would have said-except I probably would not have come up with the photos. Good job, Kim

Unfortunately dressing the part, does not make one the part.

No, but it sure adds to the ambiance and enjoyment of the hunt for some.

Don't forget those of us that shoot left handed! I always avoid shell holders and extra stuff on the left breast because it could get hung up when I mount the rifle. If you offer shell holders on the breast, think about offering it on either side.
As to what I usually look for in safari clothing, that would be Mrs Blacktailer. So don't leave out the women either. Mrs Blacktailer hates to dress like a man but most of the women's stuff is not really hunting clothing, more like safari "fashion".

I agree with the points about tradition that may have raised. There is no reason clothes can't be both practical and traditional. Remember, the guys that invented them were trying for practical. The only thing that has changed between then and now is new fabrics and velcro

Some practical thoughts (I have been wearing the old style cabelas safari shirts)
- having tall avalable is a must, or just cut them longer.
- the floppy outside pocket in the cabelas shirt is perfect for carrying a set of mini binoculars and is my prefered gear when walking.
- take all the pockets off the left side, they interfere with gun mount.
- I agree that the epaulettes aren't particularly useful for their intended function, but if you take the button off and sew them down they give some welcome padding for shoulder carry. A couple thicknesses of cloth at the top of the shoulder would be better.

Brad

What's wrong with looking like Stuart Granger? KPete is correct, it's hunting in Africa, not Colorado, or Texas or Virginia for crying out loud. If you want to look the part, you need good clothes. If you want to wear sneakers, tee shirts and camo, go ahead, knock yourself out. I like the traditions myself.

Just dress comfortably as opposed to seeking some image. If you can accomplish both, go for it.

Blondes

I have taken the synthetic fishing clothes last 3-4 times and nothing melted. I used to tell them not to iron my Under Armour underware - but I haven't lately. I have melted UA here at home, just not sure their irons are quite as hot??? Cabela's has a great light fishing shirt that is the best I have used...I really like UA's fishing Guide III shorts and pants...

Here is that shirt and shorts. On my next trip to Moz- I am taking 3 of those shirts, 3 of those shorts and 1 pair of pants just like the shorts.



Also, with UA underware- you don't need all that Gold Bond Powder I hear so many people talk about...

quote:

So there you have it. For my safari I’m looking for something more than a trophy; I’m looking for an experience. And tradition is an important part of that experience. A hunting safari is, in itself, an anachronistic pursuit. So, no matter the practicality of it all, give me epaulets or give me death!

Ah yes, a romantic soul! +1

quote:

Blondes

Hehehehehe! I like the way you think Butch.

I usually look for a large breasted blond about 24 years old in hunting clothes. So far no luck.

Brain,

I saw her and her sister at SCI last January! They were very expensive though, but nice trophies.

Tim,

You the man!

Mark

Guys,

Kiri and I have been corresponding today about his new line of clothing. I think you'll find it will satisfy the traditionalist and hold up to many years of ironing with those camp irons that are just slightly hotter than Hell itself.

Mark

I bought a vest years ago that had cartridge holders that you could pull out of a flapped pocket and would hang outside. They were sewn to the outside lip of the pocket and a strap buttoned it down.
I liked the idea and thought it might keep ammo temps down.
It also has a pocket behind the shoulder pad for a gel pad.
Scott

This is very cool - I love English made/British style hunting clothes! Will there be any photos of your clothing line available to the public before DSC in 2013?

Regarding the naysayers, if they want to wear the same clothes on safari that they wear to any backyard barbeque here in the States - fine. (T-shirt, cheap cotton shorts, running shoes, Texas Rangers baseball cap, etc). As for me, I agree with KPete 100%. I enjoy the undeniable romance of safari, and along with being comfortable, I want to look and feel different there than I do at a Stateside backyard barbeque. So I'll keep wearing my safari pants, shirts, Courteneys, and wide-brimmed Stetson safari hat my brother gave me in 1977.

Here's my input:

Epaulets - yes. It wouldn't be English without them!

No light British tan - make it a darker tan and/or some shade of green.

No velcro or zippers on the shirts, please.

Pleated pockets of the type Arild Iversen posted above.

The choice of fabric means everything to me: Quiet, comfortable, durable. Make it cotton, a weave that has some breathability, and sturdy enough to withstand the hot iron they use over there. If I happen to go hunting in extremely hot weather, I'll just switch to one of my lightweight fishing shirts.

I agree that pockets for 6 big-bore rounds seems a bit too much. I would prefer pockets for 2 or at the very most 4 rounds. Even if it's backed by a stiffer fabric, the weight of 6 rounds will still pull that whole area down from the shoulder and possibly make it sag. Pockets for 6 rounds on a jacket - fine, but on a shirt - maybe too much weight.

I like what Arild Iversen said in his reply regarding the amount of fabric under the arm, and the photos, and I agree. Pay close attention to the cut of the shirts, as he stated.

No cargo pockets on the pants/shorts - just normal slash pockets. Also, many sturdy belt loops.

On the jacket, shoulder pleats are nice for ease of movement. Also, some pockets or loops for ammo. Boyt makes a safari jacket that is cut fairly nice, but the sleeves are about 2 inches too short on mine.

I'm looking forward to seeing your clothing, and would be happy to test drive them.

It would be refreshing to see "Made in England" and not "Made in the PRC"

Great input so far!

May I ad shirt tails that are LONG enough to stay tucked in.