Howdy,

I've see numerous photos of hunters on Safari in Africa with a nice looking hat with a Zebra skin band.

Anyone know where you can buy these in the USA? I've seen them for sale in J-Burg Airport but never bought one.

Adios and Thanks

Sport

I don't know, but Tilley does make some dark green/khaki hats (I'm a Texan, but a Tilley is hard to beat for a good outdoor hat to bang around while hunting...) A Reistol might be a good idea -- certainly give some "history" to the hat...

Those bush type hats are a pain in the behind to hunt with in the thorn bush or riding in the back of a cruiser going to and from areas. I've taken one once and wore it only one day. I'm a ball cap guy all the way. The zebra hat would be neat around the US, though.

I had a hat band made from my first Zebra and I use it on different wide brimed hats here in the state, as Bwanna stated they can be a pain in the thick bush and like him I am a ball cap kind of guy, but the wide brimmed hat with a zebra band are nice for photos gives one the cool retro look, eh. I used a leather shoe string to keep mine on while ride the back of the truck.

Tilley hats are the best. You can easily get a camera or gun strap over one & off again. They also stay in place in the back of a Land Rover going 55 mph.

Got to look the part in the bush....
- mike

I love my Tilley hat.

I'm a baseball cap guy and I burnt my ears real good. My next trip will be with at least a Tilley or a cowboy hat. The Tilley with it's two straps will stay on in 40 MPH winds.

Sunscreen and a ball cap for me.

Both trips I also took a wide-brimmed hat, but I look silly in them and I never wore them hunting.

Stewart Granger I am not...

A boonie hat, either military or after market, works great. They have chin straps to keep them in place in the back of the trucks and the strap can be pulled up and tucked into the loops on the band to get it out of teh way as you walk. Cabelas has several to choose from and you can find then at any army surplus store. There brim tends to be about an inch larger than a tiley to give you a little better sun coverage, but that may only be in theory.

Perry

Don't forget a pith helmet! Cool, and looks COOOOL, but noisy in brush country, take it off for the final stalk, then nothing is in the way.

west marine has a good selection of hats to keep you out of the sun I buy cotton canvas and dye it green. has a sweat band built in and good strap to eithe fold the sides up or hold it on your head. I liked it in africa so much I hunt and do outdoor stuff in it all the time.

acording to capstick if you want to be a super "dud" show up in a wide brim hat with an animal print band on it. kinda the pocket protector of bwanas

A wide brimed hat is far cooler in Africa than a bret.

Howdy,

http://www.hatsinthebelfry.com/page/H/CTGY/safari-hats

Lots of neat Safari hats out there but I want the freaking Zebra skin band. I can also find a snake skin band easier than the Zebra skin - if I have to, I will pick one up in Jo-Burg next May.

I have a Tilley that I too like very much but I generally hunt in a baseball style hat. I save the Tilley for the annual beach vacation with the perfect wife.

I'm not really a "Pith Hat" type of guy althought my wife sometimes tells me "I'm a real Pither".

Adios and enjoy the day.

Sport

You will probably have to pick it up in Jo'burg next year. I don't know of any available here in the United States. However, you might be able to pick one up at the SCI Convention in January in Reno, if you are trying to get one sooner.

Have you considered a solar powered hat with a fan?

quote:

Originally posted by Bill C:
Have you considered a solar powered hat with a fan?

Personally I like boonie hats.

Don't laugh at that solar powered hat. I used one often during my skydiving career while packing my rig in the hot Florida sun.

You glue a strip of foam just inside the front sweatband, soak it with water and the fan prevents your brain from broiling. It ain't exactly Stewart Granger or great bwana, but it works and works well.

I use a boonie hat for hunting. Beats baseball caps because it protects the tops of your ears from broiling.

Wouldn't be caught dead in a zebra hatband.

Have to admit, I've turned into a boonie hat wearer, also. Used to go with just baseball caps, but burnt ears and skin cancer on the face have stopped that completely.

quote:

Don't laugh at that solar powered hat. I used one often during my skydiving career while packing my rig in the hot Florida sun.

Were you that old guy living in the VW microbus on the drop zone at Z-Hills back in the late 1980's?

IMO: If you want to make sure you are a walking "Dork Alert" get off the plane as you arrive in Africa wearing a Stewart Granger hat with zebra hat band and a matching safari outfit from Cabels's/Orvis etc. Actually wear whatever makes you happy and comfortable but remember the less attention you draw to yourself the less likely you may be to be targetted by pickpockets etc.

Mark

I've got some Zebra hide to replace the cloth band, for you!

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
IMO: If you want to make sure you are a walking "Dork Alert" get off the plane as you arrive in Africa wearing a Stewart Granger hat with zebra hat band and a matching safari outfit from Cabels's/Orvis etc.

Exactly!! If you don't believe it, see below.

Howdy,

There it is - I knew someone on this site would remember a photo of a hat with a Zebra skin band.

I kinda like the solar powered Pith helmet now however.

I really need the zebra skin band so that I can attach a couple of Elk ivories and two swizzle sticks from my Brown bear and Black bear - then I will feel very comfortable coming off the plane in Jo-Berg.

I've never been able to make it to the Safari convention - I do enjoy the magazine very much.

Maybe I can find something on this web site-
http://www.thefedorastore.com/?Click=2

Adios

Sport

Hey Sport: What are brown and black bear "swizzle sticks"? I got the elk ivory idea ok , but have never heard of "swizzle sticks" from black and brown bear . Are they bearclaws?

Sport, isn't there a custom hat maker were you live? I just got back from Namibia and I wore a 10 year old hate that was made by our local guy. I'm too prone to sunburn for ball caps and my old hat did just fine.

Josh

Sorry wasn't a "hate" it was a "hat."

Josh

quote:

Originally posted by Josh A.:
Sorry wasn't a "hate" it was a "hat."

Josh

Aww...come on Josh, we all know in West Texas it is pronounce "hate"!
Gary

Gary, I had to read that twice before I got it. When I did I nearly dropped my laptop laughing. Now that's funny, I don't care who you are!

Josh

UEG,

Penal bone AKA swizzle stick.

Mark

Howdy,

Well, if you ever get to hunt and shoot a male bear - "Boar" they call them in Alaska they have a "bone" in the penis - heck of a trophy.

Keep in mind the kind of guy I am, last year I went fly fishing in the Illiamna area(Gibralter and Copper River area to be exact) of Alaska and my Lamson "Litespeed" was in a case made out of my Cape Buff scrotum-made a very nice conversation piece.

I forgot to mention a couple of requirements for this hat and hat band-
1. The hat must stay on my head when I'm shooting updside down-seems to be important for rifles that you take to Africa based on some of the comments/threads on this web site I've read over the years. So, I will be taking at least one M70 and probably a 1903 A3 in 338-06.
2. The hat band must have three positions - one position to keep the band in position when the hat is locked in place, one position so that the hat band can be removed without removing the hat and one position that allows the hat to be worn without the band. Now if the hat is a reworked military version I can accept a band with only two positions.

This has been enjoyable conversation on an otherwise hectic day in the office. Just got done cutting the grass while enjoying a Toro maduro Gispert.

Adios

Sport

I wear an Akruba here and in africa; buy the open crown model and crease it the way you want, only had it snagged on bush a couple of times

FYI for you basball cap guys- the top of the ear is one of the more common places to develope malignent melanoma, a usually fatal skin cancer caused by repeated sun exposure. is having your wide brimmed hat blow off while riding or hiking more important than your life?

They have one for sale here: http://www.waldenbork.com/lady_access.html

Sport, Jdollar a well fitted custom hat does not fall off when the wind blows or you dip your head upside down. A good custom, like at least 20x and better yet 100%, is built to exactly fit the shape of your head. Good fit, not discomfort. It should stay in place through just about anything without a stampede string.

If you don't believe a good hat will stay on through quite a bit of disturbance, watch a few minutes of PBR bull riding or a team roping event.

A good hat can be pretty expensive but they are well worth the cost if you get used to wearing a good one.

Josh

Howdy Josh,

Thanks for the tip - one google search and I think I might have found a keeper -

http://www.randhats.com/cgi-bin/randscat/126-Safari.html

What do ya think???

Adios

Sport

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Hey Sport: What are brown and black bear "swizzle sticks"? I got the elk ivory idea ok , but have never heard of "swizzle sticks" from black and brown bear . Are they bearclaws?

Penius Bone, Stir my Bookers with B&C Grizz... smooth slidin

call me cheap, but paying $400 and up( WAY UP) for a hat that that i will have soaking wet and stained with sweat within a few days just doesn't make sense. i would rather spend $25 for the hat and use the other $375 for one more trophy fee.