I know everyone has their preferences for what clothes to take on a safari.

Other than material and color of your clothes, I think headgear and boots are probably the most important consideration.

In the past I have used Courtney's and US Army Desert boots for hunts in RSA and Zim. For hats, I just used a Carhartt baseball hat in a neutral color, cotton shorts, and short-sleeved shirts in blues, greens, and tans. I always included one pair of longs (long pants) and one LS shirt and a lightweight jacket for early mornings and night hunts.

This year I wanted to get some really, lightweight, all leather boots. I looked at a lot of expensive brands (Danner, etc), but what I finally found was a pair of Caterpillar work boots. I bought them at Sears for about $60.00 bucks. They are light, all leather, with a non-slip sole (I don't like the big (Vibram) threaded boots, that collect mud - I am not a 4WD vehicle). The boots are comfortable, light, quiet to walk in, and have an all-leather, ankle high uppers.

For hats, I bought a Tilley in olive green. It is comfortable, has a removable wind strap, and is supposed to be very cool (it has some kind of insulated top, with openings for air), and has a brim, important when you get to the age where you have to worry about skin cancers. I got the hat on sale at Gander Mountain for about $30.00 bucks (normally about $80.00).

This year I am taking most LS shirts in olive and blue colors. I am using UV protected fishing shirts. For pants I am taking one pair of 511 tactical pants, one pair of cheap, ripstop pants I bought at Walmart, and one pair of cotton pants, all in olive.

I will include a couple of short sleeve shirts and shorts just it becomes really hot (Zim in Sept).

I am also taking one lightweight, cotton hunting jacket and one lightweight, down-filled jacket from Cabelas.

A few pairs of undershorts and socks fill out the bill.

Everything is fairly light, quiet, and comfortable.

Other than the boots and the 511 tactical pants, none of the items cost more than $30.00 each, so if I lose everything to lost luggage, I am not out $100s of dollars worth of clothing.

I plan on field testing everything this summer. I go fishing a lot and plan on using everything but the boots, as I spend most of the days out on the lake on my bass boat.

I will test the boots by doing a lot of hiking this summer.

BH63

Cats are surprising good boots and just bought another pair myself.

Green. Cotton. Boots that fit.

Now my wife is going with me next year and we are starting to be concerned about style -- for the first time.

SHE Safari and others that have clothes for women at twice the cost, but she likes it so pants, shirts, skirts and skorps? are now on the ticket. Big floppy hats and Shemaghs in "contrasting colors" to use as scarves. She's got them that are predominately red, rust, beige and green. Wouldn't want to wear the same colour on consecutive days, now would we.

I hope I can carry enough sunscreen, hand cream and other similar products.

Seriously, I'm looking forward to my wife going on safari. It's going to be a new experience.

Buffhunter,

Seriously, most important is cotton, no or little synthetic on the clothes. Their ironing will destroy synthetics.

Greens/browns, no light khaki or light colors. Dark colors attract tsetses so I'd stay with a medium to light green.

Wear long sleeves. You can always roll them up. Take sunscreen and use it.

A big floppy hat or a flats fishing type hat that protects your neck and face from the sun is also an asset.

And, make sure your boots fit and are well-broken in.

My little advice; take it or leave it; it's worth what you paid for it.

^
I learned about synthetics on my first safari, when a well-meaning lady, tried to iron a Columbia "quick dry", lightweight, synthetic shirt. Her iron basically melted the fabric around the collar. She was so upset. I laughed it off, as I know in some areas, you need to use a hot iron to kill parasitic insect eggs.

I now wear my hair shoulder length, to protect the back of my neck (one of the freedoms of retirement), but I also take good quality sunscreen along.

As for the wives, I've learned to let them wear whatever they want to, otherwise they will complain about it for the rest of your life.

And for the Cat workboots, they may be one of the best kept secrets when it comes to affordable, safari boots.

BH63

On clothes and boots - dark green is best followed by dark brown. Wear a hat.

Cotton is best.

On boots, they need to fit for long walks. I wear sneakers now. I also have a pair of very light weight lace up boots that fit like sneakers.

My best advice - (drum roll here)- buy Columbia or Magellan or Cabelas shorts, long pants shirts and then LEAVE ALL OF YOUR CLOTHES BEHIND FOR THE STAFF.

I leave all clothes except what I wear home behind everytime now. The clothes are much needed locally and they cost nothing compared to the cost of the trip.

If we cannot get all of our clothes in our carry-on bags, we do leave it behind. We only check guns when we even take guns. TRAVEL LIGHT and COME HOME LIGHTER!!!!!

Agree with dogcat for sure.

I wear carhartt ripstop cotton (cell phone pants,IIRC ) pants, Cabelas cotton Serengeti Safari shirts, Justin all leather slip on boots, ball cap, and plenty of sun screen. Basically just the same things I wear here. I will take a lightweight fleece pullover for early mornings.

I am taking nothing but a carry-on this year to Namibia, and once again like dogcat said, will leave my clothes there when I leave.

BH63,

I'm so glad to see you've bought a practical kit. The "Safari Uniform" where you look Like you just stepped out of one of the outdoor catalogs is just not necessary. Put your money toward the safari were it counts. Thousands of dollars worth of handmade boots, custom cartridge belts, and just the right clothes will not make you a better hunter.

Mark

quote:

Thousands of dollars worth of handmade boots, custom cartridge belts, and just the right clothes will not make you a better hunter.

But you will look better doing it. And Mark I believe you once called me something like a rifle "crank" and I should spend all my money on safaris not double rifles. We can hunt and still enjoy the finer things in life.

Cabela's shorts with the short inseam. Cabela's or similar short sleeve shirt. I hate long sleeves. Featherweight Browning boots. The pair I have is worn out, but I will squeeze one more safari and then have a brief and somber ceremony upon retiring them.

I love hunting October and November and have always taken Under Armor. I have a knock off Under Armor tee shirt that has been on at least 6 safaris and is still going strong. It is going back again.

I leave in June, jungle boots, synthetic long pants (Railriders), synthetic long sleeve shirts and tee shirts, etc., but it will be a different type of safari.

I took 5 Aussies to Namibia in November 2013.

I told them bring cotton shirts in dark colors, leather flat soled boots.

Most of them of course turned up with mesh lined poly shirts and sneakers. One lunatic had a WHITE long billed fishing cap with the Beau Geste flap.....I though Mike Kibble would stroke out.

One guy got hung up in a thorn bush....after he was forcibly extricated the shirt was torn to shreds and he was bleeding nicely

The only bloke who listened to me had Courtney boots and heavy cotton shirts.......he had no problems

Mark,

Your comment about "looking like you stepped out of an outdoor catalog" reminds me of a black and white photo I have (a shot I took of another, older picture), where a man is raising his rifle (obviously the PH) as an angry large elephant starts his charge.

Another man, outfitted in new-looking "safari" clothes (like you would see the hero wear in an old Hollywood Safari movie), has turned, rifle in hand, and is running towards the camera (i.e. away from the charging ellie). Too funny.

IMO the important thing is to have clothes that are quiet and able to slip trough the wait-a-bits, without hanging up too bad.

I used to love hunting in short sleeve shirts and shorts, but after having numerous skin cancers removed, I go for protection of skin.

Also when I run through the bush, I have a tendency to run over small shrubs (much like a buffalo) rather than around them, and I still have scars on my shins from the time we ran down a large bull elephant.

Leaving your clothes for the PH's staff is really a nice idea, provided they fit.

This year I plan on taking a couple of brand new hunting knives to give as supplementary gifts to the skinner and tracker.

BH63

Try to find boots (6" cheapo is fine) that have soft soles. Much quieter.

I have a couple Cabelas safari shirts, but mostly I wear inexpensive dark tan or green cotton shirts and Docker pants. I prefer my Merrell Moab Ventilator shoes to boots. I bought a Tilley hat in 2007 on sale and I love it for hunting and most outdoor activities.

I try to stay away from non-leather hunting shoes/boots. Sharp things (snake fangs, cactus spines, etc) seem to poke through non-leather fabrics too easily for my taste.

For hot weather hunting, I prefer ankle high boots. Never know when you are going to jam your foot into a crevasse and scrape up your ankle.

If you are a really careful hunter and never have to run or hurry through brush, I suppose fabric based shoes would work.

BH63

I've hunted in several brands of boots. I like the Merrells and do most of my walking exercise in them over here. My PH last year told me my Russell's were a lot quieter, so I wore those for the rest of the safari. (Mountain PH/Air Bob sole).

For pants, I buy Carhartt work pants in a tan/beige color. They're made of thick cotton, almost impossible to tear, even on "wait a minute" thorns in Namibia. I usually buy them on Ebay for about 50% of regular retail. For shirts, I wear Cabella's Safari long sleeve shirts in both tan and light green. They have nice epauletes for securing your sleeves when you roll them up, and zippered chest pockets to secure passport and extra cash. For boots, I used to wear Browning Kangaroo skin leather boots, but I literally wore the soles right off them this past July hunting with Jan du Plessis of Sebra Hunting Safaris near Kamanjab, Namibia. I'll probably wear a pair of lightweight LL Bean Maine Hunting boots in 2017 when I go back.