Seems like lots of hunters prefer traditional safari type shirts( cotton hard finish) for hot weather hunting. I've used knit tee shirts and the other. Which is cooler? One advantage to hard finish is tear resistance. Opinions appreciated.

long sleeve collars better sun and thorn protection. nufff said???

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Originally posted by ddrhook:
long sleeve collars better sun and thorn protection. nufff said???

They also protect against biting insects and irritating plants.

George

I prefer long-sleeved shirts because I can roll them up if I want to or leave them down for warmth or to protect against sun and bugs. It's also nice to be able to un-do the front buttons as temps dictate. I usually use old button-down work shirts (oxfords, which start their lives white) and dye them green. Then if they get shredded by thorns I don't care; I just pitch them.

ya seems like kind of a good common since choice to me to

George,

I've used the heavyweight cotton safari shirts, the ultra light Filson's cotton shirt and t-shirts. I think the heavier cotton is best. It will hold your sweat and as the air moves over the sweat it will cool you. The heavier fabric protects against sun, thorns and bugs. In Masaialnd you may very well be in some heavy cover with loads if things that can stick you.

Mark

last time i wore a tee shirt i learned a lesson. tetse flies can land on the tee shirt and grab ahold really well, and they bite right thru it.

I bought a bunch of Willis & Geiger shirts, jackets, pants, shorts, and hunting vest when I first began hunting in Africa.

The 330 thread count cotton is breathable, durable, and comfortable. Alas, they are no longer made.

George

Butch,

That's an excellent point. Tetses can and will bite right through light weight cotton. Some people including me have a nastyreaction to the bites so avoiding as many of their bites as possible is prudent.

Mark

that trip i had fly bites on top of fly bites on top of fly bites. my whole back was one big red welt. took about 6 weeks after we got home for them all to go away.

quote:

Originally posted by studdog:
Seems like lots of hunters prefer traditional safari type shirts( cotton hard finish) for hot weather hunting. I've used knit tee shirts and the other. Which is cooler? One advantage to hard finish is tear resistance. Opinions appreciated.

You answered your own question. Thorns and knits don't mix.

No point in trying to invent the same thing that others discovered long ago. Unless you're in the marketing Dept.!!

Between tsetses and thorns, give me long sleeve cotton twill. Preferably ripstop.

s'dog: Leave those knit shirts to the golf course and tennis players. They have no place on safari. They're porous, they rip easily, they stretch and cannot stand the test of time of laundry service safari style.

The tsetes and no see ums can bore right through the fibers and you'll be scratching and itching the entire time. The ticks, especially those found in RSA, would have a field days with those shirts.

The dust would adhere to the sweaty fabric causing an additional layer of dirt by the time the day ends. Kind of like the dirt that settles on a wife beater when a redneck plays softball while wearing one. It's very nontraditional to wear something like that on safari as well.

Remember dog, half the success of a safari hunt is looking like a safari hunter. I've always considered myself the "self appointed" safari style expert around here. Stay away from Teva sandals, flip flops, blue jeans, pink pedal pushers, sweatshirts, flannel long sleeves and black clothing. In fact don't even wear sleeves at all. Take the scissors and cut those sleeve right off those short sleeve safari shirts. The muscle heads around here (me too) will then hold you in high esteem.

All the reasons listed above are whay those shirts are called "SAFARI SHIRTS"!

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Stay away from Teva sandals

You're crossing the line now!

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Stay away from Teva sandals, flip flops, blue jeans,

I always wear safari type long-sleeve kaki cotton shirts with my Wrangler Cowboy-Cuts.

I outfit every year at the Gander Mtn 50% off sale the last day of SCI Reno. Long Sleeve shirts, and the long pants with the zip off at the knee option.
Khaki or Tan; inquiring minds want to know.

Rich
DRSS

It would be better in green I suppose but it's too hot for me. Give me light colored khaki. It supposedly spooks stuff but when there are six guys trying to sneak up on a buff, how much difference can tan vs. green really make?

The theory is that eles are blind to chambray blue. I don't know if that's true. It would be cooler than dark green anyway.

My white cap makes eles charge. It just eliminates a hell of a lot of walking.

Will,

Bet you learned the white hat trick from Ian.

465H&H

I'm synthetics. Soaking wet cotton doesn't do anything for me. While I'm normally green/khaki, I have a favorite (lucky) hunting shirt that is light blue. It is a hot-weather fishing shirt really. Long sleeves that roll-up and button quickly. I bought it years ago. It's called Guide-wear by Cabela's. It has vented mesh in the back and a lot of zippered pockets.

I think I saw the tracker turn up his nose the first morning he saw it. (The PH made a comment later when I was fishing for Tigers in it.)

It looks real good in the photographs beside the buffalo and sable I shot while wearing it.

Wear what you like and are comfortable in.

quote:

Originally posted by Kensco:
I'm synthetics. Soaking wet cotton doesn't do anything for me. While I'm normally green/khaki, I have a favorite (lucky) hunting shirt that is light blue. It is a hot-weather fishing shirt really. Long sleeves that roll-up and button quickly. I bought it years ago. It's called Guide-wear by Cabela's. It has vented mesh in the back and a lot of zippered pockets.

I think I saw the tracker turn up his nose the first morning he saw it. (The PH made a comment later when I was fishing for Tigers in it.)

It looks real good in the photographs beside the buffalo and sable I shot while wearing it.

Wear what you like and are comfortable in.

Kensco how did it work out under that very hot iron they use loundering your cloths in camp?

Before I knew better I bought some really smart Travel Smith hot weather shirts. They looked fine after camp washing and ironing. One day I was just walking along and shirt just split down the front. The synthetic material had just broken down. After that happened a couple of times I went back to the cotton with perfect satisfaction.

What worked in the 50's still seems to be the best choice today.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by Will:

quote:

Stay away from Teva sandals

You're crossing the line now!

Indeed + those Tse-tse's will get you anyway - the only time I'd be guessing knits it would be early season (tall grass and those seeds do put you off in no time....)

Mac made a good point about the hot irons in camp. All my UA tee shirts have holes burned into them by the laundry lady in Zim. Now, cannot find the same style in the the same brown color!

MacD37

There was no very hot iron; thank goodness.

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:

quote:

Originally posted by Kensco:
I'm synthetics. Soaking wet cotton doesn't do anything for me. While I'm normally green/khaki, I have a favorite (lucky) hunting shirt that is light blue. It is a hot-weather fishing shirt really. Long sleeves that roll-up and button quickly. I bought it years ago. It's called Guide-wear by Cabela's. It has vented mesh in the back and a lot of zippered pockets.

I think I saw the tracker turn up his nose the first morning he saw it. (The PH made a comment later when I was fishing for Tigers in it.)

It looks real good in the photographs beside the buffalo and sable I shot while wearing it.

Wear what you like and are comfortable in.

Kensco how did it work out under that very hot iron they use loundering your cloths in camp?

I had no trouble with any of my UA shirts on Safari but the laundry girl did manage to melt the sythetic Tag Safari label on my Cotton safari shirt. Go figure.

quote:

What worked in the 50's still seems to be the best choice today.

Mark,

What was it like to hunt with Philip Percival?

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was just walking along and shirt just split down the front.

Mark,
Have you seen Tommy Boy by chance??



Steve

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What worked in the 50's still seems to be the best choice today.

If this is the case, I think all the wrangling over which cool safari shirt or trousers or shoes to wear is a complete waste of time. I would bet big money that the vast majority of African hunting over the last 60 years has been done while wearing a t-shirt, rugby shorts, and tennis shoes. Combine that outfit with a 9,3 or .375 and you have a statistically winning combination.

Of course, if someone wanted a really "traditional" safari outfit, this is a guy worth emulating.

i have seen many animals hunted in shorts, t shirts and sandals, still i much prefer soft boots, bdus in cotton and a good cotton tag or boyt hunting shirt. This time I'm taking some longsleeve synthetic stuff as a underlayer, but will not be handing it to the laundry lady with the charcoal iron

my safari addition is a long cotton khaki or green miltary towel that I cut lengthwise...I use it as a go rag, sweat mop, scarf, face shade and what not. after the safari they normally get trashed or left or washed and used as gun cleaning rags.

Hell, Selous used to hunt in his underpants and even posed for photos that way...

I have used the heavy safari cotton and the lightweight. My last trip the first of March in Chewore was hot and humid. I had both shirts with me but preferred the lightweight. Specifically Filson Fly-Fishing in short sleaves. Had one tear on day 10 when I slipped and a stick jabbed me in the side.

Mac

I find most safari clothes worn in africa to be a real turn off.These clothes make you look like someone from public works or an auto mechanic.IMO,jeans are a turn off also in that they are out of place and give the impression you are not interested in the hunt.I am going to try something different on my next hunt-something that has more class and captures some of the spirit of african hunting.I bought myself a Kenya style cotton hat for this trip and a linen safari style shirt.

I just use the short sleeved green safari shirts that HHK gave me. Haven't the foggiest idea what they are made of and really don't care.

465H&H

If you really don't care why respond to the post?