I have read on many posts about how you need a coat for the evening and on early drives in a Land Rover. I have yet seen a post that cover the subject adaquately. Some say get a down jacket and some say be sure to get wind Stopper, etc.

I am going to Zambia in late June for three weeks. My guess is that you should layer like stateside but I would like some veteran feedback.

Also I would like some feedback on the necessity of a rain suit. Most make alot of noise or at worst are camaflauge. What say ye

Thanks Sprig

It'll be pretty darn cold in the mornings. I wear a Carhartt wool lined detroit jacket in OD green. Plenty warm enough/ tough and it doesn't snag in the thorns. Also bring some light gloves either leather or I like the light od polyester ones from Columbia. I also wear ear grips in the morning as I hate having cold ears. By 09:00 or so you'll be ditching warm gear. So I like simple light stuff that won't attract grass spurs. I do usually wear a light athletic jacket made of a very tight spun fleece also in OD with a hood. Nike makes these as a runners jacket. If it's really cold I'll wear it under the Carhartt. And it nice at night to wear alone on the ride back to camp.

My preference is for oneof the waxed cotton jobbies by Oxford, Outback, Filson, or the like. It cuts the wind on the morning drive, doesn't collect burrs, and even keeps me dry if it rains. {don't worry, the PH said, it never rains in Namibia in April - just before the deluge started and the road washed out}

For the past 8 years I have worn a waxed cotton Redhead coat. It cuts the wind in the morning and the stickers are not so bad on you. The only comment I've had was by my PH that it makes to much noise in the bush. It has never spooked an animal though. It just has a flannel lining.I just wear a sweatshirt if I need something warmer under it.

I second surefire on the carhart, tough as nails and plenty warm. Add a watch cap and a balaclava or a heavy scarf and you are good to go even on the coolest mornings, and don't forget the short pants to complete the outfit!

Take a light weight jacket that has a tight weave so as to avoid too much thorn damage (most down jackets I have seen won't stand up to thorns).

Take a sweat shirt, sweater or fleece vest for layering.

Take a warm pair of gloves and stocking cap.

Probably won't need a raincoat, but take one if have you one (you won't be doing a lot of hunting if it is raining, so you just need somethhing to wear until you get back to camp). Another option is to buy one of those cheap ponchos and give it to one of the trackers at the end of the safari.

Regards,

Terry

bullsprig,

I've hunted in Zambia in early July and a coat, gloves and hat are a must. Personally I Like an inexpensive down jacket that can be scrunched in my luggage. I wear a nylon wind breaker over it and it works very well. This is a noisy outfit but by the time you stop and walk a hundred yards you won't need the coats. Raingear isn't necessary.

Regards,

Mark

I took my Beretta shooting coat and it was fine, perhaps too warm but I wasn't there in winter.

I like a a polar tech wind proof hooded jacket in combo with a heavy down vest..I also take a light pair of long underwear to Zimbabwe...In Tanzania I leave the long underwear at home...A pair of buckskin gloves suits me fine....

Thanks for all the replys

Sprig

My favorite jacket for Africa is my old Filson waxed birdhunting jacket. It turns thorns, cuts the wind and if I find something on track I want to bring back with me I pitch it in my bird bag and lug it back. Pretty handy and rugged! It also folds up and is very compact if a bit heavy. If it is really cold, I'll wear a down or polarfleece vest under the jacket. I like polarfleece but if you head through some thick jess it can sure snag on thorns. The upside is it will mark the trail back to the 'cruiser!

If you are hunting the Luangwa Valley, in late June, it is cold as hell in the morning, and evening when you are in that open Bakki. Like Ray I like the Polar tech with a hood,and a down vest, or sweater, and I take a pair of goggles for the trip to camp at night to take the place of the windscreen that is missing from the Bakki. Get a stuff bag like you use for a sleeping bag, and stuff the polar, and down vest, and goggles in it, and leave it in the bakki so you don't forget it, if you could when you crawl out of that warm bed in the morning!

Your right polarfleece will grab thorns, but your jacket will make more noise than a herd of buffalo, take your pick...

If the truth were known only wool is good for hunting in cold weather, but its heavy and hard to pack...

I went to S. Africa for the first time 7/6-7/13/04. I took one of Cabela's breathable rain shell coats and a full zip fleece jacket as a liner. (My PH had something fairly similar, except his coat was in camo.) This worked well for me as I started out wearing both, then took off the fleece and then the shell as the day warmed. My coat was a little noisy but I don't think I spooked anything as a result. When I go back I think I'll try and take a similar breathable shell in quiet (cloth) camo. (I've heard different things regarding camo over there so checking ahead of time might be wise.) I also took and used a stocking cap and deerskin gloves. I should also have taken some light wool liners for the gloves. The back of the truck in the morning can get really cold.

ttt

With rue my heart is laden with golden friends I've had. Many a rose lipped maiden and many a light foot lad. O'er brooks too broad for leaping the light foot lads are laid and rose lipped maids are sleeping in fields where roses fade.--------A.E.Housman--1905

Carhartt.

I have an old Eddie Bauer goose down jacket in light olive that has a cotton shell, and a flannel lining. Over that I wear a fleece jacket from L.L.Bean, also in olive green that has a wind stopper liner. I also wear a balaclava, and a pair of uninsulated elk skin gloves.

I have a jacket from "Frontier Gear of Alaska" that is my favorite for Africa, and I bought it at Barney's Sports Chalet in Anchorage.

Another fine choice for Africa is Browning's stuffable light goosedown jacket that you can get from any established Browning dealer. It's reasonably-priced and a really great and practical jacket. It packs and stores well in your duffle as a bonus.

AD

Carhartt for me. I have five of their jackets. I like the pants as well. They do just fine in the rain and in the thorns. Add a watch cap and a scarf and you are good to go.

One more plus is that they are inexpensive.

Regards, PG

quote:

Originally posted by allen day:
I have a jacket from "Frontier Gear of Alaska" that is my favorite for Africa, and I bought it at Barney's Sports Chalet in Anchorage.

Allen,

Is that the Brooks Range Jacket, or one of the fleece models?

John

I also have a jacket from Barneys. Nylon outside and prima loft inside. Perfect for riding in an open vehicle as it is also windproof. It can be crushed up into a small package that will fit in it's own pocket. It is noisy when walking though.

The best jacket is one of the German Army surplus coats in OD or camo. Wool lined with broken in canvas outside. They are so cheap over there you can leave it if you want and make someone very happy.

Wind bloc fleece jacket from Boyt.
Down jacket from The North Face (left for Buzz this year).

So, if you're not cheap, like Mickey, you can leave the down jacket.

WELCOME BACK RAY

I have used my Browning down stuff jacket on all 3 trips. As the name implies, you can stuff it into the supplied bag for a package about 8" high and 5" across. Easy to fit in a corner of your bag and VERY warm when the sun is down.

Welcome back Ray?
Check that date.

The coldest I have ever been in my life was in Namibia in late June! By 10;00 I was sweating!!
How is the temp in Zimbabwe lowvelt in Sept??

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
Wind bloc fleece jacket from Boyt.
Down jacket from The North Face (left for Buzz this year).

So, if you're not cheap, like Mickey, you can leave the down jacket.

I would be able to afford a fancy pancy down jacket if I hadn't sent all my Christmas money off to buy some dumb book.

You guys need to hunt Africa during the hot months. Africa is supposed to be hot, and wearing a heavy coat just doesn't seem right.

Jackets?! We ain't got no jackets!



We don't need no jackets! We don't have no stinking jackets!



Sorry, but after 500grains' last comment, and my last safari, I couldn't resist.

bullsprig:

You don't mention just where you'll be in Africa hunting country. I was in the Chirisa district of Zimbabwe in May. I had a "safari" jacket (purchased from Cabela's). I never wore it except at night in camp. The sun comes up at 6AM (It's the tropics)and it is a little chilly, perhaps, until about 7 AM. (I'm a New Yorker and used to chilly mornings) If you're heading out into the field at 7AM you should not need any jacket or sweater because the exercise will get you moving (even if it's a 4x4 that you go out in) (You should wear long sleeve shirts anyway -roll'em up during the day. Believe me, that's all you need) Deer and bear hunters from the Northeast US or from places like Wisconsin and Minnesota and Michigan -or any Western mountain state will think of Africa (Zimbabwe, anyway!) as a tropical garden of Eden when it comes to talking about temperatures in early morning!

Hello Gerry,
I too am a NY native, and I'll be hunting the lowveldt/Plum Tree/Matopo Park region in August '06. How do you think the temp's will be. I hate the cold, and I will also be spending
time in leopard blinds. What do you think I should expect for? I hunted Namibia this past August, and mornings and evenings I was freezing!

I hunted the Kalahari and the Khomas mountains of Namibia in August of this year.

I lived in Spain during the trip and all the weather toughness is kind of gone. It was 95ish during the day in the Khomas and 50 at first light until 9:00 am. Same from 16:00 onwward till morning.

In the Kalahari it was usually 45 in the morning and evening, but the last three days I was there it was 50 tops during the day.

I never heard much about thorns until I got there. If I were hunting an area with thorns I would wear my wrangler jeans, hunting boots, and a tough wrangler work shirt, and that's what I'll do next time I go.

I used a polar fleece coat in the mornings and eves. On night hunts I covered it up with a goretex shell.

My hands aren't used to gloves and no matter the torns I didn't see the need. Maybe for those with Maybeline model hands you might want to cover them up.

I wore a base ball cap daily, my PH wore a big floppy straw hat they make there. I would probably wear a base ball hat again. I have a pith helmet but it's not 1910.

i was in south africa last august and i took a cahrhart short work jacket and a sweatshirt. by 10 or 11 am they were gone tough and worked fine

Hi, Wolfgar:

Wish I could give you informed advice but I never was in the Low Veldt and wasn't in Zimbabwe in August at all.

I do know that temps in Zimbabwe begin to increase quickly after May and I would imagine that August would be a really hot month. I have no idea whether temps at night fall that much as to be "cold". (I did find nights in May to be cold enough that I slept under a light blanket in the tent) If you are leopard hunting the question is whether it's by day or by night. ( As I recall, night hunting for leopard was only allowed on the private farms and not in the safari districts. So I guess you will either roast or freeze!) Best wishes for your hunt.