To all who have expressed their condolences, regrets about my dad, thank you all. I appreciate it, truly. Waiting has never been a strong suit of mine and yet that is the limit of my ability to contribute, which is tough.

The two sides I'm battling, the purely rational and the emotional, are at odds. The time is right from the rational side, but can never be right from the other.

Back on the gaitors topic, because I'd like to avoid dwelling on the other, The Boyt's only shortcoming from my point of view is the fact that you need to put them on before your boots - or take your boots off and put them on. That can be anoying from time to time, especially at 0:00 dark :30 when you need to put them on! FWIW, if you never wash them, they never shrink and are always easier to put on before they shrink!

JPK

That's why I sell Velcro gaitors. One size fits all, and they go on regardless of boots.

I use the Boyt gaiters, but like the look of the REI ones. I'm not sure about the instep strap with my Courtneys though.

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
My favorite gaitors

Who would want to go hunting with a pretty young girl like that in camp, I for one wount need any gaitors

On the serious side I prefer long boots with socks that does not stick out the top. When in very bad area I wear trousers(Sniper camo) the pants have an elastic going under your foot to keep the trouser legs inside your boot and have a loose cover that ties over your boot. Have not had any thorn, steekgras or ticks come through.

I have only hunted in Africa 3 times, but I hunted buffalo in Zimbabwe and hunted PG in 9 different concessions in South Africa from the Limpopo to East London. I prefer to hunt in shorts and low, lightweight hiking shoes. The only problem I encountered was seeds, burs, dirt, etc getting in the top of my shoes.

On my first trip to South Africa I made my own gaiters by cutting the elastic tops off a pair of socks and wore them over the tops of my shoes. I "softened " the white color of these gaiters by soaking them in a solution of the local red mud.

For my second African hunt in Zimbabwe and in Kwa-Zulu Natal and the Free State, I brought the elastic tops of some heavy black socks for gaiters.

On my last African hunt in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa, I bought some canvas gaiters from Boyt. They work good, but the elastic at their top leaves a deep dent around my ankle by the end of the day.

I also wear the Boyt gaiters at home when I mow my lawn to keep the grass clippings out of my shoes.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobby B

Also, considering the temperatures at that the time of the year, would you recommend shorts and short sleeved shirts or pants and long sleeved shirts? What about brand?

March is my preferred time of year to go to Namibia - less traffic on the road, fewer tourists in Swakop, the animals are less wary since the hunting season has just started. The temps can be quite hot but the evenings are nice and not cold. I wear shirts with long sleeves that can be rolled up and I also take along a lightly insulated jacket for the morning ride out and the evening braai outdoors.

As for gaiters - if you're going to protect your ankles from thorns why not protect the rest of your legs and thighs. In the thornveld I wear long pants that are thorn resistant made by Wrangler (Riggs). Only time I wear shorts is when thorns are not an issue or when I'm playing tourist.

Namibiahunter

Another vote for Courtneys Impala skin gaiters.
The smooth skin catches on to NOTHING, they are much better then the Boyt canvas ones I also own

PS Real men wear shorts

Cheers,






André

Hey André,

Plenty of filth and blood on that leg, buddy. The only things I see missing are a nice, fat, swollen tick and a few tsetse fly and malaria mosquito bites. I rest my case!

Just giving you a hard time.

I thought I would let you know that I am going to shoot your .510" bullets at paper and over a chronograph this weekend. We shall see what a case full of compressed RL 15 will do for them.

I will let you know how it goes.

BTW, shorts are for lunatics and school boys only.

MR Lexma

I look forward to yor test results.
I drank so much GIN to keep the malalia out of my body

Long pants are for the office m8

PS some pictures os shorts fans

Cheers,

André

I think I like Will's set of "gaiters"....but, after 22 years of marriage, the trophy fee would be WAY too high.

I have used the long-grass gaiters for 3 safaris....but I must admit I like the ones from Courtney. Who sells them stateside?

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

I don't know anyone stateside that sells them, but I would certainly give Westley Richards a call in Montana and see if they could order them for you from the factory.

Since we're showing photos of legs cut and scratched, here are mine after mabe a week of elephant hunting this May. The bush was THICK.

Never really had any blister issues before this trip and was wearing the same boots that I have in the past which have a ton of miles on them, but the blisters came on. Might have gotten the blisters from limping due to the stupid mistake of jumping across a small finger of the Zambezi and missing the landing and spraining my ankle. You can see the left ankle and calf is quite swollen.



JPK

UEG.......I was thinking about giving them a call. I got my boots from them about 4 years ago....only problem, if they don't have it, it takes a LONG time for them to get it.

JPK......those are some WHITE legs....before they got red, of course.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

The Texas Hunt Company makes a nice canvas gaiter and with three calf sizes to avoid the too tight constriction marks.

quote:

Originally posted by GarBy:
JPK......those are some WHITE legs....before they got red, of course.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

May 1 hunt! April was rainy. Got off the plain a pasty white. Got back on with a healthy tan.

JPK

THAT explains it! Being from Florida, we are, of course, spoiled with excessive amounts of sunshine year round. Of course, MY legs look like that in January and February.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

GarBy: The only other alternative that I can think of would be to have someone get you a pair when they're in Bulawayo or Harare. They were running about $25 US when I was there in July-August. Good luck.

I just happen to know someone headed over....good idea.

Ihanks.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

$6us cotten sock savers from the local hardware shop.

I wore jeans and Carhartt trousers in Namibia and never even got my gaiters out of my bag. But if I had worn shorts, that would have been another matter.

quote:

Originally posted by mrlexma:
Hey André,

Plenty of filth and blood on that leg, buddy. The only things I see missing are a nice, fat, swollen tick and a few tsetse fly and malaria mosquito bites. I rest my case!

Just giving you a hard time.

BTW, shorts are for lunatics and school boys only.

I have found Trousers make good cover for Ticks and Tsetses to mount a hidden attack.
Great items to assist Jumbo to get hold of you as you get tripped on wait-a-bit thorn too.