I have noticed that in the many pictures that I have seen on this site and numerous books that the majority of PHs like to wear shorts and clients almost always opt for long trousers.
I know that "Pondoro" was often clad in not much more than a turban and Ian Nychens writes that he frequently preferred a loin cloth.I have always chosen to wear longs in Africa but see no reason not to change next time.Any comments or preferences?

Why not wear what YOU feel comfortable in.

I usually start wearing shorts. Wear shorts until my shins are ripped to hell and scrapped up. Then shift to long pants. All kidding aside, I have found that your legs do get torn up wearing shorts but they are a lot more comfortable.

Clients generally have more sense than their professional hunters, otherwise they would be professional hunters.

Imo, if the weather is hot, it too hot to wear trousers.

I very seldom where shorts and the only reason is puffadders i just feel it gives you more of a chance if you wear longs

Apart from temperature, shorts tend to get your legs scratched up pretty well (Africa is full of thorns), but long trousers get you hung up in the thorns. Choice between plague and cholera, IMHO.

- mike

quote:

Originally posted by mrlexma:
Clients generally have more sense than their professional hunters, otherwise they would be professional hunters.

Ain't that the truth!

found those pants with the zip off legs work really well. as the temperature goes up the legs come off

Shorts are much quieter than most long pants, but as someone said a while back, I'm not fond of the idea being stabbed with a thorn that has just stabbed a tracker walking in front of me! Talk about shareing a needle!

It depends what kind of bush I'm hunting, and what time of year. I like to hunt in late June, and the month of July. The temps are cool at that time of year, and there is a need for a warm jacket, and some long pants for the ride to, and from camp in early morning, and late evening. The zip-off legs are nice, for the best of both worlds. I generally have a stuff-bag, used for a sleeping bag, that I put a jacket, and either long pants, or the zip off legs in the bakki. All my shirts are always long sleeve! you can always roll them up, but a short sleeve stays short! I like the Cabela's Sarengeti shirts.

You don't need many cloths, because you have daily loundry! About three changes is pleanty! I suggest cotton as some of the synthetics will be a victim of the hot iron in camp, and leave you with nothing to wear at all!

Don't forget the sun screen! Bring pleanty, and leave the left over with you PH! That stuff is hard to come by in the bush!

Have a good safari!

I've always worn jeans, even in 100+ degree weather in NM and AZ. They're what I'm comfortable in, so that's what I wore in Africa. Of course, I didn't hunt the miserably hot and him central part of the continent, nor did I hunt during the summer, when Namibian temps break 120. Those conditions might change my mind, but until I experience them (unlikely because of $$ concerns), I'll just keep wearing jeans like an old redneck.

Interestingly enough, all the trackers that I've hunted with wore longs. Some outfitters provide coveralls, but those that didn't have them all wore long pants. Of course it is winter for them and they tend to bundle up.

My PH asked me to wear shorts so I wore shorts. He said they were a lot quieter and I noticed that most of the time the thorns would just slide over the skin or scrape a little as opposed to catching on cloth.

The first few days your shins get quite scraped up, but then the skin seems to toughen or something. Buzz and I both noted this, and the PH's wearing shorts rarely get scratched by thorns or long grass. Including those wearing the short-shorts w/the 5" inseam!