I like their advertisements, but how is it regarded locally?

thanks

Jameister

I have a few of their bush shirts, bush pants and the "Tahr" anorak. Good stuff. I got mine at a 50% off sale which made it even better. Should have bought more.

I scored a Swazi t-shirt left behind by another hunter at Matt's safari camp last year, and have been doing my best to wear it out. Finally got a bit thread-bare on the right shoulder where I carry my double, now a hole has started. I will be looking or another one, may even be prepared to pay full price!! ...but wish they would make a polo-style as the back of my neck gets chewed up by my bino-strap (not to mention the sun!).

This hog was shot on the move with my Jeffery .400 double from the tree-line in the background. I wouldn't have been able to make that shot wearing just any old shirt!!



So after all that, I thoroughly recommend the Swazi cotton t-shirt at least!

Both my girlfriend and I bought some Swazi clothing when we were in NZ last. I really like my fleece underwear, and my girlfriend has enjoyed her "bushshirt" a lot. Good quality, good stuff.
- mike

Marrakai

They do make a polo. I have a couple of micro tops, two ph shirts, 2 micro singlets, a wind cheatah and a wapiti coat. I would buy everyone again.

The Wapiti Coat is the best rain coat I have ever owned. A month ago we had 5 inches of rain in 6 hours here and I wore the coat in it the whole time working on protecting a job. It did not leak a drop. I would buy another and willingly pay double the price it is that good.

Mickey:
I went to the Swazi web-site, which is still under construction, so had a look here:
http://www.outdoorsupplies.co.nz/swazi.htm
and could only find micro-fleece. I'm sure you realize micro would be a disaster in the humid tropics in summer! Are the PH shirts cotton?

...anyway, I have ordered a catalogue.

Cheers

Marrakai

I take your point about micro fleece. I don't live in the tropics so I love the stuff.

The Polo shirt is made out of something they call ClimbMax. It is a very lightweight, artificial material that is made for wicking away moisture. It has, according to the catalog, a UV rate of 50+. Blue and Olive. US$24.95. I have a t shirt from the stuff. It doesn't get as hot here and I like it fine. The dark colour does absorb heat though.

Marrakai

If you are looking for a good cotton bush shirt / PH shirt type, try the Gondwana brand. 100% cotton.

I've been giving them a heafty workout the last year wearing them 8 days a week.

The stitching on the buttons is often crap - hit and miss - but otherwise held together.

Four chest pockets including two with zippers plus a sleeve pocket.

The long sleeve shirts are better put together but have buttons and loops to roll up the sleeves. The short sleeve shirts are disappointing quality which is probably what you would be after. I wear the long sleeve shirts rolled up in 40 + deg heat here though.

I might get some long sleeves cut back to short and have the best of both worlds.

About A$40 so well priced.

PS I'm wearing a navy one in the photo.

[ 11-16-2003, 06:27: Message edited by: NitroX ]

I ordered the swazi wapiti coat, and some microdriback pants, will report on their products after it is received.

Nice folks, and the main man is quite a worldly hunter...

jameister

Jamester

Make sure the coat is large enough. I had to send the first one back because it was to tight with my warm clothes under. I normally get an XL for outer coats but had to go to a XXL for the Wapiti. I have found that most of the Swazi stuff is sized smaller than we are used to.

Mickey: I weigh 210 and am six foot, wearing a 17X34-35 dress shirt, 38 inch waist, 46-48 inch chest. how does this size compare to your experience for XL? Davey suggested that I buy the XL pants, even thought their sizing chart shows different. Hate it when skinny guys try and determine the larger sizes for us full bodied men. Kind of like clothes from China. who cares what fits an XL asian, when the clothes are made for the caucasian market? or vice versa: what asian cares to fit into a Medium caucasian size?

Thanks for the heads up!!

Jamester

We are the same size and I guarantee you that you want the XXL.

I don't have any of their pants so just give Davey your size and take his word for it.

You will love the coat.

my shipment arrived last week, and I tried them on for size: SWAZI is undersized by American standards, by one half to almost one full size. When compared to famous Willis Geiger, they are over a full size smaller.

This does not work when wearing a fleece or sweater or long johns.

I am on the bottom of my weight cycle at 205-210, and their XL is just right only if you are wearing only a thin set of underwear. Buy a full size larger than anything before. Unless you are truly slender.

The cuffs on the XL Severn shirt did not go over my hands, which are admittedly a size 9+ glove. Made for a snug fit on the wrists, but it would not have been possible to ever see a watch or to take the shirt off without a struggle.

Now as to quality: Beautifully made and nice fabrics. I will trade back for the next larger size, and eat my pride because I do not as a rule EVER have to buy XXL.

Thanks for the input, and maybe I can let the folks at SWAZI know that we American are not XL metric, but we are XL double-big porky-pig full-growed and biffed out.

[ 11-30-2003, 23:18: Message edited by: Jameister ]

Montana Swazi Report:

I ordered my gear a few years ago and love the stuff. Also had lunch with Davey Hughes (owner) on his way through Montana. VERY interesting guy indeed, lots of fun to talk to.

I've worked in the outdoor clothing and softgoods manufacturing business for years and can attest to their workmanship.

The microfleece pullover/turtleneck thing with thumb holes is an awesome underlayer when things are getting chilly in Montana. Amazing how much warmer you hands are when the blood flow from your wrists isn't cut off.

My favorite is (are?) the Windstopper pants. They are tighter around the ankles (don't go over your boots), so you need gators to keep the snow and/or weeds out of your boots. You can sit on your rear end in the snow to glass and you don't have a nasty, freezing wet spot on your butt the rest of the day. While they don't shed cockleburrs, the nasty buggers don't cling as well as they do with long knap fleece. What else? They are noiseless, totally quite, comfortable (stretchy enough), don't have a zipper so it gets a tad awkward when you're getting rid of your coffee.

The only problem around here is that you look like a backcountry skier instead of a Carhart/Levis hunter guy. When I was getting gas on an antelope hunting trip in Eastern MT eveyone else has Ford crew cabs, Carharts, etc. and I get out of my weenie Subaru looking like a tree hugger. However, I was far more comfortable than the rest.

Great stuff.

Hear Ya Al.

I drive a big old truck, and still have me old carrhart tans, and like jeans, but to me hunting in the solid earth tones are better than camo crowd. And there is nothing with clothes on that feels better than microfleece against the skin.

My son is off to MSU next fall for his freshman year, so I will send him off with a carhart jacket.

Jameister