Safari/Hunt Clothing Recommendations

[TheGrayRider]

Greetings from the Midwest USA. Any clothing recommendations for an upcoming hunt in RSA? Any good websites to purchase such recommendations?

Colors, light, dark, solids, mixture? Favorite brands? Heavy material? Light material? Cotton or synthetic? Boot selection?

I usually just look at current photos and see what other hunters are wearing. Any information is appreciated. Thanks, TheGrayRider.

 

[BRICKBURN]

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I usually just look at current photos and see what other hunters are wearing. Any information is appreciated. Thanks, TheGrayRider.

Great idea and likely that method is going to be fastest. (You might even notice a brand if that matters.)

Where and when you are hunting can effect your choice. RSA is a large country.

 

[BRICKBURN]

RSA Farm Worker Clothing Store selections. I'd personally go for the look in the middle. You'll fit in better.

The exact custom that has assisted on quite a few of my hunts in RSA. (I have not converted though.)

 

[BigSteve57]

My wife and I really liked the vests & shirts from Boyt Harness. Tough, lots of pockets and a nice look if I do say so myself!

 

[TTundra]

Part of the fun for my first trip was buying the "safari gear'. I went with the greens and dark tans as I hunted limpopo in May. Boyt and Tag were on that list as well as some W&G. Also brought cabelas and redhead shirts along with carharrt ripstop pants.
Learned after trip 1 to pack less and not spend as much on clothes. They get torn up if you plan on stalking. Trip two was the same carharrt ripstop pants as they worked phenomenally and held up even longer than the trips, and then some of the previous shirts with an added mossy oak brush camo shirt.

As Brickburn has said and shown...what the attackers wear will make you laugh, but it works for them. Dont spend too much on clothes but it is also part of the fun in preparing. My next trip in May of 2020 is a buff hunt and I'm planning on using the same style carharrt ripstop pants in dark green and some old redhead dark green travel shirts and possibly a camo shirt again for the heck of it.

One hunting outfit (shirt and pants) worn on the plane, second in my carry on, third in the checked bag. That's it. Plus the other essentials.

 

[Nyati]

Green, brown, cotton. A light jacket, fleece for the cold mornings and evenings.

If you hunt the right way, they will get torn, so don´t spend much.

You can leave them behind, they will be appreciated.

I use trail hiking shoes for travel and camp, and trail hiking boots for hunting, plus gaiters.

Well worn and comfortable.

I will also recommend a wide brimmed hat.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Buy the most expensive, Hollywood African hunter style clothing like they used to wear in the old black and white movies. It'll tip off your PH you can't shoot for shit.

Seriously, anything that's QUIET. Most venues wash every day or every other day so figure what you'll need then take one quarter of it.

 

[curtism1234]

Buy the most expensive, Hollywood African hunter style clothing like they used to wear in the old black and white movies. It'll tip off your PH you can't shoot for shit.

You beat me to it!

If you are new to the outdoors, you will likely need to buy quite a bit. If you already hunt or are an avid hiker, then you probably don't need to buy much at all -maybe a hat. Gaiters if you really want to splurge.

If you want to make it a fashion statement, then I'm sure you can spend a bunch of money.

 

[chonk34]

I got my clothes from Tag Safari. I liked the Hunter pants more than the Zambezi convertible pants due to the pockets being a better fit for my spare rifle magazine and ammo wallet. Their Field Jacket is my new favorite coat. I read in several places that khaki is too bright, so I went with the greens and olives for color. I don't know that any of it mattered all that much, but it made me feel like I was on safari.

I didn't get caught up in thorns as much as my dad, who wore his Sitka hunting gear. I was still noisier than the PH's and trackers who didn't wear special hunting clothes.

 

[Philip Glass]

Greetings from the Midwest USA. Any clothing recommendations for an upcoming hunt in RSA? Any good websites to purchase such recommendations?

Colors, light, dark, solids, mixture? Favorite brands? Heavy material? Light material? Cotton or synthetic? Boot selection?

I usually just look at current photos and see what other hunters are wearing. Any information is appreciated. Thanks, TheGrayRider.

Where are you going? When are you going? What are you hunting?
This would help to make some recommendations. The main thing is to have clothes that work for you. You will get 100 opinions on here and they all work for that person.
Philip

 

[Hogpatrol]

Regardless of what you wear, the laundry detergent that's used, loaded with BRIGHTENERS and perfumes will make your clothes light up like a neon light and you'll stink like a French whore. Hunters on a stalk with the wind in their favor get busted and then wonder why. IT'S THE DETERGENT! No wind and still get busted? IT'S THE DETERGENT!

 

[Hogpatrol]

One of these hunts, I'm going retro. Hey, it worked for the best.

 

[BeeMaa]

Welcome to AH!

We hunted in Free State and Limpopo in late May - early June...late Fall and Winter for them.
Temps ranging from 30-35F in the mornings to around 72-78F in the afternoon and very dry...no humidity to speak of.
T-Shirt, button-down heavy canvas shirt, fleece lined canvas vest, light insulated canvas jacket, canvas pants, boots and watch cap.
By 10am was down to the canvas shirt and T-Shirt and a Boonie hat.
By 3pm we were layering back up.

Nyala at Tilodi Game Reserve

• BeeMaa
• Jun 8, 2019

Nyala at Tilodi Game Reserve

Above picture taken around 7am fully kitted out.
I also wore heavy leather gloves that were NOT insulated.
Neck gaiter worn all the time to keep my neck warm in the mornings/evenings and the sun off me all day long.
I think the neck gaiter is made by Buff and the boots were military jump boots from Rocky.

My only complaint was my wife and I both had prickly pear thorns penetrate through the 12 oz. Carhartt pants and into our legs.
We are breaking in some Filson Double Hunting Pants for our next trip, but the jury is still out on these and how quiet they will be.

I asked my PH beforehand and he said darker earth tones for colors, fortunately that's mostly what I wear anyway.
I don't own any camo clothing.
Pick what fits you best and is comfortable for all day wear.
Brands like Carhartt and Duluth Trading are good places to start for shirts and pants if you don't have them already.

 

[Ridgewalker]

I’ve only hunted in May, June, August and September, but neutral to dark ODs and browns worked well enough. You and your PH will typically stalk in as much shade as possible IME.
What ever is comfortable to your body size and type will do. Again JMO.

My personal uniform is typically:
Shirt-a long sleeve dark plaid or neutral
Pants-5.11 Taclite in coyote brown or tundra
Socks-Smartwool or Darn Tough wool socks (often with polypropylene liners)
Boots-Courtney Safari
Shemagh-OD or desert brown
Hat-KUIU or 5.11 in OD (Camo fleece when cold)
Vest-Cabellas Safari in OD (works as a travel vest as well)
Jackets-Midway neutral gray fleece and Midway Safari dark green
Rain jacket-Cabellas MTP (I think)
Gloves-Magpul tactical
Undershirt-gray cotton “T” or black merino wool when colder
Sleepwear-sweat pants

Your choice may very. Just keep them in neutral to dark earthy colors IMO.
Best of luck! Keep it comfortable!

 

[BeeMaa]

One of these hunts, I'm going retro. Hey, it worked for the best.

View attachment 293586

This picture made me think...we met a guy hunting another lodge that was dressed like he stepped out of the early 1900's.
He was a really nice guy on his 10th safari, but it was apparent that money was not an issue for him.
Everything he had was top of the line and even better was the fact that he was actually using it the way it was intended.
Really a pretty cool guy.
Not sure what kind of hunter he was, but a cool guy anyway.

 

[TheGrayRider]

Roland Tempo - the venerable big-game hunter in the movie, Jurassic Park, wore a khaki Willis & Geiger Hemingway jacket, tall brown leather boots, a white cotton dress shirt, khaki shorts, a gold watch, a dark leather band, a gold earing, teardrop sunglasses, and a fedora on his shaved head while lugging a double barreled antique rifle.

Cool but probably a little much for me.

 

[LivingTheDream]

Dont over think it. Basic browns and greens, with a fleece pullover. You can wear most if not all of the same stuff you deer hunt with.

The only thing I do different than probably most people is have hiking sneakers, they have some mesh (cool and dry quick), good grip and soft rubber bottoms so not too loud. I found I can be far quieter in these then I can my boots. I'm a little more agile and they are no where near as heavy to pack.

 

[Deleted member 43267]

I like LL Bean tropic weight cargo pants in Dusty Olive. Tag shirts are great, but I also found some short sleeve shirts made by Jonsson while overnighting in Johannesburg that I liked better than the tags because they were lighter weight for hot afternoons. Again, olive for nearly all shirts but wore a Jonsson khaki one day and my PH said it would be OK. Check carefully because some places do not allow camo. I think this is because it looks too much like military issue and confuses people by making you look like either a good guy or a bad guy. Did tear a Jonsson shirt on some acacia thorns (see profile pic) but my tracker's wife sewed it up for me. It is my lucky shirt.

Jeff

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I like 5.11 for shirts, shorts and pants. Very well made, quiet cotton, good color selections (OD, Sage, Coyote, Tundra). Don't get the khaki as it is too light. For jackets, I like Carhartt stonewashed canvas jackets.

Shirts: https://www.511tactical.com/511-tactical-shirt-short-sleeve-cotton.html
Shorts: https://www.511tactical.com/511-tactical-shorts-mens-cotton.html
Pants: https://www.511tactical.com/511-tactical-pants-mens-cotton.html

 

[Tra3]

Bring gators.

Look at photos of what your PH is wearing in previous hunts. Tan shorts and a drab color short sleeved collared shirt probably. Works for them.
I am a kuiu fan. The side zip vents in the pants are nice.
With that said, I have a nice brown wool 3 piece suit I wear for work... I would love to hunt in that.
Courtney boots are amazing. Call @African Sporting Creations and Jim should be able to give you some good input and find a pair of boots for you too.