Hats on safari

[aminkus]

looking for some advise on what hat i should bring on my first elephant hunt in Zimbabwe in mid June?
Please send pics of any hats that have worked best for you

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Baseball cap or medium small floppy.

Lon

 

[mdwest]

I’ve got a couple of different floppy hats I typically take…

One is a very old woodland camo boonie that I was issued sometime in the mid 90’s..30 odd years and it’s still going strong.. the other is something of a Tilly knock off.. I’m unsure of the manufacturer.. but I’ve had it maybe 7-8 years and it’s still doing its job well..

I usually start the mornings off with a sitka beanie while it’s still pretty brisk/cool outside.. the transition to the floppy once it warms up a bit and the sun is high in the sky… when it cools back down later in the day and through the evening, I’ll normally transition back to the beanie…

I hate a cold head and ears even more than I hate sun in the eyes..

 

[channelkat]

I am no longer good in the sun/ heat. I had what I thought was the perfect wide brim, breathable hat, but left the dang thing at security at JNB. I have not been able to find any current production hats like it, but I think tag had something I might settle for.

In the heat I got by with a mesh ball cap and sun neck gaiter, but I’ll be watching this post to see what you guys come up with. I suppose in June I could get by with anything.

 

[CBH Australia]

My outfitter gave me an embroidered cap with their logo.

Another option is a Pith helmet for the photos.

 

[Tanks]

looking for some advise on what hat i should bring on my first elephant hunt in Zimbabwe in mid June?
Please send pics of any hats that have worked best for you

Hats for elephant hunt? Here are a few examples.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Not elephant, but Africa: I am partial to baseball style caps myself, and so much the better if they say Africa Hunting.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

You really should protect your ears from the sun. Floppy covers that ok.

Lon

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I'm a ballcap guy. Sun is usually not a problem the end of August on the Eastern Cape of South Africa. I can always splash on sun block as needed. Ballcap allows me to pull on hood when needed.

 

[Bert the Turtle]

Boonie

 

[Sika98k]

Not elephant, but Africa: I am partial to baseball style caps myself, and so much the better if they say Africa Hunting.

View attachment 604925

That is a nice bull . Great horns and big bases on him. But I digress.
hats.
Choice of “The Bombay Bowler” The Wolseley pith helmet, a common or garden sun helmet off eBay or a Rogue River leather hat.

 

[Huntndog]

This works for me. This picture shows how the floppy hat helps with the sun. I usually have a ball cap as well and let the weather dictate which one gets worn.

 

[GuttormG]

I can always splash on sun block as needed

A friend want to Eastern Cape, bringing a baseball cap with mesh top/sides. Shade for the eyes and ventilation on top. Perfect!
Having not much hair he came home looking like a nicely tied up boneless porkroast with perfect cracling.

 

[BeeMaa]

Boonie because they are inexpensive, crushable for packing and easy to wash. I brought two of them and gave one to our tracker and the other to one of the lodge staff before leaving. I also brought a green fleece watch cap for the cool mornings and a ball cap for traveling.

 

[Fatback]

If it’s cool/cold I go with a knit watch cap style hat. Once it warms up I prefer a boonie style that helps shade my ears and the back of my neck. I also always use sunscreen when hunting in Africa.

 

[uplander01]

Check out the Marsh Wear boonies, Tilley has also worked for me

 

[Major Bonkers]

Traditionally, a double-brimmed Borsalino with puggaree.

I have an Akubra, which is excellent. I replaced the band with a strip of zebra skin. I did this as a bit of an OTT joke, but in reality no-one has commented on it.

Otherwise, I suggest the Herbert Johnson or Lock versions of the 'poet' hat. These are softer than the Akubra.

 

[samson7x]

Hats for elephant hunt? Here are a few examples.
View attachment 604922

View attachment 604923

View attachment 604924

Nice! What is the hat in the top picture sir? I’ve been looking for something like that.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I’ve only been one time so far and I wore a baseball cap. Next time and any time I go after that I will definitely be wearing a brimmed hat of some sort.

 

[fourfive8]

I'm a ballcap guy. Sun is usually not a problem the end of August on the Eastern Cape of South Africa. I can always splash on sun block as needed. Ballcap allows me to pull on hood when needed.
View attachment 604930

Same here for Africa and most hunting. Cold, snowy, wet requires different accommodation. Sunscreen on ears if required. Mesh hats don’t work for UV protection and offer little advantage for ventilation- contrary to the theory. Wicking cotton is as good as any. My day to day at home is ball cap, indoor and outdoor except for heavy rain or blowing snow. But I do pack a knit cap for cold if needed. Africa can be cold.

About the last thing I’m interested in is changing my normal, day to day outdoor routine when in Africa….looking like or trying to look the part of a walking Westley Richards catalog advertisement