Long trousers?

[Kevin Peacocke]

I have switched back and forth between wearing long trousers or shorts, both have their pro's and con's. The last time I wore long trousers it was in the rain and it was terrible, they got wet and heavy and flopped around the ankles. But then I have also worn shorts that got my legs scratched and of course I picked up ticks.
So I am thinking about longs again, but done properly, which for me is elasticised waist but also with a belt, and high boots with puttees. Plenty of folks on here have spoken of gaiters for snake protection, well puttees do that too but are far more comfortable to wear. They also get rid of that floppy trouser problem and help keep the trousers up.
You need longer boots so I am considering a pair of Courteney Jamieson's, do any of you have these?
What do you think?

 

[IvW]

Scratched legs are ok....pepper ticks on the nuts is not.....
Hunting in certain areas dependent on area I hunt with a one piece dark green overall.....all openings sown shut and sprayed with cattle tick dip as soon as I leave the Cruiser....pepper ticks on the nuts are a major problem....I have had tick bite fever so much that I am now immune. However scratching my balls due to these nasty liitle buggers I detest....
I also have a dip bath with my tracking dog if needed when it is a bad tick year....

 

[IvW]

These little bastards like to chow where your socks are, belt line, and your nut sack.....if a bad year....anywhere....

 

[Red Leg]

I normally hunt in shorts, particularly in Mozambique and Zambia where the thorns aren't so bad. In Namibia I used leather gaiters over trousers. They aren't as snug as puttees, but are much tighter than a regular trouser leg and very easy to put on. I also use them hunting red stag in Argentina where one finds industrial strength cockleburs.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Scratched legs are ok....pepper ticks on the nuts is not.....
Hunting in certain areas dependent on area I hunt with a one piece dark green overall.....all openings sown shut and sprayed with cattle tick dip as soon as I leave the Cruiser....pepper ticks on the nuts are a major problem....I have had tick bite fever so much that I am now immune. However scratching my balls due to these nasty liitle buggers I detest....
I also have a dip bath with my tracking dog if needed when it is a bad tick year....

Then of course IvW you could always relegate that duty to someone suitable...

 

[Christian Davis]

Then of course IvW you could always relegate that duty to someone suitable...

Why in the world would you want to scratch his balls?

 

[IvW]

Then of course IvW you could always relegate that duty to someone suitable...

Haha...yip...only problem is the only way to get them off is a very sharp blade and scrape them off or poison....taking the proximity into account I prefer the latter....

 

[IvW]

The "poison" I use paralizes the ticks jaws and they drop off....

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Why in the world would you want to scratch his balls?

Definitely not me!

 

[Hank2211]

My experience is that thorns catch fabric (particularly hook thorns) and you have to stop and extricate yourself. If you're wearing shorts, the same thorns will scratch you, but they won't hold you.

I tend to wear longs only in tick country . . . two bouts of tick bite fever were enough for me . . .

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

We hunted one of the smaller fenced type places here in Zimbabwe that was carrying far too many animals, hence the need to thin them a bit. The place was consequently infested with those little ticks, it was hell in shorts.

 

[IvW]

My experience is that thorns catch fabric (particularly hook thorns) and you have to stop and extricate yourself. If you're wearing shorts, the same thorns will scratch you, but they won't hold you.

I tend to wear longs only in tick country . . . two bouts of tick bite fever were enough for me . . .

If a Wait a bit thorn or a Buffalo thorn gets hold of you you will sit right there fabric or skin....

 

[cls]

I don't have the experience of most here, but the one and only time I wore shorts was my first safari in Limpopo South Africa. Pepper ticks and tick bite fever put me on the long pants train...

 

[Marc Ret]

We hunted one of the smaller fenced type places here in Zimbabwe that was carrying far too many animals, hence the need to thin them a bit. The place was consequently infested with those little ticks, it was hell in shorts.

Kevin, by chance, did you happen to know Denis Paul. He and his wife (Cindy?) operated Shumba Shaba before he passed away. I recall he also had at least one other business, Paul's Pest Service(?), in Bulawayo.

My apologies for the tangent but I keep intending to ask you about him and then don't.

 

[375Fox]

In open areas like Namibia I like wearing shorts. Anywhere there is burnt grass or brush I like wearing pants. I’ve never learned to effectively avoid it to not get cut. These have been my favorite safari pants. They’ve been incredibly tough and I can’t seem to put a hole in them. I don’t like ankle support in boots so I wear leather gaiters under my pants to keep seeds out and also so pants don’t ride up on the low boot top. Then I can just take the gaiters off back at truck easily. It works well for me.

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[Alaska Luke]

Alaska is very different but...

I like long nylon pants with a bit of spandex in the fabric for stretch. They aren't as baggy bit I can move freely. They keep mosquitoes off well. In a few situations (tick country in California) I have tucked the bottom into my socks. If that would kep ticks out it might be less hot than gaiters. Not sure if Africa ticks can burrow through wool socks or not.

These pants are warmer than shorts but better than most long pants. They dry fast when wet.

 

[375Fox]

Alaska is very different but...

I like long nylon pants with a bit of spandex in the fabric for stretch. They aren't as baggy bit I can move freely. They keep mosquitoes off well. In a few situations (tick country in California) I have tucked the bottom into my socks. If that would kep ticks out it might be less hot than gaiters. Not sure if Africa ticks can burrow through wool socks or not.

These pants are warmer than shorts but better than most long pants. They dry fast when wet.

The problem with synthetics in Africa is ironing clothes. Cotton is a lot safer choice there. It’s really easy to burn a hole in synthetics. Pepper ticks are really something different than I’ve seen in North America. They are about size of grain of pepper and in huge numbers in some places.

 

[uplander01]

Livsin Flex canvas pants. The absolute best pants for active movement ever. And they are pretty straight legged.

Pepper ticks suck, had a bad case last trip to Zim. Hard to beat the comfort of shorts though. I can't imagine having pepper tick bites on my ballsack.

 

[steve white]

Pants can be hot enough to smother you, though

 

[Alaska Luke]

The problem with synthetics in Africa is ironing clothes. Cotton is a lot safer choice there. It’s really easy to burn a hole in synthetics. Pepper ticks are really something different than I’ve seen in North America. They are about size of grain of pepper and in huge numbers in some places.

I forgot ironing is a thing in Africa. Not really a concern in Alaska. Some nylons could probably handle it but an over zealous laundry person might be a problem. Those ticks sound awful. My socks trick might not work than. Tough place.