Perfect Safari or Tropical Hunting Shirt

[TSIBINDI]

...In the US, Boyt. In Zim, Lazy Sam, Salty.

 

[93marlin]

I keep looking for the perfect shirt! In a tall size. I'm 6'3" and 200lbs
A hunting/safari shirt for me is hard to find at a decent price, i.e. under $75

 

[Doug3006]

The original all cotton Cabelas Safari shirts also work for me. I get mine from eBay. Some still have tags…others are lightly used. Good value.

 

[Jäger_Ivo]

I find the oposite, I just don't like the slimy feel of synthetics, like the the Columbia shirts. I suppose we all have different tastes.

Yes of course, it is very individual. I also searched for a long time and tried which company's material suits me. There are many different adjustments that are different to the touch.
And honestly - I wear cotton at home and at work all year round. Nothing against that! But there are now better things for sports.

 

[Nyati]

I have three very nice cotton safari shirts courtesy of my outfitters, you can´t beat that price

 

[NDWoods]

My outfitter in SA gave me a logo shirt that I think matches your description. I found it online. Check it out and let me know what you think.
100% Cotton Legendary Short Sleeve Shirt

 

[John Telford]

Reading with interest! I’ve also used them all from 5.11 to Columbia to North face etc.
My current best North American brand shirt is a long sleeve that can button the sleeves by Eddie Bauer. It also has a collar than can unfold to give extra sun protection.
However locally in South Africa the two best that I have used are from Jonson work ware and good old fashioned Teesav. The latter having been in the African shirt game for more than 100 years . Our old Boy Scout uniforms were made by these guys. Most locals buy the olive green Jonson shirts for $20 really well made for the price and cheap enough to replace once a year.
I don’t need epaulets since I’m not a park ranger or a soldier. I carry most of my stuff in cargo pants so I don’t need pockets however they make you look smart when I’m town!

 

[John Telford]

The Jonson shirt.

 

[VertigoBE]

I have bought these, the PH shirt from Safarisupplies. The importer had them made specifically for him. Very thick cotton, much thicker than usual, but the advantage is that apart from the top of the shoulders, they tend not to cling to the body, continually adding circulation underneath. I would only make them a bit longer, so that they stay better tucked under my ammo belt. I'd also make the cuffs a little longer and give the collar some buttons to button them down.

No pockets for stuff to get in the way of shouldering your rifle, lefty or righty. Just pads to aid with recoil. Extra room in the shoulders and upper arm, so the shirt does not constrict you in any way when shouldering. I love them. And due to the weight of cotton (almost seems like the cotton they use in gun bags) I think they are close to indestructible. They laugh off any thorns.

and the best part, they are 85 EUR.

Again, I cannot underline this more, the cotton is so thick and dense on these, that it's almost the material to make a safari vest out. You can almost make them stand upright, that's how stiff they are.

https://www.safarisupplies.eu/product-page/ph-safari-shirt

 

[SCLawyer]

Check out Poncho shirts. I love them for SC dove season, turkey season, and took them to Africa.

 

[roverandbrew]

Yes of course, it is very individual. I also searched for a long time and tried which company's material suits me. There are many different adjustments that are different to the touch.
And honestly - I wear cotton at home and at work all year round. Nothing against that! But there are now better things for sports.

I agree you are right with most hunting situations. When mountain or waterfowl hunting all of my clothing is synthetic or wool. What I do have an issue with is camp fire holes in synthetic, durability of weave in dense scrub, and mishandling of the clothing by staff during laundry. There are exceptions to every rule but always a compromise. You have great points. I have a wonderful synthetic field shirt I bought from Patagonia ten or so years ago and used it from around the world. I will say in the middle east or dry Africa i am a fan of cotton (evaporative cooling). Wet Africa or rain is expected daily I go synthetic as cotton will never dry out.

 

[CBH Australia]

Sorry rlto say this @Kevin Peacocke but post #24 sounds "over engineered"

 

[steve white]

Best HOT weather shirt I ever saw was an Izod cotton, fine MESH, polo style shirt. I bought a bunch of them, but haven't seen any since the early 1980s. They were an actual mesh, just small enough not to be inappropriately see-through while playing tennis--not a solid fabric, so-called mesh.

 

[spike.t]

I use the TAG short sleeved shirt with 2 front button pockets that have a big zipper pocket behind those ones...can get a lot in them....and mine have lasted years being hand washed in our washing machine..ie a water trough then ironed with iron full of hot coals.....must say bullet loops wouldn't interest me as would have thought the weight would pull down on that side....might look good for walking around....but that's bout it

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I have bought these, the PH shirt from Safarisupplies. The importer had them made specifically for him. Very thick cotton, much thicker than usual, but the advantage is that apart from the top of the shoulders, they tend not to cling to the body, continually adding circulation underneath. I would only make them a bit longer, so that they stay better tucked under my ammo belt. I'd also make the cuffs a little longer and give the collar some buttons to button them down.

No pockets for stuff to get in the way of shouldering your rifle, lefty or righty. Just pads to aid with recoil. Extra room in the shoulders and upper arm, so the shirt does not constrict you in any way when shouldering. I love them. And due to the weight of cotton (almost seems like the cotton they use in gun bags) I think they are close to indestructible. They laugh off any thorns.

and the best part, they are 85 EUR.

View attachment 519873

Again, I cannot underline this more, the cotton is so thick and dense on these, that it's almost the material to make a safari vest out. You can almost make them stand upright, that's how stiff they are.

https://www.safarisupplies.eu/product-page/ph-safari-shirt

These would be great with an extra 100mm in the length. I know Safari Supplies, I'll let them know.

 

[Tanks]

I like your list.

I am surprised you don't see safari shirts with padding on the shoulders for shooting big guns like you see on bird hunting shirts/vest. They do that for shooting 12ga guns, why not for shooting big rifles?

You mean like this? Tag safari makes them both left and right handed. I have three that I have worn at safaris for over 10 years.

 

[Tanks]

I have three very nice cotton safari shirts courtesy of my outfitters, you can´t beat that price

Several thousand dollars?

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

I like your list.

I am surprised you don't see safari shirts with padding on the shoulders for shooting big guns like you see on bird hunting shirts/vest. They do that for shooting 12ga guns, why not for shooting big rifles?

i think generally because with shotguns you are shooting a shitload of shots in a session or a day and with big rifles you only shooting 1 or 2, maybe a few more in a day

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

every new client at Tallyho receives a "rugged wear" serengeti long sleeve shirt in olive colour and a round bush hat or a cap
this is thick strong cotton and u can rollup the sleeves and secure them up if you like
doesnt easily get hooked or tear as these lighter, newer materials do.

 

[Major Bonkers]

The best shirt that I have found is a British-army pattern shirt in 100% cotton aertex, meaning that it is pleasantly warm as long as you don't move about too much but cool in the draft. It also won't snag on thorns (on my first safari, I took out a lovely linen shirt, which was promptly ripped to shreds). The epaulettes are held on by a button and loop arrangement and can be simply removed.

It does require a leap of faith to ignore the pot-bellied dwarf modelling it on eBay.

Unsurprisingly enough, it is very similar to Captain Selous' bush shirt. For those of our community who like wearing solar helmets, spine protectors, butcher boots, and so on, it would be the perfect accompaniment!

For t-shirts, my son wore a Polish woodland camouflage pattern t-shirt from Helikon, which was cheap enough to be left behind afterwards, and blended in very well with the mopani bush. I had a Rigby-branded t-shirt - made in Vietnam, from memory. It was rather overpriced for what it was, and had a garish logo stitched in. However, it was thickly woven cotton, which coped well with the thorns.