Who wears shorts on Safari?

[Hunter-Habib]

Always prefer long trousers more. But I once received these babies from my loving daughter-in-law as a gift. And took them out on Safari.

Shorts were also part of our uniform in the Department Of Forests for any employee up to the rank of BO (Beat Officer) until 1975.

 

[Forage&Hunt]

i wear shorts 99% of the time.

a trick i learnt when still guiding was wiping a paraffin damp cloth on my legs and arms. This kept all tciks and other critters at bay. Had no smell to scare animals away. and kept any wounds clean.

So to answer your question, when NOT to wear shorts!

 

[Fatback]

I prefer long pants. I am used to dealing with the heat here at home during the summer and wear long pants working on the farm. Usually running a chainsaw, weed eater, etc….. I get enough scratches and cuts accidentally, I don’t need to invite them by wearing shorts in the thorns and briars here at home or in Africa.

 

[Shaw]

I pack 2 pants 2 shorts and think on 6 safaris I have worn the pants 1 or 2 days. I prefer the shorts above 40 degrees. Chicks dig scars and I have never had a tick on me but animals loaded up.

 

[Flipper Dude]

If going with shorts for comfort and quiet, might as well hunt in comfy, quiet and cool shoes.

 

[Josh P]

I believe in Magnum PI, and keepin’ ‘em north of the Zambezi.

 

[Tanks]

I know this isn't poputlar and I have the debate with my golf buddies regularly when it is over 100 degrees here. But i think anyone over 40 who wears shorts anywhere other than the gym is making a mistake. Just like I don't leave the house in a t-shirt, I don't go out in shorts. Just doesn't seem dignified.

Well, solution is don’t skip leg day.

 

[LimbNoMo]

I don’t always drink beer. But when so do, I prefer Dos Equis.

Stay thirsty my friends.

View attachment 764383

 

[coreydb]

I bring shorts with me, but The weather ( when I plan my hunts) is cooler and I end up wearing pants. That said, I always have sunscreen and an insect repellent. Ranger Ready bug repellent is supposed to be excellent.

 

[sgt_zim]

How do you know it's going to be a cold day on safari?

When your PH shows up for breakfast wearing 2 pairs of shorts.

I brought a couple pair of Carhartt long pants my first time, and a couple pair of shorts. I discovered that the long pants don't offer a great deal of protection from thorns, and besides which they're pretty noisy rubbing against thorns or getting caught in them. And I still got scratched up.

Tsetses are generally not an issue above about 1200 ft elevation, which you should be well above in the eastern cape. Mosquitoes are generally not an issue above about 6000 or 7000 feet of elevation.

I mostly wore my shorts. For the "chilly morning" problem, I resolved that by wearing some camo, lined rain pants while in the bakkie, then took them off when it was time to get out and start walking.

Every bakkie in camp had an untold number of tire patches from thorns and tree branches an roots and what-not. If tires can't resist thorns, long pants won't, either.

40º mornings sitting in my South Louisiana tree stand waiting on the white tails to show up is a very different proposition to a 40º morning at high elevation where there is no humidity. Still cold, but 40º in S Louisiana chills right to the bone and I can't take but a couple hours of that. At high elevation and no humidity, I'm perfectly comfortable in 40 - 45º weather in shorts and short-sleeve shirts once the Sun comes up.

Evenings around the braai are as chilly as the mornings. You'll want 1 pair of long pants for certain, and a medium weight jacket.

 

[FlyGuy]

So I’m heading back to the Eastern Cape next week for my 2nd safari. On my first trip there in 2024 the weather was cool so I only wore shorts 1 day.

Looking at the upcoming weather it looks to be in the mid to upper 70’s.

My only real concern with shorts other than scratches from thorns are ticks.

I’m torn between lightweight hunting pants and throwing in shorts some days. Thoughts ? Thanks.

Never!!!

 

[RSL]

I know this isn't poputlar and I have the debate with my golf buddies regularly when it is over 100 degrees here. But i think anyone over 40 who wears shorts anywhere other than the gym is making a mistake. Just like I don't leave the house in a t-shirt, I don't go out in shorts. Just doesn't seem dignified.

If i followed your rules, i would never leave the house. T-shirt and Cargo shorts are the uniform of the day here in sunny AZ.

 

[TTundra]

My favorite thing of all time???

Telling my wife when I wear a certain pair of shorts I have. "I killed a Cape buffalo in these shorts"

Probably told her and family that 100 times in 5 years lol

I had 3-4 pairs of shorts on my Zim Sept hunt. Two were zipper pants you could take off that worked good too. Cool in the mornings.

I'm going to start wearing my safari shorts around just so I can say this. Maybe add..."that Buffalo looked at me side eye too in these shorts and look what happened to him..."

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Nope! At the gym I'd go to the hot tub afterwards in my swim trunks. Once a young girl looking at my very-gross veins asked me if I had been in the Vietnam War.

 

[PARA45]

I took shorts on my first trip on my PHs recommendations. I wore them a couple times, but I am really not a shorts guy and don't plan on taking them this year.

Are ticks much of a problem in Africa ? I did not see any or hear any talk of them in Namibia's Caprivi strip on my 2024 buff hunt.

There are ticks in SA, and I don't believe it gets cold enough to kill them. I had a little bugger on me and found it on the way home. Six day later I came down with tick fever (first time) for a couple of days. BTW, I've had a tick on me every time I've been to SA. I'm a chick magnet, oops, I meant tick magnet. So, no shorts for me, and KUIU pants for me.

 

[Garciamarquez1918]

With all these images of scratched up legs I can't help but think of Hemingway's "Snows of Kilimanjaro" where the protagonist is slowly dying of gangrene brought on by a small thorn scratch on his knee...

 

[Happy Myles]

I used to take and use shorts but as decades of hard African hunting have gone by I keep my gear fewer and simpler. I take two long sleeve shirts and trousers in dull green Egyptian cotton. I wear on the plane a similar pair of pants in dull brown plus a tattersall brown shirt, plus a canvas sport coat. All can be used to wear hunting. My checked duffle is only half full for a 30 day hunt.

 

[sgt_zim]

With all these images of scratched up legs I can't help but think of Hemingway's "Snows of Kilimanjaro" where the protagonist is slowly dying of gangrene brought on by a small thorn scratch on his knee...

Long pants aren't protecting you from these at all. The soles of your boots probably won't, either.

 

[Happy Myles]

I used to take and use shorts but after decades of African hunting plus old age i need to keep life simple. Now I take two pair ol long trousers and two long sleeve shirts both in dull green. My plane attire is a similar paiir of trousers in dull light brown, a tattersall brown shirt and a similar color brown canvas sport coat with lots of pockets. All can be used for hunting or stick a knit green tie on and go to the Monthaiga Club. This works for me even on a 30 day safari and my wheeled duffle is only half full. Kindest Regards

 

[spike.t]

I know this isn't poputlar and I have the debate with my golf buddies regularly when it is over 100 degrees here. But i think anyone over 40 who wears shorts anywhere other than the gym is making a mistake. Just like I don't leave the house in a t-shirt, I don't go out in shorts. Just doesn't seem dignified.

....tell you don't live this side of the big bit of water......good to know there are a big number of undignified people over 40 here and surrounding countries.....I along with friends are well over 40....so we must be outrageously undignified being in our 60s and wearing shorts 80 plus % of the time...........down to confidence...and having great sexy legs....wife loves me in short shorts ..oh and ps....also wear tshirt and jeans sometimes when we out partying in Lusaka....jeez I must be past saving