A Safari Jacket Potpourri.....lots of pics

[portolan]

I couldn't decide on a safari jacket, so I bought five. I know many of you are interested in them, so I thought I would post pictures of them for your laughter! My favorite is the vintage TravelSmith. They are each a little different. I got most of them on the bay or on sale at a store. All are lightweight and great for traveling. Enjoy the pics...I know I am crazy for buying five, but I think I have a safari jacket illness for which there is no cure! I didn't pay over $60 for any of them. I have front and back pictures of each....Which is your favorite?

The Woolrich Jacket:

The TravelSmith Jacket:

The Paul Frank Jacket:

The Kenneth Cole Jacket:

The Banana Republic Jacket:

 

[carter]

My 2 cents worth

#1 Woolrich:Best length, 4 large pockets, sleeve tabs, epaulettes, belted. This most closely resembles a traditional safaari jacket as I remember them.

#2 Banana Republic: A tad short for my taste, no sleeve tabs, internal drawstring @ waist. This would be my second choice.

#3 Travelsmith: Top pockets look too small, cut on pocket flaps is too square, no sleeve tabs, no belt (inner drawstring?), I'd like more length in the body.

#4 Kenneth Cole: Cut is too slim, no sleeve tabs, neither a drawstring nor a belt, no epaulettes, no sleeve tabs. This is more a casual jacket/sportscoat than a safaari jacket.

#5 Paul Frank: Blue or Blue/Grey (?), only two pockets (inadequate), a Zipper(?), no sleeve tabs, no belt (inner drawstring?), too short. This looks like something trying to be something it isn't. My least favorite of the collection.

 

[ins0ma]

I think the Paul Frank and K Cole jackets fit you best, but I like the construction of the Banana Republic one more than the others. The K Cole has a blazer look to it that kind of clashes with the whole "safari" thing. The Paul Frank jacket looks like a modern interpretation of a safari jacket, not a replica or reproduction, and is probably the most "fashionable" of the bunch. I guess it depends what you're looking for. If you'll be wearing the jacket around town, go with the Paul Frank. If you're actually going into the "bush," so to speak, the BR.

 

[mikegeorge]

Did you consider the Filson?
Filson Bush Jacket

 

[budrichard]

I have the Filson and its a very nice coat.
The best I have ever had is a Beretta made in Italy I got from the Beretta Boutique in New York. Unfortuneatly it is not made any more and Beretta offers one made off shore. It does away with the traditional belt for elastic adjustable gathering in the back. I was going to order a bespoke British Safari coat at an obscene price until I saw the Beretta coat on a Brit website!-Dick

 

[Tone]

Woolrich Safari Jacket

They all look good and it's really great to see so many (being worn) on the same person for comparison, Portolan. :eusa_clap

Each of those jackets looks good on you! My favorite of the bunch is that belted Woolrich, though! That is stylin'! So much so that I went "looking" for one after reading this, and unfortunately, it seems that it is one of those no-longer-made jackets. (Do they call it a "Safari", "bush jacket", or?) I'd love to be able to find this thing. Is it still around?

Thanks for these comparisons.

Bud, great jacket also. That Filson's looks like it'll last through a ton and definitely what a real, rough, safari might require. The shooter pad just doesn't work well for some more casual locations...for me, that is. That doesn't mean it's not a great option for safaris. It's good to know that option is out there, too.

 

[Tomasso]

I like the fit of the BR and the style of the Woolrich. IMO, a safari jacket must have a belt.

 

[budrichard]

The Safari Jacket I pictured is the Beretta version made in Italy with no belt but an elastic adjustable gathering at the waist.
From utilitarian viewpoint when carrying a shotgun or Big Game Rifle, the belt and buckle gets in the way and I never use any of them on the various Safari Jackest I have had or now have. The belt is from an era when elastic gathering was not available. The Beretta without belt is the best of the lot, of course it may not look like you want but if 'push comes to shove', its the best!-Dick

 

[Tomasso]

the belt and buckle gets in the way and I never use any of them on the various Safari Jackets I have had or now have.

It's really a matter of personal preference, isn't it. You could say the same for a cartridge belt/pouch.

The belt is from an era when elastic gathering was not available.

Actually, Willis & Geiger introduced the elastic waist in 1936, at the request of Ernest Hemingway, who eschewed belts. A&F carried them as well.

 

[stephen1965]

Hi, I'm new here, so thank for showing the jackets, really interesting. Anyway, enough buffering, in my opinion, the 'woolrich' is most interesting looking followed by the 'travelsmith'. Those two I really like.

 

[budrichard]

It's really a matter of personal preference, isn't it. You could say the same for a cartridge belt/pouch.Actually, Willis & Geiger introduced the elastic waist in 1936, at the request of Ernest Hemingway, who eschewed belts. A&F carried them as well.

When do you think the Brits first traveled Africa exploring? Certainly it was before the 1930's and that's when the Classic belt/Safari coat was developed.
The scan is from a 1939 A&F Firearms Catalog clearly showing a Safari Jacket with a belt being offered.

The next pic is a A&F Safari Jacket, made in the USA of 100% cotton with no WPL or RN label. Now I'm not sure of its exact date of manufacture but I can tell you its not recent but certainly middle 20th century. If you look closely on the right side of the jacket, you will see a belt loop of which I have removed the belt.

As I originally Posted "The belt is from an era when elastic gathering was not available. "-Dick

 

[carter]

Great Britain in Africa

When do you think the Brits first traveled Africa exploring? Certainly it was before the 1930's and that's when the Classic belt/Safari coat was developed....

Great Britain occupied the Dutch Cape Colony on the southern tip of Africa in 1795 in order to prevent it falling into French hands, following the invasion of the Netherlands by France. Britain formally acquired the colony, and its large Boer population in 1806. The Boers were of Dutch descent.
The period from 1815 to 1914 is referred to as Britain's "imperial century" by some historians. This is the time when the majority of British exploration and colonization of Africa occurred. *

The Random House Dictionary online gives the origin of the safari/bush jacket as falling in the period of 1935-1940.
British safari jackets from the 1940's are occasionally found on ebay.

U,S, Wings has a khaki bush jacket on sale for $50.95.
http://www.uswings.com/khakis.asp

*greatly abridged from a much larger source

 

[KilroyCD]

I'm a fan of the belted ones myself, so of the jackets in your collection I would have to say I like the Woolrich the best. The one I have (which I'm wearing in my avatar) is a British military belted bush jacket repro by What Price Glory. It's available in khaki or "jungle green".
http://www.whatpriceglory.com/pic/khakibushjacket.jpg
http://www.whatpriceglory.com/pic/bushjacket.jpg
It's reasonably priced as well, at $48.

 

[carter]

Chris, I like the pocket flaps on the jacket from WPG a lot more than those on the jacket from U.S. Wings. I have a Willis & Geiger but may get one of those. How did it do after the initial wash? Any serious shrinkage?

 

[KilroyCD]

Chris, I like the pocket flaps on the jacket from WPG a lot more than those on the jacket from U.S. Wings. I have a Willis & Geiger but may get one of those. How did it do after the initial wash? Any serious shrinkage?

Carter, it has been washed several times without any shrinkage, but I also haven't ever put it in the dryer. I let it drip-dry to avoid shrinking it.

 

[Edward]

I'm a fan of the look of the belted one - that Woolrich is a great looking jacket. Myself, I'll probably eventually buy one from WPG or a similar military repro company. I'm thinking when the weather starts to get warmer again, I may be looking into it.

For a travel blazer that would blend in with both fully casual and slightly more formal (i.e. business casual) wear, that Kenneth Cole jacket would be superb. It's hard to beat having an essentially casual jacket that, in a snap, you can wear over a shirt and tie when you're on move in a hot climate. This sort of approach has certainly served me well on the several occasions I have spent time in China.

 

[Mike K.]

Chris, I like the pocket flaps on the jacket from WPG a lot more than those on the jacket from U.S. Wings. I have a Willis & Geiger but may get one of those. How did it do after the initial wash? Any serious shrinkage?

Get the WPG bush jacket and you won't be disappointed! Yes, they will shrink a little if you put them in the dryer. The cloth is a nice heavyweight cotton drill - very well suited to actual use in the bush. Also be sure to pay attention to the WPG guidelines on whether you should order a regular or tall size. I'm right at 5'10" and usually wear a 34/35" shirt sleeve. I went with the 40L bush jacket and it fits great. I am about to replace all the standard BDU-style buttons with horn buttons and the buckle with a leather covered one...pictures to be posted soon!

 

[Havana]

What a great collection! Thanks for posting these. I actually like that Kenneth Cole for casual wear.

 

[budrichard]

Lost World's http://www.lostworldsinc.com/Australian_Bush_Jacket.htm appears to have reproduced both the W&G(Australian) and the 'Hemingway' version. Has anyone had any experience with thier clothing?-Dick

 

[carter]

Kilroy or MikeK, I have a question.

Get the WPG bush jacket and you won't be disappointed! Yes, they will shrink a little if you put them in the dryer. The cloth is a nice heavyweight cotton drill - very well suited to actual use in the bush. Also be sure to pay attention to the WPG guidelines on whether you should order a regular or tall size. I'm right at 5'10" and usually wear a 34/35" shirt sleeve. I went with the 40L bush jacket and it fits great. I am about to replace all the standard BDU-style buttons with horn buttons and the buckle with a leather covered one...pictures to be posted soon!

Mike, What size do you wear in a sportcoat? I'm 5'10" and wear a 50 regular so I need to decide whether to order a 50R, 50L, 52R, or 52L. There's always a chance that it will end up in the dryer.
:eusa_doh: