Safari Jackets

Page Updated: Feb 2025

If you are shopping for a new safari jacket we can help you choose the right one to fit for function, style and budget.

A Spot Of Safari Jacket History

Safari jackets or bush jackets were garments originally designed only for the purpose of going on safari in the African bush. Nowadays the style has been adapted for many other activities such as photography and fishing.

Popularized by turn-of-the-20th-century Anglo African adventurers, safari-style jackets were engineered for comfort and function.

A traditional bush jacket is commonly a lightweight cotton drill or poplin jacket, usually khaki in colour, with a self-belt, often with epaulettes and four or more expandable bellows pockets. Safari jackets have been worn as mainstream casual clothing since the 1950s. They are particularly popular with photographers, as their many pockets allow a convenient way to carry film, lenses, flashes, and other photographic equipment.

The traditional safari jacket was often worn with nothing on underneath, rather like a shirt, with a dapper neckerchief to mop up the sweat.

This long-established jacket style has been largely superseded by fleeces for cold weather wear, the hunter (or his tracker) carrying a day bag, rather than using pockets for all his immediate requirements in the field. Nowadays safari jackets or fleeces are just worn on chilly mornings on the back of the truck or on chilly evenings around the campfire. Most hunters take them off and leave them in the truck before going off on foot, despite the cold, because they are only an extra thing to carry when it gets hot later.

Essential Safari Jackets Guidelines

Comfortable, lightweight and unrestrictive construction for possibly many hours of wear.
Made of natural or hi-tech fabric that will be sweat absorbent and quiet if wearing it while stalking.
Cooling features possibly vents and mesh but warm enough on cold mornings.
Optional zip-off long sleeves to convert to a vest.
Pockets - better to have buttons rather than velcro which can be noisy. Too many pockets can be a disadvantage for hunting if you can't remember where you put something and have to rummage through all 21 pockets to find it.
Other optional features - cartridge loops, shoulder padding for shooting.
Khaki, green, brown colours rather than white or any bright colour.

Recommended Safari Jackets For Men

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(Click on images for full details & colour options)

This soft twill jacket has a full-length zip closure with a total of 7 multi-functional pockets, an adjustable wrist strap Multi Functional Pockets: 2 Front Kangaroo Style Pockets, 3 Chest pockets, 1 Sleeve Zipper Pocket, 1 Inner Pocket Adjustable Wrist Strap with snap buttons. Buy Now

Gioberti Men's 100% Cotton Casual Outerwear Twill Multi Pocket Cargo Shirt Jacket, Khaki, M

This lightweight safari jacket for men is made of cotton pure cotton with long sleeves that can be rolled up, button closure, with multiple pockets. Buy Now

Runcati Mens Lightweight Safari Jacket Button Up Cotton Outdoor Military Cargo Long Sleeve Outwear Army Green

This convertible safari jacket is made of lightweight stone-washed cotton canvas. It can be easily converted into a vest with the zip-off sleeves. Buy Now

This Tag classic safari jacket is constructed from light weight cotton fabric. There are two buttoned flap chest pockets and two cargo pockets at the belted waist and epaulettes keep a pair of binoculars or a canteen from sliding off your shoulder. Functional tabs keep sleeves neatly rolled up. Generously sized for comfort, it can be worn alone or over other clothing. Buy Now