My Top Ten Gear Items For Safari

[Philip Glass]

Here is a video explaining ten items I can't do without on a typical day on safari. I hope this helps not only in planning your next safari but also dreaming of your next great hunt!
Philip

 

[Ridgewalker]

All top items! I don’t carry the identical items, but most are very similar.
I have a KUIU gator, but I prefer a cotton shemagh. It worked well as emergency TP once (but not reusable!)
The binos, I like the compact models and a separate rangefinder. I just prefer less hanging weight and yes the elastic Rick Young binocular carrier is great! I have a set of Leica bino/rangefinder, but they are very heavy. I don’t enjoy holding them up spotting for a long time.
Very good point about how personal boots are.
Lights, I agree 100% on having both a headlight and a hand carried flashlight!
Excellent suggestions! Now get back out there on that brush hog!

 

[Tra3]

Great video! I appreciate the neck gator insight for fly defense.

I’m really curious to know what other little items are always in your pack?

 

[Tgood1]

Excellent recommendations, only thing I would add to this list (respectively) is a small simple camera. Usually one shoots more pics than animals. But your videos and information are great

 

[Red Leg]

Really good video buddy. You obviously took some notes when hanging around that documentary crowd! I could not agree more with respect to binos and carrying harness - mine are Leica, but the same capability and harness set-up. Also, headlamps and a quality small flashlight are so important. Once in the Caprivi, four of us were trying to make our way 4 miles back to the boat through the blackthorn after dark and dodging elephants along the way. The only flashlight was mine. Would have hated to do it by feel. I use a cotton bandana rather than wool, but I am typically in Mozambique in humid country near the equator. A gun slip for boats or land cruisers is so important. Great job putting it together.

 

[Art Lambart II]

Nice Video Phil, I would add TP to list of must carry items even the leaves in Africa have thorns. I prefer a safari vest to a back pack, I find it gives me better access to my gear and IMO it makes getting around in the bush easier. As a general question about carry items do you carry a fixed blade knife on your hunts?

 

[Tanks]

Different brands but exactly the same items for the day plus a few more. One other item I put in my day pack (AMP 24 model of 5.11) is a compact camera. I have been testing the Fuji X100V lately and so far it has been working great. The other is I have a small compact Leica range finder in addition to the binoculars. Reason is Swarovski warranties binoculars for 10 years, but the electronics are warrantied for only two years. I use binoculars for more than hunting (horse races, sailing, opera etc.) so I wanted to separate the functionalities for something that would see a lot of use and not take a chance of electronics going out. The final difference is I keep my ammo on a separate leather belt that goes over whatever I am wearing depending on the time of day. The range finder goes on the belt as well.

So, I guess in my case it is Top 13 items

 

[Daktari]

I'm a big fan of yours Phil, but whats the reasoning with the short shorts?

 

[Philip Glass]

All top items! I don’t carry the identical items, but most are very similar.
I have a KUIU gator, but I prefer a cotton shemagh. It worked well as emergency TP once (but not reusable!)
The binos, I like the compact models and a separate rangefinder. I just prefer less hanging weight and yes the elastic Rick Young binocular carrier is great! I have a set of Leica bino/rangefinder, but they are very heavy. I don’t enjoy holding them up spotting for a long time.
Very good point about how personal boots are.
Lights, I agree 100% on having both a headlight and a hand carried flashlight!
Excellent suggestions! Now get back out there on that brush hog!

Ridgewalker,
I so agree with you on the weight of the big binos. I also use the compact swaros much of the time. I want to get the newest Leicas with Bluetooth capability but have to wait on that big purchase for a bit. I am always reading and checking out the newest rangefinder binos even if not my preferred brand as I want to know the weight. As I say in the video I really think the combo is one of the greatest advancements in hunting technology in a while.
Thanks for the encouragement!
Philip

 

[Philip Glass]

Great video! I appreciate the neck gator insight for fly defense.

I’m really curious to know what other little items are always in your pack?

Tra3,
As a minimalist I really keep it simple. My sling backpack will have a camping size roll of TP, hand sanitizer (got bad stomach bug in Zim, not washing hands and eating 2 meals a day in truck), windicator powder for determining wind direction if needed, flashlight (headlamp on me at all times, this is why I use a very small but powerful one), ammo, beanie, gloves, water bottle, sunshades (5.11 has a clever pouch for shades, I try not to use them but they must be available as some really bright days can cause me a headache), and finally gun license. Depending on your hunt you may or may not leave the property but if you hit the road you had better have you gun paperwork.
Thanks for asking And I hope this short list gives you some ideas of what might work for you. I always say “this is A way not THE way to do things”.
Regards,
Philip

 

[Philip Glass]

Excellent recommendations, only thing I would add to this list (respectively) is a small simple camera. Usually one shoots more pics than animals. But your videos and information are great

Great point and I left that out. I actually got a new pocket camera two years ago. On the Cameroon Safari this year I had it in hand but also had the newest iPhone. The pics from the camera were astoundingly better than the newest iPhone 11! We all need to slow down and get more good pics on safari. I’m the worst about just go, go, go.
This is why the forum is great! We can all remind each other of stuff we forget.
Regards,
Philip

 

[Philip Glass]

Really good video buddy. You obviously took some notes when hanging around that documentary crowd! I could not agree more with respect to binos and carrying harness - mine are Leica, but the same capability and harness set-up. Also, headlamps and a quality small flashlight are so important. Once in the Caprivi, four of us were trying to make our way 4 miles back to the boat through the blackthorn after dark and dodging elephants along the way. The only flashlight was mine. Would have hated to do it by feel. I use a cotton bandana rather than wool, but I am typically in Mozambique in humid country near the equator. A gun slip for boats or land cruisers is so important. Great job putting it together.

Wow I had the same experience in Caprivi except we were worried about a lioness we had seen on the trail cam. Out after dark in a forced march through the thick stuff and I had the only light! I never knew if I was helping or hurting the trackers. They can just about see in the dark.
Philip

 

[Philip Glass]

Nice Video Phil, I would add TP to list of must carry items even the leaves in Africa have thorns. I prefer a safari vest to a back pack, I find it gives me better access to my gear and IMO it makes getting around in the bush easier. As a general question about carry items do you carry a fixed blade knife on your hunts?

Art it depends but most of the time I have a lightweight knife on my belt. I’ll either have a leatherman or the knife on me and the other in the pack. Everything depends on how far we go and how long we hunt Each day. I leave lots of stuff in my pack On the truck if we are on game farms making short stalks. If it is a more extreme scenario I then have to decide what to take and whether to sling the pack over my shoulder and go. I also have some Kuiu belt pouches that have served me well. Every hunt is different. I keep it very simple. There things I need but there are lots of things I just don’t have to have.
Philip

 

[Philip Glass]

Different brands but exactly the same items for the day plus a few more. One other item I put in my day pack (AMP 24 model of 5.11) is a compact camera. I have been testing the Fuji X100V lately and so far it has been working great. The other is I have a small compact Leica range finder in addition to the binoculars. Reason is Swarovski warranties binoculars for 10 years, but the electronics are warrantied for only two years. I use binoculars for more than hunting (horse races, sailing, opera etc.) so I wanted to separate the functionalities for something that would see a lot of use and not take a chance of electronics going out. The final difference is I keep my ammo on a separate leather belt that goes over whatever I am wearing depending on the time of day. The range finder goes on the belt as well.

So, I guess in my case it is Top 13 items

I know it is hard to keep it to Ten. I struggled to do this but if it’s top ten then it has to stop at Ten! Great points thanks.
I think I am a fairly sophisticated guy but I honestly hate opera. I’ve been to big cities and even Vienna Austria operas and just can’t get into it!good for you though.
Regards,
Philip

 

[Philip Glass]

I'm a big fan of yours Phil, but whats the reasoning with the short shorts?

It’s classic African and something you won’t see much over here. As we are all just stuck at home and only dreaming of Africa I thought I’d keep it authentic!
Thanks for the ribbing....
Philip

 

[dchamp]

Liked the video, especially the Rick Young Bino Harness. I haven't seen those before, looks like a better mouse trap that I will have to check out.

 

[Tgood1]

i do have a question Philip. has the exposed scope turrets ever been an issue in your hunts?
thanks.

 

[Shakka]

Great point and I left that out. I actually got a new pocket camera two years ago. On the Cameroon Safari this year I had it in hand but also had the newest iPhone. The pics from the camera were astoundingly better than the newest iPhone 11! We all need to slow down and get more good pics on safari. I’m the worst about just go, go, go.
This is why the forum is great! We can all remind each other of stuff we forget.
Regards,
Philip

Phil, I'm curious as to which Camera you have. A camera buff friend of mine told me that to beat an I Phone 11, you would need to spend $1,000 PLUS on a good camera, and even with that, you won't benefit in photo quality/pixels, as it's only because the camera will have a telephoto lens.

I don't know much about either so I am wondering what your thoughts are....thanks!

 

[curtism1234]

I like hip packs, but I am biased as I have medical issues carrying weight on my shoulders. They sit tight and low which keeps branches from snagging it. They are smaller but it prevent you from overloading. You don't need more than 5-10 pounds of items all day.

I try to carry things the ph doesn't have. Imo, a knife is not necessary when you can say "hey, can I see your knife for a second". The less generic items in your pack means the more personalized items fit.

 

[IvW]

Thanks for the video, relevant and informative...

I would add one item as being essential. Nothing worse than grass seeds getting into your socks and scratching and irritating the hell out of you while walking in the bush. After a few days it can become so raw that people want to climb the walls. Bring two pairs. Leather(can be hot) or strong material. Be careful of canvas it can be noisy.