In search of the perfect safari vest? We’ve been on countless safaris and visited lodges all over the African continent, from South Africa to Kenya and everywhere. On our first trip, we showed up with a hodgepodge of clothes unsuitable for the bush and had all the wrong colors. Over time we’ve learned to love some of our favorite staples, like a great safari vest.
Safari vests are perfect for holding everything you need on a bushwalk or photography trip. It’s the perfect piece of clothing to hold some sunblock, binoculars, or a camera lens. We love the pockets vests that afford you without the added heat from long sleeves, and they can be a great addition for some stylish safari wear. After plenty of research and time in the African bush, we have the perfect list to pick up a new safari vest.
The Best Safari Vests
Safari Vests for Women
This is a selection of our favorite safari vests designed for women.
Orvis Pack and Go Vest
Orvis designs some of our favorite items for stylish outdoor wear — perfect for safari wear. The vest’s weight has a nice balance to wear. It can be worn independently in warm weather or as an outer layer for cooler days.
It’s pretty lightweight and can fold down into an included stuff sack. A waist cinch and multiple pockets also deliver the practicality and features we want in a vest. As an added bonus, the polyester material used is Bluesign® certified and dries out quickly.
Orvis Pack And Go
Kuhl Stryka Vest
Kuhl manages to blend the line between style and practicality with the Stryka Vest. The vest comes in three colors, but the green is the only one that feels fitting for a safari vest. The construction material used in the vest is a blend of cotton and nylon that allows for a soft and comfortable fabric with decent moisture management and weight.
That means it feels heavy, so it’s best for mild climates. Five pockets supply some good room for carrying whatever you need, including the interior chest pocket. The safari vest also features a hood for light rain and an interior cinch waist for a slimming fit.
Kuhl Stryka Vest
KOGMO Lightweight Safari Vest
Although this is not a technical piece of clothing, I think it looks fabulous for women wanting to look fashionable while on safari. The piece goes great with a safari hat and safari pants. I love this safari vest design – it’s functional, lightweight, and even has a hood. There won’t be many women with a vest on safari, so this is great for standing out from the crowd!
KOGMO Lightweight Safari Vest
Columbia Silver Ridge Vest
Columbia makes some of the most affordable outdoor gear on the market. This safari vest is 100% nylon and has insect shield repellant. With only five pockets, it’s not the most utility vest on this list, but it is functional and can hold your belongings on the inside of the vest and out. With a tie waist for adjustment, the vest can still look cute and fashionable in all your safari photos.
Columbia Silver Ridge
ExOfficio Women’s Flyq Lite Vest
This safari vest is made by one of our favorite outdoor travel brands. ExOfficio specializes in quick dry, and functional travel gear. This vest is 100% nylon, has an elastic bungee hem on the bottom, and has a fleece-lined collar. The vest has 11 pockets to stash everything you could need, from chapstick to binoculars and important documents and cash.
I love the organization of this vest on the inside. It ensures you won’t misplace anything. There’s even a water bottle pocket that will come in handy under the hot African sun. Perhaps the best part about this vest is how affordable it is!
ExOfficio Flyq Vest
Patagonia All Seasons Hemp Vest
This tough vest made from hemp is stylish and more eco-friendly. It’s an insulated vest, so it’s definitely for cool temperatures, making it versatile for wear around mountains, outdoor work, or in the cooler seasons. A plethora of different pockets makes it great for carrying various items. A smooth liner also aids with layers as it slides easily over other fabrics. Construction is excellent, and it’s made to last a lifetime.
Patagonia All Seasons Vest
Fashionable Safari Vest
I love the make-it-mint collection because they offer so many colors. These cute vests are not the most practical, but if you are looking for a stylish safari vest, this is a great choice. So if you are just looking for a cheap safari vest, this may be what you want! This vest has four pockets and zippers on the front to stay organized. It’s great to pair with a khaki skirt and some safari boots while in Southern Africa on a cool day.
Fashionable Safari Vest
Safari Vests for Men
This is a selection of our favorite safari vests designed for men.
Orvis Performance Vest
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better safari vest than the Performance Vest from Orvis. The vest packs a punch with fifteen pockets perfect for organizing all your essentials. Orvis designs its products for fly fishing, but that outdoor focus is also perfect for safari as they carry a ton of similarities.
This travel vest is made with water-resistant fabric and features hidden interior pockets perfect for travel documents and valuables. It also features nifty features like magnets to hold headphones in place on your shoulder.
Orvis Performance Vest
REI Co-op Savanna Trails Vest
This vest has plenty of pockets and is heavy on practicality. If you love birding, bush walks, and spending your days fly fishing at home. This vest will check all the boxes. It has a classic look that feels right at home in the outdoors in many climates.
REI Co-Op Savanna
SCOTTeVEST RFID Travel Vest for Men
This men’s safari vest is good for putting over a t-shirt or long-sleeved shirt while on safari. The safari vest is great for hiking, camping, fishing, and pretty much any outdoor activity you could see yourself on.
This men’s safari vest has a whopping 26 pockets on the front of the shirt with a few more on the inside of the vest. If you order off Amazon, read the description as all the colors and vests are different and range in different amounts of thickness.
SCOTTeVEST RFID
Craghoppers NosiLife Adventure Gilet Vest
This safari vest for men was made specifically for a hot climate with UPF 50 sun protection and mesh lining to keep cool. The vest also has insect shield technology to protect against flies, ants, and midges.
The insect shield treatment is guaranteed to hold up for at least 70 washes. The amount of features this safari vest has is incredible. This vest is incredibly functional with a sunglasses wipe, RFID blocking passport pocket, and 20 pockets (10 with zippers).
Craghoppers Nosilife Adventure Gilet Vest
HUMVEE Cotton Vest
This vest is 100% cotton and extremely durable. It has a whopping 21 pockets for wallets, a lens pocket, passport-sized pockets, and a water-resistant pocket for electronics. However, every single pocket is lined with nylon to help protect against moisture.
The back of the Humvee vest is meshed to keep cool, and there are adjustable side tabs to store keys and more valuables. Since this safari vest has so many bells and whistles, it’s our top-rated choice for photographers in Africa. However, since it is cotton and durable, be aware that it weighs more than the other vests mentioned here.
HUMVEE Men’s Safari Vest
Weekender Men’s Traveler Air Travel Vest
Looking for a lightweight safari vest? The weekend is your answer! This vest is made of 100% Nylon material with a cell phone pocket, Water Bottle & Map Pockets, passport pocket, and many more! The weekender is one of the more expensive safari vests on this list, but it does come with many perks. It’s water-resistant, stain-resistant, quick-drying, and has shoulder padding- great if you’re carrying a backpack!
Weekender Vest
Filson Oil Tin Cloth Vest
This iconic vest is made from Filson’s heavy, abrasion-resistant, and water-repellent Tin Cloth canvas. It’s a work vest made for rough work on the ranch, chopping wood, or in the garage. That rough-and-tumble look makes for gorgeous clothing that will last a lifetime.
It may not be your standard safari vest, as it’s a little warm in the sun, but this vest is designed for adventure or hard work. A stylish piece of safari clothing. Just be prepared for a wait as this piece of clothing is in high demand and sometimes requires a waitlist.
Filson Oil Tin Cloth Vest
Kids Safari Vest
There probably aren’t a lot of kids on safari, and in our opinion, it’s not the best idea. However, the option below is perfect for children. Don’t forget about the kiddies while you’re on safari. They will want to look cool in Africa too!
The backyard safari vest on Amazon is the perfect khaki vest for a little explorer. For only $15, this safari vest is made of poly twill fabric with two cargo pockets, a zipper pocket with mesh, a clear pocket, and rings to attach little knick-knacks to. It’s perfect for hiking, fishing, family vacations, and getting kids excited about being outside!
Kids Safari Vest
What to look for in a safari vest?
Comfort
You’ll wear your clothes multiple times with limited space on bush flights. You should only need one safari vest to get you through your trip. Check out our favorite safari bags if you want to learn more about packing for a safari.
Material
A good safari vest should be tailored to handle harsh environments. Bonus for lightweight, quick dry, sun resistant, and bug resistant materials. We love synthetic materials for their ability to fight dirt and dry quickly.
Compartments
Many of the safari vests listed below have 5+ pockets. These pockets are great for things like cameras, lenses, chapsticks, and valuables. You tip quite a bit while on safari, so we like to keep cash on us. Make sure you are picking a safari vest with an ample amount of pockets for what you need.
Durability
The African bush can be hard on clothes. You’ll want to make sure you are picking high-quality and durable clothes. Usually, these come with a higher price tag, but it’s well worth it knowing your safari clothes will not rip.
Where to Buy a Good Safari Vest?
We have found the best place to buy safari clothes is online. Amazon has great deals and prices; if you are a Prime member, then two-day shipping is free. REI is another great outdoor company to find a variety of safari clothes as well. A few of the best safari clothing brands today are TAG safari, Royal Robbins, Ex-Officio, and Columbia.
How to Choose Proper Safari Attire
- The dreaded Tsetse fly is said to be attracted to dark blue colors. Avoid dressing in these colors unless you want to become a target.
- Layering is essential. Game drives usually start early and end late when it is cold. Temperature can soar in the middle of the day, so shedding some layers will save you a heat stroke.
- Always make sure to check the weather for the season you are visiting Africa. It’s not one big giant hot continent.
- Is it the rainy season where you are heading? Make sure to take note and pack for wet days if it is.
- Being in Africa doesn’t mean you can’t be stylish. If you’re after style, make sure to choose your clothes accordingly.
Plan Your Trip to Africa
- Travel Insurance: We don’t travel without travel insurance and neither should you. You never know what can happen while traveling so it’s best to be prepared. HeyMondo provides excellent short-term and long-term travel insurance plans.
- Travel Waterbottle: When we’re uncertain about the water supply we use our Grayl Purifier. It’s come in exceptionally handy around Africa.
- Camera Gear: Chances are you’ll want a camera for your trip to Africa. We love the Sony RX100V for a pocket-size camera and the Fujifilm XT-4 for a professional camera. Check out our favorite cameras for Africa.
- Safari Clothes: Lightweight, beige, and moisture-wicking clothing are great for traveling Africa. See our favorite safari clothing here.
- Safari Hat: A good hat is both stylish and functional.
- Safari Bag: A durable bag is ideal for traveling around Africa.
- Safari Pants: We recommend neutral-colored pants as they’re great at hiding dirt and can match most shirt colors.
- Safari Shirt: Shirts like these are lightweight and keep the bugs away!
- Boots: While you don’t need to wear sturdy shoes every day, at least one pair of safari boots will make your trip nicer!
- Travel Adapter: You’ll need a special travel adapter for traveling to Africa. Get one before you get there so you don’t pay a premium on the ground.
