My review of the Cabela's 100% Cotton Safari Shirt

MS Jones · Post by **MS Jones** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 9:35 am

So two days ago I received my 100% cotton Safari Shirt from Cabela's. Today is the first time I've had it on (tropical storm = cool temps = long sleeve approved

)

All I can say is WOW. If you've been thinking about getting one of these, do so now while they are on sale. Originally $34.99, I payed $14.99 plus shipping (about $5 to me) and the shirt is of superb quality. The fabric is very heavy, yet very cool and breathable, and feels like it will last through a lifetime of adventures. The stone color that I purchased looks great with the rest of my gear (particularly my favorite brown fedora.)

Now for those of you that want to be 100% SA, some modifications will be necessary. I'm happy with mine as-is, but if I wanted SA I would have ordered two shirts the same color, and used the second to make the 1" panels down the front across the pockets. Also, depending on which movie your gear is specific to, you may want to change the buttons to a darker color, as the ones on the shirt are a light bone, much lighter (at least on mine) than shown in the picture on Cabela's website. I don't know about the cut of the pocket flaps on a SA shirt, but these are standard taper-cut flaps and are button-through.

This is my advice to any gearhead --- GET THIS SHIRT!! I am assuming that since it is on sale for such a low price they are about to discontinue this line (I hope not) and if they do it will be the death of one of the best "close enough" shirts available commercially right now. I look forward to many years of adventures with this great shirt.

Post by **Dalexs** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 10:37 am

I was about to pull the trigger on this, but held off.

How's the fit overall? And is there any shrinkage after wash?
I assume there has to be some considering it's cotton.

MS Jones · Post by **MS Jones** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 10:54 am

Dalexs wrote:I was about to pull the trigger on this, but held off.

How's the fit overall? And is there any shrinkage after wash?
I assume there has to be some considering it's cotton.

The fit for me is great. And I am hard to fit, just to be honest. I'm tall and wide, and this shirt stays tucked in and fits my long arms well. This is just for me though, Mr. Double XL

As far as shrinkage, I washed it by itself with cold water and dried on low heat, delicate cycle, and I didn't notice any shrinkage. Maybe a very small amount, but it certainly wasn't enough for me to notice. The key with 100% cotton is cold wash, and from now on I will hang to dry. I have several 100% cotton pieces, and I have always cared for them this way, and I have never had a problem (except with a few very cheap pieces). They also offer a blended fabric in this same shirt. I think its 60/40 cotton/polyester. Hope this helps.

MS Jones · Post by **MS Jones** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 11:15 am

So I figured I'd just show you the fit. As I said I'm really tall and really wide, and I have long arms. The fit for me is perfect.

Sorry the picture didn't take properly for some reason. I'll try to get one up in a few.

MS Jones · Post by **MS Jones** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 11:21 am

The image is still fuzzy for some reason, but anyway here it is.

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g43 ... 101752.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Can't get them to resize properly in Photobucket

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 11:56 am

Here is my take on the Cabela Safari shirt. The material is coarse, slightly on the heavy side (reminds me of the WPG Indy shirt material), and as MSJ illustrated in the photo, the shirt is an oversized cut. All in all, not a bad deal for $14.99 on sale. As for me, I prefer a lighter weight shirt, something cooler for summer. Just my 2c.

Here is one shirt that I just received that is more in line with what I was looking for:

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/grizzl ... reviewsTab" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also this shirt is a viable option:
http://walkabout.com/shop/coat-ff-shirt.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Then I happened upon some Safari/Adventure shirts that were actually made in Africa:
http://www.best-south-africa-tours.com/ ... othes.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

just depends on how you like to roll...

Post by **Dr. Nebraska S.** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 12:19 pm

Excellent review and good photo!

Dalexs wrote:I was about to pull the trigger on this, but held off.

How's the fit overall? And is there any shrinkage after wash?
I assume there has to be some considering it's cotton.

I've had some of these shirts for years (and worn them on my excavations), and haven't experienced any shrinkage.

If you see any photos of me on here wearing an Indy-style shirt, it is always one of these Cabela's safari shirts. Apologies for the repeat photos, but here are all three colors available in 100% cotton:

Stone color: Large on the left (current size), XL on the right (summer 2010 in Jerusalem)

Tan color (during the 2010 excavation of Akko, Israel):

And the green color (taking a break in old city Akko):

I just received two of these shirts new from Cabelas in the Large size (the XL is just too big on me nowadays), both in tan (one short-sleeve, and one long-sleeve). These are great shirts--highly recommend them!

Best wishes,
Nebraska Schulte

Post by **Tennessee Smith** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 1:44 pm

Great looking shirt guys!!!

-TS

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 8:15 pm

I loved my Cabela's shirt. I got the blend when I had one, but I've been "Jones"-ing for a cotton one ever since. Thanks for the tip!

191145 · Post by **191145** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 7:34 am

Hey, I ordered a tan and a stone and just dropped by here to let everybody know about the sale. I'm glad you posted it first so guys can get their shirts before they're gone. I've been looking for a deal on a safari shirt and for ONCE clicked on a side bar ad that popped up - am I glad I did. I will add fitting/shrinkage/color info in a week or so. I think most guys would order the 'Stone' color, but depending on which shot in which movie, sometimes the shirt just looks khaki and sometimes stone. Whatever, I wear this kind of shirt a lot during the three cool seasons, not just for an Indy rig.

191145 · Post by **191145** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 9:54 pm

Okay. Fast delivery. Shirts look great and are of exceptional quality, but they do run large. I have some L shirts and some M. It all depends on the pattern each shirt was made by and how much they shrink. So when ordering a 100% cotton shirt, I usually go with L and it's okay - but not always. Sometimes you run into a shirt that is still made according to the traditional USA standards, and in those I can take a M or even a S sometimes. I ordered Large from Cabela's, and I knew when I saw them that they were big, and they are.
Now. Colors. The 'Stone' is not a white or gray Stone, it's more of a light tan and seems to me to be just about the perfect Indy color. The 'Tan' is a dark khaki and I think it's too dark for an Indy shirt. Still a beauty, so I'll go ahead and exchange it for a Medium along with the Stone one.
Styling/Cut. This is the real deal, not any Wal Mart 'Faded Glory' pretender. The cotton poplin is heavy but soft. Epaulettes and pockets are full-sized, like a genuine military blouse. Collar is plain with no button-down (no 'Ivy League' out in the woods). Full cut and long tails - this is a real working shirt.
Shrinkage. Unknown, but I anticipate the usual shrinkage for a 100% cotton shirt. This will hopefully bring a Medium into my useful range, but a little big is a lot better than a little small in this kind of shirt.
So, I think these shirts are a good buy at the regular price. The current discount price is a steal.

Indiana Bugs · Post by **Indiana Bugs** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 1:21 pm

Got my stone colored Large yesterday (wearing it right now). As others have said, it is cut generously, and is a heavy duty piece - almost a light jacket, just the way I like 'em. I'm looking forward to years of wear out of it.

Post by **Tennessee Smith** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 6:41 pm

Well, you guys talked me into it. I pulled the trigger today and bought one. Hopefully it'll get here soon.

191145 · Post by **191145** » Fri Sep 30, 2011 9:22 pm

I have been negligent in updating, but my Mediums arrived and I'm content with them. I wash them and tumble dry, and wear them with no ironing to make them seem just a little smaller because they are cut BIG! Now that we're having a little cold snap I'll get a chance to use them with the jacket.

lantzn · Post by **lantzn** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 3:37 am

Can't beat that $20 price. I just ordered two XL-L in Tan and one each of the XL-L short-sleeve in tan and stone.

Post by **Dalexs** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 9:12 am

For anyone with a Large, whats the post washing sleeve length?
My buggest concern is shrinkage in the sleeves when I buy all cotton shirts
(orangatang arms, you know...

)

Post by **Dr. Nebraska S.** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 11:06 am

Dalexs wrote:For anyone with a Large, whats the post washing sleeve length?
My buggest concern is shrinkage in the sleeves when I buy all cotton shirts
(orangatang arms, you know... )

I'll try and look into it today. I have to say after several washings, I haven't noticed any shrinkage--but that could be just because it still fits me fine after several washings.

Bigfoot · Post by **Bigfoot** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 11:31 am

I also have long arms, I buy them in the long size and have had no issues with the sleeves becoming to short. They do shrink up a little, but Cabelas I believe takes that into consideration.

Dalexs wrote:For anyone with a Large, whats the post washing sleeve length?
My buggest concern is shrinkage in the sleeves when I buy all cotton shirts
(orangatang arms, you know... )

191145 · Post by **191145** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 11:38 am

The sleeves are cut long too, and like the others I haven't noticed any significant shrinkage.

Post by **Dalexs** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 1:28 pm

Good to hear. The LLBeans, which are really my favorite shirt, tend to shrink in the arms.
So I'll definately be getting some of these.

191145 · Post by **191145** » Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:43 am

The longest feature of any garment is the one that will show the most shrinkage, so the most shrinkage on a shirt will be seen in the sleeves. This is simply a result of uniform shrinkage by percentage throughout, with the most cumulative shrinkage appearing in the longer pieces. I was actually hoping the sleeves would 'come up' a little on mine, since my normal sleeve is a 32, but this did not seem to happen. I control the cuffs with the the cuff buttons to keep them from overiding my hands. I have more bunching in the sleeves than I would like, but overall the shirts are very usable. Evidently the Cabela's shirts are made of a high-quality pre-shrunk cotton, so major shrinking should not be expected. I'm sure I'll be wearing them a lot, and it's always possible to have some minor alterations done.
Thanks to Indiana Jones, I now have more than a dozen long-sleeved shirts in every shade of stone and khaki, some with epaulettes and some without. I was already wearing these when IJ came onto the scene, but now I wear them a lot during the cool/cold months. For summer, I have plenty of the short-sleeved versions.

Indiana Bugs · Post by **Indiana Bugs** » Sun Oct 02, 2011 8:46 pm

I haven't noticed any shrinkage in my Safari shirt's arms, either.

APL · Post by **APL** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 3:00 pm

I came across the other thread mentioning the sale a few minutes ago and went ahead and ordered one in stone. Since I'm saving my pennies for a SA jacket, figured I'd go cheap on the shirt.... can't wait to see how it works out!

stevemahaffey · Post by **stevemahaffey** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 4:08 pm

I bought 2 of these a few weeks ago and love them. The best part... I signed up for the Cabelas Visa card when I bought them. Turns out when you get the card, you also get $25 worth of store credit, whether you use the card or not, so I just ordered another Large Tall and paid a whole 94¢ for it, shipped!

APL · Post by **APL** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 9:50 pm

Ok, my stone Cabela's Safari shirt came today and I have to say it's nearly perfect. The only thing that I'm not 100% thrilled about is how heavy the fabric is. Of course, this is a "close-enough" and I'll likely be purchasing a Todd's shirt next summer.

Post by **Dalexs** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 11:09 pm

I just got mine today as well. And as an owner of a few close enoughs and a NH original, I will say this ranks right up there for close enoughs.
I like the weight of the cotton.
A bit heavier then then the llbean, but not too bad.
And I bought a large tall, which out of the box fits pretty good.

You just can't beat the price.

The only problem, is I ordered 1 tan, 1 stone. They only sent the stone.
I called and they said they were out for the season, so it looks like I wait until spring.

Sent from my iPhone using tapatalk,
So please excuse my poor grammar skills...