This Orvis Bush Shirt seems to be an example of adequate design. It seems to have everything you need, nothing you don't (such as in this case, a stupid button-down collar [you may as well button your ears], overkill UPF 50 rated fabric, melting synthetics and excessively weighing tactical hidden pockets and mallwear vintage type of fashion casual design with ornaments and other ridiculous bells and whistles [I saw a shirt with epaulets sewed instead of with a button, snap or velcro which kind of ruins the function of epaulets]).

Here are the desirable features:

• 100% cotton
• roll-up sleeve tabs (to secure rolled up sleeves in active hot weather situations and still have the option of rolling them back down for protection against eventual bug attacks or an unexpected drop in temperature)
• epaulets (to prevent an eventual shoulder strap from slipping while hiking)
• side pocket (to store a pack of cigarettes hmmm,.. rather an Altoids tin crammed with life saving goodies)
• two front pockets with flaps

Tilley makes a pretty similar safari shirt but in synthetics with crazy UPF rating and a crazy price rating too. I'm looking for something similar to Orvis, like in poplin cotton. (I think I'll have to look for "biological cotton" in our hypermodern outdoor stores or else I will have synthetics) Do you know other manufacturers that make this Indiana Jones type of shirt with all the features listed above that would be more likely available in Canada?

Thanks
Frankie

Hi Frankie,

Orvis apparently does the shirt in 6oz cotton poplin at

http://www.orvis.com/store/product_choic...p;feature_id=17

For the ultimate bush shirt, even better than Indiana Jones was wearing, (A replica Indy shirt can be found here at http://www.indygear.com/gear/shirt.shtml ) you might want to have a look at the Westwinds Safari shirt at

http://www.west-winds.net/safari_shirt.htm



Orvis also does a ventile shirt at a ridiculous price also at

http://www.orvis.co.uk/store/product_cho...;subcat_id=6293

"...which kind of ruins the function of epaulets..."

Epaultes have a function????

Sorry, I can't help you with an Indy type shirt (other than the Tilley, with the lifetime guarantee), I just had to say that...

Just to note that some epaulets are fully sewn for a reason. While we generally think of them for purposes of holding something and the button makes it easy to insert a shoulder strap, etc., they are also used on some uniforms, flight suits and racing suits to provide a handhold for extrication. For these purposes they are sewn securely at both ends so they don't rip out. That is, of course, different from those just appended as a fashion statement.

Get thee to Cabelas! They have a couple that meet your requirements:

Adventurer shirt

Sarengeti Safari shirt

Hmmm....may have to get a couple of those myself!

-=[ Grant ]=-

Thanks GrantC, that's neat and I just noticed that they are going to open their first retail store in Canada near Montréal in 2008. I can't wait to visit the store. Apparently it will be something like a huge natural museum with a hunting and fishing theme.

Hi Doug, yes good point. I just noticed that the FlameGaurd leather flight jacket comes with sewn epaulets. I wonder if it would be strong enough for extrication purposes on a cotton shirt though. But then again the cotton fabric is easier to grab than tough leather. At first I thought the epaulets were designed to hold the soldiers rifle straps or something but was just guessing.

You might also check out these:

Columbia PFG (no epaulets, comes in cotton & synthetics)
Sportif Wind Knot SPF (no epaulets, synthetics)
Bass Pro: RedHead® Castmaster Shirts (no epaulets, comes in cotton)
World Wide Sportsman™ Grand Slam Shirts (no epaulets, cotton)
World Wide Sportsman™ Pro IV Shirts (no epaulets, synthetics)
World Wide Sportsman™ Dri-Release Shirts (no epaulets, cotton /synthetics blend)
Woolrich Elite Long-Sleeve Shirt (epaulets, cotton)


I have some of each of these (some of my older ones actually have epaulets – oh progress), most of look like new despite hard wearing and many washes, very durable. I’m loathe to pay retail and have bought these on sale so they aren’t that expensive ( Bass Pro, Cabela’s, Sierra Trading Post, Campmor).

This is Boy Scouts of America's new Long Sleeve Action Shirt.

A lot of folks suspect this will become the next generation BS uniform shirt.

Let me just chime in for the synthetics. I love cotton, always have, but if I am wearing this because it is hot out, I a going with synthetics because they feel better wet and dry much faster. I am far more likely to have a problem with heat exhaustion or dehydration than fire. The only time I conciously selected natural fabrics over synthetics is when I was onboard submarines. You cannot run away. Otherwise the risk of synthetics melting to you is far less than the benefits of synthetics in hot environments.

Bill