Bush Jackets

[Mike K.]

Dubai?

...as in United Arab Emirates. Yep, that's where mine was shipped from. [huh]

 

[Creeping Past]

They've a warehouse there for international distribution.

 

[cookie]

Glad to see this thread revived. I can no longer keep count of the number of safari/bush jackets I own or have owned (if anyone is interested in one just PM me; I seriously need to thin my collection). If I get the time this weekend, perhaps I can sit down and write a comprehensive review of what's out there, what to look for, what to stay away from, etc. Of all the bush jackets I have ever owned, I must say that my favorite is the UK Belted Bush Jacket currently offered by What Price Glory (http://onlinemilitaria.net/shopexd.asp?id=1243&bc=no).

The cotton drill is sturdy, the collar just right, the pocket flaps just right, and...Matt Deckard you'll love this...it has proper high armholes!! My only quibble (and it's a very minor one) is that I would have preferred wood/horn buttons and a leather-covered buckle (but I can always make these replacements on my own). Overall, I LOVE THIS JACKET!!

Also, I have found a good way to avoid the dumb remarks from the general public when wearing a safari/bush jacket.
Wear it with blue jeans and without a fedora-style hat.

I had the sleeves shortened on mine and bought a 46 instead off 44. The colour though is nothing like the picture and is a more khaki trad colour than the French dusty khaki in the picture above.

 

[Edward]

I am currently awaiting the arrival of one of these jackets, ordered through soldier of fortune. I took a risk and ordered my regular suit jacket size, figuring that as I don't plan to wear anything more than an undershirt below it, I should be okay.... we'll soon see! My excuse to buy it in the end is an upcoming burlesque night with a jungle exploration theme. I'll be wearing it with a cravat, my safari-ised Akubra Riverina, a pair of my Wested Indy trews, leather Caterpillar roughout-style boots, and a pair of WW2 British canvas gaiters. I'll also be sporting a (cheap kiddy, but actually reasonably decent and not likely to get me into legal trouble) Winchester rifle and an original British Army leather machete holster, albeit (again, for legal reasons) containing a plastic machete. Next time I hit a hot climate and am doing something on the active side, such as a trip to the Great Wall of China, I suspect I will end up sorting much of this outfit, less, of course, the "weapons" necessary for the 'big game hunter' costume look. I've not yet put it all together, obviously, as the bits and pieces are still on the way, but I think it should hang together fairly well. Eventually I'll buy some of the KD trews to go with the jacket, but for now funds are a touch tighter than would justify that.

 

[H.Johnson]

IMO the cheapest (and most authentic) tropical outfit is the current issue RM/RAF belted bush jacket and trousers. It can also be worn with the matching issue shirt and tie. The basic buch jacket pattern hasn't changed much since WW2 (collar is slightly different, the poplin material is more tightly woven than KD).

The jackets usually go for ten GBP and the trousers and shirts for five each. You need the buttons and two-prong buckle, but they're cheap enough. A complete travel outfit (practical for day, smart for evening) for less than half the price of a SoF jacket. Can't be bad...just my opinion, of course

 

[Edward]

IMO the cheapest (and most authentic) tropical outfit is the current issue RM/RAF belted bush jacket and trousers. It can also be worn with the matching issue shirt and tie. The basic buch jacket pattern hasn't changed much since WW2 (collar is slightly different, the poplin material is more tightly woven than KD).

The jackets usually go for ten GBP and the trousers and shirts for five each. You need the buttons and two-prong buckle, but they're cheap enough. A complete travel outfit (practical for day, smart for evening) for less than half the price of a SoF jacket. Can't be bad...just my opinion, of course

That sounds worth investigating, thanks.

 

[Edward]

I think I might order from Soldier of Fortune in the UK, as I suspect they've an arrangement with WPG to sell WPG stuff de-labelled, as it were.

Mine, ordered from SoF, arrvied this morning..... with WPG label still intact. I ordered my own size (42), and it's just the size I would expect from a slightly-neater-than-blazer garment - room for a shirt under there if I wanted to do that, but not too roomy to look 'right' without one, as it should be worn. No indication of length, though I'm assuming long as it would certainly cover my shirt cuffs were I to wear one under it. Very pleased - it's first outing will be in a couple of weeks, at a jungle-themed burlesque evening. (Yeah, maybe I should have gone OD instead of KD for that, but that would have meant buying more trousers too, for which I don't presently have the budget). All I need now are my gaiters and the Winchester...

 

[H.Johnson]

Edward,

The SoF JG bush jacket is a bit different to the KD version (and 10GBP cheaper). It has been withdrawn from the latest SoF catalogue but is still on their website.

Let us not forget that reliable old standby, the Aertex 1950 Pattern bush jacket, which is not that uncommon, usually in the smaller sizes. Like Marmite, some people hate 'em, some love 'em. I don't dislike them. They go along with 1950 Pattern 'cross-over' (now that can be taken the wrong way...) trousers (which come with or without map pockets) and shorts. Don't call them Gh_rka!

I'm in the late stages of reproducing the 1950 Pattern 'Trousers, KD, Airmen' at the moment.

 

[Edward]

Is that for yourself, or are you looking into this as a commercial venture?

Hmmn.... does that mean the greens are no longer available? Or should I snag one now while they're still on the website?

One thing I will have to pick up for the jacket is a buckle for the belt.... the plastic one that comes on it is wholly adequate for purpose, but it doesn't look so great as say something in brass..... What would they have had in WW2?

Oh... also, has anyone any photos of how exactly the belt should be affixed? Mine has a couple of little tabs on it, which I presume are designed to hold it in place on the jacket if worn open or when the jacket is on a hanger, but I can't quite figure out how they go on neatly (with the belt not back to front)?

 

[Mike K.]

Edward, I cut the tabs off the belt (not the jacket belt loops) and also removed the snaps from the pocket flap corners. With the belt tabs in place I found it difficult to adjust the belt without the buckle ending up in some really odd position around my waist. Removing the tabs increased functionality without detracting in any way. As for the pocket snaps, same thing, they really are not needed. I've been looking to replace both the buckle and the buttons. There's a 1 3/4" antique brass buckle made be Dritz (fabric notions company) that will fit but I haven't tried it yet.

 

[Edward]

Edward, I cut the tabs off the belt (not the jacket belt loops) and also removed the snaps from the pocket flap corners. With the belt tabs in place I found it difficult to adjust the belt without the buckle ending up in some really odd position around my waist. Removing the tabs increased functionality without detracting in any way. As for the pocket snaps, same thing, they really are not needed. I've been looking to replace both the buckle and the buttons. There's a 1 3/4" antique brass buckle made be Dritz (fabric notions company) that will fit but I haven't tried it yet.

I'll check that out at some point.... I'm fine with the buttons, just the buckle looks a little on the cheap side to me. Still, it is purely a personal cosmetic preference, it's certainly not necessary for functional reasons - at least, not this stage anyhow.

 

[Creeping Past]

Mine, ordered from SoF, arrvied this morning..... with WPG label still intact. I ordered my own size (42), and it's just the size I would expect from a slightly-neater-than-blazer garment - room for a shirt under there if I wanted to do that, but not too roomy to look 'right' without one, as it should be worn. No indication of length, though I'm assuming long as it would certainly cover my shirt cuffs were I to wear one under it. Very pleased - it's first outing will be in a couple of weeks, at a jungle-themed burlesque evening. (Yeah, maybe I should have gone OD instead of KD for that, but that would have meant buying more trousers too, for which I don't presently have the budget). All I need now are my gaiters and the Winchester...

Try British 12" canvas gaiters, which're around for not very many £££s on the internet at the moment. Can't help with the cannon...

 

[Edward]

Try British 12" canvas gaiters, which're around for not very many £££s on the internet at the moment. Can't help with the cannon...

lol

I have a set of gaiters on order from SoF as well; started to wonder whether I shouldn't have gone with puttees instead, but we'll see how these are, I'm sure they'll be grand for my purposes. They should be here v soon, as they were ordered the same day as the jacket.

As for the Winchester, well.... I've elected to go for a kiddy cap gun version (which looks pretty good in the photos) for now - just waiting for it to arrive. Eventually I'd like a "proper" replica for my wall. I'd love an Enfield as well, but unless I get into re-enacting, that's not an option. As I understand it, here in the UK the only replica guns that are legal to own if you're not a member of a recognised re-enactment unit are those which mimic weapons made prior to 1870. The Winchester qualifies for this, the Enfield does not.

 

[H.Johnson]

Edward,

If you mean commercial as in, made in large batches third world 'sweatshops', advertised with spurious claims of derivation, sold over the Web with little or no customer contact? No. If you mean commercial as in planned by an obsessive (some would say) collector of the breed, hand made in limited quantities by a highly skilled seamstress who retired from the company that makes most UK police uniforms, sold face to face with the intention of making customers friends and the whole thing done as a hobby? Yes.

WW2 bush jackets used a variety of buckles (especially those made in India) so you can't go wrong. British made WW2 and postwar (e.g. 1950 pattern*) bush jackets usually used the two-pronged service buckle which was brass in WW2, Staybright postwar and black plastic for tropical kit. In WW2 brass buckles were not usually used apart from the two prong type.

The green SoF (WPG) bush jackets are still available on the web.

* Which reminds me, the 1950 Pattern Aertex half belted bush jacket is a good alternative to the modern RAF/RM stone poplin bush jacket. They are still available in unissued form in small sizes (especially if you live near Exeter...) and although Aertex drew its critics under combat conditions, as warm weather wear it has much to recommend it. Hang on, that has given me an idea for another product...

Is that for yourself, or are you looking into this as a commercial venture?

Hmmn.... does that mean the greens are no longer available? Or should I snag one now while they're still on the website?

One thing I will have to pick up for the jacket is a buckle for the belt.... the plastic one that comes on it is wholly adequate for purpose, but it doesn't look so great as say something in brass..... What would they have had in WW2?

 

[BellyTank]

Aertex... good luck!


B
T

 

[Mike K.]

WW2 bush jackets used a variety of buckles (especially those made in India) so you can't go wrong.

That is a very good point, and one I can certainly back up from another source of waist belts - flying suits. Except for the very late war K-1/L-1 suits and the leather ones, just about every WWII flight suit had a fabric belt with buckle. I have seen these run from nice looking plastic ones to cheap painted metal ones and everything in between. I think it's safe to say that what comes on the current reproduction bush jackets is historically accurate; however, that doesn't mean that there isn't something nicer looking out there to replace it with. After all, who wants to be standard issue when you can personalize!

 

[anon`]

Of all the bush jackets I have ever owned, I must say that my favorite is the UK Belted Bush Jacket currently offered by What Price Glory...the cotton drill is sturdy, the collar just right, the pocket flaps just right, and...Matt Deckard you'll love this...it has proper high armholes!! My only quibble (and it's a very minor one) is that I would have preferred wood/horn buttons and a leather-covered buckle (but I can always make these replacements on my own). Overall, I LOVE THIS JACKET!!

So uhh... how about some pics of it? Action pics are great, but I'd also be super interested to see the back and interior of it, also!

Thanks =)

 

[Mike K.]

So uhh...I already have, of this and other safari jackets. Unfortunately, you'll have to go sifting through the endless halls of The Adventurers Gear Thread in order to locate them. Have fun!

In the meantime, I might be able to get a few new photos taken to post.

 

[anon`]

So uhh...I already have, of this and other safari jackets. Unfortunately, you'll have to go sifting through the endless halls of The Adventurers Gear Thread in order to locate them. Have fun!

You've got to be kidding me? I wasted my weekend reading through that thread, and went over the last twenty or so pages of it this morning trying to find a post that was in this thread!

Sadly, the forum's search functionality is severely gimped. I don't mind looking for them again, but I couldn't find any non-WPG pics of their bush jacket in the other thread. When'd you get it?

 

[Mike K.]

Welcome to the chaos that is The Golden Era of the Great Outdoors! lol

Besides that mega thread, there are unfortunately numerous others of the same genre scattered all over the Fedora Lounge. It's like trying to find a 6-of-diamonds when half the deck is on the table and the other half is mixed in with cards all over the room. There's been continual petitioning of the "powers that be" to separate things into a separate forum. If we truly want this place to be a respectable reference site, then it should be obvious that periodic housekeeping is needed to keep it organized. To be totally honest, I don't know if my original posts are even on that thread. We lost half of it awhile back when the server crashed. Again if it wasn't such a huge thread.... I purchased my WPG jacket about a year ago if I remember correctly. I'll be taking another sick leave tomorrow to beat off a sinus infection, so I'll try to get photos and a safari/bush jacket review posted...maybe to multiple threads for easier referencing.