By Zach Hein

My bags are packed in the works for a few years now, and I’m finally headed back to Africa. With multiple stops on a nearly month-long jaunt from Cape Town up to the Limpopo River, most of the trip will be spent under the care of my long-time friend and colleague Kipp Oertle with HuntZotic Safari Company.

With most modern safaris comprising a week or two, my extended travel throws just a few wrenches in the mix. Most important were the limitations to my baggage and making the best choices possible to safely get my guns, gear, and cameras there and back.

Kalispel 3 Gun Aluminum Safari Case

Weighing in at 24 lbs., the Kalispel Safari Case is why I can take two rifles and a shotgun on this trip and still make it under the strict 70 lb. weight limit for the internal flights while we’re in the country.

With just enough interior room for three guns side-by-side, the Kalispel Safari Case melds lightweight with strength and security.

The full-length riveted piano hinge and four locking latches make it secure. At the same time, a plethora of open-cell compressible foam means the guns, optics, and other contents are held snugly for what will no doubt be a rough journey.

The full-length piano hinge cements the Safari Case’s lid to its main body, while the Silver Vein premium powder coating adds an extra layer of protection and style.

I say that because, on my last trip to Africa, I watched in disgust as a baggage handler picked up my two-gun box, brought it to chest high, and dropped it straight to the concrete. No idea why, except that it was a gun box…

Large, smooth casters and robust handles mean even though this gun box will weigh right at 70 lbs. fully loaded, it won’t be a drag.

Pelican Air 1615

My travel bag of choice for international flights, this Pelican Air case is robust, waterproof, and lockable and sneaks in under the maximum check-in bag size for almost all airlines so there are no worries about an agent with a bad day trying to tack on an oversize fee.

40% lighter than classic Pelican cases, the Pelican Air makes a great choice for lockable, waterproof, and, most importantly, airline-proof luggage.

Unlike the Pelican bags of old that were impressively heavy, the Airline is as much as 40% lighter, making it a more viable option for air travel when you don’t have a big company picking up the oversize/overweight baggage fees.

5.11 Rush 24

Also a go-to for all my international flights in the last decade, my 5.11 Rush 24 has been a bomb-proof companion. Plenty of pockets and compartments for organization means I can stash first aid equipment semi-permanently in the sides while accessing regular items through the main zippered compartment and front pouches.

My international travel backpack of choice for the last ten years, my 5.11 Rush 24, has never let me down.

Most helpful for me is the hydration pocket accessed by zipper under the yoke of the backpack – a spot I nearly exclusively have used to carry my important documents, spare cash, and my hunting journal since it’s an odd location (up against your back when wearing the pack). Slightly more inconspicuous than any other pocket, it can be accessed quickly when the bag is in an overhead bin or under the seat in front of me.

The hydration pocket of the 5.11 Rush makes for a great document stash pouch because of its unusual location.

My favorite feature? Zipper pulls that can be woven together to discourage the casual pickpocket from emptying a pouch of its contents.

Zipper pulls on the 5.11 backpack can be woven together to discourage a casual pickpocket.

Regularly overloaded and always abused, I’ve been amazed that this pack has lasted this long with no signs of wear and tear. It continues to be my go-to carry-on backpack for anything more than casual travel.

Footwear

Taking two pairs of boots and a set of sandals for the beach, there was zero question that a set of Courtneys had to make the trip. I’d dreamed of my own set since my first trip to Africa many years ago and seeing my host and outfitter, each shod in a pair of these classics of the bush. I picked up my pair a few years ago while at Dallas Safari Club’s convention with plans to put them to use in the African sand sooner than later, and that day has finally arrived.

Most commonly made of Cape Buffalo leather and with a classic tire tread sole, they’re a boot that’s meant to be supremely comfortable while being robust as can be, and I don’t think a shoe could scream ‘safari’ any more loudly.

Two vastly different pairs of boots accompany me on my trip – one decidedly classic and one ultra-modern.

Playing backup to these classics is a lightweight trail boot that I think is anything but good-looking – a set of Altra Lone Peak ALL-WTHR mid-height boots. Feather-weight, waterproof, and grippy as can be, the only thing they’re lacking is in the looks department, but that’s the least of my concerns as long as they perform, and perform they do. I’ve had five sets of Altra Lone Peaks in varying configurations and have never failed to be impressed. From their signature wide footprint and reinforced features to the extremely aggressive lugs, they remain my go-to light boot when I’m not carrying a heavy pack or need to rehab battered feet.

Lastly, a set of cheap sandals for showering and the beach and my footwear is complete. Add a lightweight set of simple gaiters to keep the sand out of my boots, and I should be set.

Outerwear

Watching the weather where we’re headed shows lows in the high 30s and highs in the low 70s, but that can always change. While I don’t have much space for outerwear, two jackets are making the trip.

Super lightweight, water-resistant, and breathable, the first is an Outdoor Research Ferrosi hoodie that is just enough to take the edge off without being too warm. Comfortable and surprisingly strong, it’s somehow a cross between a lightweight sun shirt and an abrasive-resistant Cordura shell while weighing nearly nothing and shedding water in anything up to a moderate shower.

Covering my outerwear needs are two incredibly useful jackets, one light and breathable and the other an impermeable shell.

Second and much more substantial is my First Lite Catalyst soft shell, a jacket that has been treating me well in everything from bucketing snow to wind-driven cold for a while now.

Extras

To ensure I stay under weight limits on bags as I travel, I’ve started packing a portable luggage scale. It’s cheap and light but worth its weight in gold when you don’t have to re-pack and reorganize while mucking up the baggage counter trying to check luggage at a foreign airport.

Rounding out the pack list is a travel scale for luggage and the Magpul DAKA pouch, without which I don’t leave home.

Last but not least is a go-to that has accompanied me for the majority of my trips in recent years – the Magpul DAKA Window Pouch that will carry my passport, 4457s, formal invites and all other important documents for this trip. Incredibly water-resistant and hardy, I chose one in bright red, so locating those important bits of paper is quick and easy, and it’s less likely the pouch might get misplaced somewhere along the way.

From there, it’s just clothes, camera gear, and my guns of choice. While your pack list for a foreign hunt will likely look a bit different, hopefully, mine might give you a few ideas when it comes to some travel-tested gear that has worked for me.