How old is your camping equipment?

[Mike]

How old is your gear? Maybe you have some gear that you bought new and now, it is old. Maybe, you recently bought some vintage equipment that you are bringing back to life.

I was packing for a camping trip today and noticed that some of my stuff is the same stuff I camped with since the 1970's. It almost seems absurd to be using gear that is almost 40 years old. Of course, if you buy good stuff, it really does last! When I was camping in the mid 1970's, it would have been like using gear from the 1930's - which would have seemed out of the question at the time.

Not all of my old gear gets much use, but some of it goes with me on every trip; The tea pot from the 1970's goes on every trip. My Coleman single burner stove from 1982 is still used many times every year. The soles of my 1978 Herman Survivor boots finally fell off and cannot be resoled again.

The tents that get the most use in our family are the Eureka Timberline from the mid 1980's that are still the most reliable and weather-proof of the stable.

Somebody recently stole the 1961 Coleman lantern from my Mom's garage, but that was used until a couple of years ago. Our canoe from the early 1980's is still used all summer long, of course.

I will be cross-country skiing on my original and very beautiful wood Trysul Knuk skis from 1977 this week.

Sure, I have newer stuff - being a camper means having multiples of everything. Still, when I go camping, I usually pack the stuff I know like the back of my hand.

How about you? Do you have any vintage camping gear that you still love to use?

[05Kingquad700]

Re: How old is your camping equipment?

not that old at all. After upgrading the sleeping bags, and latern all my stuff is less than 5 years old.

[West Texan]

Re: How old is your camping equipment?

All of my gear is less than 5 years as I just got back into camping at that time. But like Hogsnapper, I am trying to change to some minimalist gear so I am working on new gear at the moment. Still keeping my heavy stuff for car camping at the lake, but working on lighter equipment for the long hikes.

[tplife]

Re: How old is your camping equipment?

Early '70s, just a few years - cheapo gear, except for my EMS backpack, still humpin'! Mid '70s, casting off and looking ahead - but adding more of the same ol' same ol'! Early 1980's - time to upgrade to Colin Fletcher's recommendations: what the H*ll is a "Sleeping Pad"?!? Late '80s, it's tagged, bagged, Marmot/Sierra Designs/ThermaRest/LiCamp/Igloo/Coleman...30 years later, we still pack the Coleman Lanterns, Marmot Sleeping Bags, Sierra Designs tents (okay, retired the '87 last summer) and ThermaRest Pads. Like some will say, "you get what you pay for!". Here's to another great four decades of life under the stars. :cool:

[Mike]

Re: How old is your camping equipment?

I guess what I forgot to notice was that the oldest piece of equipment I bring with me every time is myself!

[Mike]

Re: How old is your camping equipment?

I don't have a lot of old gear. I spend too much time around saltwater. I have Buck knife from the 70's and a rucksack from the 60's. That's about it for old gear. I give away a lot of gear to friends and relatives. I've also gone from minimalist to car camper to gear slave to ultralight backpacker to expedition vehicle camper and now working my way back to minimalist camping again. You go through a lot of gear doing that.

Ha ha. Ya, I am going through those gyrations too. Of course, I have new stuff too, but there is nothing wrong with a lot of the old stuff, so it stays and I still use it. I literally have a room of camping gear with a wall of shelving just for tents, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads.

I bring out lots of groups of people - many of which are newbies. It is nice to be able to provide good reliable gear to people who have nothing or who would otherwise be using junk. I owned an adventure guide business when I was in my twenties and today that gear allows me to bring groups of about 20 friends on camping trips. I even outfit groups of 15 people or so with cross country ski equipment - boots, skis, poles and still have spares. Too much stuff, really, but lots of people get to experience camping as a result.

[GlitterHiker]

Re: How old is your camping equipment?

All of my gear is less than 5 years old too - all of it was purchased when I started camping April 2010.

[TNONMYMIND]

Re: How old is your camping equipment?

My small tent is one that I've had since 1995, along with a sleeping bag and canopy...
Air mattresses, 1 full and 1 twin are 5-6 years old and still useable

the kodiak canvas tent is not quite a year old, only used 1x so far...
metalware dishes are about 6 months old used 3x so far
new cot and 2nd sleeping bag...majority of remaining gear is new within this last
year...plan was to live in a tent on the road for awhile and try to save up some
money to buy our own place in the country(rural Tennessee)
still trying to work out the details but hoping to begin this next phase in another month
or two...

[Nickadeamus]

Re: How old is your camping equipment?

I still have my old boy scout cook set from 1980. And I have my very first sleeping bag but it is up in my mom’s attic in a large sealed bag. I just can’t part with it even though it is never used anymore. Oh it is from the mid 70’s I think

[Hikenhunter]

Re: How old is your camping equipment?

I still have my boy scout cook kit from 1971. Most of my backpacking stuff was replaced in the early 90's. Car camping stuff is15 years old or newer as I do buy some newer stuff when I think it is better than what I already have or if something is just plain worn out and needs replacing.

[donnyonee]

Re: How old is your camping equipment?

i have and use my coleman stove from oct 1974. its propane now.
not really my camp gear but;
i still have my original boyscout hand book from 1964 print.
and another print from 1976, when i camped as a young adult, with the stove.
and anther print from 1958 that might have been my cousins, but im not sure.
i still have my cap, neckerchef and slide, but not used anymore, :-), troop 472 la habra calif. (1964-65?)

and my scout compass too

[actad]

Re: How old is your camping equipment?

I didn't start camping until last year, so most of my stuff is new. The two oldest items are my childhood Girl Scout compass circa late 1960's and a vintage 1920's brass compass that was passed down to me from my MIL.

My mom has a 1960's popup with 1960's era equipment that I am eyeing.

[sewjoy]

Re: How old is your camping equipment?

My list might be long and old, but everything still is boxed and ready for camping. My Girl scout kit, 1969. My Grandma's 1960's cooler, my wicker, 1975, picnic basket, just some of my vintage items. I see this items in antique stores, but I'm not an antique. I just bought a 1969, Play Mor 140 camper at a garage sale, that I'm rehabbing. These item will look great in my vintage camper.

[ceomom703]

Re: How old is your camping equipment?

Our oldest equipment is our Coleman stove which is from the 1930s. My husband picked it up at an auction. Next oldest would be our tent; a 14 year old Kelty. Everything else is "newer" than 14

[Coastie]

Re: How old is your camping equipment?

All my stuff is new, Just bought it all this month but I think I still have my tent from back from 85 when I went camping while in the service, but I never be able to get into it. Have to crawl into it.