Second Hand shopping for Camping Gear - I Have 13 tents! Obsessed!

[NY-tent_guy]

I am glad to have found this site! I am an avid tent camper and do 99% of my tenting in the Northern Adirondacks. I combo my love for tent camping with Trout fishing/canoeing. When nobody can go...almost every time, I go alone. Like someone said in another thread here, if I waited around for people to go I would not camp at all!

Anyways, I am also an avid garage sale and flea market patron. In the past 30 days I purchased two beautiful Eurekas, an Apex and a Cedar Run. The Apex sleeps 3-4 and the Cedar sleeps 4-5. Total investment, $13!! The Cedar Run has it's original box and paperwork and even it's original sales reciept from April of 1989 for $129. The Apex has it's original "Apex" carry sack. Both look nearly new!! How can a guy walk away from any quality tent for $5 or $10? I cant!! A few others are4lb Kelty backpacking tent, a 3.5lb Trekker backpacking tent and a huge Stansport dome with a 7' center height. I paid $10 for the Stansport and a combined $10 for the Kelty and Trekker. The Kelty was new. I also have a coller collection, a head lamp collection, numerous lanters and stoves and a bunch of everything else. To ease the guilt of having this stuff in every corner of my house I try to use all of it at some point. I have not used either Eureka yet and am not sure I ever will. They are THAT nice. I live 3 miles from the Eureka factory in Binghamton NY so I guess it stands to reason I will bump into Eureka products more that the average Joe. Happy camping everyone! I am glad to say my favorite pastime is a very affordable one...

[renodesertfox]

Re: Second Hand shopping for Camping Gear - I Have 13 tents! Obsessed!

Welcome NY-tent guy! There is always room at our campfire for new campers, older campers & collectors! Happy that you decided to pull up a log and share your stories with us!

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Second Hand shopping for Camping Gear - I Have 13 tents! Obsessed!

Oh I envy your closeness to the outlet.
I'm a sucker for camping kitchen gear myself, LOL.
Since I live with limited storage space CL is my friend for trying new stuff and moving on.
Would that I could have that same 'tude with my fabric stash....

Enjoy your stay here and looking forward to hearing how you use your collections.

[Mike]

Re: Second Hand shopping for Camping Gear - I Have 13 tents! Obsessed!

NY tent Guy. You sound a LOT like me: camping alone because you can't find people to go and havging too much stuff.

After awhile, all the multiples of camping gear take up too much space and of course, it is too good to toss and not valuable enough to sell.

Here is what I do. In my circles, there is always some young family or a new immigrant family - working but not rich. I introduce these families to camping by outfitting their family on a camp trip. I bring them camping and teach them camping skills for a weekend. When the trip is over, I pack the gear into their car and tell them it is theirs to keep and make good memories. This delights the families, makes me feel good, and helps me clean up my garage.

[NY-tent_guy]

Re: Second Hand shopping for Camping Gear - I Have 13 tents! Obsessed!

Thanks for the warm welcome guys! (gals) NYCgrll, funny thing, It's probably been ten years since I have walked into the Eureka building! And I drive past there daily (perhaps you go a decade between Empire State Building visits) lol. Maybe if they had a "used" dept I would stop more often

Mike, thats a great idea you have. I sure could stand to part with some of my stuff and know another family was enjoying it.

Hogsnapper, I know a little bit more about tents since joining this site last night. I never experimented with seam sealers and enjoyed learning a little something about the type of material people use for tarps and air mattress covers. This is my first season of using an air mattress and I am wondering how I went so long without one!! Anyways I look forward to hanging around here and swapping tent tales!

[greensngravy]

Re: Second Hand shopping for Camping Gear - I Have 13 tents! Obsessed!

Dude! I also can't seem to pass on a good vintage tent deal! I now have 6 vintage tents and one 16' tepee I sewed together from canvas tarps. What's the deal with that?? I have:
1) Two 60's Eurekas (9x9 and 12x12)
2) One 9x12 Laacke and Joys
3) One Cabela's Big Horn
4) One Sears 9x14
5) One 18x54' MGPTS Military Tent w/o poles (Good Heaven, why did I bring that one home? The tent w/o poles weighs over 1000#!!!!

[Mike]

Re: Second Hand shopping for Camping Gear - I Have 13 tents! Obsessed!

I am proud to say that I walked away from a family size external frame canvas tent for $10.00 today at a garage sale

[rose]

Re: Second Hand shopping for Camping Gear - I Have 13 tents! Obsessed!

Welcome NY-Tent_Guy! Three miles from the Eureka plant? You're from my area. Masonville. Are you familiar with it? VERY small town between you and Oneonta. I am currently displaced in NC, but will return to that area upon retirement (couple years. I am heading that way for a camping trip starting tomorrow!

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Second Hand shopping for Camping Gear - I Have 13 tents! Obsessed!

I am proud to say that I walked away from a family size external frame canvas tent for $10.00 today at a garage sale

Fortitude, I say, just fortitude!:D

[Mike]

Re: Second Hand shopping for Camping Gear - I Have 13 tents! Obsessed!

It wasn't easy passing up a $10.00 canvas tent in good condition. I can tell you that!

[NY-tent_guy]

Re: Second Hand shopping for Camping Gear - I Have 13 tents! Obsessed!

Welcome NY-Tent_Guy! Three miles from the Eureka plant? You're from my area. Masonville. Are you familiar with it? VERY small town between you and Oneonta. I am currently displaced in NC, but will return to that area upon retirement (couple years. I am heading that way for a camping trip starting tomorrow!

I sure do know where Masonville is Rose! Been through there many times. I fish the Cannonsville Resovour and visit Klinger Kawasaki in Walton for Ski-Doo parts. Hi neighbor lol

[NY-tent_guy]

Re: Second Hand shopping for Camping Gear - I Have 13 tents! Obsessed!

It wasn't easy passing up a $10.00 canvas tent in good condition. I can tell you that!

I am very dissapointed to read this Mike!! Next time buy it and I will PAYPAL you to ship it to me!! Haha

[Mike]

Re: Second Hand shopping for Camping Gear - I Have 13 tents! Obsessed!

I am very dissapointed to read this Mike!! Next time buy it and I will PAYPAL you to ship it to me!! Haha

You know, if you are serious, they might still have the tent.

[greensngravy]

Re: Second Hand shopping for Camping Gear - I Have 13 tents! Obsessed!

I don't know how to post pics yet, so the only way I can do it is by including a picasa link. Let's see if this works. These are my vintage tents:

https://plus.google.com/photos/11505...225?banner=pwa

[Moss]

Re: Second Hand shopping for Camping Gear - I Have 13 tents! Obsessed!

greensngravy, some really cool tents there, excellent shape too, nice collection.

The only vintage tent I have is an old style military pup tent, if I'm car camping in a state park with alot of flat space I will set it up and use it for firewood storage.:cool: