Old-timey, sentimental/nostalgic gear?

[David Thomas]

“My first iPhone – it had those smooth rounded corners, a touchscreen, and for only $0.99 you could buy an app that turned the screen all white to function as a flashlight.  It kicked off the modern era of taking selfies everywhere and vlogging every mile we hike – critical functionality we now take for granted.” – Millennial backpacker.

[Matthew / BPL]

rofl

[David Thomas]

I still have my first backpack.  Canvas bag, heli-arc-welded aluminum frame.  Slightly padded flat shoulder straps.  No hip belt.  Got it in 1973.I started adding patches to it and got so many, I removed any not associated with Scouts or a Scout trip.

I sewed on, by hand, the earlier ones but then discovered fabric cement which has always held over 40+ years.

[John Klinepeter]

The oldest equipment that I still regularly use is a pair of Exel cross-country ski poles purchased ~1978.  Original leather hand straps are still in use. The original skis, Bonnas, are long gone.

 

Count me as another Svea 123 fan.  Purchased ~1974, last used about 16 years ago.  I repaired it a few years ago–the needle valve shaft was broken at the half length point.  It was a little tricky using an easy out to remove the needle end from the stove body but it was not as difficult as I thought it might be.  I need to take it on another weekend trip some day:)

[Roger Caffin]

Check on ski brand? Mine are Bonners. Still have them. They go like a rocket on the straight, but turning them … is hard.

Cheers
EDIT: I was wrong. Bonna is right. Oops.

[Dave Heiss]

I still have several pieces of gear that date back to the mid 70’s, when I first got serious about backpacking. Only the Suunto MC-1 mirror compass still goes with me on every trip (it’s saved my butt a couple of times), but for car camping trips I’ll often bring my trusty Optimus 99 as a backup stove and extra burner in case we’re cooking something complicated and the old circa 1955 Coleman 2-burner camping stove I inherited from my Dad can’t handle all the pots/pans.

 

I also have and still use a late-70’s goose down “convert-a-bag” made by Holubar that was originally designed to be used inside their (Polarguard Delta) synthetic bag, for extra warmth. The Polarguard bag it was paired with is long gone now, but the convert-a-bag lives on. Good down seems to last forever.

[John Klinepeter]

Yes, Roger.  Bonna skis, model 1400 IIRC.  I don’t see much about them via search engine.  They were waxless though Maxiglide was still useful at times.  Oriented mica particles in the base for going uphill on icy slopes.  Designed for easy terrain.  Turning was not easy :)

….and let’s see some more vintage equipment!

[Dave Heiss]

Bet there aren’t too many of these still around. I’ve thought about replacing it, but why? For dayhikes it can still go anywhere I can go.

[Roger Caffin]

Hi John

I eat humble pie. Bonna Conquest with Rottefella rattraps and very low-cut Scarpa 3-pin boots. With Exel poles. VERY straight sides.

We had to replace them because we bought the boots when we were both size 8; today we are size 10. No way! We thought of just replacing the boots, but that was the year Scarpa decided to kill all their leather 3-pins. A few years later they discovered their huge mistake and restarted the production line, but by then we had switched to NNN-BC bindings and much lighter Alpina boots, with skis with more sidecut. They turn! Synthetic boots: they did not absorb water.

The big joke at the time was that Scarpa had also fired all the old leather craftsmen when they discontinued that product line. So when the decided to restart it, they had to grovel very nicely to the OLD craftsmen they had so carelessly fired, and offer them a nice inducement. Most fitting.

Cheers

[Eric Blumensaadt]

David, That pack looks like my old Boy Scout Yucca pack on steroids. Mine had no side or front pocket and only cotton webbing shoulder straps. But it did have leather closure straps like yours.

[Kattt]

That was hilarious David :)

(the iphone…)

 

There are so many nice pieces of gear and stories in this thread. I am envious. I started backpacking 10 years ago ( it’s not really a thing in Europe as much. Hiking OTOH is)  and besides that I did not bring much with me on the boat to this country ;). I do have a bandanna from my grandmother but I don’t want to loose it. I think about my grandparents a lot when I am in the mountains and that is old timey I guess, as is making things myself.  I have bought gear and items for home, both new and used, that remind me of things in the past. Nice to see so many people have a connection to some of their gear.

[Danny Milks]

I’ll make sure to resurrect this thread in 20-40 years and wax nostalgic about my natural down feather quilt and dyneema gridstop pack. You know, when we were really roughing it.

[Nick Gatel]

David,

How much do all those patches weigh?

[bradmacmt]

John Klinepeter, it’s dejavu all over again… same Exels, got mine in 1978 too… the other pair, adjustable randonee/avalanche probe/poles from Chouinard circa 1986…

 

[John Klinepeter]

Exel poles must be tough.  In my case they have survived because I am a wimpy skier and don’t stress them much :)

 

I still have a duffel bag of old equipment from the 1970’s.  Nothing from the duffel is still in use and talking about those items here would dilute this thread.  Maybe a separate thread someday?

[James Marco]

Eric, Yup, Tough Traveler and SVEA. Still going….   The internal magnesium frame was nice. And it only weighed about 2#2 once you cut down the excess strapping. This included an old seat belt as the hip belt. Rugged as hell and fully adjustable for various sizes.

[Brett A]

Newbie.  Great thread!  Camp Trails circa 1980…or around there.  Purchased back in high school and had been sitting in the shed for 30 years.  Dug it out, cleaned it up and used it on a couple of trips in 2015.  Pic is from Gregory Bald in the Smokies.

David T:  I had some of those very same patches sewn onto this pack at one time.  Took ’em off when I used it in 2015 as I wanted to save them as keepsakes.  Brings back some fond memories of trips while in the scouts.

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