• Welcome to The Bushcraft Forum

    You are currently viewing the site as a guest and some content may not be available to you.

    Registration is quick and easy and will give you full access to the site and allow you to ask questions or make comments and join in on the conversation. If you would like to join then please Register

OLDEST EQUIPMENT

lol

lol

Extremely Addicted
Messages
3,374
Points
1,540
Following on from similar threads elsewhere...….what the OLDEST piece of equipment you have?
-do you still use it? Regularly?
-does it just hang around and should go?
-if you don't use it why not? why keep it?

To kick things off, the oldest bit of kit I have, is my late grandfathers military prismatic compass with original leather case, from the Great war. It was used regularly by me in my teens at Outward Bound.....and no , it won't be going anywhere.
My Blacks Edgington Good Companions tents are probably the oldest stuff I have that is used fairly regularly. The Major will probably be used in the next couple of weeks.....between 50 and 60 years old?
 
My oldest bit of kit is a blue enamel plate. My dad gave it to me when I started camping with the Girl Guides so it is of undetermined age as he used it for some years before he gave it to me but I'm guessing about 80 years old as it was given to him by a farmer in Scotland when he worked for the War-Ag. It has been on every single camping trip I have taken and is much loved. It's incredibly useful as it's the perfect size to pack and works as a bowl as well as a plate.
 
Can't match you guys on the age of things, the oldest I use semi regularly is my Vango Beaufort 2 tent, it must be over 35 years old and still going strong.
 
Just shows how new I am too things, my first purchase was my Tent Outwell earth 2 about 2 years ago which i do not like too small
 
Medwayman said:
Just shows how new I am too things, my first purchase was my Tent Outwell earth 2 about 2 years ago which i do not like too small
Click to expand...

We all start somewhere mate, as long as you enjoy what you do then its all good.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lol
I've a few bits and bobs, Black's Mountain tent and an original Vango Force Ten Mk3 from the year they launched back in the 60's I was told.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lol
For my 14th birthday I was given a Primus stove, the smallest one. I used it for camps on Dartmoor and the Ten Tors expeditions that I did. When I was about 20 it went missing, I was too busy chasing women and getting drunk to notice its absence. 40 years later my younger brother pulled it out of a box in his garage, I guess he borrowed it and never got around to giving it back. It is still in perfect condition and in full working order, even the original prickers still work. It's now a prized possession.
 
…......but......….as I asked with Harry's post, are these items still getting use?o_Oo_O
 
lol said:
…......but......….as I asked with Harry's post, are these items still getting use?o_Oo_O
Click to expand...

Yes! As I said in my original post, that plate has been on and been used at every single camping adventure up to and including Bank House Farm last month. I can't see it retiring any time soon, it's just too useful.
 
I've got a fair bit of old gear , there's old camping Gaz stoves that get used occasionally , an older petrol one that frankly doesn't . I've a forty year old tent that doesn't get used as most of my camping isreenactment based and we use canvas . I've an American army sleeping bag dated 1944 but that probably hasn't been used for the best part of two decades. Part of me feels that something like that is a part of history and should be preserved rather than worn out but then another part thinks things are made to be used.
Oldest used on a regular basis would be some wool blankets which belonged to my parents so at least '60's and I do keep a British army fork in the van dated 1944
 
That sleeping bag sounds interesting?
I have had 2 Blacks Highland sleeping bags from the 70's, which were their first? synthetic 4 season bag. These were used until recently (on a boat), and are still mint....the trouble being in the early days, I didn't appreciate the damage done by frequent washing (they were advertised as being washable) and have now lost loft and would be useable as a summer bag.
 
. The sleeping bag is a mummy shaped wool affair with a canvas cover . Here's one off tinternet although it doesn't show the outer cover, Vintage Original American WW2 Wool Army Sleeping Bag United States • $28.00
I can remember using it once in the late 70's camping with a friend in his tent with a sown in ground sheet . During the night it rained and the tent leaked and we woke up in a huge puddle. I was very impressed to be bone dry unlike my friend.
 
  • Love
Reactions: lol
My stove has seen occasional recent use as it was ideal for using from the back of a Lanny but at the minute I’m mostly driving a desk so not so practical in the office...

38
 
  • Like
Reactions: lol
Baytree said:
. The sleeping bag is a mummy shaped wool affair with a canvas cover . Here's one off tinternet although it doesn't show the outer cover, Vintage Original American WW2 Wool Army Sleeping Bag United States • $28.00
I can remember using it once in the late 70's camping with a friend in his tent with a sown in ground sheet . During the night it rained and the tent leaked and we woke up in a huge puddle. I was very impressed to be bone dry unlike my friend.
Click to expand...
A swag bag??
 
The oldest bit of "kit" I own is my fathers hiking staff. About 60 years old now. Did have a penknife and other bits that were 30 odd years old but lost most of my kit some years back and had to start again so everything I have now is relatively new
 
Like Baytree, my oldest pieces of equipment still in regular use are 2 woollen blankets given to my parents as a wedding present. They're a bit felted now but they are over 50 years old.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top