Author Topic: How Old Is Your Tent  (Read 5064 times)

myxpyr

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How Old Is Your Tent
« on: 19:48:44, 16/06/19 »
In 1983 I purchased a one man Vango Zephyr tent. Admittedly it hasn't been used excessively but, at last look it was still very serviceable. I forget how much it weighs but it compares quite favourably with the advertised weights of more "modern" tents. I see no need to "update" and I think thirty six years is pretty good.

What's your oldest bit of kit? Do you feel an urge to replace it?

Ridge

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Re: How Old Is Your Tent
« Reply #1 on: 20:14:10, 16/06/19 »
I posted this pic a long time ago, it is my Dad's first rucksack bought in the early 1950s. I used it when I started walking and will never get rid of it but it doesn't get many outings anymore, it has probably not been out for 3 or 4 years. Even the boot lace which replaced the original drawstring must be about 25 years old.



E2A Oops, that's a huge picture, not sure what I've done there

myxpyr

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Re: How Old Is Your Tent
« Reply #2 on: 20:46:55, 16/06/19 »
I still wear a fleece of an uncertain vintage. All I remember is that my late sister in law bought it for me and it may have be circa 2004-2005.
Incredibly it was not specifically an item of mountain clothing but it has travelled and served well in the Pyrenees, the Himalaya, Morocco and the Alps, not to mention hills of the UK.
(How do I insert an image?)

dank86

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Re: How Old Is Your Tent
« Reply #3 on: 20:49:55, 16/06/19 »
ive got one thats getting to the better part of 10 years old (a eurohike), still use it for festivals and a basecamp type tent, I retired one last year that was at least 15 years old (another eurohike). My OEX is 1 any my alpkit if nearly 2 months

PeterDevon

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Re: How Old Is Your Tent
« Reply #4 on: 20:57:09, 16/06/19 »
I have a Blacks and Edington 2 man Alpine we still use occasionally when it doesn’t need carrying far, must be 45 years old!

richardh1905

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Re: How Old Is Your Tent
« Reply #5 on: 09:53:05, 17/06/19 »
I have a Wild Country Trisar from the very early 1990's, excellent condition - except that I have just snapped a pole. Awaiting an email from Terra Nova about obtaining a spare; I can't just use any old alloy pole cut to length as it has some radiused sections.

I also have a Robert Saunders Jetpacker, very lightly used, given to me by a dear friend whose hiking days are sadly over.

But the prize for longevity must go to my Vango Force 10 Mk 4, only recently scrapped after over 3 decades of faithful service.
« Last Edit: 17:11:54, 17/06/19 by richardh1905 »
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barewirewalker

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Re: How Old Is Your Tent
« Reply #6 on: 10:22:48, 17/06/19 »
Ice axe bought in the original Arvon's shop in Capel Curig, when the Bethesda shop was still a shoe shop, in 1962. Though climbing guide to Tryfan and Idwal may be a tad older.

There is a small mountain tent somewhere, of the same vintage, but that has not been used for many years, I think I let my daughter sleep out in the garden in it when she was condition herself for her first DoE experiences.
BWW
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Owen

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Re: How Old Is Your Tent
« Reply #7 on: 13:59:11, 17/06/19 »
Just retired my Macpac ultra lite dates from 1990, the nylon was beginning to sag and I couldn't get it taught anymore. I still have a Snowdon mouldings curver ice axe from sometime around 1975 and a set of pterodactyls but they've not been out for a very long time.

vizzavona

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Re: How Old Is Your Tent
« Reply #8 on: 14:32:05, 17/06/19 »
Our only tent now is a Saunders Spacepacker ( used since 2007) and that replaced a Field and Trek copy of a sloping ridge...An 'A' pole at the front and a wee pole at the rear used on our first trip to Corse.
I only wish that I had phoned Mr. Saunders for an extra Flysheet before the business stop trading after his death.  Seemed a very pleasant man...although having a website at the time...all was very simple.  You selected from the site then phoned him to order up the tent.
The Spacepacker is still just about 'hanging in' after four Corsican trips and A Vanoise trip followed by a Mercantour trek.
This year used a couple of times on campsites in the NE of Scotland  for access to the fine hills up there.

ninthace

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Re: How Old Is Your Tent
« Reply #9 on: 14:45:11, 17/06/19 »
I gave up camping a long time ago so I can’t compete but I do have an aircrew whistle that comes with me on every trip.  It was issued to my father in 1940.
Solvitur Ambulando

zuludog

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Re: How Old Is Your Tent
« Reply #10 on: 19:31:06, 17/06/19 »
I left school in 1968 and spent most of my early wages on hiking gear -

Ellis Brigham mountain boots
Moleskin breeches
Tartan wool shirt
Norwegian wool jersey
Dachstein mitts
Karrimor New Alaskan rucsac
Fairy Down Everest Mummy sleeping bag

My Dad smoked Embassy cigarettes and got me a Camping Gaz S200 pierce-cartridge stove with the coupons
Pans were ex-WD aluminium pans, the rectangular ones

I got one of the first Vango Force 10 Mk3 tents, either in late 1968 or early 1969. I think it was about £17
I still have it, and use it when car-borne camping; patched, and reproofed a few times
« Last Edit: 19:34:24, 17/06/19 by zuludog »

Owen

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Re: How Old Is Your Tent
« Reply #11 on: 20:07:19, 17/06/19 »
Just retired my Macpac ultra lite dates from 1990, the nylon was beginning to sag and I couldn't get it taught anymore. I still have a Snowdon mouldings curver ice axe from sometime around 1975 and a set of pterodactyls but they've not been out for a very long time.


One thing I forgot to mention, I have just found my old fjallraven breaches not sure what waist they are but I can just about do them up. I was 20 when I got them so 1977. When I first got them I needed a belt or they fell down. The challenge is can I slim down so they fit, not that I'm planning on wearing them again.

mow1701

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Re: How Old Is Your Tent
« Reply #12 on: 22:12:59, 17/06/19 »
I’ve still got a serviceable Ultimate Equipment Phazer Dome backpacker version. I pitched this at 10000ft by the Gouter Hut on Mont Blanc(has snow Valances). My go to base camp/ car camping is a Force 10 mk5 with an extension. It’s on the second fly sheet although I’ve kept the original fly sheet for summer use.
Like most people on this site I’ve got some modern ones but get misty eyed when I see tent of my youth coming up on eBay- Blacks good companion, other ultimate tents, Phoenix tents, Saunders tents.


Final footnote, in my teens I had a Saturday jobs at a Pindisports- wonder how many of you remember there shops?
« Last Edit: 22:16:25, 17/06/19 by mow1701 »

Innominate Man

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Re: How Old Is Your Tent
« Reply #13 on: 01:10:07, 18/06/19 »
I posted this pic a long time ago, it is my Dad's first rucksack bought in the early 1950s. I used it when I started walking and will never get rid of it but it doesn't get many outings anymore, it has probably not been out for 3 or 4 years. Even the boot lace which replaced the original drawstring must be about 25 years old.



I remember your post well  O0




My oldest item is a Karrimor Totem 40 rucksack which I bought for my first 10 day trip to the Lakes in the 1970s. It still smells (not in an offensive way) exactly how it did when I first used it. If I open up the sack and stick my hooter in - the smell instantly takes me back to that trip. Ah nostalgia  ::)

Only a hill but all of life to me, up there between the sunset and the sea. 
Geoffrey Winthrop Young

barewirewalker

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Re: How Old Is Your Tent
« Reply #14 on: 10:29:56, 18/06/19 »
Nostalgia indeed   O0

I found my selection of slings and carabiners, it was after watching my daughter and granddaughter on a climbing wall. I was amazed at all that expensive kit being lugged up a plastic wall by some of the other climbers.


 Nut runners and other home made kit, the feel took me back. I found some giant beautifully shaped aircraft wheel nuts in a scrapyard, as soon as one was spotted on one of my slings in the pub in LLanberis I had to grab a load to take up the next weekend.
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

 

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