Gear Resurrections

“For the first time in years I am faced with having to find shelter for two (and a dog). I have a SD ClipFlashlight but it won’t do the dog any good and it’d be tight. I asked my brother about borrowing his Eureka! Apex but still wasn’t sure if the dog would fit with us (she’s an 80 pound golden). Then it struck me like a ton of bricks! I have a three man Eureka! timber light in the basement. Man, it was in rough shape. This was my very first tent. The shock cord is shot, spider webs everywhere, and I’m even missing a small pole for the rear beak.

I set it up in the back yard to clean it up, gonna give her a good coat of silicon spray and even made a little pole for the rear beak from a chop stick. LOL! It’s in great shape now and ready for the trail. The thing is huge compared to the Clip Flashlight and it still weighs about 6 ½ pounds.

A few years ago I also resurrected my 25-30 year old Primus 99 and used it for the winter trips. I love that old thing!

What’s your favorite gear resurrection?”

“But I've been wanting to pull out our old Coleman family tent for some car camping. It is as big as my office. We also have bunkbed cots that fit nicely in there. The thing is so huge!”

“I have an old Academy-Broadway 3 man tent, bought back in "85". I last pull it out about 4 years ago. My wife said "I'm not sleeping in that, it looks like a diaphragm" Needless to say, I bought a new tent.”

“My gear is so old, I'm resurrecting it with every hike. I need some major upgrades.”

“Nigal, I "resurrected" my old Lowe Alpine Hyperpacker for the kids hike. Its been a few since I've used it. I remembered why I love the pack so much, its awesome! I almost sold it, glad I didnt.”

“I still use my 1970 something frame backpack sometimes. 4 pounds total.
Still a great pack even with the waterproofing flaking off the inside.”

“Sigh - Last Sunday, I had to throw in the towel as I failed to ressurect my 30 y/o North Face backpack. I traveled the country, even the world, with it. I tied up the straps, packed up and checked it as luggage many times. Hitch-hiked with it from Austin to San Francisco, round trip from Boston to Boulder. Hiked around Japan...

It was just too far gone. I put it on one last time. Paused and heaved it into the dumpster. Time and water/moisture damage took its toll. It was still useable last summer. Insurance had already totalled it - so I probably got more for it than I could possibly sell it for. Still, I felt almost like I was putting my old dog to sleep.

Geez, I got lots of sad gear stories these days. Still, there is one heck of a gear shopping spree in my future.”

“I'm with Artew - my gear is so old I could be on the History Channel.”

“I'm with Artex - my gear is so old I could be on the History Channel.”

“My computer is so old I can't get a post right!”

“Have two old favorites . . . .

A Camp Trails external frame backpack (20 yrs old). Has a few repairs from a run-in with hungry squirrels, and had to replace the hip belt, but it still works great. Always use it on summer outings on trails.

A SVEA-123R stove (25 yrs old). A little heavy, and I need to carry spare fuel for anything more than an overnight hike, but it always works. Simple construction, easy to use, proven reliability - what more could you ask for in a stove? Still available from Optimus.

. . . and one getting there:

An early NF Tadpole tent (about 1990). The early versions were lighter than todays version (its 3 lbs 12 oz without the stuff sack and heavy NF stakes). It provides a great compromise in weight vs space for a long solo trip, has a full coverage fly, and is almost free standing (stakes needed in front for the flysheet).”

“O.k. top dawg is history channel. My stuff isn't that old.”

“I used my 30+ year old Optimus 8R on a trip a few weeks ago. It's been collecting dust for about 2 years. I felt guilty so I took it on the trip. It worked like it just came out of the box. I love that stove. I just wish it wasn't so damn heavy.”

““A SVEA-123R stove (25 yrs old). A little heavy, and I need to carry spare fuel for anything more than an overnight hike, but it always works. Simple construction, easy to use, proven reliability - what more could you ask for in a stove? Still available from Optimus”

I just bought one last year and love the thing. It’s not that much heavier than a Whisperlight or comparable stove because I have been able to make one tank full last all weekend. Great stove!

"I used my 30+ year old Optimus 8R on a trip a few weeks ago. It's been collecting dust for about 2 years. I felt guilty so I took it on the trip. It worked like it just came out of the box. I love that stove. I just wish it wasn't so damn heavy."

I have one of these too and all I can say is, “You’re more of a man than I am for carrying that thing on the trail!”. That thing is colossal!”

“Are you sure you aren't thinking of the 111. Those things are huge. This one fits in on of the side pockets of my old external frame pack. I’d like to see if I could find another one to remove from the steel case to make it lighter.”

“I must be confused then. I thought the 8R was the big blue one that weighs like 5 pounds. I think the 111 may be the same model as my Optimus 99.”

“The 8R is just under 2lbs and the 111 are about 4lb. Unless the changed things. My stove is about 5"x5"x3" when closed up.”

“I have an ancient Boy Scout mess kit. When I was a little kid, my 60-something-year-old neighbor gave it to me. I've had it for over 20 years, and I have no idea how long he had it. I use it occassionally, but its mostly kept in the Jeep for the inevitable time I forget my boiler.

I've also got a heavy quilt-style sleeping bag that was my grandma's. It relies on bulk instead of loft so its not used now, but it has already served its purpose...”

“"I've also got a heavy quilt-style sleeping bag that was my grandma's. It relies on bulk instead of loft so its not used now, but it has already served its purpose..."

Does it have a flannel liner with hunting dogs on it? those things were so damn heavy you couldn't hardly breath because of the weight on your chest. And do they ever get damp? HA!

Those were the good days!”

“Yup, it has that flannel liner, but it has ducks rather than dogs.

It was the closest thing I had to a warm sleeping bag for my first cool-weather trip, so I just lugged it in one arm. Glad it wasn't a long haul. :)

As you said, the good old days... Now we have high-lofting down, sil-nylon, titanium and Gore-tex, but that first trip does have a special place in my memory.”

“Yeah, I remember my first trip. Camptrails external, blue jeans, tuna from a can, burnt noodles, froze to death. I remember asking my self, “And people enjoy this?”. It’s a wonder we ever got hooked in the first place.”

“My first trip was a cold-weather trip. I had my Dad's Vietnam-era mummy bag, flashlight, and radioactive compass. Cool stuff, but I think just those 3 things weighed 15 pounds.”

“I bought my SVEA 123 in July or August 1981, still using it every cold weather trip. Reliability is the key in cold weather.

But the true resurrection has to be a Bluett conversion from 1974.
I found a Bluett lantern discarded because the glass was broken and no replacement available in Istanbul (Turkey). I went to the Bazaar and got pieces to make a stove. Still have the stove and it still works.

Until recently I also had a Silva Compass bought in 1972, but a Scout borrowed it and I never got it back. The old one with the Aluminium bezel.

”

“I still have my Sylva with the alu bezel (1975).

I recoated the floor of my 4-man Eureka Sentinel for my trip to Wyoming (for car camping). I bought it in 1987 and the Recoat3 from Campmor was fantastic.

There's a lot of duct tape on my Slumberjack 20° (1988), but it still works great.

I decided to get back into deer hunting - it's a waste of free meat not to around here and I resurrected my deer hunting clothing.

I have a 100% wool mackinaw jacket and LL Bean wool pants that I bought in 1977. I took them to the dry cleaner's and had them re-stitch bits as well.

Quality is worth the money and a bargain when well maintained.”

“I just found an ould relic that used to belong to my uncle in the basement.

A vintage 40's style boy scout canteen.”

“Just a note that the stuff I took on my first trip wasn't very old at the time - 1980 or so - but it is now!”

“I tend to resurrect gear if I'm going to be car camping at a trailhead, just so I don't have to repack my pack before starting a hike. I'll dig out my old sleeping bag, tent, and even my Gaz stove.”

“Good idea, BowlderMan.”