The Adventurer's Gear Thread

[LeeB]

Adventurers - a couple of questions

I can only speak from personal experience with camping ang backpacking for the better part of my life. I will concede that synthetic fabrics have thier place and do perform better in some conditions than other fabrics but, for myself, I prefer wool and canvas for clothing. I use nylon fabric tents and certain other gear for weight purposes and due to the fact that most of those pieces of equipment can only be found in synthetics. As for clothing, I don't like the feel of synthetics. I have camped and hiked in every season and haven't experienced any catastrophes.

 

[Mrs. Merl]

I completely agree that in some geographic settings weather, injuries, etc. can cause a situation to become desperate or dangerous. However, the discussion here makes it sound like if you venture forth in vintage gear that it will be the equivalent of wearing heels and a ball gown. If I were out in what I regularly wear as "vintage styled" gear I think I would have about as good a fighting chance as anyone in modern gear should the situation get ugly. It isn't as though using vintage gear means that you are going out completely unprepared - but that is how it sounds in some of these responses.

 

[Crane's]

Quote.

So Crane, are you an adventure outfitter? Do you deal with the full kit list? Where do your clients travel to? How long have you been adventuring?

To a point we are. We have clothing from various manufacturers along with tents, packs and other common camping equipment. Anything beyond that we refer people to specific stores that carry the equipment they need for what they are doing.

As far as myself is concerned I work and play outside. My day job is construction and I spend all my free time hiking, kayaking, hunting and fishing. Most of the 40 years of doing this was spent in the borders of the US though I have been known to end up in Canada and Mexico for a fishing trip or two. I am not a fair weather outdoorsman by any means at all. I am out there doing what I like to do in whatever conditions nature wants to throw at me.

Guiding is another thing. I am not a professional guide, meaning I do not get paid to do it. About half the people I take hunting are out of state folks or people who are just getting started or are interested but not quite sure if it's what they want to do people. Hunters are the easy ones. They are usually properly equipped and need nothing more than the details of the land, animal patterns, blind locations etc. I prefer dealing with the new hunter or not so sure types. This is where all the years of being an outdoorsman come into real play. Everything from equipment, general attitude, outdoor ethics, trip planning, camp setup, hunting ethics, game handling etc. are all being scrutinized. Leave them with a bad experience and they are done. Keep them comfortable, safe and rewarded with a successful hunt and they will be back for more. Getting a license to be a guide is easy, actually being a guide is very difficult.

In closing, what I recommend for an outdoors adventure is based on a lifetime's worth of almost daily experience. It's a been there done that kind of thing and yes I have made plenty of mistakes over the years. Some of them have been bad news and I don't want to see anyone get themselves in the same situation for whatever reason.

 

[Gatsby84]

Response to M.K. on journals

Here is my travel journal. I haven't used it in a while since I don't have time (or money) to travel.
It's a leatherbound journal made by your's truly.
I think it's held up pretty well for my first try at something this complicated.

-Allen

 

[miss_elise]

well, from my own experience modern dome tents can be just as leaky as canvas ones if you let the fly touch the tent...

i quite like a canvas tent as it feels a bit sturdier, however, i have had a metal frame 6 man canvas tent fly into a tree in severe weather so not too sure about that one...

that's being said, i'm not sure i could carry a canvas tent whilst hiking...

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

Gatsby84, that's a nice journal. Kudos for having the tenacity to do it all yourself!

I have a tiny Rite-in-the-Rain notepad that I never really used, but I did have fun testing the pages to see if they held up. As far as journals go, mine are mostly used for sketching/design purposes. I don't spend a lot of money on them because they get used up far too quickly!

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

Well, Jack...
your old friends in Auistralia sell them (10 rd pouch)individually, @$AU15 a pop...

...of course, they have a leather loop on the back, so you can fit them to your belt.
They also have the 15 rd pouch- more rectangular.

Those look relatively easy to make. Hmm...

 

[Creeping Past]

the discussion here makes it sound like if you venture forth in vintage gear that it will be the equivalent of wearing heels and a ball gown. If I were out in what I regularly wear as "vintage styled" gear I think I would have about as good a fighting chance as anyone in modern gear should the situation get ugly. It isn't as though using vintage gear means that you are going out completely unprepared - but that is how it sounds in some of these responses.

That's what I was trying to say: but you've said it far more clearly and more wittily :eusa_clap

 

[Creeping Past]

Quote.

So Crane, are you an adventure outfitter? Do you deal with the full kit list? Where do your clients travel to? How long have you been adventuring?

To a point we are. We have clothing from various manufacturers along with tents, packs and other common camping equipment. Anything beyond that we refer people to specific stores that carry the equipment they need for what they are doing.

As far as myself is concerned I work and play outside. My day job is construction and I spend all my free time hiking, kayaking, hunting and fishing. Most of the 40 years of doing this was spent in the borders of the US though I have been known to end up in Canada and Mexico for a fishing trip or two. I am not a fair weather outdoorsman by any means at all. I am out there doing what I like to do in whatever conditions nature wants to throw at me.

Guiding is another thing. I am not a professional guide, meaning I do not get paid to do it. About half the people I take hunting are out of state folks or people who are just getting started or are interested but not quite sure if it's what they want to do people. Hunters are the easy ones. They are usually properly equipped and need nothing more than the details of the land, animal patterns, blind locations etc. I prefer dealing with the new hunter or not so sure types. This is where all the years of being an outdoorsman come into real play. Everything from equipment, general attitude, outdoor ethics, trip planning, camp setup, hunting ethics, game handling etc. are all being scrutinized. Leave them with a bad experience and they are done. Keep them comfortable, safe and rewarded with a successful hunt and they will be back for more. Getting a license to be a guide is easy, actually being a guide is very difficult.

In closing, what I recommend for an outdoors adventure is based on a lifetime's worth of almost daily experience. It's a been there done that kind of thing and yes I have made plenty of mistakes over the years. Some of them have been bad news and I don't want to see anyone get themselves in the same situation for whatever reason.

Sounds like an interesting set-up. It must be gratifying to be able to share your experiences like that, especially when giving people the skills and knowledge to spare them hardship or worse.

 

[LeeB]

Adventurers - a couple of questions

As with most activities, especially outdoor pursuits, I think many of us get caught up in the need to have the right 'uniform' for whatever activity. vI go back to hunting with my Dad and uncle when I was a kid. We were rather poor at the time and the extent of our expenses for the hunt were safety vests (orange), hunting license and shells. None of us wore the head to toe camo gear so many wear now and we never failed to bag game. I am more concerned with getting outdoors and enjoying it than the technical level of the clothing I'm wearing.
My standard outfit for most outdoor activities (depending on weather conditions) hasn't really changed in thirty years of camping/hiking/hunting. Sturdy work boots, jeans or khakis, comfortable shirt, shirt-jac or hunting coat and, of course, my favorite hat.
One piece of clothing I will absolutely not go on a trip without is my wool shirt-jac with a cotton/flannel lining. I've had it for about 25 years and my wife has been trying to get me to throw it out for the last 15! It's old and faded and been repaired a few times, but has never failed to keep me warm and comfortable.

 

[Crane's]

Creeping Past,

Yes it is very rewarding. It's really cool when a few years later I'm invited to go big game hunting or hiking with someone I helped get started and they guide me on an adventure.

Mrs. Merl

I by no means want to imply that vintage equipment is not suitable for adventuring. If what you picked is suitable for the situation, you know how to use it and are aware of it's limitations then go have fun. That is what it is all about right?

In any case the most important piece of equipment you bring with you resides between your ears. Using it wisely in whatever situation you're in is what will get you home.

 

[nobodyspecial]

Merino wool is actually the new miracle fabric. Numerous companies make a full range of wool products and they are all the buzz in the outdoor world. The new products are not vintage styling by any means, but the base fabric is wool. You can find traditional styled wool garments from a variety of sources. Filson may be the best, but the cost is high. LL Bean (look under the hunting section in the fall), Woolrich and Johnson Woolen Mills still make traditional styled wool garments at a more reasonable price.

I weal merino wool socks all year long. I've got modern merino wool t-shirts, underwear, long underwear, sweaters, pullovers, tights......

http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/index.php

https://www.smartwool.com/default.cfm

http://www.icebreaker.com/site/index.html

http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/patagonia.go?assetid=8514

REI and the like have come out with their own house brand of wool products as well. I have a pair of smartwool tights and will be sad when they are gone (same style no longer made), they are the first layer I grab when I'm heading out.

 

[Mrs. Merl]

In any case the most important piece of equipment you bring with you resides between your ears. Using it wisely in whatever situation you're in is what will get you home.[/QUOTE]

Too true - too true!! I couldn't agree with you more!! That is what it boils down to in the end.

 

[cookie]

Jpeterman Linen Safari Jacket

Has anyone got a view on this item. Viz look, fit, etc not durability just as a fashion thing???? http://jpeterman.com/product~cat~100204~sku~MOW 1633.asp

 

[Dinerman]

What my grandparents camped with back in the late '50s.

 

[Creeping Past]

African safari style in the 1937 version of King Solomon's Mines

I've just been watching the 1937 British Gaumont Production of King Solomon's Mines, which I downloaded from the excellent archive site, Archive.org. It's a gentle romp through H. Rider Haggard's story, beautifully photographed, but without the panoramic thrills of the 1950 production starring Stewart Grainger. The Grainger version is often mentioned here so I thought I'd throw in a lightly illustrated reference to the earlier one, with the emphasis on what was worn.

Please excuse the quality of the images: I captured them from a low-resolution download, which is all I have room for on my PC. And in case you're wondering what possessed me, I got a little bored towards the middle of a three-hour train journey...

Allan Quartermain, the best shot in all Africa (and therefore probably the whole British Empire, if not the world), is played in understated, brooding style by English-born Hollywood workhorse Cedric Hardwicke, who later gave a chilling performance as the evil Archdeacon Claude Frollo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) and returned to African adventure in a supporting role in The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951). High-profile showbiz communist and the Welsh miners' friend, Paul Robeson, gives a sterling performance as Umbopa, whom he portrays memorably as a blues-singing giant.

Roland Young, best known for the Topper movies, and as Uncle Willie in The Philadelphia Story (1940) plays the exquisitely dressed Commander Good (RN, Ret'd.). Anna Lee plays Irish lovely Kathleen 'Kathy' O'Brien and John Loder as Sir Henry Curtis just about keeps pace with a superb cast.

While in the relative civilization of the mining settlements and a bush camp the cast is dressed in English country clothing, including Norfolk jackets. But when 'in the field', they're wearing non-uniform outfits with an ad hoc, thrown-together feel, which have been nicely grubbied up for use in fierce studio heat.

Here's an ensemble photo. Hardwicke's in a shirt with button-up front and light-coloured trousers, Loder's wearing a pullover shirt and Young's looking fine in a double-breasted jacket that looks to be linen. And O'Brien's no slouch in a safari shirt and dark-coloured trousers.


And here's a close-up of Hardwicke and Robeson's shirts:


Hardwicke and Young close-up:


Back view of Young's double-breasted number, also showing jaunty hat ribbon:


Loder and O'Brien, showing off their pristine shirts:


Loder and O'Brien parading their hats and packs in the studio desert:


Close-up of Loder's leather gaiters/leggings on the desert march, perhaps similar to these:


Since this is a period movie, rather than a modernised version of the story, how did they do for historical accuracy?

 

[shortbow]

Im'na stay out of this debate, except to say that I personally have found NO limitations or liabilities inherent in vintage style equipment, and my enjoyment of the outdoor life is measurably enhanced when using same.

For those who also like the old stuff/ways, I second the Kephart recommendation and would like to add:

CAMPING IN THE OLD STYLE by David Wescott from Gibbs-Smith publishers, Salt Lake.

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

As an all-too-real example of atypical weather patterns causing tragedy:

1 hiker dies on Mount Rainier

After a winter of heavy snowfall that forced repeated closure of mountain passes, unseasonably cold conditions have continued long into spring in Washington's Cascade Range. Paradise, the jumping off point for the trail to Camp Muir, received 2 feet of fresh snow overnight, with 5-foot drifts at the camp, Bacher said.

Bacher said rangers received a call at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday that the hikers were trapped in a blizzard.

Weather prevented a rescue attempt at that time, but one of the hikers reached Camp Muir at 7:15 a.m. The other hikers were found near Anvil Rock, a large outcropping at the edge of the Muir snowfield about 500 feet lower than Camp Muir.

Guides for local climbing companies have been assisting park rangers with the rescue.

International Mountain Guides had eight climbing clients and four guides at Camp Muir, while Rainier Mountaineering Inc. had 15 clients and a handful of guides there Tuesday. Both companies said their employees and clients were doing well, but hunkered down awaiting better weather.

"I do know it was a tough night up there for the weather, just because of what they were forecasting — high winds and low visibility and snow," said Jeff Martin, RMI operations manager. "Definitely not your typical June weather."

The bodies of two other hikers were found in California's Sierra Nevada backcountry last week.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Lt. Les Lovell said an autopsy performed Tuesday revealed that 70-year-old Thomas Hylton died of a heart of attack on June 2, the day he and 78-year-old Jerome Smith set out for a four-day backpacking trip in Desolation Wilderness just west of Lake Tahoe.

Smith left for help after his friend collapsed but fell down a hillside on his way back to the highway. The sheriff's office said he died from his injuries and exposure to the chilly overnight temperature.

I don't know how well the first group was prepared for the elements (they were supposedly experienced outdoors people), but it's just a good reminder to always check the forecasts and be prepared. If that means vintage wool, then vintage wool. If that means modern microfiber, go for it.

On cotton: I don't do much hiking, but I became disenchanted with jeans when I did. They ended up getting damp with perspiration and restricted my movement. Since cotton (let alone cotton denim) doesn't dry easily, I'm sure jeans would become a disaster in the making if one got lost after a long day's hike. (Because nights are *always* colder than the day!)

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

Vintage opinions on clothing & fiber, from the Outdoor Life Cyclopedia, 1945 printing:

"Damp feet invite sickness; help avoid them by wearing woolen socks. Wool shirts are advised for the same reason, particularly in hot, damp climates."

"Woolen shirts are advisable for all camping save in the very hottest weather, because wool resists moisture and prevents you from catching cold when exposed to dampness, rain, or sudden changes of temperature....If you don't like wool next to your skin there are stout cotton suede shirts which are quite warm. Their principal drawback is the fact that they're pretty hard to dry in camp. For hot weather, cotton shirts of khaki or moleskin are comfortable, neat, and stand a lot of wear. Outdoor shirts should have full-cut shoulders and sleeves, and two pockets with buttoned-down tabs to safeguard small articles."

"Now as to fabric [of trousers]: Camping trousers can be procured in any of the materials popular for outdoor wear. One of the best is aw aterproofed cotton cloth long used in the manufacture of hunting suits. Present-day fabrics are much superior to the coarse canvas of former years. They are sturdy, almost rip and tearproof, yet have a fine, soft texture that fits comfortably and is practically noiseless in brush."

I think it's safe to say that if people in the Golden Era had our technology, they would probably make use of it - as long as it worked. I prefer a vintage aesthetic, but if something modern works best, why not use it?

 

[Mrs. Merl]

Vintagesque on Pikes Peak

My husband and I hiked our local 14er (Pikes Peak) on Saturday! We decided to see how some of our vintage inspired gear worked out. We hiked the short side this time (12+ miles round trip - 4000 ft. elevation gain to give a bit of perspective.) Here I am on the first pitch.

Mr. Merl is putting on his windbreaker...

Me on one of the snow fields still hanging around this part of the year.

Mr. Merl on the scree field on the summit cone (thats home behind him!)

Hope you get a kick out of our little adventure! Cheers!