An old aluminum perculator from the 70's! It makes a wonderful cup of coffee, so why should I part with it? My boss gave me his old perculator too. It's probably from the same time period. It is larger than my old one, so I use it when there are more campers in my group.

Perked coffee really is great stuff, isn't it?

Jo

I still have the tent I used to camp in during the 1950's. It's still in good shape, but is heavier and bulkier than a modern tent with 3 times the space. I'd never take it anywhere, but I can't throw it away.

As to coffee, Jo, I switched from perked to french pressed about four years ago and wouldn't want to go back.

Brian

Jerry, you didn't say exactly how old that old metal thermos is? Are you afraid to give up your age!

I've inherited some stuff from my uncle Oscar who was quite eccentric and an avid outdoorsman! In his 80's he was still camping in snow in the Adirondack mountains! I think I'm going to start a thread about him! Anyway, I have no idea how old that stuff is and it kind of makes me laugh to use some of it!

As far as what was new to me my old 2 person Timberline tent and a big heavy duty duffel bag bought at the same time! They were both purchased in 1984. My daughter uses the duffel bag now and it is so sturdy it shows no sign of use! The tent is rarely used anymore but could be used if needed! I don't think I'll part with the tent because that was a high school graduation present from my parents--okay, I've now given away my age--and it got me started on my independent camping life! I've had many trips in that tent and most of them were learning experiences! Anyway, how many kids do you know who ask for a tent for a high school graduation present? I think I've had the bug my entire life!

The thermos is let's say.... circa 1980....

I have a hammer my grandfather made, and we use the same plastic cups w/handles that my parents brought camping when we were kids.

Way back in my early childhood ... as far back as I can remember, my family did the summer vacation thing using a tent. It was the old timey canvas wall tent and that tent was used for years. My parents always made those family camping trips high adventure, we would travel around staying at state and county parks, seeing all kinds of great interesting places. Since that canvas wall tent was so heavy, plus all the gear we would tote along, Dad always pulled a little utility trailer were most of this stuff was carried. Dad had made for my mother a couple of camp chuck boxes (made them out of plywood) and in these would be everythng from the coffee pot to spices to "silverware" and who knows what all. There was also a camp cooking pot where the bottom would serve as a large boiling type pot with a lid that fit over the top and top sides of the pot, which also served as a frying pan (had a detachable handle that was carried inside the pot along with eight enameled camp plates). All this stuff dates back into the 1930's and I still use all of it today. The camp dish pot and a chuck box is left in the popup camper and is used when I pull the camper along. The other (smaller plywood camp box) is carried in the back of the pick-up just in case there's a road side stop, say at a rest stop, where we might take a little lunch break.

Don't know the exact year the boxes were made, but as far back as I can remember they were used, and so that would be maybe back to 1938 0r 1939.

Dale

My husband! :o)

A circa 1975 EMS Mountain Sports external-frame backpack, green, with a kelty pocket added on in back. It's logged plenty of miles on the Appalacian Trail, in the NJ Pine Barrens and in the Sequoia National Forest deer hunting. Now in its honor, it hangs upside down, fully stuffed with newspaper in my garage in memoriam.

Well, Jonsey, you beat me to it. My husband is the oldest for me also.

My wife just informed me that I'm the oldest piece of camping gear we have, and the sleeping bag is next! Can't remember who made it, but we got it for our second tent and camping trip! Had 2, but gave one to our son in Connecticut!
And, i have a lantern pole, which is now used to hold the bird feeder in winter time! And, some tent stakes hiding in the old garage out back! The motor home is a 1978, still runs good!
by: Rustyj

I guess our oldest gear is the old boy scout wooden kitchen box thing they built in the 60's. It held all their dishes, silver, pots and pans. We inherited it after the troop folded a few years back. It is really big, we don't use it anymore. It was used for many years by my hubby's troop. He just couldn't part with it he said.
Lynda

An old bicycle basket that my Mom used to carry the dishes down to the community sink. (Back in the 60's) I "don't leave home without it"!

I have a US Army,2-piece,stainless steel,mess kit I bought from a Army Surplus store in Kalamazoo Michigan in 1948, the kind everything sticks to.
Still, I have used it all these years from Chibougamau Quebec to the Baja, on the Pacific Crest & Applachain trails. Now days I carry it in my motorhome. I also have a Match Safe I have had for 30 years and two Sierra cups from LL Bean I bought 36 years ago, (made in USA).
Hendo

Well ya'll,
I'd have to agree with the ladies who said their husbands.
He's my oldest (28years now) and the best. Can't imagine
going camping with him. We've been going camping since
we got married. We go in a travel trailer now, but still
have just as much fun if not more. We'll be taking a trip
to Pine Mountain GA, with the grandkids this summer.
We are all looking forward to the trip. I'll post
pictures when we return. Ya'll have a wonderful day.

Brenda
Harvey, LA

My camper is the oldest.

A 1975 Starcraft pop-up. No real frills. Just two bunks a table and a counter-top. The awning and the propane tank are the only 'frills' of this camper.

Best part of it is. It's simple, it's light and it's terrific. It's a little beat, but overall in great shape and it keeps us high and dry leaving us with low maintenance cost and more money to vacation.

The oldest piece of gear I have is a RECTA Swiss Army compass I got around 1959 when I was 13 or 14 years old and living in Switzerland. It looks like a steel matchbox when closed and opens with a drop-down mirror to use for sighting, or the mirror can be slid back in the case to use it on a map. I last used it a few weeks ago to square up a fence for my vegetable garden.

I have a small *pink* Coleman picnic stove from the early 60's. It takes the old LP fuel (liquid petroleum), which I've been told is still made; but I sure can't find it. I can't even find anyone who's heard of it.

I also have an aqua blue Holiday Thermos cooler, which I love dearly.

The old aluminum cooking/stacker 'Picnic Pack', mine's from the 1950's. It contains 5 container that you can cook in, transport, and serve in too; and it all fits nicely into the "new" isulated plaid vinyl tote (included). Mine was made by 'Regalware'.

Actually, this is probably my oldest piece of camping gear. Although I've never used it, and it's still sitting inside it's origional box. Now I'm almost afraid to use it and mess it up.

What a great thread. I just come across this site and looking forward to spending time reading posts and making new camping friends...

As far as oldest gear, we use the Canvas Tent my mom brought at Sears, in the basement dept (ie: Clearance) over 30 years ago. I camped in it as a youngster and my daughter grew up camping in it. My DH and I still use it (just two weeks ago). Zippers are lossing teeth everytime we zip them up and down. They don't make tents like it anymore. Family friends used to call it the Taj Mahal. A few years back we where camping on the beach in CA and there was a very windy afternoon, upon returning to our camp site after a day of beach combing we saw everyone chasing their nylon tents blowing across the campground while ours was standing strong. It will be hard to give her up someday. After every trip I think it could be the last. I joke I should contact Sear and see if we hold some record for use of the tent.

We also used until this year, the same stove that my family used in my youth. I have sinced pasted it on to my daughter (now I have a three burner one found at garage sale of $2.00)

I bought an old set of camping cookware on Ebay a few years ago. When it arrived, my husband was freaking out (in a good way.) It had the original box and packaging, which he said was identical to the stuff he had when he camped as a child back in the early 60's. It was so funny to see him going on and on about how it felt like a piece of his childhood was going camping with us again. :)

I have 2 sleeping bags that were part of a tent and sleeping bag combo my wife got just before we were married in the early eighties. She was a smoker at the time and the tobacco company had a promotion going. She saved the empty packs till she got enough. The tent was torn up by scared dog on one trip (someone shooting fireworks) but the bags are still in fair shape. I also have a Coleman two burner stove bought in 1984.

I'm still camping with my fathers 37 year old Ash Flash latern.It burns White fuel or gasoline. It still runs great.

Mike & Family

Cooking utensils from DH's great uncle's military mess kit. Don't really know how old they are. And a coleman lantern from 1968 (at least) that DH had when we got married.

beverly

A Coleman Arc lantern. It's big and bulky and heavy. One of the first lanterns Coleman made.

Mine would be a pack I bought in 81. It was about 35 dollars then and has made many trips hunting and camping in the Adirondacks.It;s been over loaded so many time and still keeps going. A few years ago I bought a new belt and shoulder straps for it.I've thought about getting a new one but don't fix whats not broken

My oldest gear, a Buck folding knife 1967. It went around the world with me in the Navy. Alaska pipe line. Washington State when the top of that mountain blew off and endless camping trips. The tip is gone. Use it as a screw driver. The lock is weak but it's still on my side anytime I leave the camp.

This is quite an old thread, but hey, it's new to me!

My oldest piece of gear is a 1950's metal cooler that I bought years ago for $2 at an auction. We keep our dry foods in it. If we remember to keep the clasps fastened, it's insect proof.

That's it on the left side of the picture.

Joe

Here is a link that might be useful:

The oldest peiece of camping gear that I routinely carry on an outing is a small 5" x 7" Boy Scouts of America Holy Bible that has a canvas cover that snaps closed to protect the book.

My Grandfather acquired this book when he joined the Boy Scouts in 1918 and he passed it on to me when I joined the Boy Scouts in 1959.

Two lanterns which burn kerosene from 1959.
I have a tarp from my father. It is like 20 ft square and I swear it weighs 80 pounds!!! It has to be from the military when he was in WWll. We used to use it as a dining fly when we camped in the catskills back in the 60's.
TRY THIS: family of 5. mom dad and 3 boys all under 10. A dog, and all the camping gear needed. Tent, fly, sleeping bags, pots pans stove tools, etc. , in a VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My grandfather's kerosene lantern from the '20's or '30's me thinks (!), possibly as late as the 40's, and his extremely old-looking mess kit (used thick stuff back then!) and his tin cups seem pretty old and thick to me too. The oldest of all might be his harmonica! :) I also have his blue canvas tent that attaches to the side of his VW Riviera camper van (pop top).

I found some sort of antique SOMETHING that I'd love your advice about. I have no idea what it is. It wasn't my grandfather's - it came from my grandmother's sister's estate. She lived in Illinois and I never really knew her. It's a metal, somewhat small-ish carafe of sorts with a cylindrical upward-pointing "spout" (?) and hinged lid (a little pointy at the top) and a wooden handle that pokes straight out. There are initials in fancy old cursive on it and a date of 1809 inscribed by that. Anyone know what this could be? Some sort of little tea pot? I can send a pic.

My grandfather's kerosene lantern from the '20's or '30's me thinks (!), possibly as late as the 40's, and his extremely old-looking mess kit (used thick stuff back then!) and his tin cups seem pretty old and thick to me too. The oldest of all might be his harmonica! :) I also have his blue canvas tent that attaches to the side of his VW Riviera camper van (pop top).

I found some sort of antique SOMETHING that I'd love your advice about. I have no idea what it is. It wasn't my grandfather's - it came from my grandmother's sister's estate. She lived in Illinois and I never really knew her. It's a metal, somewhat small-ish carafe of sorts with a cylindrical upward-pointing "spout" (?) and hinged lid (a little pointy at the top) and a wooden handle that pokes straight out. There are initials in fancy old cursive on it and a date of 1809 inscribed by that. Anyone know what this could be? Some sort of little tea pot? I can send a pic.

A compass I bought in 1958 and a small axe I bought same year. Steve S.

My Oldest piece of gear is a porcelain cup that I got from my grandfather.. When I was a young man. It travels with me on every trip. I cherish it..

My oldest has to be my fathers "Old Timer" pocket knife with the Schrade U.S.A. steel blade. Keeps a razor sharp edge, is easy to sharpen. The bone handle and brass ends are still in great condition. The steel they use in new knives is junk, impossible to sharpen and dulls rather easily. Unless you want to spend big bucks on a spiderco I would try to find these awesome old knives. Great thread!