Old and reliable gear

[AlaskaHunter]

Seems like some folks are always looking to upgrade to the latest gear. I'm sort of the opposite.
I probably have the record for oldest raingear...
..my boating raingear is commercial Helly Hansen from 1989.

My trekking poles are Leki from 1995.
My stove is a MSR whisperlite from 1993.
My smallish backpack is a Gregory from the 1980s, my big backpack is a Dana Designs from the 1990s. Both MADE IN USA.
Most of the time I hunt with Browning Citoris from the 1980s, Remington 700s from the 1980s and 1990s.
My go-to tent is almost 30 years old and still reliable, had to replace the zipper sliders but that is it.
It has survived many wind storms.

I use a 25 year old jet sled to haul firewood and moose quarters.
I do go through waders about once every 5-10 years and always am happy with SIMMS.

 

[BigHornRam]

I've replaced my MSR Whisperlite with a jet boil, but still use a lot of 20 year old plus gear. The whisperlite is a miserable pos imo.

 

[glass eye]

At age 13 in 1976 with money from a summer job I bought a North Face Oval Intention for $312. I still remember the price because it was the very first thing I bought with my first paycheck. I used it extensively for 25 years and would still be using it today if my lab didn't tear her own door through the wall to get inside during a frightful lightning storm in AZ. That tent had been used in the tropics of the Yucatan and Hawaii to frozen Yukon and Alaska and all points in between.
That model tent is in the Smithsonian museum. It was the first geodesic designed tent.
Those vintage tents were built to last.

 

[glass eye]

I have several vintage MSR stoves that I still use.
XGK, Dragonfly, Whisperlite.

 

[glass eye]

Also purchased when I was a young teenager was this North Face Brooks Range down parka.
I bought it in size LARGE even though I wore a size small (#120 kid) because I knew I would grow into it and Alaskan adventures were always on my mind.
Here's a pic of me wearing it in 2011 in New Zealand.

 

[shrapnel]

This is probably older than most anything still in use today, a George Daw 12 gauge shotgun made in 1867. I am still hunting with it over 150 years later...

 

[glass eye]

I have too many vintage items to list and I still use them.
Probably have more tents than I should but they all serve a purpose.
North Face Aerohead
Garuda Atman
Marmot Swallow 3P
North Face Himalayan 47 that replaced my Oval Intention
North Face RoadRunner 23

 

[glass eye]

I would be remiss if I didn't mention my trusty travel gnome.
Been shooting it since I bought it new in the late 70's
For the first time in 40 years I stripped cleaned it last year.

 

[Harrier]

One of my favorite things about hunting is using old/used/vintage gear — I posted a photo of my boots over in the old boots thread. The only time this hasn’t worked out for me was on a trip where my 15-year-old tent failed to be sufficiently rain proof.

Here I am on a different trip with a 1970s-era external frame pack (since replaced with an early 2000s version that is a better color for hunting).

 

[Dsnow9]

This hat is from the 1989 world ski championships. I was 2 but recently found it in a keep sake box my mom saved for me. Colorado’s pink laws have me a reason to bring it back!

 

[rustednuts]

I've replaced my MSR Whisperlite with a jet boil, but still use a lot of 20 year old plus gear. The whisperlite is a miserable pos imo.

If you haven't lit a picnic table on fire or almost started a forest fire, have you really used a whisperlite?

 

[glass eye]

If you haven't lit a picnic table on fire or almost started a forest fire, have you really used a whisperlite?

The Whisperlite is my least favorite. However, the XGK sounds like a cutting torch. One time we were cooking with it at a NP campground in the quiet evening and we were talking while cooking and when I suddenly turned off the stove in mid conversation we realized that we had been shouting all along.

 

[longbow51]

The Whisperlite is my least favorite. However, the XGK sounds like a cutting torch. One time we were cooking with it at a NP campground in the quiet evening and we were talking while cooking and when I suddenly turned off the stove in mid conversation we realized that we had been shouting all along.

Uh, guys, Whisperlites aren't vintage.

 

[hank4elk]

Uh, guys, Whisperlites aren't vintage.

View attachment 189872

I was going to mention my Svea stove that predates my Dragonfly. Got it in 1967,the Kelty packpack the next year. Got out of HS a year early,72' making a down bag,parka & tent. Frostline kits. Still have the parka & bag.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

Uh, guys, Whisperlites aren't vintage.

View attachment 189872

I have 2 SVEA stoves also!

Kolpin gun boots have also served me well for over 30 years and still going strong.
A couple Kolpin gun boots are always in my boat on the way to moose/duck camp.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

I would be remiss if I didn't mention my trusty travel gnome.
Been shooting it since I bought it new in the late 70's
For the first time in 40 years I stripped cleaned it last year.



View attachment 189834View attachment 189835

Browning A-5? One of my friends shoots a 16-gauge...