Rucksack: vintage or 'new' WPG Bergans?

[H.Johnson]

I'm not sure we can blame the rucksacks for what happened to the 1934 expedition!

And surely Hermann Buhl (my boyhood hero) more than made up for that tragedy with his solo ascent (without 'gas') in 1953. I felt at the time in my boyish way that his achievement even overshadowed the Commonwealth Everest expedition. Strange what you feel when you are young. Perhaps it was the way my dad's mountaineering pals talked about it. Nanga Parbat is a climber's mountain if ever there was one...

BT,

According to the Deuter website - http://www.deutergb.co.uk/about-deuter/ - Tauern rucksacks were used on the 1938 ascent of the North Face of the Eiger, which means that Heinrich Harrer might have worn one. Which brings us back to an ancient FL quest. You might not have Brad Pitt's anorak, but you might have Heinrich Harrer's rucksack.

PS: The Tauern apparently got its first big outing on the 1934 Nanga Parbat expedition, which might not, on reflection, be a particularly good advertisement...

 

[BellyTank]

Yes-

"1939: All equipment and tent production was taken over for the armed forces."

Of course.


B
T

 

[pipvh]

And surely Hermann Buhl (my boyhood hero) more than made up for that tragedy with his solo ascent (without 'gas') in 1953. I felt at the time in my boyish way that his achievement even overshadowed the Commonwealth Everest expedition. Strange what you feel when you are young.

It's incredible what those people endured, and achieved. It was always explorers who were my childhood heroes as well (in my case Scott and particularly Captain Oates). I suppose it's more or less unimaginable that a climbing expedition today could suffer like the 1934 Nanga Parbat attempt. And we can't really understand how wild and isolated those places were back then. I've been wondering recently whether Hillary and Tenzing didn't capture my imagination all that much (I was born in the early 1960s, so it was already relatively distant for me) because they appeared to have a fairly easy time of it. Sad but true: it's the epic tragedies that are the stuff of legend.

 

[jab]

I saw it but didn't investigate - great pictures. An original Bergans from the '20s or '30s came up for sale on the 'bay a while ago, in Florida of all places! Needless to say I found it too late, but it didn't go for much. I really love the logo of the two blokes - 'with & without.' I'm determined not to be 'without...'

pipvh: if you're still interested, I'm looking to sell my grandfather's canvas Bergan from the 1920/30s. (Bergans put the age in this bracket)
PM me if you (or anyone else) is interested.
I'll be in the UK at the beginning of January, could mail it then

ADMIN NOTICE *Need 15+ Postings to activate PM facility* I'm on the lookout myself for a 30's Bergen (Paddy).

 

[Heeresbergführer]

Grüß Di' Bergkameraden,

Some great looking rucksacks that people have posted...really love the 'minty' Deuter Tauern Rucksack. I have a few Tauerns and other Deuter wartime Gebirgsjäger rucksacks, as well as a few other makes:

The Tauern Rucksack is very comfortable to climb and hike with even when loaded with about 60 lbs. of clothing and gear...did a period climb up to 10,000 ft in the French Alps in 2010 with one:

IMG_0156 by bergfuhrerkiser, on Flickr

IMG_0293 by bergfuhrerkiser, on Flickr


Berg Heil,

Patrick

 

[PADDY]

Looks lovely Patrick!

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

Super collection Patrick. Love you last photo IMG_0293 a cracking photo IMHO, Thanks for sharing.

 

[Giftmacher]

You're probably avoiding it...
Don't forget the original rucksack thread/s:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=18459

Czech rucksacks are nice, especially if you cab get one with the removable
leather straps, rather than the sewn-on nylon webbing-

ebay has one- #170447683304

Here is one of mine- my best Czech:

I just did a Google image search for "Czech rucksack" and as happens so often,
the first result is one of mine, from here...

Keep looking, you'll find the right one.

B
T

Got same. It's cheap, durable and capacious. Official name is "tlumok vz.60" (rucksack patt.1960)

 

[Giftmacher]

Awesome photos Patrick! So is your collection.

 

[PADDY]

Must keep an eye out for those Czech ones!

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