The Adventurer's Gear Thread

[BlueTrain]

I should have mentioned earlier (never too late, I guess) that my boss, who is the exact same age I am, grew up in Northern Rhodesia. He has actually driven across Africa. He isn't all that romantic about it but he still goes back every year or so. His mother still lives in, I think, J-burg, as he calls it. He graduated university at Durban and has a photo of the town on his wall with the dragon's teeth in the background along with a pre-war National Geographic map of the continent. Most of the names as well as those in the Middle East have changed since then.

Regarding the Mallory Expedition, was the original poster thinking of Norfolk jackets? As I recall, they do appear in some photos of the expedition at their base camp. At least one person was wearing a British Warm. But once they set off in their attempt to make the summit, the climbers, at least, wore special clothing. Personally, I'd like to have a Norfolk jacket, though I confess as to never having made an exhausting search for one but I tire easily these days. As it is, though, I rarely wear any form of dress jacket or suit anymore. My boss and I alone still wear neckties out of all the people who work here. I also recall that Jackie Gleason wore a Norfolk jacket in the sketches he did on his show of the "Poor Soul," if I'm remembering the character correctly, and that sort of throws a monkey wrench into the idea.

Did I ever show you my monkey wrench?

 

[Mark G]

Zimbabwe, RSA (Kwa-Zulu province) and Mozambique here. Get in your blood? I should say it does. I've often told hunters who say they want to go "and get it out of my system" that going to Africa only makes it worse. Go once and you will bend Heaven and Hell to get back. The only reason I stopped going was that however lovely being in Africa is, getting to Africa, especially from the Left Coast of the US is just miserable. The trip you take from London is only the second half of the trip for me and that version of the flight is the more comfortable. Trying to go straight LA-Dulles-Jo'burg is enough to try the patience of a saint. Until I can save up enough to fly business class the whole way I shall restrict my African adventures to memories and the printed page, regrettably. Some day, though, and Uganda is high on my wish list.

"It's impossible to shake the ancient dust of Africa off your boots" Been to South Africa, Namibia, Tanzania and most often Kenya. All told, 7 times. While not that popular now, I really like the East and West Tsavo regions of Colonel Patterson fame. There are almost no people and it's easy to get lost in the beauty.

 

[Alex Neves]

 

[Alex Neves]

 

[Oldsarge]

Man, I want to do the Amazon for peacock bass soooooo bad!

 

[Alex Neves]

Man, I want to do the Amazon for peacock bass soooooo bad!

I'll be there in 50 days!

 

[Mojave Jack]

Hey guys, I just got my Willis and Geiger rucksack in! It's a little used, but it's otherwise fantastic. The distribution of weight of the bag is far superior to my old pack:

I finally got a W&G rucksack, as well. Back when they were going out of business and everything was getting marked down, I was going to snag one. My wife at the time said, no way are you paying that for a backpack! Well, instead of getting it anyway, I caved. She's now my ex, for a lot more reasons that that, and I finally got myself the pack I've been wanting ever since! Love this thing, and it even had the should strap pocket, which I think just about everyone else threw away. I guess those that tossed that pocket didn't anticipate the rise of the smart phone, cuz it fits my S7 perfectly.

 

[BlueTrain]

Really interesting outfit. I have a "bunch of old things" that I regularly use, some of which I've had for nearly 50 years. My only piece of real tin ware is an old pattern French army gamelle, tinned, not galvanized. I also have a very late production French squad stew pot (Bouthéon) of aluminum, which is around five liters at least. It is interesting that the Swiss issued the original Swiss Army Knife before WWI.

The editor of Field & Stream, Warren Miller, around 1920, published a few books about camping. That was supposedly the Golden Age of Camping. It was illustrated with photos, several of which were of "patent" cooking kits and other cooking and campfire implements that he was apparently quite proud of. They were mostly all tin ware again, although I think aluminum was already being used by then. A surprising thing about the old gear was that it was often just as light as modern camping equipment, though not the feather weight ultra-light stuff. When Miller died in 1960, his children just threw away his old camping things.

Horace Kephart is probably much better known as an outdoor writer and his stuff didn't get thrown away. Much of his gear, photographs and notes are in a collection at Western Carolina University and can be seen on-line.

I wasn't born in the wrong decade but I don't live there now.

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

Very nice collection of equipment Greencanoes and great to here that you use in vengeance too. Really would like to use your swagroll !

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

Cool! Would like a collection like that myself and it's even better that you use it.

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

Hey Greencanoes, what is the D W book like? Does it flow when reading and is it very informative? May have to order that for myself.

 

[BlueTrain]

I have a copy of "Camping in the Old Style." It is an excellent book but I think mine is probably a first edition. It contains a lot of material reprinted from other books (with credits given) but a lot of the author's own material, too. Many of the illustrations are unfortunately are reproduced rather darkly for some reason. I discovered that I had some of the original books anyway. They say that if you want to learn something new, read an old book.

I have one of the post-war French rucksacks with the "X" frame but I find the earlier ones to be more comfortable. I had one that I used until the frame came apart. It only differed from the later ones in the frame design and was obviously weaker. There were three or four pre-war versions of "sacs a dos," all for mountain troops and skiers. Some had detachable pockets (musettes). My French Army rucksack was manufactured by a French company, I think Lafuma, if I'm remembering the name right.

Over the years I have accumulated a fair amount of cooking equipment. I try to use it all for one thing or another and most pieces get used for certain situations, same as the pots and pans in your kitchen. It's hard to resist picking up some new and novel surplus cook kits when I run across something but at least it isn't expensive. I live where I can take a long walk in the woods, something like a couple of miles out and back, and usually take something along to stop and fiddle with and do little experiments down on the ground among the twigs and leaves. I live in a "thickly settled" (as my father would say) area and really can't build fires. I usually use the little Esbit cooker.

I have a British P37 officer's haversack that I've added a crossbelt from a Russian Sam Browne outfit, which turns out to be sufficient for a small water bottle, snack and 1st aid things. I've carried the same first aid outfit for decades and only rarely needed it. Mostly I've concluded that it is unnecessary for what it is useful for and inadequate for any real emergency of the sorts that I've actually had. But I've only seriously injured myself at home. So I agree with Robert Service who said in some many words that it is safer in the woods.

One thing I don't have is a way to take and post pictures. I'm not that advanced.

 

[fireman]

Greencanoe....great gear. Thanks for sharing it!

I would love to visit Australia and do the outback. My son has done it....lucky kid.

 

[BlueTrain]

I've never been to Australia but I've been to Oklahoma.

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

Thanks for that Greencanoes, looks like one for my Xmas list for myself. Appreciate you posting the book.

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

I've never been to Australia but I've been to Oklahoma.

Sounds like the title to a song! ;-)

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

Well it suits the thread IMHO and a nice collection indeed. Know what you mean about carrying a large heavy compass, may look nice but I prefer a lighter option.

 

[BlueTrain]

I see that the compass is graduated in degrees rather than mils.

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

Well Greencanoes, I know have the book, interesting reading, some I already have read before but I have found that going old basics is a good thing. Thanks for the tip.

 

[jswindle2]

I hate to see this thread die. Anyone got any new adventures ahead or recently enjoyed? I've started metal detecting myself. I know not very adventurous but it's gets me out to new historic places in search of interesting relics. In addition,I get to wear my safari and khaki outfits while doing it.