The Adventurer's Gear Thread

[Renault]

Yeah! Remember when Dixie Gun Works still had the original haversacks and canteens as a stock item???

Those were the days!

Postscript!!!

Evidently S &S Firearms is letting go of a bunch of their old Bannerman stuff! My how those haversacks have gone up in price.

 

[Renault]

My old 1903 haversack and a grenade bag.

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

I saw this photo and it made me think of my dreams as a very young child, my next door neighbours little girl (same age as me) and I used to say we were going to travel across Africa when we were older, although we did say a VW camper.

Seeing these two in their adventure clothing really made me smile.




here's to you Nula wherever you are!

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

To help with my kids adventure/safari theme I framed this "old" map in a dissused frame that had an old angling print in it that I was going to chuck.

The map of the dark continent cost me $3.00 from Disney (it was the Animal Kingdom Lodge [huh] )and is supposed to be parchment (perhaps it's shows the way to Kings Solomon's mines! ) While not a true map of Arfica in 1626 it has a certain look that is handy for children to ponder over and help promote that wanderlust for exploring.



And my 1955 copy of Kings Soloman's mines and map and one I take with me when I go camping. As this film with Stuart Granger and Debroah Kerr along with the Tarzan films really inspired me as a child to go on Safari, so I read it at least once a year.

 

[Renault]

Every boys dream! The Foreign Legion!!!!

.



And I get some of my best material from Mr. Service!


Interesting story about the fellow on the front of the Service book. He lost portions of both feet to frostbite. So he made "new feet" for himself from the feet of a grizzly bear he killed! I bet he even used that old "flat side" 95 in the photo!

 

[Oldsarge]

So, Mr. Godfrey, did you ever make it to Africa?

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

Yes, Oldsarge.

South Africa and Tanzania and North Arfica too but never West Africa, although I was supposed to go to Uganda once but went to India instead.

I loved all my time in Africa but gutted I never saw a dung beetle! Although to hear the roar of a Lion is one I will not forget.

Need to return one day as it gets into your blood maybe Botswana next time, with my book of course

 

[Oldsarge]

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.

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

While in Fortnum and Mason yesterday I spotted this wonderful piece of campaign furniture, it may be new but I would love to purchase one set. Truly a great piece of design and style!

The quality of the oak, leather and brass is second to none but then for £1700 I guess it would be. The chair I found rather comfortable and would be ideal for my dream camp.

It is made for Gurkha and all the profit goes to the Gurkha charity.

http://www.richardwrightman.com/ghurka

Impractical I know but oozes style, eh!

 

[David Conwill]

I'll bet this guy reads The Chap.

The Desert Road to Turkestan, National Geographic, June, 1929.

-Dave

Does anyone know where I might find a pair of socks like this?

 

[Heathfox]

Does anyone know where I might find a pair of socks like this?

Here in Old England we call such socks "shooting socks" often with turn-overs in contrasting colours, the Scots know them as "kilt hose" in all sorts of colours - you might want to try looking for those. It is basically a sturdy pair of wool socks long enough to fold over at the tops, you may want to hold them up with elastic "garters". My favourite military tailors Messrs What, Price and Glory do a British army khaki hose: http://onlinemilitaria.net/products/983-UK-Khaki-Full-Hose/?bc=no

 

[fireman]

I don't know if I posted this before but WPG has some cool stuff. Folding camp table.

http://onlinemilitaria.net/products/4638-UK-Folding-Camp-Table-For-Non-US-Customers-only/

Jerry has a bunch of different usable camping/adventure/safari type stuff. Pretty decent on prices.

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

I don't know if I posted this before but WPG has some cool stuff. Folding camp table.

http://onlinemilitaria.net/products/4638-UK-Folding-Camp-Table-For-Non-US-Customers-only/

Jerry has a bunch of different usable camping/adventure/safari type stuff. Pretty decent on prices.

Nice, may have to purchase one.

 

[BlueTrain]

As far as the socks go, I managed to find a pair of German army knee socks, as worn with knickers by the mountain troops. Don't know if they still wear them or not; doubtful. Old camping handbooks used to mention "German socks" as a cold weather item but I've never been quite sure what they were supposed to be. At any rate, I've never gotten around to actually wearing them.

I don't do much adventuring anymore but I do have my fantasies. Most of them are inspired by the Alaskan gold rush of 1898. There are numerous outfitter lists here and there on the internet. Supposedly trekkers had to take a year's supply of everything before they could go. Also, I've always been fascinated by things from the movies, specific movies, too. Either movies about Alaska or set in the jungle. I've never been to either place, but I've been to Big Bear, California, where many of those movies about Alaska and Canada were actually filmed. In fact, I made a point of doing that when we were out there. The jungle side of my dreams is more Jungle Jim than anything else.

A more realistic lifestyle, if you want to call it that, is basic backwoodsman, which definitely includes anyone in Alaska, except for Sarah Palin, as well as Jungle Jim. It also includes prospectors in the Southwest, loggers in the Northwest, perhaps cowboys wherever they may be and pretty much everyone in West Virginia, which is where I'm from. I've also been to Oklahoma but it just isn't the same.

 

[Baggers]

Going through this thread again and to update the legging status, Jerry at What Price Glory has been busy. He now has the M1897 and '98 models in stock in his eBay store:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331827302504?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
He also has a nifty looking civilian legging that might serve as well:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leather-and...emans-Private-Purchase-Leggings-/331822088098
I was able to handle examples of both last month at the centennial observance of the 1916 raid by Pancho Villa on Columbus New Mexico, and the quality of both were excellent.
After re-watching some of Milius' Rough Riders movie last night, looks like I'll be getting in on the Span Am War too. I guess that means I'll be getting Jerry's new M1883 wool shirt too. He's been getting waaay too much of my money lately.

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

Mr. Conwill

I noticed these the other day and hope they answer your quest.

http://www.shipton.com/mens-shooting-socks.html

 

[BlueTrain]

In real life, nobody went to the Alaska gold rush and the Spanish-American war, too. When they heard about it in Alaska and the Yukon, it was over by the time they got back.

 

[Baggers]

Perhaps you need to spend some time reading up on Frederick Russell Burnham. He never went to Cuba, but he did have quite a life that spanned the Old West, Rhodesia, and Alaska. I'd love to see a movie made about that man's life.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Russell_Burnham

 

[BlueTrain]

Oh, I've heard of him. I didn't remember him being in Alaska, however. Also interesting that he ended up in California. So did Jack London. I'd say that the Old West ended just about the time Burnham died.

The father of my wife's uncle (she only has one uncle) was an ambulance driver in WWI but I don't know if he considered that an adventure or not. He wasn't in it for the money.

An interesting book about real life adventurers in the North is "Yukoners." Ordinary people no one's ever heard of living ordinary lives in an extraordinary place. There were other gold rushes after 1898.

 

[Bushman]

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: