The Adventurer's Gear Thread

[Martinis at 8]

Is this the real Pullover, Woollen, Commandos to which you are referring (i.e. issued to WW2 British Army Commandos) or the modern all-arms 'woolly-pully' as worn by Royal Marines (and just about everyone else) in different colours?

See previous thread(s)...

In my case I am referring to the later. The issue I had was from the late 70's, before these became overly popular. Currently the modern version comes in a synthetic blend though a 100% wool version is available at a higher price. My original was a 100% wool issue.

 

[BellyTank]

They do a buckle-top version canvas jungle boot (like the Palladium) that is not stiff at all...

I have a pair of French "jungle boots" from the '50s, without the buckled cuff, they are quite chunky.

They have jute insoles.

I like them.


B
T

 

[Martinis at 8]

Here's the Bundeswehr sweater I use as one layer of clothing when I ride my motorcycle.

Very similar to the 70's version SAS sweater I had, only this one has a pocket and epaulets. I actually prefer this one, though it took a lot of mending to get it up to wearable standards. It is superior in combating cold weather as evidenced by my recent Mexico ride at high altitude.

 

[H.Johnson]

I like them, too. Especially the price. A pair of the low (non buckled) version have just been with me to Malaysia and I found them to be serious jungle boots - much better than modern versions.

I have a pair of French "jungle boots" from the '50s, without the buckled cuff, they are quite chunky.

They have jute insoles.

I like them.


B
T

 

[cookie]

Life today in East Africa is a bit different from the 20s or 30s. Regardless of having controlled hunting safaris, there would still be poachers, there are simply too many people and too much poverty.

However, I like the pictures and the clothes, and will go again on a present day non-hunting safari with the kids during Christmas when I go back to Kenya. Bigger thing for me will be a visit to Zanzibar, never been there before... But I won't be wearing my safari stuff anywhere there, that's reserved to annoy my colleagues at the office...

An Australian guy Ian (somebody can't remember his name) who travelled through East Africa Cape to Cairo in the 1970s with his wife daughter and son (aged like 8) and then revisted it with his (now grown up) children 20 years later said he could not believe the disappearance of wildlife in Tanzania around the country areas like Arusha.

 

[greatestescaper]

here is my adventure/aviator look, i'm having a vest made to match the one worn by sean connery in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen which with the boots, breeches and a hat i think would be very cool. the boots and breeches i got from whatpriceglory, the jacket and cap a local leather shop the goggles from a halcyon, and the scarf from uswings.

 

[Akubra Man]

i'm having a vest made to match the one worn by sean connery in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen which with the boots, breeches and a hat i think would be very cool

I agree wholeheartedly! The Connery look in the LOEG is created in a classic "Great White Hunter" style by the costumer and the vest looks like it has its own stories to tell. The costumer created the character of Allan Quartermain with his own look and Connery made him bigger than life and the legend he was supposed to be. That will be a great vest. You have already done well with your outfit in the in this photo and I can't wait to see your vest. :eusa_clap

 

[Creeping Past]

Connery's look in the movie was great; but what a lazy performance. He even dies sitting down during a gunfight. What a way to bow out of the movies!

 

[greatestescaper]

i wasn't thrilled with his role in the movie. but it was kind of like that in the book. he was a has been. although his introduction i like a lot better in the movie where he was not an opium addict like the graphic novel. i did think that connery did well to capture allan quatermain's feelings towards the empire and new adventure and i guess his death was supposed to be similar to that of "Allan Quatermain", however to be more accurate he should have really "gone down fighting" not watching someone else fight for him. with that said, i picked up my vest today. it is not a hundred percent movie accurate but that is because i wanted something with the influence of the movie. i am trying to create my own unique look with influences of allan quatermain, indiana jones and of course roy chapman andrews. i'll have pics to post hopefully tomorrow.

here is a photoshopped version of my aviator garb (the original was taken at my school.) in this pic my girlfriend changed the lighting and added in a real world war two hangar for the backdrop. it needs some finer tweeking but i really like it:

 

[Akubra Man]

To paraphrase Nemo .. an old tiger is at his most dangerous when it knows the end is near.

Magnoli has re-created the Quartermain vest but for a fairly hefty price. I purchased a Indiana Jones jacket from Todd's and had the sleeves removed and that is my own version of an adventurers vest. I am very happy with the result and it worked out to cost under $200 vs $340 for the SA Magnoli.

Link to the vest from Magnoli: http://magnolic.ipower.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=34&products_id=107&osCsid=78a4887e4f286310286621834d6ed85a

 

[Nick Charles]

Can we see the vest you made Akubra Man

 

[Akubra Man]

Hi Nick .. here are three vests I have made from jackets I had around. The original idea of converting a jacket to a vest came to me after I could not find a vest that I was happy with. The first was the most complicated and needed a pro's skill with a sewing machine .. my tailor also converted my Indy jacket to a vest. The Shearling was all my own doing. I cut it down and trimmed the bottom, the pockets and the arm holes with a heavy suede. I also covered the button holes and button locations with the same heavy suede and leather conchos. I added suede string ties to replace the buttons.

I am now making my son a suede shooting vest very similar to the green one the photo. But instead of being a convert from a jacket I am making it from scratch. It will have the shoulder patch and bullit holders sewen on for the hunting look.

Here are the photos of the three vests and some of my hats.

 

[Copper]

I posted a few photos in the Steamer Trunk about my trip as well, but I thought that I would post here about the kit that I took. I rode a motorcycle from Delhi to close to the furthest point that I could -as a foreigner- go in Northern Ladakh.

I rode a vintage-style Royal Enfield. Though it was a 2003 model, it retained the points ignition, bias ply ribbed tires, right side shift/left side rear brake and kick start only of the original 1950's machine. The only real differences, I am told, in the last 50 years are that they went to a 12 volt electrical system and added a front disc brake in the 1990's. The suspension was also 1950's era in design and had only about two or three inches travel in the rear with my rather large carcass occupying the seat.

As for gear, I decided early on that I wanted to bring vintage style riding gear with me insofar as was practical. Some things were non-negotiable though, such as a modern helmet.

I wanted to bring waxed cotton gear rather than goretex or similar miracle fibre for a couple reasons: first and foremost, it would be field repairable. I carried needle, thread and spray wax for stiching up any tears that might occur on the journey. Modern materials like goretex cannot be fixed the same way in the field.

Secondly, I was able to out and about wearing my Belstaff even when not on my bike. It still has a stylish look to it even when while walking.

Thirdly, I was going to have to prepare for riding in temperatures ranging from around +40 degrees Celsius to about -10 degrees Celsius (104F to 14F). As it turned out that was almost exactly the range that I did ride in. I thought that the waxed cotton gear would allow for considerable layering up and down along the way and would continue to keep me comfortable. I also figured that though it would likely not be very comfortable in the hottest of the weather I would encounter, that it would be really good in the temperate range that I would see for the bulk of the trip.

Finally, it would look right on the bike, and I hoped, would show that newer isn't always in all ways better.

I did however utilise modern high-performance fabrics for base layering.

I ended up with the following kit:

Jacket: Belstaff Trialmaster (one of the last made - fortunately I fit an XXXL)A brilliant piece of kit this. Comfortable and stylish, it also took on a gorgeous road patina very quickly and looked very much the worn-in companion it had become by trip's end. Though I sweltered in it in Delhi's heat, it worked wonderfully through the rest of the journey and kept me dry and warm when I needed it too.

Trousers: Kakadu Walk-about Oilskin. Unbelievably good value. I liked that these trousers had large cargo pockets on them, and had D-ring straps at the calves to allow them to be pulled over boots. I did modify the pants before leaving though. I cut down the straps to allow them to be tightened at the lower leg like breeches. I then used the leftover straps to make belt loops, which they oddly lacked. Again, these trousers kept me warm and dry, even through repeated water crossings in rather deep ice-cold water.

Boots: Modern Danner Acadias with Goretex liners. Best boots I have ever had. Waterproof, comfortable for walking in, and sturdy. They also served as brakes for about a kilometer of terror as I decended an ice-bound pass at 18,000 feet.

Bag: I had a tankbag in which to keep some items such as my camera, spare water and a sweater, but I also travelled with a 'camel-bak' hydration system so I could have access to water all the time. I was going through 6-8 litres a day (nearly 2 US gallons) in and around Delhi just from the heat and the high altitude air is very very dry even though it is cold. I bought a Kakadu canvas shoulder bag to keep on my back. It fit the 2L water bladder well and I was able to thread the drinking tube along the strap to keep it accessible. The canvas bag suited the rest of my gear well appearance wise, and was far nicer looking than the 'extreme sport' look of most hydration packs. Once cinched down, it stayed in place over the roughest roads. It also became quite road worn in appearance (the canvas sucked up a lot of oil from the Belstaff and got nicely dusty.)

Other: Moutain Equipment Co-op gaiters for the really wet days, Joe Rocket winter riding gloves, Teknic warm weather gloves, HJC SyMax helmet, trusty red cotton bandana of unknown origin. Various bits of polypropelyne, coolmax and fleece base layer and underwear.

I lived out of this stuff for nearly three weeks, and I didn't regret it at all. The one clear advantage that modern riding gear has though is built in armour. I took a risk in riding without it. Abrasion resistance wasn't so much of an issue on this ride as the roads kept speeds down to under 60 km/h/37MPH for all but a handful of stretches. At the end of the trip, I think that I was at least as and perhaps more comfortable overall with my gear than my riding companion who had very modern kit. I was certainly more comfortable off the bike, when the riding gear was all we had to live in.

 

[Gatsby84]

An Adventurer's Great-coat

I was wondering if anyone has or has seen a great-coat like Sean Connery wears in LXG. It seems like a great piece to finish off and ensemble for some of us adventure seekers in cooler climates.

It appears to be just a heavy coat (I'm guessing wool), button front, with a leather collar and two slash pockets and I would assume at least one interior pocket, if not two.
Photos:

For me, personally, I'm just trying to find a "close enough" great-coat, but as nothing has come up yet I think I just haven't found that magic combination of search terms.

-Allen

 

[Akubra Man]

That is a fantastic coat. Given the way it drapes and flows I figure it is made with a wool gabardine material. I had one in the 1980's and it had the same look. The coat I had had a large inverted pleat at the back that allowed the coat to open larger as needed. Another important feature of the Quartermain coat is that it is mid calf length coat and again creates the look of a big coat almost like a cape. The leather collar can be easily added to the collar of any coat by a Tailor. I had a leather collar and leather shooting patch put onto a vest I had made for me which was originally a casual jacket. See the pic below. I have attached a link to a much bigger photo of the Quartermain Coat from a movie scene.

http://www.propstore.com/content/propstorecollection/lxg/dvd1.jpg

 

[Mojave Jack]

Copper, that's an amazing story! I'm jealous, as I am of many of the adventures I read about here, but yours looks truly amazing. Kudos for the use of wax canvas and other traditional ear, but props for undertaking the journey in the first place. That is an adventure in the true sense of the word.

I've been eyeing those Royal Enfields for some time, but wouldn't you know it, I can't get one in Kalifornia. I've been trying to think of a way around it, but I can't really justify the expenditure anyway, so I guess I'll just have to wait.

 

[Copper]

Mojave Jack - Thank you. That trip has been a dream of mine for a number of years, and I took the plunge this year. There haven't been a lot of years in the last sixty in which a Westerner may travel into the Northern parts of Kashmir and Ladakh, and regrettably, I fear that there may not be many more in the near future. It really is an amazing part of the world and I have been very fortunate indeed to have been able to venture there.

There was a day early on when I was flagged down -and then mobbed, in a friendly sort of way - by locals wanting to get a photo with the Gora (not entirely polite slang for white guy, I understand) covered in road grime and riding an Enfield Bullet well off the beaten tourist path. I knew then that I was on the right path to adventure!

The Bullet is still regarded as a bit of a man's machine in India; Not everyone there has the height and/or mass to kick it over on a cold morning, or wrestle its 400+ pounds around on rough roads. 200cc bikes with electric start are the norm and one of the motoring magazines I read there featured a comparison test between a 180cc bike and a 200cc bike that was entitled -with no irony- "The Clash of the Titans": a bit of a difference from Western notions of a large motorcycle.

If I might be so bold - I would suggest though that if you cannot acquire a Royal Enfield in California, there are a number of actual vintage machines that would serve just as well. I was intruiged for a long time by the idea of a 'new vintage' machine; After a few thousand kilometers on a 2003 Enfield, I can assure you that there is no real advantage to its relative newness. They barf oil, snap cables, fling off body parts, vibrate horns into solid lumps of steel, fry electrical bits and just plain stop running in the exact same way that the truly old bikes do as well. The 'improvements' are a bit suspect as well - the front disc brake is a bit of a joke as it provides little braking action until it abruptly locks the front wheel. I would much rather a slightly weaker but more progressive leading drum vintage brake.

Here is one more shot of the bike and some of my gear:

 

[warbird]

I was wondering if anyone has or has seen a great-coat like Sean Connery wears in LXG. It seems like a great piece to finish off and ensemble for some of us adventure seekers in cooler climates.

It appears to be just a heavy coat (I'm guessing wool), button front, with a leather collar and two slash pockets and I would assume at least one interior pocket, if not two.
Photos:

For me, personally, I'm just trying to find a "close enough" great-coat, but as nothing has come up yet I think I just haven't found that magic combination of search terms.

-Allen

I think that jacket looks like waxed cotton or canvas. Doesn't look like wool to me, but I could be wrong.

 

[H.Johnson]

I just bought a coat just like this in a charity shop for 9.99GBP. It was made by Thomas Mason Ltd. in Colne, Lancashire in 1991 and has the Armsdale label. It is made from high performance Ventile (R) cotton.

 

[greatestescaper]

does anyone have tips on where i can find an affordable single breasted greatcoat? every search i've done i've only found double breasted. the only single breasted greatcoat i've found was 300 bucks. i don't have that kind of money right now.