I love this Gear Forum and I read every thread although the truth is I seldom buy gear. I am 68 and I still trip with some gear I used when I was a teenager.

My two questions for you are 1) what decades-old gear do you still love and use?, and 2) what have you bought in the last few years that you can imagine your kids or grandkids still using 50 years from now?

I have and still use my Duluth packs I bought in 1979. They are still in really good shape for many more decades of use.

North Face VE-24, South Kawishiwi River, March 2023. Purchased in Anchorage and used on its first winter trip to watch the Iditarod Sled Dog Race the year Libby Riddles won - 1985.









Old Town Penobscot 17, purchased new in 1998.













Thaw sleeping bag, purchased in 1971 at the original Midwest Mountaineering store (pic to follow).

Svea 1-2-3 stove, given to me by my parents in 1968 (pic to follow).

I still use Duluth packs which I purchased the first of in the early 1970’s. I have upgraded my tents and sleeping system since then but still use my 1973 REI down bags during the summer. And age 76 I don’t see myself getting too much more gear. Over the past few years I have sold off excess gear including 3 canoes.

gravelroad: "North Face VE-24, South Kawishiwi River, March 2023. Purchased in Anchorage and used on its first winter trip to watch the Iditarod Sled Dog Race the year Libby Riddles won - 1985.

Well, that is impressive! 38 years and still going?! I looked this tent up and the new VE-25 sells for $750, which is a lot in my book (I once bought a '66 Mustang convertible for less than that!) but that comes out to less than $20 a year for that tent. Wow.

Still got my timberline two from the 90s and when I need it my dad's timberline 4 from who knows when.

I imagine my 2 CCS packs and even my 5 or 6 Kondos no. 3s will be used by my sons. Perhaps my 2 dragonfly stoves each with dragon tamers. A couple of Coleman stoves and a CV puller of Coleman lanterns. I expect tents and pads and bags will not be so useful. I hope at 72 I use them a few more times. :)

This old blue '62 Thompson canoe is probably my oldest piece of gear. My dad bought it new when I was 7 years old. The canoe is still like new, the '72 Pinto never returned from that trip to Flin Flon!

For some reason the plastic bags we used for our equipment on our first trip just didn't last but the marriage has.

First pocket knife, an Old Timer three blade, goes with me on every trip for 41 years now.

Timberline 4 tent just turned 22 and goes whenever we have three or four people staying in a tent...at least once a year.

On colder trips my wool hat goes which was handmade by a friend 29 years ago.

My yellow REI waterproof bag. Has made it on every trip. Sorry I do not know how to post photos.

I got this map holder in the late 90’s. Grade VI Paddling Gear. It was on clearance at the old Gander Mountain in Burnsville for 5 bucks. I hadn’t even gone on a trip, but was planning my first and figured I needed a map holder.

I’ve looked for a replacement for many years…although I don’t know why this one may never wear out. It’s the perfect size—I like to see a lot of the map, I don’t like changing the map on the go—always needs to be done at a bad time… It has a zipper holder where I put my permits/license for easy access. It quickly attaches to the thwart or a pack so it won’t blow away. It’s simply perfect and nothing I’ve seen since compares. It’s ruined me for map cases LOL.

My canoe is well over 100 years old, and I have a couple of Clements paddles that are 35-40 years old. And I have a Duluth style pack that my mother made for me in 1980.

1) Most of my cookware came from the man who introduced my dad to canoe camping in the 70's. When he passed away he passed on the cook set to my dad. By then dad had all his own equipment and so passed it to me.
2) My first kid is not 1 yet so not much new gear here. I'm hoping to get a lot of miles out of my Granite Gear pack and many nights in my Marmot Tungsten 4 (which was purchased from a member here)

Our most durable gear has been the "factory-equipment" knees, hips, and shoulders that have entered their eighth decade of use. We continue to make gear purchases that keep our portage weight down so as not to overly-stress said knees, hips, and shoulders. We sell the heavier gear, so when our paddling days are over, most of our paddling equipment will be fairly new.

TZ

Well, we don't still use it, but it has gone to a new owner. We just gave away our Eureka two person tent, still no holes! Photo taken when we lived in Bolivia back in the early 80's. We were hiking the Inca Trail. You wouldn't recognize me now!

Dave

Traveler: "
This old blue '62 Thompson canoe is probably my oldest piece of gear. My dad bought it new when I was 7 years old. The canoe is still like new, the '72 Pinto never returned from that trip to Flin Flon!
"

That's a great picture. I'd like to hear the story of why the Pinto did not come back from Flin Flon

WHendrix: "

Traveler: "
This old blue '62 Thompson canoe is probably my oldest piece of gear. My dad bought it new when I was 7 years old. The canoe is still like new, the '72 Pinto never returned from that trip to Flin Flon!
"

That's a great picture. I'd like to hear the story of why the Pinto did not come back from Flin Flon"

Best guess is it was rear-ended by a bicycle and exploded.

The Pinto made it to Flin Flon and back as far as northern Minnesota before it died. My best friend (the guy in the picture) was from Longville and we left the car at his parent's house and took another car back to Arkansas. As I recall my friend's little brother eventually got it running again. Not sure why!

The Pinto was my wife's car when we got married and clearly it was a piece of junk but it did get me to the wildest canoe trip of my life - 20 days on the Grass River out of Cranberry Portage. Great memories!

Traveler: "The Pinto made it to Flin Flon and back as far as northern Minnesota before it died. My best friend (the guy in the picture) was from Longville and we left the car at his parent's house and took another car back to Arkansas. As I recall my friend's little brother eventually got it running again. Not sure why!


The Pinto was my wife's car when we got married and clearly it was a piece of junk but it did get me to the wildest canoe trip of my life - 20 days on the Grass River out of Cranberry Portage. Great memories!"

Having owned more than one pos car I was more concerned about the canoe

3 old things I use and hope to hand down:
1. Svea 123R stove - The stove has been used all over the world since I bought it in 1979. It has never failed once.

2. Hudson Bay trail ax - Well, an ax is an ax and with proper maintenance should last a very long time.

3. Victorinox SAK - this might not last as long as an ax, but with care it should last more than a lifetime.

I have, and still use on occasion, a solid ash paddle I acquired in 1967. I went to BSA Region 7 Canoe Base as a "voyageur", the scout who goes 5 days early to learn the tripping method and how to teach it to the rest of the group when they arrive. A real honor for sure. We got to choose a paddle and I found one with real straight grain the whole length. At the end of the trip we had the opportunity to buy our paddle for $10. It took all the spending money I had for the trip, but it was well worth it.

So many of my best memories include that paddle!

I also have Duluth packs dating back to early 1970s. A set of "nesting billies" from REI from 1972. A Silva Ranger compass from 1968. All stuff I still use.

gravelroad: "North Face VE-24, South Kawishiwi River, March 2023. Purchased in Anchorage and used on its first winter trip to watch the Iditarod Sled Dog Race the year Libby Riddles won - 1985.”

My mom did her research and bought me a VE 24 back around 1980 ish. I loved that tent. Unfortunately at some point the floor started leaking, we sealed the seams, but eventually the walls started sticking together and started smelling. We finally retired it a few years ago.

I still have the North Face D4 external backpack my mom bought me for Christmas in 1980. (She originally got the D5 but that thing was huge,). It’s a great pack, especially for hiking, but doesn’t fit very well in a canoe (we did it for several years). So maybe one of the kids will want it.

And while our alumnacraft doesn’t get on the water very often now, we do still use it. And it is the first thing my husband bought with his first paycheck back in 1984. Priorities!











Thaw sleeping bag, purchased in 1971 at the original Midwest Mountaineering store (pic to follow).


Svea 1-2-3 stove, given to me by my parents in 1968 (pic to follow).
"

Decades old:
Gerber Gator folding knife - 29 years and even lost it for a year, then found by the woodpile a after laying outside an entire winter. Perfect condition.

Kelty Tornado 4000 backpack - 21 years.


Hopeful to be timeless:
Sven Saw
Granfors Bruks hatchet
Titanium Pots & Stoves
Leatherman Wave+ & other knives

I have an Optimus Nova stove, Gransfors Bruks Hunter's Axe, and Filson Mackinaw vest that are all past the 20 year mark and still going strong. The stove requires new O-rings occasionally which Optimus sells as part of a repair kit.

My 44-year-old Stephenson's Warmlite tent went into the Quetico for 10 days last year.

I imagine my CCS map case/thwart bag combo and Duluth/Frankenstein portage packs will outlast me.

Traveler: "

gravelroad: "North Face VE-24, South Kawishiwi River, March 2023. Purchased in Anchorage and used on its first winter trip to watch the Iditarod Sled Dog Race the year Libby Riddles won - 1985.


Well, that is impressive! 38 years and still going?! I looked this tent up and the new VE-25 sells for $750, which is a lot in my book (I once bought a '66 Mustang convertible for less than that!) but that comes out to less than $20 a year for that tent. Wow.

"

North Face replaced the door zipper when it failed about fifteen years ago, for the cost of one-way shipping. And they replaced the screen zipper, which didn't need it.

All I've had to do is add some Gorilla tape along the pole sleeves.

If it does not get lost again, my Estwing hatchet could be in service many decades from now. I have no idea how old it actually is. When did Estwing start making them with the rubber handle?
It has been in my service since the late '70's when I found it in the woods while deer hunting.

I have an Estwing geologist hammer from 1962 with the blue rubber grip.

Traveler: "
This old blue '62 Thompson canoe is probably my oldest piece of gear. My dad bought it new when I was 7 years old. The canoe is still like new, the '72 Pinto never returned from that trip to Flin Flon!
"

That Pinto looks like it should not have STARTED the trip to Flin Flon!

This old day pack. Bought it used for about $20 at an army surplus store about 30 years ago and love it. So many pockets for the small odds and ends we like to bring. And just the right size. It was Austrian army issue from about the 1960's-70's and is certainly wearing out as it's now needing repair before each trip. I did buy another pack intended as it's replacement but this old faithful still comes with me each trip. We call it the "Heicke Pack" since apparantly that was the name of the soldier it was issued to and who wrote their name on it. I will miss it when it finally has to go.

Also a Sven saw that is about 55 years old and a buck knife that is about that age as well.

And my AlumaCraft QT17-CL that I bought new over 30 years ago and which serves me well even though I'm often scoffed at for "still" using an aluminum canoe in the BWCA.

My 86 Advantage. May have more Q miles than any solo in existence (mainly because Magic Paddler has multiple solos).

I came of age in the 1970s so my oldest gear dates from then. Just retired my FrostLine Bighorn sleeping bag that I sewed together in 1972. Kept me warm at 20 below. The zipper finally failed, now it's a quilt. My set of 3 Sigg aluminum kettles. These were the bees knees back in the day, and I struggled to afford them. Bought each one individually - couldn't do the full set all at once. My Primus (not Optimus) 8R stove. Bulletproof, too heavy, but a stalwart performer. My Case XX sheath knife, possibly the 1st outdoor gear item I owned. Suunto compass from 1981. All still worthy.

MrEarl56: "I came of age in the 1970s so my oldest gear dates from then. Just retired my FrostLine Bighorn sleeping bag that I sewed together in 1972. Kept me warm at 20 below. The zipper finally failed, now it's a quilt. My set of 3 Sigg aluminum kettles. These were the bees knees back in the day, and I struggled to afford them. Bought each one individually - couldn't do the full set all at once. My Primus (not Optimus) 8R stove. Bulletproof, too heavy, but a stalwart performer. My Case XX sheath knife, possibly the 1st outdoor gear item I owned. Suunto compass from 1981. All still worthy."

It almost sounds as if you got into my gear closet - I have much of the same stuff as you do. I am still using some of the Frostline kit stuff my wife sewed together for me in the 70’s, still have an Optimus 99 stove, 3 different sizes of Sigg fuel bottles. In fact, a lot of my gear is old, just like me.