Vintage Gear

Originally posted by osage I have a coleman stove my better half gave me for our first christmas in 1967 still works good

COOL! You have me beat by at least a decade on the stove. I bought mine a year or two after the lantern. Coleman made good stuff, didn't they?

I can't resist the urge to show the "original" camping vehicle, either.



The original "Campground Assault Vehicle" was a 1972 Vega GT. When it ran, it wasn't a bad vehicle for camping. It got good mileage and, with the rear seat folded down, there was lots of room for the camping gear. In a pinch (like the tent flooding) it was big enough to sleep back there.   

At any rate, it ran enough of the time to get me around to just about all (maybe all) of the Indiana State Parks. The "routine" back then was camp a weekend, stay home the next...repeat, during season.

Here is something for your viewing pleasure - some of my old/original camping gear! In another recent thread, we were joking about never throwing things away. That got me to thinking about some of my "vintage" gear. I'll post as I find the stuff. If you have some, please share.

First is my Coleman single mantle, white gas lantern:



As you can see, I still have the original box, also. I'm not sure they even made the plastic carry cases back then so, it always got transported in it's box, for safety. It has been "retired" for several years - replaced by one of the "new fangled" propane, double mantle versions.

As you can see in this photo....



I purchased it in 1977 from a "Woolco" dept. store. This was "Woolworth's" venture into a slightly upscale store, to compete with JC Penny and Sears, at the time. My first 3 years of camping, prior to the lantern, were mostly dark. The lantern was a big upgrade from candles and a sizable investment for a young guy of modest means. Next year, it will be 40 years old and has seen a lot of campsites over the decades!

I'll have to just give you a "teaser" on my Coleman white gas camp stove



Stored in the mini-barn, I found, when opened, it has become a home/nest for mice. I'll have to clean it up a bit before showing you that.