Last August when I was out hiking with a friend (Pictured Rocks NL), we came into our evening's campground. When looking for a site, along with the collection of ordinary tents you see everywhere, I noticed there was also one unusual looking wedge shaped tent. That evening, I met the owner at the campfire. She was a very experienced backpacker with nice gear. I asked her about her tent. She said she didn't know much about it, other than she got it second hand from a friend who said it had been custom made by a guy who had the same name as Goldie Hawn's husband. After getting home, I did some Googling and found that Kurt Russell (not the actor) was one of the earliest makers (pre-Tarp Tent) of innovative ultra-light backpacking tents. His Nomad Wanderlust tent seems to be the progenitor of the Lightheart and several other similar designs. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture to share, but it was interesting to see a tent that seemed to have such an influence on modern backpacking.
Welcome to the AppalachianTrailCafe.net!
Take a moment and register and then join the conversation
Take a moment and register and then join the conversation
Historic Backpacking Tents
This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site, you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy.
-
-
thats a blast from the past.
this was "the" tent to get according to all the forums around 2000 or so. then for some unknown reason (at least to me) all the posts went from this being the greatest tent ever to people sending in deposits and not getting their tents. or if they were lucky getting them a year later. no communication at all from the owner; emails ignored, etc. this went from being the hottest thing going to people being warned not to do business with him.
anybody know the real story as to what happened?2,000 miler -
-
-
Most of the Scout troops I was part of had the old T-pole Explorer tents. Canvas, some waterproofing. Short walls on the sides and back. Canvas door with cloth strip ties. Not a hiking tent. Although we did walk up to 5 miles carrying them.
For the Scout troops sponsered by Army bases, we had shelter halves. Two made a tent. But I tried putting 4 together and got a much roomier tent. These were made to hike with. One shelter half, half the metal pegs and one tent pole by each person sleeping in it.
The other ones were big military squad tents, carted by truck, not hikers.--
"What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me. -
While its not there now - for many years George Washington's Campaign tent used at Yorktown and Valley Forge is part of a private collection and appears from time to time at museums....I was surprised to see it the first time.
[IMG:http://www.getawaymavens.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/George-Washington-Field-Tent.jpg]Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! -
Shelter half's... yup
[IMG:http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-nACfCc_dEw/SsJgE6HnnYI/AAAAAAAAAXc/6u51_ITJ7sE/s400/Rockford+9-09+063.jpg]Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! -
Nearby where I live is the historic Ft. Lupton area. There were four fur trading forts there in the 1840s that did the equivalent of millions of dollars in pelts and other trade goods. At the time, it was pretty much the only outpost of Euro-American culture between Bents Old Fort (on the Arkansas River, the pre 1848 Mexican border) and Ft. Laramie in Wyoming.
mman.us/FourFortsAlongSPlatte.htm
Anyway, a few times a year, people come from all over to do a "Rendezvous" in the Ft. Lupton area and re-create the historic shelters, clothing and gear of the 1840s fur trappers. There is a year round black powder range, too, near the historic fort reconstruction.
spvhs.org/trapper-days-rendezvous.html
The wife and I caught the tail end of this one weekend. Fairly cool. They were camped along the Platte in the cottonwoods. -
WiseOldOwl wrote:
Shelter half's... yup
[IMG:http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-nACfCc_dEw/SsJgE6HnnYI/AAAAAAAAAXc/6u51_ITJ7sE/s400/Rockford+9-09+063.jpg]
Thats more like a 4 person summer camp tent.--
"What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me. -
PaulMags wrote:
Nearby where I live is the historic Ft. Lupton area. There were four fur trading forts there in the 1840s that did the equivalent of millions of dollars in pelts and other trade goods. At the time, it was pretty much the only outpost of Euro-American culture between Bents Old Fort (on the Arkansas River, the pre 1848 Mexican border) and Ft. Laramie in Wyoming.
mman.us/FourFortsAlongSPlatte.htm
Anyway, a few times a year, people come from all over to do a "Rendezvous" in the Ft. Lupton area and re-create the historic shelters, clothing and gear of the 1840s fur trappers. There is a year round black powder range, too, near the historic fort reconstruction.
spvhs.org/trapper-days-rendezvous.html
The wife and I caught the tail end of this one weekend. Fairly cool. They were camped along the Platte in the cottonwoods.
Ayup. One of the places I buy seed beads from, trying to find time to learn the beading practices of my Comanche ancestors, also supplies rendevous gear, tipis, cook gear, etc.--
"What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me. -
JimBlue wrote:
WiseOldOwl wrote:
Shelter half's... yup
[IMG:http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-nACfCc_dEw/SsJgE6HnnYI/AAAAAAAAAXc/6u51_ITJ7sE/s400/Rockford+9-09+063.jpg]
Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! -
-
I've heard of Baker's tents. Never used one. T-pole explorer tents and shelter halves. My dome tent with a floor and sreens will be a bigstep up for me.
edit:
Well, I guess me mind is going dancing or something.
We used Baker tents at summer camp. Other campsites had buildings with 3 bunk beds in them, they looked like Adirondack shelters. Three sided wooden buildings, a wood awning, with a small concrete firepit in two sections in front of it. One side had metal rods so we could cook and the other side was for heating the shelter. I think that Scout camp tore them down though. Too costly to maintain or somethnig.--
"What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.The post was edited 1 time, last by JimBlue ().
-
JimBlue wrote:
PaulMags wrote:
Nearby where I live is the historic Ft. Lupton area. There were four fur trading forts there in the 1840s that did the equivalent of millions of dollars in pelts and other trade goods. At the time, it was pretty much the only outpost of Euro-American culture between Bents Old Fort (on the Arkansas River, the pre 1848 Mexican border) and Ft. Laramie in Wyoming.
mman.us/FourFortsAlongSPlatte.htm
Anyway, a few times a year, people come from all over to do a "Rendezvous" in the Ft. Lupton area and re-create the historic shelters, clothing and gear of the 1840s fur trappers. There is a year round black powder range, too, near the historic fort reconstruction.
spvhs.org/trapper-days-rendezvous.html
The wife and I caught the tail end of this one weekend. Fairly cool. They were camped along the Platte in the cottonwoods.
-
-
The ultimate site for tents that are period is tentsmiths. They use modern top quality materials and make tents for movies...
tentsmiths.com/
Thanks for the like... the tent are very heavily researched and clearly they pay attention to detail/.
[IMG:http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg275/MarkSwarbrick/2008Derek159.jpg]Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you!The post was edited 1 time, last by Wise Old Owl ().
-
Share
- Facebook 0
- Twitter 0
- Google Plus 0
- Reddit 0