House burned down, need to replace everything

[HaChayalBoded]

I've accumulated quite a bit of good gear over the years. Lost everything in the blink of an eye.

I have found myself going on more on more winter campouts recently and have been using borrowed gear. And have frozen my butt off.

Here are the basics I need for now.

Wide rectangular bag. Something that will unzip and become a blanket (because, well, I also need a blanket and thought I'd kill two birds). Something around 36" x 80"

I had a Campmor rectangular down bag and really really miss it. I just missed 2 that sold on eBay from campmor returns (I can't believe they took em back as they haven't been sold there for about 10 years). Anyway, I would like the same bag or something very similar.

I would also consider something along the lines of a thermarest type quilt that attaches to a pad. My favorite cold weather setup was a Big Agnes system and have come to like that type of system. But I could theoretically use any rectangular bag with something along the lines of the Feathered Friends pad sleeve adapter.

Stove

I had an older version of an optimus crux and would love to find another, the older style had 3 straight pot supports and was all metal. I still have a few larger heat exchanger pots that I had left in a friends basement where the heat exchanger fins were cut out to accommodate the older crux stove.

Here is a pic of what I am talking about. It's the one on the right.
29937

A remote canister stand. I believe the one I had was made by Brunton or Markill. It looked similar to this.
29938

Not picky about cookware, something a tad wider and a tad taller than an MSR Titan Kettle would be best. Something that can house a large 8oz\220gram canister along with a stove. Would prefer stainless steel over aluminum. The closest thing I have found was the Solo 900 pot. Anyone know of something similar?

Will also need some wearables. Insulation, base and shell, size L usually (43ish chest). I got out of the blazing inferno with a pair of pants on and my dog. And although he does keep me warm, wearing him would cause PETA to bang on my door.

Tent

I have one tent left, thankfully I had lent it out before the fire. It's an old Walrus Velo. Had a Walrus Trekker tarp with inner mesh tent that I lost along with a semi custom Eureka Back Country 2 that I scored from a Eureka rep about 10 years back. Would love something along the lines of the Trekker again.

Other knick knacks like a headlamp or lantern would be nice as well.

Thanks in advance!

[2015 Lady Thru-Hiker]

I'm still pretty much a novice with first generation gear so nothing to offer other than a heartfelt "I'm sorry about the loss of your gear" and good luck on your search for replacements.

[Kaptain Kangaroo]

I'm sure your insurance company will be able to help !

[Jake2c]

Hope this doesn't sound wrong but, is this serious?

[HaChayalBoded]

I'm sure your insurance company will be able to help !

Long story short, nothing is covered. I was completely screwed.

[Rolex]

Sorry to say but skeptical here too. Easy to fix though. Where was your house located that burnt down?

[HaChayalBoded]

Hope this doesn't sound wrong but, is this serious?

I guess replacing some camping gear isn't very serious at all. If that is what you are asking.

[HaChayalBoded]

Sorry to say but skeptical here too. Easy to fix though. Where was your house located that burnt down?

Skeptical? Do people make up stories like this so they can get a cheap price on a $25 stove or a $50 sleeping bag?

My place is in Brooklyn N.Y.

[Damn Yankee]

Sorry to hear about your place. I had my place burn down and lost everything myself. I was renting and did not have renters insurance but, the Red Cross did help out with clothes and food vouchers. Oh, and I lost my snake.

[HaChayalBoded]

Sorry to hear about your place. I had my place burn down and lost everything myself. I was renting and did not have renters insurance but, the Red Cross did help out with clothes and food vouchers. Oh, and I lost my snake.
I had a terrible experience with the Red Cross. My dog ran back into the house and I tried to go in after him but was yanked out after passing out from the smoke. So while they were putting out the fire I was going a little nuts, that's when the Red Cross asked if I needed a place to stay or anything and me not being sane at the time told them no I was fine. A day or 3 later when I did need some help I was told that because I refused help then that they could do nothing for me.

Sorry for the venting, after all the assistance I gave them after Sandy and all the donations over the years it just left a terrible taste in my mouth.

[Rolex]

Friend, you are right. I apologize for judging.
You see, I took it as you were begging. If not, I stand corrected.
I have seen a sudden rush of kick starter, go fund me, and other assorted ways to beg lately than I sorta have become judge mental.
Best wishes. If you post in the gear section as Want to Buy, then maybe some other cranky ba**** that had to work his way up through gear purchases to get his(or hers) stuff won't misunderstand that you are not a troll begging for stuff with your first post since joining in 2009.
I apoligize Eddie. Good luck to you.

[HaChayalBoded]

Friend, you are right. I apologize for judging.
You see, I took it as you were begging. If not, I stand corrected.
I have seen a sudden rush of kick starter, go fund me, and other assorted ways to beg lately than I sorta have become judge mental.
Best wishes. If you post in the gear section as Want to Buy, then maybe some other cranky ba**** that had to work his way up through gear purchases to get his(or hers) stuff won't misunderstand that you are not a troll begging for stuff with your first post since joining in 2009.
I apoligize Eddie. Good luck to you.

Was not asking for free stuff, was asking for specific items I can't find new. I would of course pay for them.

I've never asked for anything, even when I needed it after the fire. A friend of mine actually started one of those fund things on my behalf and I was honestly very uncomfortable with the idea.

[fiddlehead]

Reading the OP, I would think the reason you are "freezing your butt off" is because you are using a rectangular sleeping bag.
The mummy bags keep you warmer for a reason.
One that fits properly, will keep you a lot warmer than one that is too big.
Your body has to heat up all that extra space, whether you use it or not.
So, here you have a chance to improve on your gear that was probably contributing to your sleeping cold.
Sorry to hear about your fire.
Bummer that you lost everything.

[HaChayalBoded]

Reading the OP, I would think the reason you are "freezing your butt off" is because you are using a rectangular sleeping bag.
The mummy bags keep you warmer for a reason.
One that fits properly, will keep you a lot warmer than one that is too big.
Your body has to heat up all that extra space, whether you use it or not.

I do understand the thermal and insulative benefits of a mummy verse rectangular bag. I froze my butt off becauseI was in a 30 degree mummy bag, which was inside a 30 degree rectangular bag, but it was around 5 or so degrees.

I gave my extra warm layers to a few of the girls who were ill prepared for the evening. I did snuggle up to a nalgene filled with boiling water though.

Probably should have brought the dog instead!

[Jake2c]

I guess replacing some camping gear isn't very serious at all. If that is what you are asking.
Sorry for not understanding. Like I said, I didn't want it to come out wrong but it wasn't clear to me that you were asking if someone wanted to sell old gear, I read it as you were just asking for it. Just sounded strange that someone would ask for gear and be that specific but since I now understand you are asking if someone has used gear to sell, the specificity makes sense. It's also true that from my own perspective, if I lost everything in a fire, camping gear would probably be close to the last thing I would be concerned with. I know, that is a personal value choice and camping may be the only way you have now to relax. In any case, sorry for all you have lost. It is the things that can't be replaced that must hurt the most.

[Hoofit]

Sorry to hear about your misfortune...you might try some local "want" ads from the local newspapers.
That way, you can check the stuff out, as it is used, before you spend any cash.
At least you have a few months before the weather up north improves for camping....after losing everything, I imagine that camping gear would not be an immediate priority.
My wife hits the thrift stores pretty regularly and picks up some great deals.
Good luck with it !

[HaChayalBoded]

It's also true that from my own perspective, if I lost everything in a fire, camping gear would probably be close to the last thing I would be concerned with. I know, that is a personal value choice and camping may be the only way you have now to relax. In any case, sorry for all you have lost. It is the things that can't be replaced that must hurt the most.
Well the fire didn't happen yesterday, it happened a few months ago.

And being able to take off for even a weekend at a time is nice. Also, now is also the perfect time for me to get lost and "take a hike" since I have nothing keeping me here anymore (except of course for my dog).

I'm trying to put together some decent gear, pack up my bike, and take off.

[HaChayalBoded]

Sorry to hear about your misfortune...you might try some local "want" ads from the local newspapers.
That way, you can check the stuff out, as it is used, before you spend any cash.
At least you have a few months before the weather up north improves for camping....after losing everything, I imagine that camping gear would not be an immediate priority.
My wife hits the thrift stores pretty regularly and picks up some great deals.
Good luck with it !

There aren't any real thrift stores around here. Not like there are in Florida. Here a "thrift store" is a vintage clothing store where hipsters spend $200 on someones 1960's leather jacket to look cool.

There are a couple of thrist stores in NJ just a few hundred yards from Campmor though.

[Connie]

This post is in the Buying Used Gear forum.

If you will take anything, having expressed your preference might help.

You need that list: my best success for such gear in the past has been army-navy and surplus stores. Now, Walmart has credible gear like that. I got gear at the San Francisco Boy Scout Store once. I got a great synthetic sleeping bag.

I can recommend Portland, Oregon and nearby as excellent for used and discounted great gear.

I got my MontBell UL down jacket from one store there, just over the old bridge to East Portand.

I recently "lost" everything, due to theft. I did have one paid storage not entirely cleared out. My truck, my travel trailer, the entire apartment and one paid storage gone. Fortunately, I had savings. Just getting into a rented house and outfitting it with essentials cleaned out my entire savings. So I am aware.

I think it is a good idea to put in for help at one of those organizations online, mentioning you ran into the burned house to get your dog and subsequently Red Cross that had offered help would not help. My aunt had her house burn down, many years ago, Red Cross helped.

I haven't seen or heard of Red Cross helping anyone "domestically" as they say, explaining the Red Cross helps only in foreign countries.

I would bet Red Cross doesn't help in foreign countries, either.

I do not donate my time to Red Cross, since, I was last asked to help the Red Cross.

[kibs]

I still have a Fly Ceek 'UL1 for sale. Great Condition $275.

[Walkintom]

Since you're replacing gear and mentioned the Optimus stove, I went and checked mine. Sorry, it's the new style so no help there. However, you may be interested in the new Polaris Optifuel stove. Looks pretty cool since it can burn a lot of different fuel types. The pot supports don;t look like they'll match your cutouts either, though.

[HaChayalBoded]

Since you're replacing gear and mentioned the Optimus stove, I went and checked mine. Sorry, it's the new style so no help there. However, you may be interested in the new Polaris Optifuel stove. Looks pretty cool since it can burn a lot of different fuel types. The pot supports don;t look like they'll match your cutouts either, though.

At this point I'd go for a regular crux. That Polaris stove looks quite a bit like one of the Korean stoves I have seen for $10 on eBay. I think it may be a rebadged Kovea. It does look great though.

I just really like the compact nature of a crux underneath a fuel can with an optimus clip on shield wrapped around it.

[squeezebox]

Don't bash the Red Cross too much, their blood bank is top notch, a lot of folks are alive because of Red Cross blood. Much better than the other blood banks out there. But yes what executive idiot decided that someone asking for help 3 days later would be turned away. Completely against their stated policy.

Another question!! What proof do you need to present to the ins. company to prove you owned a 5K bicycle, a 10K stereo. or a butt load of hiking equipment. I'm thinking that I should video all my expensive stuff, inc serial #'s and have my brother keep a copy. The poorer you are the more the ins. company questions your right to have anything expensive.

[2015 Lady Thru-Hiker]

Don't bash the Red Cross too much, their blood bank is top notch, a lot of folks are alive because of Red Cross blood. Much better than the other blood banks out there. But yes what executive idiot decided that someone asking for help 3 days later would be turned away. Completely against their stated policy.

Another question!! What proof do you need to present to the ins. company to prove you owned a 5K bicycle, a 10K stereo. or a butt load of hiking equipment. I'm thinking that I should video all my expensive stuff, inc serial #'s and have my brother keep a copy. The poorer you are the more the ins. company questions your right to have anything expensive.

That is a great idea squeezebox. When I was robbed they wanted pictures/receipts of purchase/warranty or user manuals/anything that would prove that I owned what I said I owned. I also had to provide them with a list of people who were willing to swear under oath that I owned the things I didn't have any proof of ownership for, which was most of it. Who keeps receipts forever? And there wouldn't be any at all of course if all is lost in a fire. Ten typed papers of property descriptions. The only thing ever recovered was an empty ring box :( And while I know who did it there was not enough evidence to bring charges.

[HaChayalBoded]

Don't bash the Red Cross too much, a lot of folks are alive because of Red Cross
Like the Nazis?



Another question!! What proof do you need to present to the ins. company to prove you owned a 5K bicycle, a 10K stereo. or a butt load of hiking equipment. I'm thinking that I should video all my expensive stuff, inc serial #'s and have my brother keep a copy. The poorer you are the more the ins. company questions your right to have anything expensive.
Like I said, due to a clerical screw up, insurance is not on my side.

However, 98% of the items I owned were bought online or with a credit card, so I had receipts for about 98% of the items I owned. Expect for some cheap ikea craigslist furniture.

[wbnole]

I am not familiar with the tent you listed, but I do have one of the great 2 person UL tents for sale. It is a Six Moons Designs Lunar Duo. Great shape, with no rips or repairs, asking $200 TYD.

[Tarheel Hanger]

Sorry to hear about your loses, I lost everything in a fire 10 years ago and understand wanting to head out to the woods to get your head right. Also sorry you have to deal with with some not so nice responses. I do not have any of the gear you requested because I'm a newbie myself but I hope you are able to get back on your feet. I am not a church going person myself but am a preacher's kid. They can be a great resource for your situation(even camping gear), I know you said you don't want hand outs but its nice to have a helping hand. Good Luck!