What is your oldest piece of gear still in use?

[Woodturner]

As things start looking up for the possibility of my Rockfish Gap to Katahdin hike, I have started putting together a checklist.
In the "kitchen" section is an old, green plastic cup, originally part of an "official mess kit", that dates back to when I was a Boy Scout. I have not had a Svea for decades, my trusty Sigg touring set has been replaced by a single, smaller and lighter pot, and a succession of packs has hopefully ended with one from Hyperlite Mountain Gear. My first good sleeping bag, a Holubar Sawtooth Mountain, is still around, but nothing I've tried has restored the loft it once had and it has resided for years in a corner of the closet.
But that battered little green cup has been with me since the days of a knapsack, flannel sleeping bag filled with cotton batting, and camping where the car was only a few feet away. It has been part of my camping gear for over half a century. I may have to arrange being buried with it.

[jimmyjam]

I still use part of a 1/4" blue foam sleeping pad that I have had since 1977. I use a section of it to sit on for breaks and at camp and I use the rest of it as a frame in one of my packs.

[Deacon]

I don't carry it backpacking, but I still use the original Thermarest self inflating 3/4" pad with the brass valve. Bought it about 1980.

[peakbagger]

Plastic cup from a boy scout mess kit circa 1969.

[Kaptainkriz]

Still using my old Kelty external from when I was in Scouts in the 80's. Kelty even sent me updated straps for it just last year (great customer support). Recently acquired a White Cloud that is quickly becoming my primary pack. I still have my 80's Peak 1 model 400 stove and a SVEA123 I use sometimes, but they're a bit heavy and I've since transitioned to lighter options. I have no idea what kind of boots these are, but these are mine from the 80's that I covered/cooked with bees wax and still use them ln and off.
- Take care of your gear and your gear will rake care of you!
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[Leo L.]

My oldest stuff that accompanies on all longer trips since ages is a sewing kit, once it had a printig on it "GIFT FROM THE AMERICAN RED CROSS".
Obviousely it stems from the late 40ies of the past century.

sewingkit.jpg

BTW, love the boots of Kaptainkriz - have almost the same in everyday use (for outdoor work and heavy daytrips).

[BradMT]

Svea 123, bought April 1975.

[Old Hiker]

My legs.

When they expire, no warranty. I'm finished.

[One Half]

I am unsure which is older - my sleeping bag or my pocket knife. I was going to upgrade my bag a few years ago but it's actually nearly as light (within about 2 oz) of other bags that were selling for about $300 at the time. My pocket knife I may have bought before ever backpacking. It's a tiny, german blade and weighs just a couple of ounces. I bought it for about $20.

[Fireplug]

Me!! I'm 51

[rocketsocks]

Compass, also my favorite rope.

[Feral Bill]

Svea, 1968 or 69. I also have a couple of sleeping bags from the same era that I seldom use, and a slightly newer (1972?) Mountain Master external frame pack, that my son uses. Also an Optimus 111b stove from 1972 I use for winter trips and groups. There is probably more.

[Lachlan]

My grandfathers sierra cup. Also the day I was born my father gave me a backpack and a swiss army knife as my first possessions. I obviously no longer use my childs backpack but in the last 30 years I haven't gone on a single trip without my swiss army knife.

[Maui Rhino]

I have an aluminum pot and plastic cup from my Scouting days that still gets used often. But my favorite would have to my poncho liner. The Marine Corps issued it to me in '87, and it accompanied me during my stroll thru Kuwait in 1991, and thru many many other misadventures. I still wrap up in it almost daily.

[runt13]

My grandfathers US issued fork, knife and spoon. He was issued them when he was in the Civilian Conservation Corps.

RUNT ''13''

[RockDoc]

Frostline Kit ran chaps. c. 1975. Y'all remember Frostline kits? Good stuff.

[swisscross]

My fathers P-38 from WWII.
plastic cup from my scout cook kit c. 1979

[greensleep]

my mess kit from boy scouts back in the early 60"s; still use the cup and the fork/knife/spoon. I keep my boy scout backpack as one of my "bug out" bags, and still take my original (1963) knife and sheath on occasional camping trips.

[Heliotrope]

My grandfather gave me a silva compass as a gift when I was 5. 46 years later it still comes with me.


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[Feral Bill]

My grandfathers US issued fork, knife and spoon. He was issued them when he was in the Civilian Conservation Corps.

RUNT ''13''

I bet this is our winner