camping | Archival Clothing blog

Posts Tagged ‘camping’

Camping in the old style

June 5th, 2017

Bored by #vanlife? Want an outdoor adventure that doesn’t require Instagram documentation? Love the period costume parade of L’Eroica but don’t own a bicycle? Go to your local bookstore and buy a copy of David Wescott’s book, Camping in the Old Style. Wescott will teach you the basic skills needed for setting up a camp in the “old style” (minus the aid of modern tech, synthetic fabrics, fancy fuels, cellphone connectivity, and global positioning). You will learn how to pitch a tent, build a campfire, organize a camp kitchen, preserve foods, and handle an ax (among other tools). For period specific outfits, and general sartorial tips for camp. I recommend browsing either one or both of these vintage photo albums: Camping Album (1937) and Sawtooth Mountain Pack Trip (1947).

By Lesli Larson

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Tags: archival campout, camp, camping

Made in Minnesota sleeping quilts by Enlightened Equipment

May 6th, 2017

Pal Ruth is heading out on an epic three bicycle tour (launching in Pueblo, Colorado, and motoring west to San Francisco). Lastely, she’s been loading up on cool, made in USA gear. Since she will be pedaling over mountains on a fully loaded touring rig, she’s looking for gear that is lighweight, functional, and built to last.

During our ride today, Ruth showed off her latest find: a new ultralight sleeping quilt by Enlightened Equipment. Designed and made in Winona, Minnesota, the sleeping quilt combines the down fill warmth of a sleeping bag with the flexibility and ventilating properties of a quilt blanket. You can order a shelf ready product or wait a bit longer and customize your creation, selecting down count, color and weather stripping.

Pal Ruth (adventurejunky on IG) and her new, balsa-weight sleeping quilt (and optional accessory sleeping cap).

Revelation lighweight down quilt – cinch edges down in the cold, unsnap in balmier temps

Love this Rain Wrap – lightweight alternative to bulky rain paints for camp or hiking

If you prefer something more traditional, check out these marine canvas bedrolls by Butler Bags.

By Lesli Larson

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Tags: ", "sleeping bags", archival campout, bicycle touring, bikes, camping, synthetic exceptions, touring

From the archives – Miss Hewitt’s Campers (1915)

March 19th, 2014

Here’s a terrific set of images from the Library of Congress featuring a Moonrise Kingdom type training camp for women.

By Lesli Larson

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Tags: 1915, camping, flickr commons, heritage collections for women, rugged ladies

From the Archives – Les Compagnons

April 3rd, 2013

I never tire of reprinting print ephemera from the collection of Pillpat (agence eureka). Next to the Library of Congress, no other flickr stream issues forth so many amazing, hard to source images of French clothing catalogs, playing cards, maps, children’s books, educational texts and party games from the early to mid twentieth century. Here’s a terrific, scouting themed coloring book, Les Compagnons, that defies the user to reproduce or improve upon what has already been illustrated. While the coloring book lacks explanatory text, its presentation of well appointed campers and hyper stylized camp sites reminds me of Tom’s beloved Little Golden Book of Camping and Camp Craft (1959). I’m including a few blank page in case Archival readers wish to draw up their own aspirational scenes from camp. Scan and send me the results. I’ll repost in a future blog.

By Lesli Larson

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Tags: archival camp, archival campout, camping, from the archives, little golden book, Pillpat, print ephemera

Archival Camp

August 22nd, 2012

I’m heading off to my childhood summer camp for a much needed, late August media disconnect. In lieu of a twitter feed I’m posting these photos of my future self enjoying camp activities.

By Lesli Larson

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Tags: archival camp, archival campout, camp robbinswold, camping, summer camp

Shopping From the Past: Carl Denig

November 23rd, 2011

Pim, a friend of Archival Clothing in Germany, recently emailed us a link to a recent upload of a Carl Denig catalog from 1939. Founded in 1912, Carl Denig is the most important outdoor retailer in the Netherlands. Its current offerings are typical REI fare, but have a peep at this catalog. It’s got us longing for hiker’s wall tents, kletter schoen (the first climbing shoes), and sleek alloy teakettles. Sorry for the long post, but this stuff is too good! Many thanks to Jo Hedwig Teeuwisse for the amazing upload.

Shoes on bottom were some of first rock climbing specific footwear.

Those top boots are really something!

Sailing canoes

Nice rumpley bag family.

Aspirational modularity

I desperately want one of those Mikwa Keteltje.

(Note that stripey fabric above? See also)

By Tom Bonamici

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Tags: camping, field bags, heritage collections for women, print ephemera, shopping from the past

Shopping from the past: Kletterwerks

July 6th, 2011

I’ve been a rabid Dana Designs fan since I started climbing in the early 1990s. I have a late 1980s Bomb Pack for which I traded a beloved Lowe Contour Mtn. 40 (another all-time favorite pack), and I also have a Hoodoo Spire which has seen serious use as a day hiker.

I was lucky enough to pick up a nearly mint condition Kletterwerks pack at a recent estate sale. It’s the clear precursor to my Dana Bomb pack – a tall and narrow toploader, with a trim profile and excellent load cinching abilities.

Also, it was designed by the same person – Dana Gleason founded Kletterwerks in 1975, Dana Designs in 1985, and is now at the helm of Mystery Ranch.

I’m excited to use the Kletterwerks pack. It’s super lightweight, being completely frameless in the vein of a Jensen/Rivendell. I’ll be sliding a piece of closed-cell foam in the back panel pocket and hitting the trail this weekend. Since you might not be able to come along, here are a few more Kletterwerks packs I’ve skimmed off of the internet.

By Tom Bonamici

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Tags: backpacks, Bozeman, camping, cordura, Dana Gleason, hiking, made in USA, Montana, Rucksacks, shopping from the past

Archival Shelter: Wall Tents

December 10th, 2010

by Tom Bonamici

As mentioned in a prior post, Archival Clothing friend (and first-generation AC Rucksack owner) Will D. lived in a wall tent for a year. After he visited me in Brooklyn, we’ve been chatting about traditional bedrolls and other projects to kit him out for his upcoming Trackers NW courses.

Though I doubt I’d be able to install a wall tent anywhere in Brooklyn (unless someone has a secure backyard to offer…), that hasn’t stopped me from doing some hypothetical shopping. I’ve been impressed by the Davis Tent and Awning products – I’ve got to support anyone posting a strength test of their fabric using a leather worker’s clamping horse and a fish scale.

Shots from the Davis Tent Photo Gallery:

Do Not Miss this video showing the seventeen-foot long Cowboy Bedroll.

By Lesli Larson

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Tags: archival lodging, camping, canvas, shopping from the present, tents

Shopping from 1911: Sacs et Vetements

September 29th, 2010

A few pages from Pillpat (Agence Eureka), our favorite print ephemera source for climbing packs, cycling capes and aviator costumes.

Plisson (1911)

Images courtesy of Pillpat (Agence Eureka)

By Lesli Larson

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Tags: backpacks, camping, climbing, field bags, game bags, mountaineering, Pillpat, shopping from france, shopping from the past

Archival Canoe Cruising

May 3rd, 2010

From “Canoe Cruising” by Lieutenant Warren H. Miller: “For the outdoor girl—the man and his wife adventuring wilderness travel for the first time—I could recommend no better selection than a good canoe trip. After one has mastered the rudiments of camping out, has gotten so that he can shelter himself and his from the elements and the insects, and can cook good, wholesome, palatable food on a campfire with camp cooking utensils, the next step forward would be some form of wilderness travel.”