UKC

Gear Nostalgia

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
 Goucho 25 Sep 2014

Been down in the cellars clearing stuff out, and found a packing crate from when we moved here, which I'd presumed was empty, but on opening up, found the following old climbing gear:-

1 x Karrimor Joe Brown Rucksac
1 x Whillans Alpiniste Rucksac
1 pair Helly Hanson Polar Pants
1 Helly Hanson Polar Sweater
1 pair Daschtein Mitts
1 pair Wintergear Tripple Mitts - remember buying these off Ben Winteringham in the car park at Erics Cafe at Tremadoc
1 ME Redline Duvet
1 Point 5 Pied d' Elephan short sleeping bag
1 pair of Chouinards first rigid crampons
2 Think Pink T-Shirts
1 Vango 2 man tent
1 pair of Galibier Super Pro Boots
1 pair of Koflach Plastic Double Boots
1 pair of EB's
1 Whillans Harness
1 Figure 8 Decender
Assortment of nuts and Krabs
Selection of ice screws
1 copy of Extreme Rock complete with ticks
Various Crags/High & Mountain Mags
Various guidebooks
1 11mm Perlon Rope
2 Chackal Ice Axes

I thought I'd lost/sold/given away most of this lot, so I'm really surprised and happy to have found it all.

Now having a private trip down memory lane.
Post edited at 15:13
 flaneur 25 Sep 2014
In reply to Goucho:

That's a tremendous find.

If you want to slim it down a little, my original climbing mentor had a Whillans Alpinist - not available by the time I started - and I have been coveting one ever since!
OP Goucho 25 Sep 2014
In reply to flaneur:

My son has decided the Alpiniste is cool and retro, and unfortunately taken possession of it
 Martin Bennett 25 Sep 2014
In reply to Goucho:

You haven't got my box by mistake have you? Apart from the Think Pink T shirts and Chacals and Ben's mitts I've had ALL of that stuff through my hands at one time or another. Is it the original orange and black leather Whillans sack though, or the later purple one (one of which I still have)? I had two orange ones - the most recent - swapped for my Joe Brown - had so many holes in it it was literally torn off my back by my oppos as we walked away from Lower Sharpnose one day in the early eighties! I could post the pictures to prove it if I knew how on here.

 GridNorth 25 Sep 2014
In reply to Martin Bennett:

Likewise though I never had a Whillans sack, I had the JB and I also had the Point Five Duvet jacket. big old heavy thing but very warm.

Martin, if you change your mind I'm still available in Kalymnos from 25th Oct to 1st Nov. you know you want to

Al
OP Goucho 25 Sep 2014
In reply to Martin Bennett:

It's an original orange and black leather. It's in very good condition, which if memory serves me right, is because I only used it a couple of times and didn't like the way it carried - also a bit limited on capacity.
The Joe Brown was a brilliant sack - extendable (great for bivi's) removable wooden internal frame for heavy loads, and with the optional add on side pockets, a huge capacity. It's extremely battered with gaffa tape and other patching holding it together, which goes to show how much I loved it
 top cat 25 Sep 2014
In reply to Goucho:

What, no hawser-laid rope?
pasbury 25 Sep 2014
In reply to Goucho:

That sounds like a time capsule of climbing gear from when I took up the game in about 1985.

Either I or my partner had virtually everything on your list - though I'm glad that koflachs were replacing Galibiers as the boot of choice as those things were bloody heavy.
OP Goucho 25 Sep 2014
In reply to pasbury:
> That sounds like a time capsule of climbing gear from when I took up the game in about 1985.

> Either I or my partner had virtually everything on your list - though I'm glad that koflachs were replacing Galibiers as the boot of choice as those things were bloody heavy.

They were, and certainly took some breaking in, but my god they were good, and literally as tough as old boots - I had 2 pairs over the years, and used them on an alpine winter season with thermal supergaiters, and they were fine.

Personally I found the Koflachs a bit ropey - not that comfortable or warm, and the plastic on the early models fatigued and cracked very easily.
Post edited at 17:10
 Rob Exile Ward 25 Sep 2014
In reply to Goucho:

You must have been richer than I ever was, I could only aspire to most of that stuff!

I used to love my Galibier SuperPros, but stupidly only bought them at the end of a season, not at the beginning; I have a suspicion that I did the Gervasutti Couloir and attempted the South Face of the Fou in FEB bendies ... what a prat. I got on pretty well with Koflachs though, especially once I'd put the obligatory gaffer tape over the hinge rivet..

I've still got a pair of duvet boots from Ellis Brigham ... actually I'd ordered a bivvi bag from their catalogue, they didn't have one in stock (in fact I think it was the 1970 equivalent of vapourware, I don't think they ever had one) so they sent me the boots instead. I've had them so long because they have been no effing use for anything.
 Martin Bennett 25 Sep 2014
In reply to GridNorth:

I've still got my Point 5 duvet jacket as well. That's a proper warm coat - practically down down to the knees! I still use the two HH Polar jackets and long johns I bought for £4.19.6d each in 1972, but only for caving now - just can't wear 'em out!
Ref Kalymnos - you of course know I've been quietly keeping it in mind, but have just bought tickets for Morocco at same time.
OP Goucho 25 Sep 2014
In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

> You must have been richer than I ever was, I could only aspire to most of that stuff!

Acquired over many years Rob.

> I used to love my Galibier SuperPros, but stupidly only bought them at the end of a season, not at the beginning; I have a suspicion that I did the Gervasutti Couloir and attempted the South Face of the Fou in FEB bendies ... what a prat. I got on pretty well with Koflachs though, especially once I'd put the obligatory gaffer tape over the hinge rivet..

FEB's - my first pair of proper mountain boots, christened on the Clachaig Gully in around 71' or 72'

> I've still got a pair of duvet boots from Ellis Brigham ... actually I'd ordered a bivvi bag from their catalogue, they didn't have one in stock (in fact I think it was the 1970 equivalent of vapourware, I don't think they ever had one) so they sent me the boots instead. I've had them so long because they have been no effing use for anything.

I found a pair of duvet boots hanging from a peg half way the North Face of the Midi. After checking at Snells and the Bar Nash for ownership, I kept them. Only worn them once - as part of a fancy dress outfit
 Dave Garnett 25 Sep 2014
In reply to Goucho:

> 1 copy of Extreme Rock complete with ticks

You wrote in your copy of Extreme Rock?!

There's a Snowdon Mouldings ultra-short Supercurver axe hanging on my garage wall, with a Baltoro hammer and some rigid adjustable crampons. My original Superguides are still in my bootrack. The Chacal hammer isn't even retired.

The axe occasionally gets used to cut holes in the ice on the ponds and the boots are still standard equipment when we get snowed in. Not sure I have a serviceable pair of Dachsteins - they are very popular with the mice.
Post edited at 18:59
OP Goucho 25 Sep 2014
In reply to Dave Garnett:

> You wrote in your copy of Extreme Rock?!

Pencil in the index at the back, many of which seemed to have faded with the passing of time - along with my memory of them

 Rob Parsons 25 Sep 2014
In reply to Goucho:
> 1 pair Helly Hanson Polar Pants
> 1 Helly Hanson Polar Sweater
> 1 pair Daschtein Mitts
> ...
> 1 pair of Koflach Plastic Double Boots
> ...
> 2 Chackal Ice Axes

The last time I went Winter climbing in Scotland (early 2013) I used:

- Helly Hansen polar salopettes
- Dachstein mitts
- Koflach plastic double boots
- A pair of Chacal hammers (one of which was a find in the golf club car park many years ago)

It all still works!

I imagine I'd also still have and use my purple original signature model Karrimor Alpiniste sack - if some bastard hadn't nicked it from my car ...
Post edited at 19:25
 Rich W Parker 25 Sep 2014
In reply to Goucho:

That's a museum. A good one.
 KellyKettle 25 Sep 2014
In reply to Rob Parsons:

> The last time I went Winter climbing in Scotland (early 2013) I used:
> ...
> - Dachstein mitts
> ...
> It all still works!

I still use Dachstien mitts as my primary winter climbing glove system...
Removed User 25 Sep 2014
In reply to Martin Bennett:

Hey Martin. Are you coming out to Morocco next march? I have already booked flights.
 Rob Exile Ward 26 Sep 2014
In reply to KellyKettle:

'I still use Dachstien mitts as my primary winter climbing glove system...'

THEY'RE NOT A SYSTEM, THEY'RE MITTS!

(They're not a 'solution' either. But they are still bl**dy good though!
 Martin Bennett 26 Sep 2014
In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

> 'I still use Dachstien mitts as my primary winter climbing glove system...'

> THEY'RE NOT A SYSTEM, THEY'RE MITTS!

> (They're not a 'solution' either. But they are still bl**dy good though!

Yeah - Dachsteins a "system" - I've heard it all now!
 Martin Bennett 26 Sep 2014
In reply to Removed UserMike Rhodes:

Hiya Mike. I expect so, but also just booked flights for a fortnight next month. Hope to see you there in March though.

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...