Camping Gear - What good (or bad) stuff have you been gifted?

[a65hoosier]

Fellow campers:

Yesterday I received a message/question on my phone from a client I had 10+ years ago. Her question....they were cleaning and discovered her old tent and wanted to know if I wanted it. Used once...still in the original box. She knows I camp all the time and figured I might find a better use for it than just taking it to Goodwill. I said sure...why not? I'm thinking even if I don't personally use it...I have family and friends that could use it for their occasional forays into nature (loaner duty). So I'll run out to her business at lunch this week and pick it up. It's a Wenzel Monarch....12 x 9...appears to have steel poles. Couldn't find much about it on the internet (esp without a model number since her pic just cuts it off). It will be interesting to see what shape it's in....odors...etc. Never know with a boxed-up old tent.

Couple of pics. The one with the box is the pic she sent me....the one set-up is what I could find on the web that looks similar.

My questions to get the thread going: Because your family/friends/coworkers know you love to camp...what camping gear have you been gifted? Was it good...bad? Why? I'm guessing we've all had gear handed to us..."since you like to camp". So....what was it?

[James.]

Re: Camping Gear - What good (or bad) stuff have you been gifted?

I am thinking about it and I don't think I have been given anything....outside of a cooler that I "aquired" years ago when I moved away from home. My brother still complains about it.

[toedtoes]

Re: Camping Gear - What good (or bad) stuff have you been gifted?

I've had some little decorative stuff given to me for the clipper. Nothing of real use or expense. I'm usually the one who gifts stuff to others - I put pressure valves on my clipper's front tires and the FnR's tires and since they come 4 to a pack and I only needed 2 each, I shared them with friends. I also picked up propane gauges for the FnR tanks and got an extra for a friend. Things like that.

What I am given that I am very grateful for is the physical help when I need to do repairs, etc., on the clipper. My boss and another friend are always willing to get in and help me figure things out. With a 43 year old rig that help is priceless! :he:

[Happy Joe]

Re: Camping Gear - What good (or bad) stuff have you been gifted?

...Thinking about it; over the years (Decades) I have been given a fair range of stuff; some pretty good some utter trash...

Gifted stuff that I still use;
The missile container that houses the cook kit.
The Wenzel sleeping bag (circa 1954-7), before Coleman bought them out and cheapened their stuff (ruined the name, IMO)...
A Coleman cot/w pad with springs around the edge.
A deep/thick egg crate foam hospital bed pad (has been cut down to fit the cot).
My first Svensaw (large) from back in the 1970s... Now lives in the Jeep TJ.... threatened it with retirement many times but its still working too well to put it away...
One of the USGI e-tools, not sure which one (I keep one in each vehicle).
Ol' trusty rusty the Coleman propane stove (with hose and tank regulator).. still functions well/better than some newer ones...
A case of gelled alcohol fake fireplace fuel; one teaspoon will start most fires...(after like 10-15 years the case is almost half used).

Harbor freight keeps giving me free (with coupon & any purchase) LED magnetic flashlights (never have to change batteries because they will, probably, give me another free one, with coupon & any purchas, before the last one goes dead)...

Internet archive lets me check out (for 2 weeks) books that can be loaded into my computer and/or ebook-reader (because it has adobe digital editions) for rainy day or in case of boredom camping...
https://archive.org/index.php

Stuff that was never good;
Sierra cup (guaranteed to spill); give yours to someone that you do not like... or just make the world a better place by scrapping/recycling it.
12 volt electric cooler (Coleman in this case; never really worked even as an ice chest)...Scrapped (recycled) it when I could not give it away...

Enjoy!

[a65hoosier]

Re: Camping Gear - What good (or bad) stuff have you been gifted?

A couple more....

Several years back, my neighbor gave me these: a 3 legged stool and a Coleman 5138 Catalytic heater. I haven't used the heater...because it's never been used. I can't bring myself to be the first. I keep it around if I ever had a power loss emergency and really needed it (I always have Coleman fuel at home). I do use the stool from time to time..mainly for bank fishing on local ponds/lakes. Portable....but it's not real comfy for long term sittin tho.

[a65hoosier]

Re: Camping Gear - What good (or bad) stuff have you been gifted?

I am thinking about it and I don't think I have been given anything....outside of a cooler that I "aquired" years ago when I moved away from home. My brother still complains about it.

As I remember....you also skillfully fandangled a Yeti cooler from your boss.

[Karla "with a k"]

Re: Camping Gear - What good (or bad) stuff have you been gifted?

This summer I was gifted this charcoal heater from my folks. New, newer used. I think they got it at a local thrift store though for a quarter. So, I guess this wasn't really gifted used gear.

Oh! My dad gave me his old rubber mallet so I could pound stakes into the ground. That gift counts for sure!

[a65hoosier]

Re: Camping Gear - What good (or bad) stuff have you been gifted?

This summer I was gifted this charcoal heater from my folks. New, newer used. I think they got it at a local thrift store though for a quarter. So, I guess this wasn't really gifted used gear.

Oh! My dad gave me his old rubber mallet so I could pound stakes into the ground. That gift counts for sure!

The judges are allowing both items as "gifted". Your folks were thinking of you..."the camper" ...and basically picked it up for free knowing you'd find a use for it. lol The old mallet for sure....carrying on the tradition.

[a65hoosier]

Re: Camping Gear - What good (or bad) stuff have you been gifted?

toedtoes - your thoughtfulness and giving to others comes back to you and the clipper. It is nice how that works....

Happy Joe - You have been fortunate to be on the receiving end of some nice "gifting". Lots of cool stuff there (old Sven saw!)....and I'd imagine some (most?) of that stuff also comes with a story (a case of jelled alcohol fuel?) as to how/why it ended up in your hands.

[James.]

Re: Camping Gear - What good (or bad) stuff have you been gifted?

As I remember....you also skillfully fandangled a Yeti cooler from your boss.

This is true. Upon further reflection I also had someone leave a small camping table. along the same lines as the folding chairs. It is probably about 2'x2' and a couple feet high.

Then, yesterday at the Cardinals game. Someone left a Cardinals EZ Up canopy. I brought it home and am trying to find out who it belongs to.

[Happy Joe]

Re: Camping Gear - What good (or bad) stuff have you been gifted?

toedtoes - your thoughtfulness and giving to others comes back to you and the clipper. It is nice how that works....

Happy Joe - You have been fortunate to be on the receiving end of some nice "gifting". Lots of cool stuff there (old Sven saw!)....and I'd imagine some (most?) of that stuff also comes with a story (a case of jelled alcohol fuel?) as to how/why it ended up in your hands.

Yep!
If you always try to give more than you get you eventually end up with some goodies...

Svensaw - Christmas present back in the 70s when I could actually backpack...
Wenzel bag; Grandma bought 2 of the best bags that she could find back in the 50s; I got one my sister got the other. Used them for years camping and fishing back then (there should be at least one more still floating around the family somewhere...).
Gelled alcohol, a neighbor of a friend was moving out and had several cases in the shed; he got 2, I got one... finding a use for it was the hardest part.
The missile container; used to four wheel with some GI's in the 1980's & 90's; Uncle Sam is definitely short one nice aluminum box, which migrated to my house...
The foam pad was part of a lot accumulated by a friend who worked at a hospital; several people, in our camping group, got given them, I think this is the last one still functional...
The cot was purchased and used once by a friend who got body slammed and rolled on by a quad; he gave away his camping stuff when he couldn't use it anymore...
Gi e-tool was found cleaning out a garage for a friend (take it; its yours).... worked so well as an emergency vehicle shovel (4 wheeling and snow wheeling) that I purchased several more. The four wheeling mini pioneer kit, in each 4wd consists of a USGI e-tool, a Svensaw (large) , and a USGI mini pick mattock or matt-ax (combination mini mattock/ax).
Ol' trusty rusty, definitely a veteran, was retired, after long service by a fancy looking stainless version; then migrated to my kit where it has outlived the stove that replacd it (scuffed dinged, much missing paint, a few dents and some corrosion but it still works well...

Enjoy!

[toedtoes]

Re: Camping Gear - What good (or bad) stuff have you been gifted?

toedtoes - your thoughtfulness and giving to others comes back to you and the clipper. It is nice how that works....

Thanks. I just figure if I can share, why not. It helps someone else out and gives me a sense of goodwill.

[JoeN]

Re: Camping Gear - What good (or bad) stuff have you been gifted?

About 40 years ago my father won a door prize that consisted of Coleman camping equipment - a cooler, a 2 burner stove, a folding oven, a lantern, a sleeping bag, and a catalytic heater. He didn’t camp so he gave it all to me. The cooler and sleeping bag are the only pieces that I no longer have. I still use the stove, oven, and lantern. The catalytic heater was in the garage in the original box covered with other “stuff”, but I haven’t seen it in a long time. The heater has never been used so is like new, if it hasn’t been damaged in storage. One Christmas a relative gave me a cooking tripod. I used it once but it is very light weight and doesn’t really work with my style of camping.

[a65hoosier]

Re: Camping Gear - What good (or bad) stuff have you been gifted?

About 40 years ago my father won a door prize that consisted of Coleman camping equipment - a cooler, a 2 burner stove, a folding oven, a lantern, a sleeping bag, and a catalytic heater. He didn’t camp so he gave it all to me. The cooler and sleeping bag are the only pieces that I no longer have. I still use the stove, oven, and lantern. The catalytic heater was in the garage in the original box covered with other “stuff”, but I haven’t seen it in a long time. The heater has never been used so is like new, if it hasn’t been damaged in storage. One Christmas a relative gave me a cooking tripod. I used it once but it is very light weight and doesn’t really work with my style of camping.

JoeN - That's great you still have most of it! I too have some family camping gear passed along to me. Most treasured are my grandfather's 1943 Coleman 220D with original glass globe (it's a painted fount because nickel was short during WWII). As a kid, I remember seeing it hanging from the rafters in his old chicken coup...all covered with webs. When he passed, I received it, took it apart, cleaned it all up, replaced a few seals, and it works great. I take it out at least once every year....just because.)

My father in law passed along his Coleman propane lantern (circa early 70's?) before he passed on. My wife remembers that lantern being used when she was a girl on their camp trips. Still has the original box.

Now...my dad still has...up on a shelf in his garage....an old metal Coleman Cooler (with the latch!) in great shape that we as a family camped with over 40 years ago. Still has the cooler inserts and accessories too. I remember loading that thing up as a 9 year old and getting the lid to shut and latch tight (a couple of my camping chores were packing the cooler and the van---I was good at tetris...before tetris). He doesn't use the thing anymore...and he knows I want it (in a nostalgic way)....but he hasn't said "take it home---it's yours" yet. lol

[a65hoosier]

Re: Camping Gear - What good (or bad) stuff have you been gifted?

Today, I went and picked up the Wenzel Monarch tent my former client had offered. Set it up in the backyard to familiarize myself with the pitch. Instructions, all parts, stakes, aluminum poles present. No holes, tears, or funky odors. 20+ years old....still looks new. I'll leave it up a couple of days (we're supposed to get some rain) to test for leaks. If no rain....I'll put some "rain" from the hose on it to test for leaks.