Hi all, just got back from a small camp with the better half to celebrate a good friend's birthday. He's my foraging and bivvy bud, he's all over the outdoors and I've introduced him to the joys of paraffin items recently. Just thought I'd share a selection of shots of lamps and there are a couple of stoves and none pressure pieces there aswell!! I used all of the bits shown on a two day camp and loved it. Everything got a good couple of days out! And you'll see my kitchen set up there also. Note to self.....'must camp much more often!!!!!'
This in America is called " Classic Camping" utilizing all the camp gear of the era between the 1880's to the 1930's when technology of the car and frontier skills combined to make recreational camping extremely popular in America. The late Steve Watts was a major proponent of Classic Camping and you can find a few videos of him on youtube. Nicky you'd love a book called "Camping in the Old Style'' by Dave Westcott , it can be downloaded to kindle via Amazon.
@Hanzo, I am not a date specialist but some of those pressure lanterns where not invented by 1880-1930 ;-)
Not saying Nicky is observing the letter of Classic Camping but he is holy with the spirit of it and may want to investigate Classic Camping .
@WimVe, thanks for your comment, I think. Some of those lanterns were quite obviously around in that period though. My favourite, which I have shown on CPL previously is the Optimus 300, saved from a slow death in someone's shed. Most definitely a 1930's dated lamp. And the kitchen set up is what I use for Great War Living History events, so generally the tent and its contents will date, visually at least, to the 1914 - 1918 period. Hurricane lamps are fine for those years but I would still like a WW1 period pressure lamp if anyone has any suggestions?
@Hanzo, the book sounds excellent, hopefully a paper copy exists. I am very happy to be 'holy with the spirit of classic camping' and tbh, even though it was just a two day camp, the set up and knock down for the bell and kitchen is not onerous in the least. Having been involved in the Living History for a couple of years now, I have the packing of the van and building camp down to a fine art. It makes a big camp very quickly. Just love the bell tent.
Nicky Here's the late great Steve Watts one of the prime movers in the Classic Camping movement giving a great overview of Classic Camping. I don't know why Classic Camping doesn't feature more pressure lanterns as there were Coleman's in America available before the 1930's. Classic Camping: Steve Watts gives a brief overview. - YouTube
I think i was “classic camping” in the 70/80s. No torches, trench fires for cooking and dig your own toilet. But we did have Tilley lamps.
I think you were CC and I don't think anyone would begrudge you using a Tilley. An even more techie invention, The Ford Model T was a big part of the period of Classic Camping, for the first time people who owned one could venture out of the city easily and camp for fun. Into the Wild: Edison, Ford & Friends - A WGCU Documentary - YouTube
