Not clothing but do I have a Karrimor Hot... 30?... rucksack from the mid-90's. It was a more affordable version of the Hot Ice pack.
In fact I think that is, aside from a few personal trinkets and one pair of shoes, one of the oldest possessions I still have - bearing in mind I moved 400miles in 2002 with nothing more than what I could fit in the back of a 2dr Yaris!
Some Lusso bib tights which must be 30 years old. And some Ron Hill tracksters but you can't count them as they live longer than atoms
I think the oldest thing is a North Face fleece with knitted cuffs that has to be forty-odd years old, but I’ve got lots of stuff that’s twenty-thirty years old, like a Buffalo MTB Windshirt, one with the yellow and reflective bands round the cuffs, and across the pocket and rear, and had a long tail and front that would clip between the legs.
Which was damned uncomfortable, so I stopped wearing it on the bike, and a few years ago found someone who could redo the bottom edges. Had it with me today, just in case it drizzled. It’s got to be thirty years old.
I’ve got Cannondale bike gear from the early 90’s, and RaceFace gear that’s twenty+ years old that I wear regularly.
I still have a Stubai Mont Blanc wooden ice axe,
A green fluffy helly Hansen jacket from my army days must be 28 years old , great bit of kit
Oldest item I use is the karrinor backpack (approx 60l job, dont know model) that I got for d of e circa 1996. Don't use it that often but its fine for carrying a load of gear, very comfy, rock solid. Last used on a family overnight expedition to skiddaw house (which was awesome).
Also similar vintage I have a craghoppers ultrafleece, slightly younger probably 1997/8. Used for outside chilly DIY/ gardening nowadays, just perfect for that and as above way ahead of its time.
Whats your oldest item of outdoor clothing?
20 year old Karrimor factory fleece jacket where they used to produce them in the North East I think.
A well old Mint sauce cycling top,
Showing my age...
A couple of Rab jackets from the mid 90's. One down overhead which is still awesome.
The other Pertex rain jacket is really past its best. The brass popper buttons have gone green with age and is not at all waterproof, so doesn't really get much wear now.
Some similar vintage RAF aircrew kit still gets used a lot. The thermal tops, socks and boots still go strong. The snood / neck warmer / hat thing was ok but has shrunk recently, so no good.
Most impressive though is a 25 year old Bermuda Ski Patrol t-shirt that gets worn weekly and is my favourite tee. Can't believe it is still going strong. Like the Terminator, it just keeps going.
My walking boots are a Loveson pair that my dad bought me when I must have been early teens to "grow into" i.e. he didn't want to buy another pair soon so went many sizes too big.
20 odd years later and they're still going, the tread isn't as grippy as it could be but as they've never caused any blisters or foot aches I'm not keen to replace them.
My bad-weather race marshalling trousers- they're a pair of old motorbike goretex trousers that I got in, I think, 2005. The bike's not been ridden for the best part of a decade but the trousers still get worn.
Cumbrian Fibre Pile jacket from the mid / late eighties - only gets used as a gardening jacket now. Lowe Alpine rucksack from around 1990 - does still get used. Oldest cycling kit is some of endure bib tights - the mtb ones - must be about 15-20years old.
looking for some winter cycling gloves (southern hemisphere) I found some woollen Dachstein Mitts complete with hand sewn elastic loops for winter climbing 1979 would be my guess...google tells me that in these high tech times can still buy them
I've got some Ron Hill tracksters that my Mother bought for me from Pete Bland's stall at a fell race when I was 17, so 24 years ago.
Also have a Helly Hansen base layer that I think is about 20 years old. It's fair to say it whiffs a bit these days!
Probably my Ronhill pertex shell jacket. Purple with orange collar lining. Back in the mid 90's it was THE windproof jacket to have (not that there was much choice in decent cycling jackets back then...)
I mean, I've still got it, can't remember when I last wore it though.
I still have my Koflach plastic winter climbing boots from the late 1980s
In the early noughties found a pair of late 80s or early 90s Koflach Viva Soft in the basement of my work (climbing wall). I used them for about 10 years and only stopped because I'd heard the stories of catastrophic failure due to the plastic going brittle. They sold them as lower grade mountaineering boots but they were a solid platform and I did up to Scottish VII in them!
I've got a demo Berghaus fleece from 1999 that I picked up in Nottingham when visiting the Uni there. Gridded design now more popular but for £20 (I think they suggested they were going to sell it for £80 if it went into production), I've done well out of it. Also got a Kayaking Safety Knife I bought back in 1998 and an MSR PocketRocket from 1997 I think...
I bought a Buffalo jacket in about 1996 or so but gave it to a friend when I got to big for it. Think it is still being used by him in Denmark.
jobro
Member
I have a pair of Rohan salopettes from about 1974. I think it was one of the first items they produced. I still use them for gardening!
I bet you look a right twit in your superstriders hoeing the borders 😁
I've got all sorts of old tat stashed away, the oldest probly being an orange wool balaclava/dachstein mit combo that was all the rage in 1982... There are also ancient Buffalo's, Scarpa Vega boots, an old Mountain Equipment Redline sleeping bag/Annapurna duvet ensemble from a trip somewhere highish in 1986 and lots of other bits n bobs.
google tells me that in these high tech times can still buy them
A few years ago I went back to using dachies under a shell mitt for belaying in winter. Definitely warmer than my other belay mitts but I can do absolutely nothing other than hold the ropes with that combo. On their own they're a bit more dextrous. Thinking back, like plenty of others I climbed a lot of hard(ish) mixed routes in Dachies which seems remarkable these days. How did we place gear?!
Not my actual one but exactly the same - Rohan Smock, birthday present as a 15yr old in circa 1987...
Shortly after I became too cool for Rohan so it lives on now I'm in middle age and DGAF.
I still have my Koflach plastic winter climbing boots from the late 1980s
Recently realised I must have binned mine in a move - gutted.
Scarpa Vega boots
They were clumpy bastards but warm. I got a pair in a sale in the Scout Shop in Glasgow in about 1999. Seems the Scout Shop is still there.
PACE fleece 1997.
Anybody want to join me in a Bring Back Ultrafleece campaign?
I've got a Berghaus fleece from c2000 in a similar densely woven fabric. It's still probably my first choice for climbing on a really cold and minging day. In combo with a nice modern baselayer and a burly hardshell it makes you feel like nothing can get at you!
Anybody want to join me in a Bring Back Ultrafleece campaign?
I'm going to say it...
....Patagonia fleece was better.
I'm hopeful of a Patagonia snap-t for my birthday next month.
@el_boufador I too have a similar vintage Karrimor Rucsac. It's a Jaguar 63 in blue and silver/gray with clip-on accessory pockets. I think it was top of the range until they introduced the 3D moulded harness.
Oldest is probably 6-7 year old Rab Vapour rise jacket, which I still can't better.
I buy a lot of outdoor kit, endlessly trying new items and recycling old ones on Ebay / Gardening duty / charity shops.
Shoes / boots normally get binned when there more holes than material and I've been glueing them together for a while.
Scarpa winter boots from ~2000. Resoled but uppers still good
Rohan mountaineering salopettes from circa 1985. Still use them in proper winter conditions.
Smelly Helly Lifa set and Musto balaclava circa early 80's from my sailing days.
Peter Storm over trousers, Low Alpine fleece, Berghaus Gtex anorak circa 90's from my Munro bagging days.
All still in use when required. The fleece is for gardening as its paper thin and full of holes.
I confidently thought it was a Karrimor fleece from 1987 but it has a tag inside that says it was made on 08.12.1992, so much for my memory. The sleeping bag was from 1987/88 and is still my car camping bag.
I then remembered I have some winter socks that I can place to 1983, I broke my leg skiing in those. My wife still wears them in winter, god knows what they are made out of.
Iv'e got a fleece from 1984-5 -ish I need to throw away before it destroys the planet though its still used regularly and at my Mum's I keep a 1980? hollowtech duvet (again needs to be landfilled before it destroys the planet) and a karrimor tatra rucksac from around 1978 with the back replaced.
Still using a yellow & black Mountain Equipment Goretex jacket, a burgundy Karrimor fleece and a classic smelly Helly from the mid-90s.
I don't wear the Helly so much now though, it's not as flattering as it used to be for some reason.
20 year old Karrimor factory fleece jacket where they used to produce them in the North East I think.
Accrington
Was going to say Accrington quality seemed to go downhill after that era same with all other makers though Berghaus Vango etc
Koflach boots. Did disintegrate after using 2 X at indoor ice wall mice had em before that still got dachsteins love them tried pertex ones too sweaty ,just been in garage ... EB boots 1978 better stop looking now ..the older I get the better I was😉
35 yr old SOS ski jacket (awesome 80s grey and pink) ,it gets kept as a spare and has been borrowed loads of times.Really tough and well made ,it has taken loads of abuse.
Was going to say Accrington quality seemed to go downhill after that era same with all other makers though Berghaus Vango etc
There was an outdoors shop on Water St. where you could get factory seconds etc.
My Dad was born 50' away on Avenue parade and I used to walk/ride home from Acc & Ross college almost past the shop... The factory was really really close but I can't see where it would have been on google earth.
EB's? Someone will be along in mo with their RD Superguides... I lusted after a pair when I first started but settled for a more sensible pair of Scarpa Fitzroy's big brother to the Bronzo's my climbing partner had. They were a 3/4 shank mountaineering boot. I managed to get up grade IV in these before moving onto plastics and harder routes.
<edit>. Mike Parsons one of the original Karrimor brigade is alive and kicking in the Lakes. Anybody wishing to claim on their lifetime KS10Oe guarantee should go and see him... 😊
How am I meant to compete with the op when his kit is only one year younger than me!
Lots of my outdoor clothing goes in the bin after about 4-5 years from general wear (apart from a spectacular failure of the clothing or from big rips etc). As I don't like wearing clothes that make me look like compo.
But I do however tend to wear my merino wool base layers to the point where they're on verge of being more hole than merino. Probably oldest one is about 15 years, older than my current place of employment, current address, my marriage or my 2 kids 😲
It seems a lot of this old gear is rarely used. There are outdoor charities who will happily take if off your hands and use it.
Such as Alpkit's Contimuum
https://alpkit.com/pages/continuum
Oops! Double post.
Never owned anything made by Buffalo, seems like from this thread that if I did I'd still be wearing it in 20 years time.
Never owned anything made by Buffalo, seems like from this thread that if I did I’d still be wearing it in 20 years time.
No reason why you shouldn’t, it’s well-made and simply functional, the only thing that’s changed from when they started is the logo. I bought a Buffalo Special 6 jacket last year, it was worn five days a week through the winter November to February, and as I’m 66 next month, I can imagine it going to a charity shop after I’ve passed on!
Even stuff I bought when I was riding gets worn, because most of it was more freeride gear, so just as good for casual wear, like my RaceFace, Large Hardwear and Kona shorts, I’ve even got a couple of pairs of Large Hardwear socks with Kevlar heel and toe reinforcements that I still wear!
I’ve got a lovely RaceFace jacket that was more for snowboarding, it’s plain black, with a hood and just over hip-length, with a bunch of storage pockets, and I love it, it’s easily twenty years old, possibly more, I can’t remember.
