Best bit of outdoor kit you own.

Hate to be boring, but camel back mule.

Went through an aldi/lidl one every year, then was forced to buy one on a weekend away maybe 10 years ago. Bladder is rubbish and got replaced by a platypus of course, but it was a revelation in how much of a difference a good design makes.
Good hand luggage bag too. The bladder sleeve becomes the passport money pocket, nice and secure against your back.

Army gortex camo over trousers. Bought of Ebay in 2007 and still going strong.

Hydrapak bladder. I think I’ve tried pretty much everything else (Camelbak, Platypus and God knows what else). They’re all rubbish. Hydrapak is the Holy Grail!

My penknife.
It’s an old plastic handled hook nosed no name piece that my dad gave me when I was about 12-14. It holds its edge well and I probably carry it places I shouldn’t. I’ve lost it, found it, cut myself badly with it. I’ve trimmed hooves, skinned rabbits and deer with it, cut seat belts and made bows spears and catapults with it. I wonder how I feel if I ever did lose it properly. Maybe I’d just always expect it to turn up again.

Buffalo Special 6 for me too closely followed by Howies New Zealand Merino half zip top, covered in wife’s finest darning repairs.

Buffalo jacket 23 years old
Lowe alpine windproof 19 years
Kona fleece jacket 20 yrs still brilliant as it is warm and dries quick

tang.

Just brilliant, I see the flasks are now available in the UK. Fit in a bike bottle cage too.

Which size fits in a bottle cage?

Patagonia R2 half zip pullover, must be 15-20 years old now. Battered old sigg bottles.

Too many options.
Am going to go with either one of my macpac rucsacs or the exped down mat.
Exped down mat makes camping anywhere amazingly comfy

So many, but probably the Macpac Pursuit I bought from Outside when they had one at the Foundry, circa 1997. Brilliant, been all over, and still going strong. My Karrimor Hot Rock thats older has almost lost it’s internal sleeve. But Buffalo Special 6 also on the list.

Have a blue Helly Hansen baselayer that I have worn and washed at least one per week, sometimes two or three times for fifteen years. Climbing,mountaineering, skiing, cycling, running, diving, DIY, gardening and so much more.
Many others have come and gone, but this one particular top seems invincible.

My 21yr old montane extreme smock would be in the frame, and the canoe has taken us to many wonderful places.
But one of my favourite bits of kit that you cant get now but has never been bettered is my (again) 21yr old rab down smock. I love that coat.

Paramo Cuzco jacket, best bike jacket I’ve ever had by a million miles. Never ever will i waste my time with ‘shell’ type jackets again

My Royal Snugflex hoodie.
So warm.
Don’t know what I’m going to do when it dies as I don’t think they make them any more?

joff – Member
Second the buffalo special 6 finally killed mine last year, well the zip died on one side. army green, easily the most versatile piece of kit ive ever owned and about the only one I got sad about when I bust it. Also 10 years old with two years playing army reserve boy in it so covered in blood group and army number.

Hope you haven’t binned it, it wouldn’t be too difficult to get a new zip stitched in by a good seamstress/tailor, etc; some friends of mine have a business that does all that stuff to a very high standard, not cheap, but the repair will last as long again as the old zip.

Stu

Ive got the 18oz one in a Iris King cage, but fits others fine. Better fit without the retention lip on some cages if that makes sense.

Some perfectly designed Arcteryx overtrousers.

A mid 80’s Karrimor Hot Route 55 ruc sac, 30+ years old and still going, from when Karrimor made decent kit.

Captain Flashheart was admiring my Karrimor Hot Ice only last week. It’s a toss up between that or my old 80’s Optimus Climber Mini petrol stove.

OS Map OL17 Snowdonia

Trangia gas conversion kit. 15 years old, going strong. Makes the whole kit pretty much perfect.

I’ll second the Jetboil. I have a Sumo, it comes with me onto the fell or remains in the car in preparation for the end of a ride.
I so much prefer a fresh hot brew at the end of the day, washing down a bit of flapjack rather than going to a cafe.

Cheers tang.

Not keen on my Jetboil. Would rather a normal stove.

Love my Rab Baltoro soft shell. Had it for 7 years. Still going strong. Dragged it through everything. Use it for biking in the winter. Hillwalking. Refuses to die.

Helly Warm Ice baselayers.

Damart thermal top and long johns. Bought them for my first winter on a motorbike 32 years ago and I still wear them. One of the legs got caught in something over the years so it’s cut off at calf level, but other than that still perfectly warm. Luckily they have gone baggy over the years to suit my ever expanding frame. My wife hates them.

buffalo trousers had a pair for twenty odd years . they have been borrowed by numerous people and seem to fit everybody . loved mine so much i have a brand new pair still in the bag but the originals just refuse to give up

Pod Cragsack – 15 or so years old, had a tough life but still going strong.
Patagucci R2 fleece – warm, fits well, looks good as new after over a decade.

Still regret the loss of my Karisma fleece trousers to an ex. Great for lounging around in huts / at a campsite or great for winter walking. Might have to get another pair one day.

Si

Ground Effect Sub Merino gets a lot of use and I wear Ulvang Merino socks most days.

I’ve got a 1995 KIMM 35 litre rucksack, first one that I saw appear with a Camelbak pocket. Bought for doing the Wainwright Coast to Coast on my Orange Clockwork, but since used as a day pack for round the world trip, 2 years as an outdoor instructor, 16 years as an ecologist out in the field, last 7 years commuting on the bike into work on a daily basis etc. Getting really threadbare and one shoulder strap is starting to detach…only got a few months left with my pal (sob). AWESOME. A companion on some of the best days of my life.

Montane Extreme smock (x2 – older one is well over ten years old, new one bought this year) and my MSR Whisperlite. Both have got me through some fairly wild trips, neither are superlight but both have been bombproof for me.

+1 army goretex kit. Had to buy three jackets before I got the right size, right condition at the right price… Moved on to trousers and got lucky with sizing first time.

I only wear the combo when no-one I know can see me* but by Thor, it keeps everything out. Just brilliant.

*Often, it’s all camo, so no-one can see me.

Captain Flashheart was admiring my Karrimor Hot Ice only last week.

Yep.

That era of Karrimor kit was about as good as kit ever got. I have a saddle bag from that very period on my Diverge.

As Jerry knows, I did rather well out of Karrimor at that time. Their Kalahari panniers were superb.

Thinking about it, probably my Muckboots, seriously the best £75 I’ve ever spent, they’ve allowed me to walk miles in conditions that would previously have kept me walking on Tarmac. Wouldn’t, couldn’t be without them now.

Ground Effect Sub Merino gets a lot of use and I wear Ulvang Merino socks most days.

My bike

Still got it countzero, probably wont bother fixing it right now with the improving weather but ill do exactly what you just advised. Might find a black one for a less paramilitary look about the town.

Paramo Fuera smock. Windproof, fairly breathable, fairly light, but rugged enough to scramble or climb in. Been up more mountains with me than anything else.

I’ve just replaced an Ortlieb bar bag (the rattly one with the poppers) with an 80’s Karrimor one.
Still got the matching panniers too.

I’ll have to stick a picture up later for the fetishists.
🙂

I’d go with my Buffalo as well.. it’s 15 years old and now has a hole in the chest pocket but I still love it.

Just (last year) bought the Teclite model and that’s my go to jacket now, I’ve worn it running, biking and more often that not all weekend. It’s a lot cooler than the Mountain shirt which means I should be able to wear it more 😉

I’ve got some Outdoor Designs gaiters which I’ve had for 10+ years. Bought when I was in an MRT and still use them in the winter.. they’ve had a hard life and still perform brilliantly.

I’d also say my Arcteryx Merino beanie as well.. that’s worn week in week out throughout the year and is about 8 years old.. still brilliant 🙂

My biking kit is more transient, I guess it’s more susceptible to fashion, but I’ve got some Sidi Dragon MTB shoes which are about 7 years old that are now out of retirement for use on the CX bike

Crux RK30 Bag, best day bag for all round use, be it a flight bag, ice climbing or big days out mountain biking.

An old Buffalo Active Lite Shirt. Wear it every weekend.

I’m completely unsentimental about outdoor gear and generally replace stuff long before its worn out. The longest lasting item was probably an Ortleib map case, which de-laminated a few years back after about 15 years of use.