Who remembers Moss Tents and other innovators of the time?

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Dr. Dasypodidae said:
Charlie Henderson was at UNH with me when each week he would bring his latest hand-sewn outdoor gear from his dorm room to our NHOC Rock and Ice Climbing Subgroup meetings to test out. I still own one of his Nameless Frameless rucksacks, which on one occasion I had in my hand for repair as I walked across his factory parking lot in East Conway. Chuck was standing at the door shaking hands with two guys in suits when he did not recognize me but recognized his pack. As he dropped everything with the two suits, he came running across the lot and said “sorry I did not recognize you, but I knew that you must be someone important with that pack.” The hand shakes that I witnessed occurred when he brought in a partner to manage the business part of Chuck Roast.

I think that this thread is the best evah for old geezers. 🙂
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Chuck is a good Man. Unfortunately China was too much to compete with. I still have my original pile jacket from around 1980. That was before fleece and 40 plus years of “pilling” is apparent. But it is still my go to wood stacking jacket in the fall.
 
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Spent many nights in a Moss Starlet.

Also, when Ragged Mountain Equipment sold bags of scrap-sized fleece for $3/bag, I bought a few bags and made the kid a fleece suit of jacket, pants, hats, and mitts. He had every color and every size when he was a kid growing up hiking in the mid-90s.
 
wardsgirl said:
Spent many nights in a Moss Starlet.

Also, when Ragged Mountain Equipment sold bags of scrap-sized fleece for $3/bag, I bought a few bags and made the kid a fleece suit of jacket, pants, hats, and mitts. He had every color and every size when he was a kid growing up hiking in the mid-90s.
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Ragged Mountain still rocks on. The Fabric and fastener shop too all along with patterns some of which I think might be Frostline.
 
One of my big experiments was with a Serria Designs “cagoule.”

This exotic piece of foul weather gear was all the rage in Wales and Scotland before it made its way to the states.

Idea was you could crouch down in the knee-length hooded garment and survive anything the mountains could throw at you.

First time I crouched in it it leaked live a sieve. I tried to save it by completely coating it with tent water proofer. But eventually I moved on to the trusty (orange) Sierra Designs 60/40. Which also leaked like a sieve but was more fashionable.

GorTex was but a distant dream in those days.
 
ChrisB said:
One of my big experiments was with a Serria Designs “cagoule.”

This exotic piece of foul weather gear was all the rage in Wales and Scotland before it made its way to the states.

Idea was you could crouch down in the knee-length hooded garment and survive anything the mountains could throw at you.

First time I crouched in it it leaked live a sieve. I tried to save it by completely coating it with tent water proofer. But eventually I moved on to the trusty (orange) Sierra Designs 60/40. Which also leaked like a sieve but was more fashionable.

GorTex was but a distant dream in those days.
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Looks like they have since gone "Elite". I just see that thing drooling all over my legs. 60/40 's were definitely a fashion statement in the day. Especially among The AMC's elite. At that time I was just trying to find out if I had a real poncho or a Sears Poncho.
 
I also remember when early Gore Tex gear came out, some companies insisted on splashing the name Gore Tex in two or three inch high letters on the gear. I knew North Face had gone fashion when they started stitching their logo on both sides of the jackets.
 
Rick said:
Holubar? Frostline kits? Jack Stephenson? Early Winters? Camp 7?
You guys are killing me with all this nostalgic gear talk. I'd love to join up - I need to pull out my old Optimus Hunter 8R, the bluet gas lantern, Loghouse Designs Goretex bivysack, VBL, and Camp-Trails Red External Frame Lake Cruiser backpack. And..... although at least 20 years newer than a lot of my original gear, I keep it all tucked away in my '92 Lowe Alpine Contour IV and Dana Designs Astralplane!! :) Such sweet memories of so many trips....
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Wayyyy back in 1972 I think I bought a Holubar winter sleeping bag kit. Thought that my wife would feel sorry for me and take over the sewing....didn't happen.
I enjoyed the experiance and triple sewed all the stress points. The bag today is well worn, and down is starting to leak down. My instructions to family will be to put me in the ground with my Holubar bag.
Other sewing projects....Frostline daypack, Frostline gaiters,. So, time to get my Seva 1,2,3, gas stove fired up, get my aluminum emergency replacement ski tip. EMS 60/40 jacket & 100% wool Balaclava cap. Eureka ridgeline tent. Now that all my gear is assembled, maybe I can order a new body to replace my well worn out 76 YO body.
 
Rick said:
Holubar? Frostline kits? Jack Stephenson? Early Winters? Camp 7?
You guys are killing me with all this nostalgic gear talk. I'd love to join up - I need to pull out my old Optimus Hunter 8R, the bluet gas lantern, Loghouse Designs Goretex bivysack, VBL, and Camp-Trails Red External Frame Lake Cruiser backpack. And..... although at least 20 years newer than a lot of my original gear, I keep it all tucked away in my '92 Lowe Alpine Contour IV and Dana Designs Astralplane!! :) Such sweet memories of so many trips....
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How about Gerald "Gerry" Cunningham, The inventor of the triangular carabiner and the cordlock. Not to mention his tents were used on the first successful Everest expedition. We were still using his packs and tents in the late 60's and early 70's. definitely iconic. Dale Johnson the inventor of Frostline worked for Gerry first. Interesting Gerry resigned in 1971 cited as saying the company had become "too big and no fun".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry...Gerry began,sold seasonally in Costco stores.
 
fritz said:
Wayyyy back in 1972 I think I bought a Holubar winter sleeping bag kit. Thought that my wife would feel sorry for me and take over the sewing....didn't happen.
I enjoyed the experiance and triple sewed all the stress points. The bag today is well worn, and down is starting to leak down. My instructions to family will be to put me in the ground with my Holubar bag.
Other sewing projects....Frostline daypack, Frostline gaiters,. So, time to get my Seva 1,2,3, gas stove fired up, get my aluminum emergency replacement ski tip. EMS 60/40 jacket & 100% wool Balaclava cap. Eureka ridgeline tent. Now that all my gear is assembled, maybe I can order a new body to replace my well worn out 76 YO body.
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To quote the late Hunter S.Thompson :

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”​

 
My wife and I got a Moss for a wedding present 25 years ago. Switched to a much lighter Big Agnes about five years ago.
 
skiguy said:
How about Gerald "Gerry" Cunningham, The inventor of the triangular carabiner and the cordlock. Not to mention his tents were used on the first successful Everest expedition. We were still using his packs and tents in the late 60's and early 70's. definitely iconic. Dale Johnson the inventor of Frostline worked for Gerry first. Interesting Gerry resigned in 1971 cited as saying the company had become "too big and no fun".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry...Gerry began,sold seasonally in Costco stores.
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And, Gerry tubes for condiments, like jam and peanut butter.
 
TomK said:
Yup, jam and peanut butter. And occasionally, butter...

Very durable, these have to be over 40 years old...

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TomK
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I was just sorting through a huge cardboard box of old camping stuff that I have not used in decades, and lo and behold I found a dozen Gerry and REI (copycats) food tubes. The plastic in about half the tubes was badly decayed, but the other half appear to be fine. But, I agree with Skiguy, they were gross to use. Maybe I will try to make a killing on EBay, say maybe list at $10 each?
 
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