Why, why, why do I hang on to them. I have several timberlines from the seventies. You know the infamous rip stop nylon. They are going in the trash this week! I'll keep the poles. But why do I hang onto something I'll never use? Anyone do stuff like that?

Yep, I do it all the time!
I also have my Timberline 4 tent from the mid to late 70's. I finally threw the tent body away a couple years ago because all of the urethane coating had peeled off the fabric, but I kept the poles and fly thinking that I could use it to cover firewood or other gear in nasty weather when car camping locally.
I also still have my very first cook set that I bought back in the early 70's. Have other stuff too now that I'm thinking about it.
Hanging on to the memories I guess.

Much to my wife's chagrin I am guilty of that. Maybe we should all set them up on your property and just call it a tent cemetery!

Yup, timberlines - several - 2 and 4 and one 6 - Not to mention the packs that I have been patched and re-patched. - old stinky tarps, old sleeping bags, enough rope to tie up any bunch of criminals and about 20 tarps. - Aluminum canoes (2 left), ancient heavy paddles, one 50 pound solo canoe, OK the list goes on - those are the easy list.
The summation = I better be getting rid of some of this.

That is why I keep using the old stuff, removes the temptation to toss it and keeps it in good condition. When finally worn too bad to use I'll toss without looking back.

That's why you see me with a different tent each time we get together!

Thanks for not mentioning stoves Ben!

butthead

quote butthead: "That is why I keep using the old stuff, removes the temptation to toss it and keeps it in good condition. When finally worn too bad to use I'll toss without looking back.


That's why you see me with a different tent each time we get together!


Thanks for not mentioning stoves Ben!


butthead"

Now stoves..... Hahahaha!
Yeah, but your tents are much higher quality than the timberline tents from the blem pile

Yeah, I have multiples of several things - tents, pads, bags, stoves, packs, and others. Some of them I keep as loaners, but some need to go - gotta make room for new stuff. I did give a few things away, and may sell or give away some more. At least the stoves are mostly all different - white gas, canister, alcohol, etc.

I still have a 3 room sears tent from the early 60's...belonged to my family . My dad aired it out after our summer camping and stored it up in the attic...which was incredibly hot and dry in the summer time... The zipper was replaced with Velcro at some point. Still in good shape stored away in the second floor of my office. Ways a ton with a bag full of aluminum poles...haven't used it for years.. but I' ll never throw it out....
dr bob

Yup know what you mean, I have like 10 tents, 10 sleeping bag and and several other Items I could get rid of but it's hard to let go, maybe a sale soon.

I am guilty of many things, but hanging on to old gear that I will not use again is not one of them. I like keeping up with new outdoor technology (my wife is not happy with this), and I like cleaning out my old stuff to make room for the new (she is also not happy with this).

At this point in my life there is really nothing I need to purchase save clothing, but I drool over new gear and can only justify buying it by jettisoning some of the old.

I inherited a bunch of old gear from a church group similar to scouts that included a couple of old Sears Hillary tents. They were both 10' x 10' and in bad shape. Some zippers didn't work, torn eyelets, holes in the window screens, and bent poles. I cut off the walls from the floor and resewed the eyelets. they make great hammock tarps or footprints. Every couple of years I spray them with silicone and they're good to go. Plus, they pack up small.

I inherited a bunch of old gear from a church group similar to scouts that included a couple of old Sears Hillary tents. They were both 10' x 10' and in bad shape. Some zippers didn't work, torn eyelets, holes in the window screens, and bent poles. I cut off the walls from the floor and resewed the eyelets. they make great hammock tarps or footprints. Every couple of years I spray them with silicone and they're good to go. Plus, they pack up small.

Re-build, re-purpose, re-use!

Love it and am so guilty of doing the same year in and out. Gear does not just wear out it can morph into other gear.

butthead

I am one to nurse some old, reliable gear past it's fashionable phase. I started the year in May with my aging Sierra Design Meteorlight, which I had retreated and sealed just last summer. My May trip was a week of cold, wind, and rain, and I had several days of drips on my sleeping gear. On the last day I stuffed it in it's bag wet, and at home in the driveway I unceremoniously dumped that tent in the trash can.

Leak on me and you are off my team. New tent shopping started that night.

Curiosity, not criticism....

Why keep the poles? Aren't they useless without the tent they were made for?

I've found that tent poles have been the first indicator that a tent was approaching replacement time.

My son reconstructed A Timberline from it's poles and hardware -the fabric portion he used of 1.1 oz nylon- un-coated for the inner and silicon coated for the ends and Fly. Saved some weight and space.- He could have bought a Hilleberg or two for the time he spent on it. It would have to be a labor of love.

quote BuckFlicks: "Curiosity, not criticism....


Why keep the poles? Aren't they useless without the tent they were made for?


I've found that tent poles have been the first indicator that a tent was approaching replacement time."

If aluminum they can be re used and re-configured. Inserts, shock cords, special bends and trim are all available. I have rebuilt several tent frames from spare parts and new. A Sierra Designs Clip 3, got fly and body without frame (something fell on it and trashed the frame), re-built with heavier new pieces. And a Eureka Dome 4 that I cleaned up and built a frame from used spare aluminum poles (to replace the crappy, heavy, flexy, fiberglass poles). Both tents acquired from members here in the for sale threads, thanks sellers, and are still in service.


If the frame is aluminum the poles will last much longer that the tent fabric, unless miss-handled, bent, or broken.

butthead

I have a small Prospector tent that I found in a dumpster about 20 years ago still new in the package. The corners are giving out now so it is pretty much shot. I have taken it to the BWCA for the last time 4 times now! Guess it's hard to get rid of some things!

Buckflicks,
Folks have shared a couple good answers so far but I'll share also.
Here is a generic pic of a timberline I got off the net.
It was the floor of the tent body that rotten away. The fly fabric was still ok. You can set up the fly without the tent body, so if needed, I could protect things from the rain by salvaging what I did. If you have ever seen a timberline tent the poles are heavy duty thick walled aluminum, with no shock cord in them. They will last forever. So when set up, imagine the bottom tent with no tent body, just a fly. In reality, not all that practical I guess. Probably just holding on to the memories...

quote BuckFlicks: "Curiosity, not criticism....


Why keep the poles? Aren't they useless without the tent they were made for?


I've found that tent poles have been the first indicator that a tent was approaching replacement time."

When it comes to the old timberlines, the poles usually outlast. Most anyway.. also those plastic pole connections can become lost. Someone will be looking for them the day I tossed them. And who knew... One member needed a ring and pin. Go figure.
And the old rip stop nylon...

quote nctry: "

quote BuckFlicks: "Curiosity, not criticism....



Why keep the poles? Aren't they useless without the tent they were made for?



I've found that tent poles have been the first indicator that a tent was approaching replacement time."

When it comes to the old timberlines, the poles usually outlast. Most anyway.. also those plastic pole connections can become lost. Someone will be looking for them the day I tossed them. And who knew... One member needed a ring and pin. Go figure.
And the old rip stop nylon..."

Ben, I'd buy a set of poles if you'll part with them. I'll use them someday on something that I sew up.

We have an old Northface ve24. The floor is a bit sticky and we haven't used it in several years. But this weekend he is taking 13 guys duck hunting, and being college kids, some of them don't have gear. So of coarse he is raiding our surplus gear. So he is also taking 3 thermarests, 2 old foam pads, and 2 sleeping bags. And a 30 year old alumnacraft canoe, a bell, and a fishing boat. And an old cheap 6-8 person tent good for group camping where beer just might be involved.

I have two old tents lying around. One is an old cheapo I bought at Walmart in a pinch one day. It probably has all the parts but likely leaks like a sieve. The other is an old dome tent of some sort that I bought at Gander Mountain 20 some years ago. Some of the poles are broke and I think some of the shock cords are shot as well. It never occurred to me to salvage the fly or repurpose any of the parts. Now I have a good winter project!

I have an old Early Winters Gore-Tex hoop tent I bought used in about 1980. First generation Gore-Tex and leaked like a sieve from day one. I just cannot get rid of it. Probably the first Gore-Tex tent made. Kinda like the old timber lines- a piece of history

I hate to throw anything out if I think there might be some use to it in the future.

quote whiteh20: "I have an old Early Winters Gore-Tex hoop tent I bought used in about 1980. First generation Gore-Tex and leaked like a sieve from day one. I just cannot get rid of it. Probably the first Gore-Tex tent made. Kinda like the old timber lines- a piece of history"

First generation Gore-Tex, oh yeah! Bought a pair of hiking boots from them, first generation and use in footwear. Waterproof for 1 season. Early Winters was a good group but just a bit too fast in innovation acceptance. They did have a success with the "million mile socks" though!

butthead

Their stuff was so cool! I still have a brass sierra cup with my name engraved on it. Their catalogs were the best!

Interesting. That's good to know. I didn't know they could be re-purposed.

Our go-to backpacking tent was a Sierra Designs Stretch Prelude for a long time. Eventually, the poles got over-flexed and even though the tent and fly were still in good shape, it was near-impossible to get the tent pitched because of the misshaped poles.

quote BuckFlicks: "Interesting. That's good to know. I didn't know they could be re-purposed.


Our go-to backpacking tent was a Sierra Designs Stretch Prelude for a long time. Eventually, the poles got over-flexed and even though the tent and fly were still in good shape, it was near-impossible to get the tent pitched because of the misshaped poles.


"

Your Stretch Prelude is essentially the same tent as my Eureka Wind River. A 4 pole hex dome. Mine had fiberglass poles and I wanted lighter stronger aluminum. I Bought a 4 pole hex dome tent just for the poles (a Cabelas version with no fly and seriously worn tent body, but aluminum poles). Re shock corded the poles and needed to trim some for fit. Now back in use.

butthead