Who remembers Moss Tents and other innovators of the time?

[skiguy]

Great piece on WCSH 207 from Portland,Maine tonight. Moss and others dating back to before the turn of the Century were not only innovative but had grit! It escapes me at the moment but who’s was or is the tent manufacturer out of the lakes region of NH that makes a tunnel like design. Anyhow just a couple nostalgic links to view.

A Maine businesswoman tells the story of a life that has been 'one long adventure'

“Fear could have stopped me. Doubt, I could live with and fake my way through.”

www.newscentermaine.com

Art To Live In: Marilyn Moss + Bill Moss - The Maine Mag

Marilyn Moss Rockefeller, Bill Moss, and the making of an iconic Maine brand Marilyn Moss Rockefeller lives in the Camden hills, in a house with many windows, paintings, and dogs. Through the windows of her library, we can see

www.themainemag.com

 

[Brambor]

Stephemson Warmlite

Now out of Colorado

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Stephemson Warmlite

Now out of Colorado

i was going to suggest Jerry Stephenson.

 

[Brambor]

I think his name was Jack

 

[skiguy]

I think his name was Jack

You got that right. The Company dates back to the 50’s. Looks like they moved from New Hampshire to Colorado a while back. Had forgotten they were also innovators with down sleeping bags also. “Still controversial after all these years” seems to be one of their mottos. I remember their catalogs being rather provocative. Of course that was before cyberspace advertising landed. Our Story

 

[jack pine]

I bought my Moss Stardome II in Camden back in 1993. I still use it about 6 times a year and it is still awesome.

 

[Nessmuk]

i have a Moss Outlander (I believe that is the model name) that I boght at least 25 years ago. Still in excellent shape, it serves as my 4 season tent in colder temps. It is a little heavy for summer backpack use, but works well when I need a bit more shelter when 3 season canoe tripping or when I can haul it in a pulk sled for winter use. It stays a lot warmer inside and sheds snow far easier than a summer mostly mesh net type tent.

 

[ChrisB]

I remember their catalogs being rather provocative...

I think he had some of his kids posing nude in the catalogs. Strange then and probably illegal now.

 

[skiguy]

i have a Moss Outlander (I believe that is the model name) that I boght at least 25 years ago. Still in excellent shape, it serves as my 4 season tent in colder temps. It is a little heavy for summer backpack use, but works well when I need a bit more shelter when 3 season canoe tripping or when I can haul it in a pulk sled for winter use. It stays a lot warmer inside and sheds snow far easier than a summer mostly mesh net type tent.

Very nice that tent has not rotted out. Guess that says something for the original construction. I’m sure you have taken very good care of it but also actually have been using it from time to time. The latter is important. Tents need to be air out regularly or they get that nice ode de twa smell of rotting urethane on nylon. I Winter Hiked and Camped with a friend whom had a Moss 2-3 Man tent that served well for us back in the 80’s. I’ll have to ask him if he still has it. I would not be surprised if he does as he is the kind of person whom hangs on to stuff like that. In fact he just contacted me about getting some new skiwear as it’s only been 30 years since he has. Moss back in the 80’s had an almost cult like following. I like the history side of the Outdoor Industry especially that era of Cottage Industry bread innovation. Another one that comes to mind is Log House Designs. Another one spawned from good ‘ole New England.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

I think his name was Jack

Yes! Jack, not Jerry. At least I got the J correct. 🙂

I hung into one of their risqué catalogs for years. Maybe I still have it? Maybe worth a bundle?

 

[skiguy]

Yes! Jack, not Jerry. At least I got the J correct. 🙂

I hung into one of their risqué catalogs for years. Maybe I still have it? Maybe worth a bundle?

These days you Don’t get Carte Blanche without getting a wet noodle on the wrist. Be careful what you ask for.

 

[Raymond]

I'm not sure if I remember Moss, but I loved the Early Winters catalog and their gear. I still wear my pile pullover when I hike at this time of year.

 

[peakbagger]

I also remember Frostline Kits. I knew more than a few folks who grabbed moms sewing machine and made their own gear. Most woman had sewing classes in home economics but to many guys it was the first time they had used a sewing machine. Many people started out with the kits and many went on to making from scratch. The materials supplied were high quality and If someone was paying attention to the details they could end up with as good or better quality equipment for cheap by trading sweat equity. By the time I got into the lightweight outdoors trend it was the backpacking boom of the mid to late seventies and lighteight gear was more mainstream (although there was a lot of lookalike offshore gear that was crap).

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

I, too, still have an Early Winter pile jacket vintage mid-1970s that I no longer wear but will take to my grave because of its sentimental value. The jacket had a thick collar (no hood) and was long enough to cover my a$$, which was great for riding chairlifts. The jacket really did “pile up,” which led one friend to call it my homeless-person’s jacket. Sadly that friend passed away a few years ago on the streets of Boulder, Colorado, as a real homeless person.

Girlfriend sewed all kinds of Frostline kits for us between 1969 and 1971, and I still carry the down vest with metal zipper in my pack for emergency bivi’s. Frostline was based in Boulder on 30th Street near Roy Holubar‘s and Gary Neptune’s outdoor gear shops. Neptune’s shop became a premier climbers’ gathering place for weekly slide shows when Gary moved it to Table Mesa; the shop also became an incredible climbing museum with stuff hanging on the walls from expeditions to exotic places all over the world.

 

[ChrisB]

For my recent -12 sleep out I dug my Alpine Designs expedition parka (circa 1971) out of storage.

What a great and massive down garment! And still extremely lofty and warm.

I used to bivvy in it with a pair of REI down pants that zipped into an elephant’s foot. Good times!

 

[Rick]

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....

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

For my recent -12 sleep out I dug my Alpine Designs expedition parka (circa 1971) out of storage.

What a great and massive down garment! And still extremely lofty and warm.

I used to bivvy in it with a pair of REI down pants that zipped into an elephant’s foot. Good times!

Me, too! Except my 1969 vintage, expedition down jacket is a Sierra Designs, which I used with a REI down elephant’s foot with the Thaw label. Last time they got used was on Denali in 2004, thanks to AGW.

 

[OldEric]

Chuck Roast

 

[skiguy]

Anyone ever shop at The Whickers Factory Store in Wolfeboro. I think they are still making long underwear. Not sure if the factory store is still in existence. Back in the early 80’s we would buy polypropylene from there for cheap. Like so cheap they should have sold it on a roll like paper towels.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Chuck Roast

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. 🙂