History of Camping Gear: Duluth Pack With Tumpline

Рет қаралды 1,454

Жыл бұрын

When I started the History of Gear Playlist I intended to only show major developments in Camping Gear of the 20th Century and the Duluth Pack was patented in 1882. But I've reconsidered as the Duluth Pack design, especially the Tumpline attachment, was popular for the first third of the 20th Century and does deserve a place. I also discovered a little know aspect of the original patent that never made it to the final production models, but is important to backpackers today.

Пікірлер: 21

@jamesellsworth9673 Жыл бұрын

THANK YOU for sharing the history of the Duluth canoe pack and tumpline. I am 78 years old. My first 'pack' was a rucksack style with unpadded shoulder straps. Loads shifted around a good bit, even on relatively short hikes from our farmhouse to our woodlot. The load got 'hitched up' fairly often on that hike, mainly to provide comfort. Even today, I look forward to receiving a Duluth catalog or one from another Duluth, MN outfitter.

@sargevining Жыл бұрын

Horace Kephart recommended a Duluth pack, so it can't be all bad. I'm fixing to do a quick overnight using the pack I made using a sea bag that was copied from a vintage MYOG pack. Same ide as a Duluth, but a bit taller. Thanks for watching!

@Otis010707 Ай бұрын

I was intrigued by the tump line concept as a kid when I saw it depicted in Bill Reviere's CAMPER'S BIBLE(Doubleday Publishers) which I luckily found a decent copy of recently. Much like the Yucca ruck it is a common sense implement more or less lost on today's campers.

@sargevining Ай бұрын

Its not near as painful as it appears, but it does take some getting used to. Thanks for watching!

@honorableoutfitters Жыл бұрын

This was great brother! Love all the detail and the clear explanation.

@57WillysCJ Жыл бұрын

Great break down. Poirer's original design contained was pads for the shoulders which did not carry over to production. These packs are really just cargo packs. Much the same as paniers. That is why Duluth added auto packs that clamped to the running boards. Fox River Pack of Duluth makes several of that style except of waxed canvas as they are popular with Boundary Waters canoeist. I am not sure if Duluth packs are still all made in Duluth. Fox River, started by former Duluth workers are as I have been to their factory. If you look at Pigeon River Falls you can see the purpose for for the tumpline to bring Furs down to Grand Portage trading post.

@sargevining Жыл бұрын

Yah, Fox River does a good job. Duluth Trading not so much. What amazes me about Poirier's design is that it includes two features that did not make it into production that are considered as essential features of any pack sold today: sternum strap and shoulder padding. I have a '30s vintage Bergan that has shoulder pads (probably aftermarket), but why inell it took so long to get sternum straps put on packs I can't explain.

@57WillysCJ Жыл бұрын

@@sargevining I think it might have been on the originals and cheapened when Duluth Tent and Awning bought them out. The pads and sternam strap were probably not a big deal for mostly canoe duty. Another Duluth company made the Mackenaw coats a 1920s college fad. They were exceptionally made using a type of felting of wool but when the company closed at the beginning of the Depression, no one took it up. Funny how 100 years ago college kids wanted outdoor gear took look cool.

@ROE1300 10 ай бұрын

👍 Educational & enjoyable. Years ago (10-12) I had a modern medium sized Duluth Pack that did have a never used tumpline and a sternum strap. I had no idea the originals did not include a sternum strap. As it was in the patent application drawing I wonder why it was not always included - cost savings?

@sargevining 10 ай бұрын

That's something I'll never understand either. But when you consider that the hip belt wasn't even invented until just before WW2 (more on that story in an upcoming video), its not surprising that folks wouldn't understand the utility of a sternum strap.

@ROE1300 10 ай бұрын

@@sargevining Humans can be such silly creatures. 🤷🏻‍♂️ I hope you had a great camping trip this past weekend.

@sargevining 10 ай бұрын

@@ROE1300 Actually, the camping trip is this upcoming weekend. I took this past weekend off to finish the bed frame and what holds it to the inside of the Big Steel Tent and start packing for the trip this upcoming weekend. Normally I shoot during the weekend but skipped one. On the camping trip, I'll be shooting a lot of video that should be enough for at least two videos and I can get ahead of the schedule and not have to skip two weeks.

@ROE1300 10 ай бұрын

@@sargevining Proper Preparation Precludes Poor Performance - the 5 Ps. Glad you were able to get properly prepared, enjoy next weekend. 😀

@thecanuckredcoat4142 Ай бұрын

@@sargevining It's something I find interesting that the sternum strap was common on european backpacks in the 18th and early 19th century but by the end of the 19th century most countries had abandoned the sternum strap, only for it to reappear in the late 20th century.

@behindthespotlight7983 Жыл бұрын

Why are the wool shirts red?

@sargevining Жыл бұрын

The Buffalo Plaid ones you see were actually mandated in most states for wear during deer season. Its the mid century version of the blaze orange vest.

@wetcanoedogs 8 ай бұрын

you need a neck like a football player to really use a tump.i tried one on my duluth packs and left it home after one try.i just cut the weight for a easy carry.

@sargevining 8 ай бұрын

You might notice that there's only one tumpline video on the channel---- Thanks for watching!