# Prepping / Emergency Preparedness > Bags, Kits and Vehicles >  What is the most ratty piece of gear that you still use regularity?

## hunter63

Musette bag WWII surplus, given to me by my father.

I have had and used this one since the early 50's... that I can remember, and has always been used for one thing or another, including a lunch bag to carry on the back of a motorcycle.

Lately it is being used as a carry on the ATV tool/ air pump bag.

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I sure y'all have a favorite piece of gear that has been around for ever....now is the time to give it some attention.

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## Winter

Mine has got to be my body.

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## natertot

Mine used to be my first tent. A coleman 6 man that I got in the begining of Jr. High. Just last summer, I gave it to my younger brother who is in high school. He uses the thing all the time and our cousin borrows it often as well.

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## Pal334

My "boonie hat".  Got it issued to me in 1972 in Thailand, wore it throughout Southeast Asia for  two years, hunting and such at home and through out deployments up until my retirement. Like me, I think I will hang it on the "love me" wall , it has earned a graceful retirement.

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## Aurelius95

I would say mine is a Pendleton wool shirt that was given to me by my dad.  My mother gave it to him when they were dating, and it has machine washing instructions from 1963.  I have worn it camping, mostly, but I did wear it when I climbed Mt. Fuji back in 1995 (Totally unprepared for that climb/hike, but that is a different story).  Here is a picture of my son and me (and a bass) on a fishing trip on Lake Lanier, GA.

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And here is one with my dad, my son, and me.

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## crashdive123

Seems that lately I have been buying old and "ratty" gear to give it a new home.

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## ClayPick

My winter yard coat. It's truly embarrassing.

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## natertot

> Seems that lately I have been buying old and "ratty" gear to give it a new home.


you too, eh?!

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## Rick

My wool hong.  Maybe a couple of ancient stoves and lanterns that are still chugging.

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## BH51

My camo over'alls have seen better days..."dad'gum barbed-wire fences"....
They so rag'ed-out, I'm scared to wash'em...Fact is,..I figure they just broke-in
good......got'em on right now...............................................  ............BH51..

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## hunter63

LOL, DW keep threatening to throw out my oldest 'work" Carhartt jacket......actually it's one of three, that are in various stages of being "lived in".
It's my 'logging" jacket at the moment......

Found out in the construction world, the ratter the better....but in the service world, had to look good for the little old ladies that opened the door...hence several stages.

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## rockriver

My issued polypor's from my 1994 USMC days.  These things just will not wear out!  I wear them every single day in the winters here.

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## jerry

Toss up between two items.
A WWII era USGI Gas Mask bag converted into a fairly well equipped FAK
and
A commercial 8" (2" deep") aluminum skillet with steel handle I sawed off, about twenty years ago, and welded 
a hinge in handle to fold up more compact for better packing.   

Not by any means gear to show off and be proud of,, just ratty but practical must have's and on every overnight outing.

004a.jpg

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## randyt

love those photos of old gear. Figured I would post a couple of mine. 

here's a old compass that I use.

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## backtobasics

I use a backpack that one of my kids use to wear to carry there books to school.

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## peter

My knife{pic taken before i smashed my camera}
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## crashdive123

So, what  you are really saying is that you camera is your most ratty piece of gear.

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## Rick

Well, yeah, now.

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## Old GI

No, you folks are not going to trick me into saying - my Wife..... Ooops

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## Rick

Ummmm. (waving hand) Mrs. Old GI!!! Mrs. Old GI!!!

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## hunter63

> love those photos of old gear. Figured I would post a couple of mine. 
> 
> here's a old compass that I use.
> 
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> 
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.


LOL, I have one just like that from my father....used it to sneak out of China in WWII after their B-29 went down........The North and south are reversed so I don't use it, but it is a reminder of the past that I cherish.

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## finallyME

> My issued polypor's from my 1994 USMC days.  These things just will not wear out!  I wear them every single day in the winters here.


Put them in the dryer on high heat.  They will wear out, trust me. Having said that, all my polypros that I wash on cold and hang dry are still going strong.  As long as I keep them away from my wife, they are safe.  :Wink:

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## finallyME

I would say my ratiest piece of gear is a pair of BDU's I wore all the time.  Now I only wear them to fix the car and paint.  The knees are thinning out with holes in the outer fabric.  Most of you here have gear older than me.

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## Rick

I resemble that remark.

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## hunter63

> .....................Most of you here have gear older than me.


LOL, yeah we forget that from time to time....
A re-loading thread a guy was asking about 'old factory ammo" from 1988...An I had to laugh as I have ammo that I re-loaded in 1988 or earlier...... that I haven't shot up yet.
And there wasn't any cell phones!

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## crashdive123

> IMost of you here have gear older than me.


Most of us have socks older than you.

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## Rick

Some have been wearing them that long.

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## natertot

> I resemble that remark.



Yes.....Yes you do! :Wheelchair:

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## intothenew

A wool poncho that Martha assembled for me somewhere on the order of thirty years ago. It's a camp item, one that holds many memories. I guess it's the only thing that feels better to put on than my boots.

Mismatched and multicolored threads

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The shoulder straps have held up well.

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But the neck needs some maintenance.

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It seems to get warmer as the years pass.

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## Wildthang

An old oversized, quilted blanket my grandmother made for my dad. It is basically a thick wool blanket, then she layed sheets of cotton over it on both sides, and quilted it in with canvas material on both sides. It has hand sewn patches all over it, and smells like an old cellar and wood smoke, but it is the warmest heaviest blanket I have ever seen, and probably weighs 12 pounds.
When I go camping I always take it in case it gets really cold, and when you throw it over your sleeping bag, it gets a lot warmer. I have never washed it, and it has stains in it from when my dad used it.
It is something I will have until I die, and then will be passed on to my son. I have told him that you can still smell grandpa's camping trips on this old blanket!

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## Rick

I'm sure glad you posted some pictures 'cause the title My Wooby had me a bit concerned.

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## hunter63

We need a thread the defines a wooby.......as you know it.

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## Sparky93

> An old oversized, quilted blanket my grandmother made for my dad. It is basically a thick wool blanket, then she layed sheets of cotton over it on both sides, and quilted it in with canvas material on both sides. It has hand sewn patches all over it, and smells like an old cellar and wood smoke, but it is the warmest heaviest blanket I have ever seen, and probably weighs 12 pounds.
> When I go camping I always take it in case it gets really cold, and when you throw it over your sleeping bag, it gets a lot warmer. I have never washed it, and it has stains in it from when my dad used it.
> It is something I will have until I die, and then will be passed on to my son. I have told him that you can still smell grandpa's camping trips on this old blanket!


That's awesome Wildthang

I use my dad's old set of camo overalls he bought in the 80's when I'm deer hunting in the winter. They are the first Realtree camo pattern they came out with lol....

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## hunter63

> That's awesome Wildthang
> 
> I use my dad's old set of camo overalls he bought in the 80's when I'm deer hunting in the winter. They are the first Realtree camo pattern they came out with lol....


Hey I still wear mine....They are some of the newer hunting clothes I have.

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## Wildthang

I hate getting rid of old boots that fit well, it's like throwing away an old friend, so I just keep them and listen to the girls gripe about why I keep ratty old boots :Smartass:

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## Warheit

Gonna go searching through my grandma and grandpa's basement for any lost treasures and trinkets that may be of any use in the future.  Teehee.

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## Sparky93

> I hate getting rid of old boots that fit well, it's like throwing away an old friend, so I just keep them and listen to the girls gripe about why I keep ratty old boots


Make me think of the movie Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man lol

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## Sparky93

> love those photos of old gear. Figured I would post a couple of mine. 
> 
> here's a old compass that I use.
> 
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> 
> 
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.


I was watching a show today called American Diggers, they were privy digging and found an old compass just like that one that sold for 500 bucks! You might have yourself a little treasure there lol

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## Daniel Nighteyes

> My knife{pic taken before i smashed my camera}
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Used to have one very much like it.  Easy to sharpen and use.  @#$%^&*@#$%^&* the person who stole it!

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## Daniel Nighteyes

I think my bit of equipment that deserves nomination is a 3-foot by 7-foot lightweight olive-drab canvas groundcloth that my father gave me when I was but a pup.  He used it in the ETO from 1944 thru V-E Day.  I used it from 1959 until I sort of "retired" it after his death in 1984.

I only "sort-of" retired it, and continue to use it on special occasions.  It has acquired a few small holes that I've patched from the 'ground-side' with OD "90mph" duct tape.

In addition to being on the 1944-45 Grand Tour of Europe -- England, France, Belgium, Germany, Czechoslovakia, etc. -- my old groundcloth has seen service in Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Wisconsin, Minnesota, California and Arizona.  [Heck, its been to many more places than I have!]

Regards to all,

-- *Nighteyes*

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## HunterDan

I have an old old old knife back from the 80's that I still carry with me.  I think its a Gerber, but the lettering wore off years ago.  I consider it to be a good luck charm  :Smile:

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## randyt

> I was watching a show today called American Diggers, they were privy digging and found an old compass just like that one that sold for 500 bucks! You might have yourself a little treasure there lol



if that's the case, I probably have a million bucks worth of old junk LOL.

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## Rick

If I find anything diggin' in a privy it better be worth $500.

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## hunter63

> I have an *old old old knife back from the 80's* that I still carry with me.  I think its a Gerber, but the lettering wore off years ago.  I consider it to be a good luck charm



....Could have used just one "Old".....Hrumph 80's....old, old.......LOL

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## crashdive123

> ....Could have used just one "Old".....Hrumph 80's....old, old.......LOL


Yeah, was going to say I had socks that old, but needed more coffee.

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## Power Giant

I was going to say my '46 Willys, but I don't use it too much anymore. I'd have to say my '81 Toyota pickup, which I use regularly.

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## Warheit

I came across a few old pocket knives (very small) that I will be adding to a little pouch.   One says Trojans on it, one says Ranger and one says Frontier.   The other is a little carved piece of wood that has a few blades in it.   Not sure if those are old time brands or what, but they were in a thing of my grandpa's so I'm guessing they could be pretty old.

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## Desert Rat!

I have a P-38 can opener that I put on my key ring in 1972, many different key rings since then but same old P-38, just opened a can of peaches with it yesterday and it still works great.

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## Spartan300

Lol, I would say my 1982 Toyota pick-up. She is rusty, ugly, but starts every single morning and still hauls bags of feed like nobody's business. Don't use a drop of oil, and believe it or not the a/c still works like a charm.  :Tongue Smilie:

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## Daniel Nighteyes

> My knife{pic taken before i smashed my camera}
> Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.


*peter*,

Who is the maker of this knife? I think I asked before, but I'm no longer sure of anything I "ONCE" said.  CRS is beginning, you see...

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## wildWoman

> I was watching a show today called American Diggers, they were privy digging and found an old compass just like that one that sold for 500 bucks!


Teehee, that reminds me of last year after I'd dewormed our dogs. Having an inquisitive mind, I went to poke around in Silas's turd with a stick to see if any worms came out. There were none, but right next to his poop I found a really neat fossil.

My most ratty piece of equipment is my 23-year old foamie. Apart for the usual camping use, I also slept on it for four years when in university. There's oil smears on it and the dogs took a couple bites out of it when they were little, but I still use it. Almost lost it this spring when I went to visit family in Europe and AirCanada (who else...) managed to lose it somewhere along the way. After a couple of antagonizing days, they luckily located it and I got it delivered by taxi (!) to where I was staying. It was a very, very happy reunion because I refuse to get one of those ThermaRests before my back is totally shot.

Actually, my snowshoes are even more ratty, come to think of it. I bought them 24 years ago in a second hand shop, so not too sure how old they are - they still came with well-worn leather bindings. Have fixed up the rawhide a few times since and my old dog chewed them up pretty good a few years ago, probably thinking they're nice size rawhide treats. Their just the perfect size bearpaws for me.

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