The Camping Outfitter

A century ago, all a person needed to go camping was a pair of boots, a blanket, a waterproof sheet, and some jerky.  However, while there are still plenty of people today who like to get out and enjoy the outdoors, modern conveniences have helped make things a little easier.

Today, when an experienced hiker goes out, he or she is probably carrying some fairly standard equipment and camping apparel and backpacks.  Some of this is analogous to what was used in olden times, but many advances have been made in manufacturing.  There have also been additions, for example first aid and water treatment kits are generally carried by those with experience.

Boots are now much more durable, treated with better waterproofing, and the soles are much sturdier and with better tread for gripping.  Clothing in general has gone through a drastic change; rather than wool or cotton, hiking gear is now made with synthetics much more suitable for the outdoors.  It is worth a shopping trip to see what new gear is available before take a long trip; advances are being made every day.

Tents and other standard camping gear are also now made of synthetics.  With features like mosquito netting and mesh ‘windows’ they are much more comfortable than anything that was available a hundred years ago.  While generally a tent requires at least thin poles or rope for setup, most are no heavier to pack and carry than a waterproof tarp once was.

Food has also changed; there are still those that carry jerky or ‘gorp’ on their trips, but this is generally intended as a supplement.  Other foods make up the main meals, and camping stoves make it easy to prepare a meal from water and dried provisions.  If fishing or hunting is available, the same pioneer techniques might still be used and the meat cooked over an open flame, but that flame was probably started with a lighter or waterproof match rather than flint and steel, all done on camping stoves.

Things like first aid and water purification kits were not available a century ago.  While today an experienced hiker will not go out without at least a basic supply of bandages and medications, back then a bottle of whisky and strip of cloth were generally it for supplies.  The water quality was also a bit less questionable, but when in doubt it had to be boiled.  Other things that now make a camper’s life more enjoyable, and that experienced hikers should be carrying, include a good compass, a watch with global positioning, and a multi-tool in place of a standard pocket knife.

The basic supplies that an experienced hiker uses mimic those carried by outdoorsmen in the past, but advances in modern technology have changed them a great deal.  Synthetics have improved the quality and life-expectancy of many types of gear.  While there are accessories that an outdoorsman today might carry that he would not have in the past, these make the trip safer and more enjoyable.