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#287832 - 01/14/18 03:27 AM Scrounge List: Sleeping Bag in a Spam Can
dougwalkabout Offline
Crazy Canuck
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 3217
Loc: Alberta, Canada
I came across this and had to share. I probably won't find one at a garage sale up here, but it's definitely on my "scrounge list."

http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a14532075/air-force-sleeping-bag-in-a-can/

There's a goo-tube link on the web page. The dude that posted this actually opened the can! Interesting, but I would have been inclined to keep it as an artifact. How many of these, unopened, can there be left?

BTW, out of curiosity, what's on your "scrounge list?"

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#287833 - 01/14/18 04:24 AM Re: Scrounge List: Sleeping Bag in a Spam Can [Re: dougwalkabout]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
This stirs memories from the 50's. Gerry Mountaineering, at the time a cutting edge innovator in climbing technology, had a blurb in his catalog about producing bags for DOD that were sealed in 'Spam cans," much like the one depicted. I believe he was providing his standard down mummy bag, which was definitely not the GI mummy bag, but a much warmer, lighter, and more compact model -the absolute best at the time.

I know. As a college student, I slept many nights in my mil surp mummy bag, filled with down and light feathers. It was decent, and warm enough, but a tad on the heavy side.

After a stint in the Army as a draftee, I purchased a Gerry bag, and used it for the next twenty years. A marvelous item, it kept me warm down to -30F on several occasions, weighing all of three pounds. It was eventually stolen,or I might still be using it today....
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Geezer in Chief

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#287835 - 01/14/18 12:12 PM Re: Scrounge List: Sleeping Bag in a Spam Can [Re: dougwalkabout]
Ian Offline
Member

Registered: 05/15/07
Posts: 198
Loc: Scotland

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#287854 - 01/15/18 02:31 AM Re: Scrounge List: Sleeping Bag in a Spam Can [Re: dougwalkabout]
Teslinhiker Offline
Veteran

Registered: 12/14/09
Posts: 1418
Loc: Nothern Ontario
Top of my scrounge list is a WW1 - WW2 era, complete Kukri knife set. I had the complete set, including original leather wrapped sheath. Unfortunately, over years, I lost the sheath and accompanying small knives and only have the big Kukri left - which is not in the best shape.

These era specific and original knife sets, command a good sum of money. However like many things, the forgery market rules and without first seeing in person, makes it hard to identify the real from the modern knock-offs.
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Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.

John Lubbock

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#287855 - 01/15/18 03:10 AM Re: Scrounge List: Sleeping Bag in a Spam Can [Re: dougwalkabout]
gonewiththewind Offline
Veteran

Registered: 10/14/08
Posts: 1517
Former members of the Gurkhas do still make them by hand in Nepal. They do have some nice ones for sale, but they are new, not WW1 or 2.

Kukhri House Thamel

No affiliation

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#287856 - 01/15/18 03:11 AM Re: Scrounge List: Sleeping Bag in a Spam Can [Re: dougwalkabout]
gonewiththewind Offline
Veteran

Registered: 10/14/08
Posts: 1517
I do have a couple of Wiggy bags, and they are warm and durable. Not the lightest and don't pack the smallest, but they are good.

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#287859 - 01/15/18 04:35 AM Re: Scrounge List: Sleeping Bag in a Spam Can [Re: dougwalkabout]
Phaedrus Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 04/28/10
Posts: 3148
Loc: Big Sky Country
Wiggy's bags are awesome and I'm sure their vacuum sealing is great, but c'mon- a SPAM can! How cool is that? grin
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“I'd rather have questions that cannot be answered than answers that can't be questioned.” —Richard Feynman

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#287861 - 01/15/18 06:10 AM Re: Scrounge List: Sleeping Bag in a Spam Can [Re: gonewiththewind]
Teslinhiker Offline
Veteran

Registered: 12/14/09
Posts: 1418
Loc: Nothern Ontario
Originally Posted By: Montanero
Former members of the Gurkhas do still make them by hand in Nepal. They do have some nice ones for sale, but they are new, not WW1 or 2.

Kukhri House Thamel

No affiliation


Yes, I know about those. There are some very nice knives on that website, however I still would like an era specific knife - if only for sentimental reasons.
_________________________
Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.

John Lubbock

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#287863 - 01/15/18 03:01 PM Re: Scrounge List: Sleeping Bag in a Spam Can [Re: dougwalkabout]
gonewiththewind Offline
Veteran

Registered: 10/14/08
Posts: 1517
I totally understand.

I did get one of their knives a few years ago, and the shipping cost more than the knife did! It is nice though.

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#287900 - 01/17/18 10:59 AM Re: Scrounge List: Sleeping Bag in a Spam Can [Re: dougwalkabout]
quick_joey_small Offline
Addict

Registered: 01/13/09
Posts: 571
Loc: UK
I wrote to the ghurka regiment in the 70s and they sold me an issue kukri for a modest price. Less than 10 pounds I think.
qjs

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