Sunday, September 9, 2012

Meet Our Vintage Canvas Tent

In his relentless pursuit to vintagafy our entire life, Aaron has been scouting out vintage camping gear.
We have our picnic basket and lots of vintage camping dishes, we've got vintage thermoses, and some vintage wool camping blankets.
But there is so much more out there.
I found this set of vintage pots at the thrift store.
Aren't they awesome?
Part of me wanted to keep the labels on, and save these pots to display in the trailer we're going to get someday.
Just display, not use.
Collecting vintage can become a sickness.
So I resisted the urge and we used them on our most recent camping trip.
Even without the labels I love them and was happy every time I used them.
We also used our vintage canvas tent!
A vintage, canvas tent has been high on the list of coveted camping accessories for a long while now.
Aaron put out the word that he was looking for one and a friend of ours said his parents had one they'd sell us.
It's in perfect shape even though it's 40 + years old.
The tent is the colors of the Swedish flag and it's huge.
The 6 of us fit in with room to spare.
Why don't they make canvas tents anymore?
Yes, they're heavy, but it's not like I'm backpacking with it, so who cares?
Canvas tents are vastly superior to nylon.
Unless you're backpacking.
Or caught in a rainstorm.
But we weren't.
So it was awesome.
And, it's been approved by Sir Edmund Hillary.
Definitely a keeper.
Aaron, along with a lot of help from James, got the tent up easily.
The kids raced inside to check it out.
They approved.
But the best part of the tent is the awning!
Isn't it the cutest thing you've ever seen?
I was dying about that awning.
Do you know how many vintage trailers I've seen with awnings like that and just longed for one of my own?
I never dreamt of a tent with an awning!
So until that day when the trailer of our dreams comes along, cute awning included, of course, I'll rest happy under the awning of my vintage, canvas tent.
The tent was pretty popular at the campsite.
We got lots of questions and compliments on it.
But the rest of our campsite is in need of work.
Right now it looks like this:
But we have dreams of making it look a lot more like this:
Are we crazy?
Maybe just a bit.
Crazy for vintage camping gear!
Aren't you?
Love from,
Greta

4 comments:

Joanne said...

You're making me feel old, Greta, haha! It's sad that I think the tent looks new, not vintage. I guess that means I am vintage, also, of the same era as the tent. Aaron is a genius being able to put that tent up with no problem. My dad (Uncle Joe) had a color-coded tent similar to your new acquisition. We borrowed it one time and were NEVER able to figure out how to put it up. We gave up and slept in our old army two-man pup tent with our two large dogs. I do remember a couple of times camping near the Kenai River in that tent with bears roaming around in the middle of the night. Good times. :)

Rachael said...

I just love camping! Gorgeous photography. I'm following.Rx

mandi said...

Yes! We are crazy for vintage camping gear too! Have you been over and seen our 1959 camper we bought recently? Being pulled by our '63 station wagon? So crazy about it!
But your tent! How amazing is that?!?!

Mary said...

I just found a vintage sears tent similar to yours...but I love your colors. I saw one like this but waited too long and missed it off craigslist. However the one we got is great! It's a Sears Villa Continental deluxe. My awning has fringe on top instead of the wave. I'm excited to take it out next month on our first camping trip with it. I too love vintage! Now working on info to keep her cared for (it does need some waterproofing for flooring edges).
Happy Camping!!