Camping in the Old Style

By: David Wescott

Back before the days of trailers, Coleman stoves, RVs, nylon sleeping bags, and all the other modern camping conveniences, people still went camping. Camping in the Old Style explores the methods used... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0879059567
• ISBN13: 9780879059569
• Release Date: June 2000
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith
• Length: 226 Pages
• Weight: 1.47 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.3" x 0.8" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Worth a browse (bed) or serious reading

For the modern hiker and camper many of the outdoors manuals of a century ago may seem like little more than charming period pieces, amusing for their glimpse of a primitive approach to a hobby now practised scientifically. Yet authors such as Horace Kephart were dealing with nutritional values, insulative and drying properties of clothing, ultralight shelters and more at a time when plastics and miracle fibres were simply not available. This splendid book, an oversized paperback, draws from many of the best works in the field (or, indeed, the forest)and ties the extracts together with introductions and comments by David Wescott. Unsurprisingly, given his published interests in primitive technologies, Mr Wescott is not at all enamoured with modern materials, and this does occasionally bias the text unduly. Nonetheless, he has done sterling work in bringing together a collection of themed articles, quotations and photographs which really do give the reader a good feeling for the way camping was practised. Best of all, much of what worked then is still surprisingly appropriate now, although inevitably you can expect a cool reception from landowners if you start constructing shelters and camp furniture from standing trees. Reading authors like Beard and Kephart, along with some less well remembered names gathered here, gives one a much greater understanding of how things work and work together than can be gained by simply buying the latest all-weather gadget and setting off with little knowledge of the outdoors. A heartily recommended book, with the sole negative observation that as with the Primitive Technology books this one is printed on an awful pulpy stock. The photographs in particular suffer badly as a result, and it is a real pity that such a handsome work could not have been given more handsome production.

Every Basic You Need

Wescott enlightens one that 'go-light' camping was generated not in modern days, but at the turn of the century. From Seton and Beard's woodcrafting, to Wilder's jack-knife cookery, this book include every nuance of camping. All terrains, from the heat to the chill northern climates; all ages and styles are encompassed in the simple basics that it takes to enjoy the great outdoors.

Woodsmoke and Canvas

Camping In The Old Style pays reverent homage to Kephart, Seton and Beard--heroes to all who crave the smell of woodsmoke and canvas. It's as nourishing as a meal of honest grub cooked over and open fire, and as comforting as a soft wool blanket or a pair of well-worn moccasins. Woodcraft lives!