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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Nutstory
In the OP you had a photo of a Millet le Sherpa Varappe Walter Bonatti (circa 1964). Recently I found the Millet le Sherpa Bonatti below. Do you know when this model was produced? The side pockets make it look older than the 1964 rucksack, but that is not necessarily the case.
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France
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Topic Author's Reply - May 3, 2016 - 10:17am PT
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Marlow, what a beautiful sample! It is not that easy to date your old Millet with precision. My older catalog Millet is dated 1970. Regarding the older sacks, I used my Au Vieux Campeur catalogs which are not very precise (often without photos). In fact, I do not believe that your sack is older than 1964. The side pockets mean that this model was mainly produced for mountaineering, and not for climbing. My main reason to date it circa 1964 is that Millet filed out a Patent for their Minyl back pack straps on March 29th 1963 (Patent FR 1 365 328A).
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Nutstory
It may have been produced for mountaineering. It can even have been produced for military purposes, though I doubt it because of the colour. It was sold from Germany as produced for military purposes.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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The classic Karrimor Whillans pack in action:
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Fossil climber
Trad climber
Atlin, B. C.
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Here's a Bergans I got in early 50s. Almost perfectly identical to Millet Le Sherpa Haute Montagne René Desmaison, "lady model" (early seventies). Knockoff?
The Norwegians were making quality packs WAY early. Lots of miles on this one!
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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Here's a Bergans I got in early 50s
Wow, you are a fossil.
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France
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Topic Author's Reply - May 9, 2016 - 12:51am PT
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Here's a Bergans I got in early 50s. Almost perfectly identical to Millet Le Sherpa Haute Montagne René Desmaison, "lady model" (early seventies). Knockoff?
Could we see a photo of the back of your pack. It is so much "identical"... I do not believe that such a pack did exist in the early fifties...
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Fossil climber
Trad climber
Atlin, B. C.
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Hi Nutstory -
Yes - the exact similarity bothers me too, especially as the label came off somewhere along the line. I examined it carefully for any other ID but couldn't find any. It looks so exactly like the Millet that it is hard to believe it can be anything else.
I got this after staggering around Norway's mountains in 1949 under a US Army surplus pack and being so impressed by the Norwegian students' packs. I don't remember date or origin of purchase. I do remember packing it in northern Yosemite for about 10 days in about 1957, which gives me a date to work with.
I don't recall ever owning a Millet pack. However - one can lose a lot of detail in half a century. I could be wrong.
I searched the web for Bergans history but couldn't find anything from that period. Maybe Marlow knows where to look.
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France
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Topic Author's Reply - May 10, 2016 - 05:50am PT
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René-Gaston Millet filed out a Patent for the bottom of the back of their packs on June 13th 1959 (Patent FR 1 236 558). Would not Bergans be the distributor of the French Millet packs in Norway at that time…? Marlow...?
Something else that puzzles me is that Millet filed out another Patent for their Minyl back pack straps on March 29th 1963 (Patent FR 1 365 328).
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scuffy b
climber
heading slowly NNW
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May 10, 2016 - 04:11pm PT
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My 1971 Millet has the same features as Wayne's, but his is slightly larger than mine. It has a wood panel going down that sleeve the label was stitched to and a metal bow with tensioned webbing screwed to the base of the wood. The texture of the webbing straps and the buckles are unmistakable
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Fossil climber
Trad climber
Atlin, B. C.
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May 10, 2016 - 04:22pm PT
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Marlow - thanks for the interesting bit on old external frames. I lugged one of those Army plywood frames all over Alaska the summer of 58 mapping glaciers for the IGY. You could strap damn near anything to them, and we did. I think I got six inches shorter that summer.
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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May 12, 2016 - 01:18pm PT
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Wayne
Great photo, that's as heavy duty old school as can be...
Nutstory
I will see what I can find concerning Bergans rucksacks 1950-1960 when my time allows me to exercise my curiosity...
In 1966 Bergans started selling Bergans Alpinist, which was said to be the first anatomical rucksack (Nils Faarlund mentioned this in an article he wrote).
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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May 12, 2016 - 01:51pm PT
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What is ruck and why are you bringing it when mountaineering?
In America they are all backpacks.
The difference between American and English terms is interesting to me. It seems American terms are often more descriptive/utilitarian.
Boot vs. trunk
Torch vs. flashlight
Head torch vs. headlamp
aluminium vs. aluminum
articulated lorry vs. tractor-trailer
I must say I like these English ones better
boob tube vs. tube top
danger money vs. hazard pay
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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May 12, 2016 - 02:04pm PT
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Ruck and sack are German terms.
Ruck is back and sack is pack.
The plural term "Rucksacks" is in German "Rucksäcke".
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
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May 12, 2016 - 08:07pm PT
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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May 12, 2016 - 08:26pm PT
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From Mountain Magazine #1, January 1969:
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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May 13, 2016 - 09:04pm PT
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SWEEEEET!
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Don Lauria
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
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May 14, 2016 - 04:14pm PT
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I was wondering if anyone was going to mention the LaFuma! Back in the day (circa 1962-68) the LaFuma was the pack of choice. Simple design, leather bottom, no exterior pockets, single compartment interior, single strap closure, metal hauling ring, and felt padded straps. It (at the time) was the ideal climbing rucksack - easily hauled.
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