Review: Time-Tested Gear

Gear that needs no alteration.

While much of the gear we use these days would be unrecognizable to our outdoor ancestors, some stuff—often the best stuff—remains largely unchanged. These are the items your grandfather used and brought you up on. They’re the simple, straightforward, no-nonsense tools that get the job done—and for the fall season, none are more iconic than these five. Odds are, at least a couple of these are lying around your garage.

Coleman Propane Stove
The quintessential car-camping stove, with two burners for cooking everything from pasta to pancakes. $70; coleman.com.

Spiderco Endura Knife
Slim in the pocket and comfy in the hand; if it needs cuttin’, this is the knife to do the job. $115; spyderco.com.

Remington 870 Express Shotgun
Durable, versatile, and still the standard in affordable, pump-action shotguns after 60 years. $400; remington.com.

REI Half-Dome Tent
Sturdy and simple to pitch, this three-season shelter keeps you dry without breaking the bank. $200; rei.com.

Schnee’s Pac Boots
Keeping feet warm from the first snows of fall to deep winter in the high country, for seven decades. $260; schnees.com.