Is This The Most Successful Tent of the 20th Century?

What makes a successful camping gear product? Here we showcase what might be the most successful consumer level commercial tent design and how it was developed.
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[@asmith7876]

I bought a Timberline around 1978, it costs $100, a fortune in today's money. I used it for years, in all seasons absolutely bombproof, weather proof, years of memories. My drunk father in law fell on it and bent a pole, Eureka sent me a new one, no questions asked. Killer customer service. F&*(ing mice finally ruined the tent and I was forced to toss it, I could cry still. I had another Eureka tent purchased from a local store going out of business, but parts were missing. I called Eureka about purchasing the missing parts, they sent them free. Damn I'm gonna miss them.

[@sargevining]

Yah, I wish they had priced their older designs a bit lower and had kept after new designs. At $249 retail, new Timberlines were just plain overpriced. No longer the best tent for mainstream backpackers as there are less expensive and better performing backpacking tents on the market, and its priced way too high to compete with Ozark Trails offerings for the low end market. But it would have done well had it been priced just a bit higher to appeal to the folks who want in inexpensive tent that is of a higher quality than the Walmart crap.

[@Wayondon]

My 2-man Timberline was my "home" back in Fall of '74-'76 when I traveled across country from Maine to MT to attend school at UM and camped throughout the northwest. Great memories. Still have it. Thanks for this outstanding presentation.

[@sargevining]

In a way, it is the best one man tent ever. Well worth the weight if you ever find the need to spend some time inside due to weather. Thanks for watching!

[@isorukuyamamoto7638]

My first tent, 1974! Absolutely bomb-proof, and I spent many nights in it in the Washington Cascades.

[@sargevining]

Thanks for watching! Bomb proof indeed. I'm convinced that if the design was kept as is but the materials upgraded to what is available today, it Eureka would still be in business today.

[@robertweldon7909]

I have owned two of these tents. The first one (orange) I bought in 1975 (for $99.00?) and literally wore it out, and gave it to a homeless friend in 2010, I think he still has it The second one I got in 1985. It is a little bit different. I was made by Eureka for "Brigade Quartermasters" (in Kennesaw, Ga) out of Gortex. ($250) I also got the vestibule. I still have it today and it is still in great shape. The Timberline has only one drawback, its 7 pound weight. Beyond that, If you can find one, buy it, they are a versatile long lasting product. Maybe someone will buy the production rights, they will sell product.

[@sargevining]

Eureka did come out with a lighter version made using skeeter netting rather than nylon for the body, but would rather have seen them make it with carbon fiber poles, silnylon fly, and 1.1 ripstop for the body. I bet you could shed a good deal of the weight just by using lighter materials. Thanks for watching!

[@catawissa2weinhold579]

I’m 40 and been sleeping in timber line tent since I was 6 weeks old. I was going to replace my current 4 man with broken zippers this year then found there never coming back😢! Best free standing all around tent. Head room, durability, weather protection when entering/ exiting in the rain. Easy to use foot print and great size and weight for canoe camping.

[@sargevining]

I hadn't considered canoe camping as I haven't done any since the 70s but you're right, its actually a superior tent for canoe camping. As much as I love my Frostline Kodiak, I do appreciate the room inside a Timberline. Its like the difference between a Best Western and a Hilton Hotel. Thanks for watching!

[@MG.50]

Got my first 2-person Timberline tent around 1975 - 78, and later in the 1980s I bought a 4-person version. I LOVED THAT TENT. For the time, it was just about top of the line. I think I still have it packed away somewhere. My only fear the entire time I used those tents (well over 20 years) was losing one of the two plastic cross bar pieces all the aluminum poles connected into on each end. Overall, it was a great design for its day. It took me a while the first time or two I set it up, but later I could throw it up in under 10 minutes. It was sturdy when staked down, yet light enough to be a true backpacking tent. I am going to miss Eureka. Great folks.

[@sargevining]

Yep, a very shallow learning curve. I think that's one of the reasons it lasted so long. Simple enough to put up at dusk bone tired after walking all day. Thanks for watching!

[@tzavitz]

My timberline was simply the best tent I ever had. The overhangs and the ability to adjust the doors for ventilation were superb.

[@sargevining]

It is surprising that those little "beaks" keep so much rain out of the doorway. Adding the vestibule pretty much perfects a nearly perfect tent. And, yah, I don't think I've ever had another tent that is as well ventilated. Thanks for watching!

[@Camerongproctpr]

I was just a boy when dad bought a timberline we took it camping many times. Loved it so much i found a new one 2yrs ago and thats what I use now.

[@sargevining]

If you're like most folks who've commented, you'll likely have it for 40 years. Damfine tent still. Thanks for watching!

[@bradhassler1]

The Timberline 2 person was my go to tent on the AT, back in 1978. I still have it 😉

[@sargevining]

Back then, you couldn't find a better tent for the money, that's for sure. Thanks for watching!

[@notquiteultralight1701]

Eureka is sadly going out of business in July. 😢

[@mitchkoski2711]

Thank you for taking the time to do this! My first tent was a Eureka Timberland 4 that i bought in 83 or 84. Which i no longer have unfortunately. Learning that Eureka will no longer be with us, i ordered a 2 person timberland and vestibule from them now during their spring sale. Knowing the story, the tent will have reverence. I've been to the Eureka store, and live about an hours drive from it. See you down the trail...:)

[@sargevining]

Its a fun tent. I'll use it if I'm bringing the dog or a companion when doing a 1970s camping trip as its roomier than my Frostline Kodiak which is my absolute favorite. Thanks for watching!

[@SurvivalSavvvy]

I really appreciate this history lesson. Thank you.

[@AlpinePreparedness]

Subbed .. thanks for the recommendation

[@sargevining]

Thanks for watching!

[@sargevining]

Thanks for watching and subbing!

[@AlpinePreparedness]

@@sargevining 👍🏽

[@chuckhiccox8086]

I bought a Timberline 2 man in 1979 from EMS in Boston .I live in it for 6 months on Martha’s Vineyard then heavily camped in it on a couple of cross country road trips . I backpacked with it all over New England until it finally succumb to sun damage and time (20 + yrs). Iconic tent to say the least .

[@sargevining]

If you scroll down the comments, you'll see a guy who had his for 40 years. It has the right combination of ease of use and all around utility. Thanks for watching!

[@lordnebo]

I have one it served me for years, great design

[@sargevining]

Easy, roomy, and waterproof. You can't ask for more from a tent. Thanks for watching!

[@filmic1]

Sad to see that Eureka has folded. My wife and I bought a Eureka Alpine Meadows in the late? 1980's and I still have it. We loved it cause it is so roomy for backpacking for two, though heavy-ish.. I think it was called a 'semi-dome.' at the time. Last summer I reconditioned the fly with Grangers. Thank you for the history.

[@sargevining]

Thanks for watching! They weren't doing enough innovation to remain a top tier gear manufacturer, but I think they could have become a great middle market maker, especially if they had updated sone of their old designs. I think of how well a timberline using carbon fiber poles, silnylon fly, and 1.1 ripstop body might be received by the middle market backpacker who can't afford top tier gear but knows Walmart ain't the right place to shop.

[@filmic1]

@@sargevining Wow, right, carbon fiber poles and silnylon. Our poles are shock corded aluminum. Have to be quite mindful about keep track of those pole retainers.... stable as all get-out. Thanks again! (I have a Moss Outland I bought for field work in the early nineties... again, treated the fly with Grangers.) I leave my tents hanging open so air circulates.

[@sargevining]

@@filmic1 I went to you channel to watch the MSR base on the 123, and forgot all about that when I saw your Moss tent. Watching it now. I'm envious.

[@filmic1]

@@sargevining Thank-you! and for visiting my wee bit of web estate.

[@keithyoung9435]

Sarge - Thank you so much for creating such an interesting and informative video. I bought my first Timberline 4 around 1982. I used for years both car camping and from my motorcycle including 10 nights with my partner in 2010 all around Maine including Bar Harbor, Moosehead Lake and Rangeley. It was by far the best tent I had ever used. I could set it up in less than 5 minutes in the dark and have a shelter that protected me from the elements in short order. I used that same tent until the summer of 2022 when I took my old Jeep CJ-7 up to Baxter State Park. It was showing signs of its age (40 years) with the poles bowed from stress over time, the shock cords on the rain fly no longer elastic and the fabric stretched so that the air gap from the fly to the tent wall severely reduced. The biggest Achille's heel to these tents was the zipper pull. Well, The zipper failed on that trip with both the pull no longer merging the two sides and me accidently dislodging some of the teeth on the down zipper. I closed the side with safety pins and knew that the tent had come to the end of its life. It did, however, serve me faithfully on that trip as a rare summer Nor'easter came in bringing torrents of rain and winds up to 60 MPH. I was afraid the old nylon would fail, but the little Timberline held up, kept my dry and protected and served my as it always had. It hurt to throw that old friend into the trash but I kept the bag, stakes and dog bones. Last year, for Christmas, my partner bought me a brand new Timberline 4 which I expect I will use this summer. I expect that it's the last tent I will ever buy!

[@sargevining]

I'm loving the stories I'm getting from folks out of this video. Forty-year-old tent protecting its owner from 60 MPH winds even after being "wounded". Its the Labrador Retriever of tents. Thanks for watching!

[@longrider42]

Yep, I have said tent. Only used it once, I hope to use it more this coming summer. It's a pretty good tent. I may have to add some extra guy lines. So it does not flap so much in a heavy wind.

[@sargevining]

Yah, about the only improvement I'd make on the basic design is a catenary cut on the fly to reduce the flapping.

[@ROE1300]

👍 Nice tent. Thank you for the introduction.

[@sargevining]

It is a fun tent for sure. One of the great things about this collecting thing is the reminders one gets of days gone by.

[@ROE1300]

@@sargevining At 5+lbs. it is not ultralight, but not exceptionally heavy. Based upon what I saw on the internet a new one is not that expensive either. Really liked this tent. I had no idea of the history of Eureka, very informative as well as enjoyable video.

[@sargevining]

@@ROE1300 It was considered light weight for its time, a big part of its popularity when combined with the price. I do think the current MSRP of $249 is a bit higher than it should be for a 50 year old design.

[@ROE1300]

@@sargevining I found a new one priced for about $175.00, but like so many things no longer made in the USA.

[@maybenot7202]

​@@sargeviningcool bit of history, I remember them. A aide note, Self supported A-frame tents have been around for 1000 or so years. But not something you could put on your back. 😂

[@siouxbe1]

Yep, we sold 'em in our Shop and ALWAYS had one on display

[@sargevining]

You've just reminded me that I need to do a follow up video on where this particular tent was originally sold. I was going to put that in this video but took it out as it was getting a bit too long. Thanks for watching!

[@scotts.2624]

19:07 What is that flash that came off the side of the tent? Right in front of the leaning tree. Static discharge? There is some sound that goes with it.

[@sargevining]

Likely the dog. I kept her leash on her to kind of limit her mobility and I bet it caught on something on the tent. I can see the fly shake a bit and hear that noise. The flash was probably the white on her. Or it could be chupacabra---- Thanks for watching!

[@kansasscout4322]

i bought a very similar tent i bought in 71. Orange too

[@sargevining]

I believe orange indicates early production for a private label vendor. I'm going to do another video specifically on the tent you see in this one as it is also a private label tent and I want to give the history of the vendor and some of my personal experiences with them. Thanks for watching!

[@seanenglish85]

We took Timbelines to Philmont backpacking in '93. A great tent, albeit heavy. However, my troop used the official B.S.A. Baker tents, so the Eurekas were considerably lighter in comparison. 😂

[@sargevining]

When they first came out they were likely the lightest consumer level tent on the market. I firmly believe that if they kept basic design and used lighter weight nylon and carbon fiber poles, they still would be.

[@nealrehm6900]

In the mid 80's I went out to Aspin CO to help build a monster house in Starwood, where all the movie stars lived! this was in June and July. The perfect hiking weather in the mountains. we were in are 20's back then. as I was gearing up I knew I needed a light weight tent, and I chose the Eureka Timberline 2. We didn't work on the weekends so off we'd go. One Friday right after work I took off to the mountain, Maroon Bells, I think it was, anyways above Snowmass Village. I was hiking strong, The tree line I believe is right around 9000 plus feet and I was there. In the mountains Stormes can sneak up, but you cant tell what direction there moving! There like a Box of Chocolate! you never know what you'll going to get!! Down below me were many dead trees and as this storm was getting closer, that's when I noticed most of them were scared and chard! By now I knew I could be in real trouble. I scrambled and found a small flat aera a hundred & fifty feet below the ridge I was near and less than two minutes I was almost safe inside the Timberline! The storm hit just as I and all my gear got inside. No stakes were set cause only a few inches of soil and the rest was solid rock. The Lightning was intense the sound was defining, I was never so scared! All the while I thought about those aluminum tent poles. After ten or fifteen minutes Zeus went to visit Snowmass Village , and I was safe. I forgot to mention the wind speed! I can only guess, but I was lucky to find the only flat spot so close to the ridge. My Timberline protected me that night and I even added on to it later with the Vestibule that came out years later. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. NWR

[@sargevining]

But did you die? Amazing as the Timberline wasn't really designed for mountain applications. I've been in storms similar to that down here in TX during Hurricane Season. Not a hurricane, but the weather that can come in off the gulf can get a bit intense. I've been in thunderstorms where the rain was so intense that I could not see past the edge of my hammock's tarp. It was as if I'd been walled off from the world.

[@thegrayfox9425]

I saw an Ozark Trail a-frame at wally world. Wondered if maybe the patent is expired or sold since Eureka is done. My timberline is still my go-to four season shelter.

[@sargevining]

I don't think the Timberline was patented but if it was, you're correct that it would be expired by now. The A Frame design will never die. Once it became free-standing and double wall, it became invincible. Thanks for watching!

[@toml.8210]

I bought my Timberline tent from the BSA supply in 1975.

[@sargevining]

I've seen pics of Jamborees that look like a sea of Timberlines. There's a couple videos on YT made by Scouts for their troops to show to erect the tent. I'd venture to guess that there's still a bunch out there sitting in Troop trailers ready to be used. Thanks for watching!

[@behindthespotlight7983]

Whoops. Sarge I was an On Set Dresser in Hollywood for many years. You’ve got to tilt down a degree or two. Your camera is shooting off set. Also, pan camera left a few inches. Your black keyboard is in frame. Nonetheless love your show. God bless.

[@sargevining]

Yah, that's a function on the increased field of view on the DJI Pocket 3 that I'm using and the set being built for a camera with a narrower field of view. Panning left will only reveal that the "wal on that side is only four feet long. As it is I disguise that by hanging my vest there. Its being fixed by replacing the desktop set up with a fancy schmansy laptop with dual monitors that can be pushed out of frame. I'll do some minor changes to the set in that corner as well to give a third wall to the "cabin". Doing that should allow me to put pictures up on the screen on both sides of my face without making it look like I'm peeking out of a keyhole.

[@Flash1857]

Very interesting discussion on the topic of video production and equipment, fascinating

[@behindthespotlight7983]

19:21 The older I get Ill take option three please: “One man, his gear and his dog”

[@sargevining]

Yah, when I take the dog on a 1970s trip, its the Timberline that goes with me as my Frostline Kodiak is uncomfortable for both of us.

[@thomaslubben8559]

Had an Alpine Medows version for 40 years.

[@sargevining]

Bomb proof gear. Wish there was more of it today. Thanks for watching!

[@db6283]

I have a timberline 2 person. Bought in 1975 Haven't used in years. But get out and set it up once a year. Urethane is peeling, need to rewater proof. They don't make them like they did years ago Thanks for the video

[@sargevining]

I need to do a follow up video on this particular tent and where it came from. Its technically not a Timberline. Thanks for watching!

[@behindthespotlight7983]

Sarge I have a question about which I bet a good number of your friends here would love some insight. The smell. That smell. Last week I whipped up a pan of corn muffins for breakfast. Got out the butter and honey. Brewed a pot. Aaaand fed them to the dogs. You see the cornmeal had been triple ziplock bagged but left in storage with military surplus and canvas gear and THAT musty smell permeated into the cornmeal. I know that I should have used a glass jar or airtight aluminum container but I didn’t have one in the field. I bet you could make an entire video on eradicating or “fixin to” somehow mitigate that (at times) overwhelming stench that operates between canvas, deteriorating glue and an old boot. PS: the pooches liked the corn muffins very much. I went hungry.

[@sargevining]

The smell comes from the polyurethane breaking down. I use a product called Revivex Odor Eliminator made especially for PU coated gear. Its a good temporary fix, but it won't stop the breaking down and only temporarily "eliminates" the smell. Good enough for a weekend camping trip. Its one of those things that if you find a piece of PU coated gear still with the coating intact 50 years from now, it'll be quite valuable--but it will still smell like baby puke mixed with pig diarrhea.

[@benwinter2420]

Get a cheap Chinese 2 man dome tent (with quick erection J clips) from Kmart or similar & 3 cheap 2m x 2m tarps with eyelets & some thin rope & a stake or two , put the first tarp down under the tent to protect from dirt/mud , the second inside the tent (under your bedding) & with its edges pulled op inside the tents sides (like a boat) . . last tarp over the top & tied down with eyelets down low to base of nearby tree's & brush (or motorcycle) . . important solid anchor points in high winds & then extra tie downs with stakes . . this will keep you dry inside during a tropical monsoon downburst as in north Australia where you can have an inch or 2 of standing water on ground due to the very heavy prolonged rainfall . . for under a $100 , never seen any high end expensive tent that looks like it could achieve same level of shelter

[@sargevining]

Thanks for watching, and the info!

[@richardbaker8928]

All these modern small ridge tents can be pretty much to the Meade tent of the 1920s. I've had a lot of tents over the years including a Blacks of Greenock Mountain Tent back in the early 70s, a lot heavier than modern tents by solid as a rock and as it was cotton there was zero condensation.

[@sargevining]

You may enjoy this video on the first true backpacking tent, and the first sub-four pound tent from about 1913: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZzRkJ2qr6mGpck&pp=gAQBiAQB Thanks for watching!

[@jamesellsworth9673]

I admired the catalog pictures of the Timberline back in the day...but I did not understand its virtues.

[@sargevining]

There were a lot of choices, many of them more expensive, a lot more were "blue light specials" (blast from the past). The Timberline may have faded from memory had it not been for its adoption by the Boy Scouts.

[@denisestarr2314]

Lol . I'm 60 ,I have witnessed the evaluation of camp gear .

[@sargevining]

Thanks for watching! I've seen 11 more years of evolution, but the acceleration in progress in the last 50 years has been astonishing when you compare it to the previous 50.

[@Tb0n3]

Just a note, it's pronounced Bingumton ranther than Binghamton despite how it's spelled.

[@sargevining]

Yes, I should have known that coming from New England where Leominster is pronounced Lemonstir. Thanks for watching!

[@tullochgorum6323]

Ironic that you release this in the week that Eureka's owner announces that they are breaking up the company and killing the brand.

[@sargevining]

Actually, they announced in October last year. There was an attempt to sell off the brand to a Polish company, but apparently that fell through. IIRC, they are keeping the military and festival tent divisions and have rebranded them. This week's announcement just formalized the inevitable. Thanks for watching!

[@dsgrayco]

Near perfect tent. Spent 100s of nights in one as a boy scout and as a young adult. Owned the 2 person and the bigger one that we put 4 in. Easy to set up, bomb proof, never leaked, roomy. The 90s dome tent fad put the tent as just a boy scout tent after that. I think eureka could have made a light weight version to compete if they wanted to. My guess is that it would be under 4 pounds. I think at the time no one was interested in the old design becouse they were cought up with the dome tent craze. I think my light weight night watch dome tent was 6 pounds. Not much lighter than the timberline, more expensive , and it seemed smaller. Seems like ive had some sort of problem with all the dome tents ive owned. I dont remember any problems with the timberline. I guess thats progress for you.

[@sargevining]

Dome tents were just becoming commercially viable at about the same time as the Timberline came out (I have a video on when the first dome tent was made, it will surprise you). Dome tents were the solution to decent tentage in alpine and arctic environments as they present the same surface to the wind regardless of direction. But backpackers don't need that kind of protection from wind. It did take about 10-20 years before domes started creeping into the backpacking market, but that was largely as a result of wanting to have a tent "like the pros use" rather than a purpose designed tent for backpacking. The irony is that today, backpacking tents more closely resemble the Timberline design philosophy rather than domes, and most domes are now centered on the car and family camping market. And, yah, I think if someone made a Timberline clone using today's lightweight materials, they'd have a good product that would sell well.

[@notquiteultralight1701]

And now it's gone in July forever.

[@sargevining]

Yes, and I remain convinced that if they had continued to upgrade the design to use more modern lightweight material, they's still be in business and selling a tent worth $249. Thanks for watching!