[sehome]

ELD was named for the inlet in Puget Sound, near Olympia. I found this tent walking by a small storefront in Seattle on 1st Ave in the 1980's, inside was a young man actually sewing the tents by hand. Bare lightbulbs . Think old USA entrepreneurship. I know ELD has faded away, worst of all, I gave away my ELD when I quit backpacking around 1996. Perfect double- walled tent, dome, two shock poles, good vents, and a very well designed and proportioned vestibule that would allow you to cook, leaning out the door, without being destroyed by whatever storm was in progress. Three lbs. Two (skinny) persons. Room for nearly all your gear. My pal and I used this tent on long trips in Pasayten Wilderness, and also on the ocean beaches. I post this only to "fish" for info from any of you who 1) also owned and used an ELD, or 2) . know what happened and when to the man who made and sold them. Thank you !

[Schroder]

There some discussion of it in this thread from a couple of years ago

[Pyrites]

I had a friend who sewed for owner. She said he'd gone to work as a framer. He'd stopped making the single wall when his supply of Climate (Klimate?) ran out.

[Pyrites]

At the time it was standard, or maybe universal, that for double walled tents, the inner wall wall, was with the poles, under tension, and produced the structure. The outer fly was added on, and wasn't really a core part of the structure. His use of the outer, water resistant fly with the poles as the structure, which a very light weight , non-structural, inner tent clipped in was either a first use of technology or was uncommon at the time. He also made fly-tent tents that were of the more common tent as structure with fly over it. All were cut so the curves were perfect. Add in high quality sewing. And being from Oly, he used bathtub floors so that there were no seams near the bottom. I assume lack of capital was a problem. It always is. But I don't believe Eld Equipment ever had a full time salesperson. Small ads showed up in publications liked The Signpost.

[sehome]

Excellent points, Pyrites, all of them true! The outer shell being the main structure I remember appareciating as a "new concept," and the bathtub floor really was. The inner shell was thinner and bright yellow, adding a cheerfulness in lousy weather. The other post on this subject pointing out that the inventor/maker quit to be a framer shows how hard it is to start any new enterprise. People don 't always beat a path to your door, if they don't know about you, or they get frustrated when you cannot meet the demand. I met Dan McHale, the pack maker, the same way, by literally walking into his tiny shop in Wallingford on N 34th, he was putting packs together, and would make to order. I wanted bright yellow cardura and he did that for me. I think Dan has gone forward with his business and McHale packs are known.

[Malachai Constant]

Many people here know Dan and have is packs to be the best available. He is a fascinating person to talk to if you have any interest is northwest and Yosemite climbing.

[DIYSteve]

[pcg]

[DIYSteve]

Also see Early Winters OmnipoTent (1972) Is there a connection between ELD tents and ELD folding wood stoves?

[Malachai Constant]

Steve, I believe the Omnipotent was the first Early Winters product not MSR.

[JonnyQuest]

The Early Winters Omnipotent was an integrated double wall tent, with the outer wall (acting as the fly) and inner wall connected together by baffling at the pole sleeves and ends. It was bomber, but more challenging to dry out as you couldn't separate the fly from the canopy. If anyone's interested, and doesn't mind a faint whiff of mildew, I've got an old one sitting around that hasn't been used in ages.

[DIYSteve]