Re: Your mission: Indy gear for 2000!

Posted by Michaelson from em12-686.utsi.edu on September 29, 1999 at 16:46:49:

In Reply to: Your mission: Indy gear for 2000! posted by Tim Elliott on September 29, 1999 at 15:00:13:

: Here's an exercise for the crowd, particularly the real archeologists and adventurers out there. How would YOU outfit an Indy for 2000 and beyond? A leather jacket, a canvas shoulder bag and a .45 were probably good choices in the 1930s and 40s, but have they been surpassed by new materials and technology?

: For the sake of discussion, let's assume travel in varied climates; weapons in checked baggage for air travel but a cavalier attitude toward pesky local firearms ordinances; and a respect for traveling light. Feel free to recommend new headgear (at your own peril!), Gore-Tex clothing, lightweight, concealable weapons, boots and suggested gear for whatever sort of shoulder bag you see fit, that sort of thing. Would today's Indy carry a Palm Pilot instead of a lined notebook? A GPS tracker rather than a compass? An Irridium phone instead of Western Union flimsies? Would he (or she, given Lara Croft's rise to fame) still take advantage of the abundant military surplus options out there today?

: Looking forward to a lively discussion.

: Cheers!

: Tim

Boy, Tim, you asked a tough one. Indy would definately have to change with the times, as he is still a product of academic pursuit, and unless he changes with the times, he would be doomed to be passed by. Archaeology is nothing like what it was in the 30's and 40's. Almost all major sites are covered by remote ground mapping, and that is satellite based technology. There will always be a place for the trowel and brush, but the days of the hundreds of men moving sand is over as the remote sensing technology eliminates 2/3 to 3/4 of the hit and miss type of exploration. Indy would very likely have to be up to speed with GPS, as that is the mainstay of location, whether on land or underwater. He would have to be computer literate, as all sites are now mapped by plot mapping on spread sheets. His clothing would still be correct, as rough terrain would always be the same, no matter what the era. He choice of weapon would have to be a 9mm of some sort, as that seems to be the NATO round of choice world wide, so the ease of acquiring ammo would be world wide too, not just narrowed to the US. Bullwhip, probably not, but that is debatable as it does have several uses in any time period. I would imagine his pants would change to a lighter weight poplin, rather than the heavier wool, as he really didn't have any other choice for material in the 30's. The shirt is fine. The jacket perfect in any time period. The fedora, fine. The boots, fine, but could be changed to match the terrains if needed. His clothing sould be the same styling, but I'll have to say his science would be completely altered. Good question! Regards. Michaelson

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: : Here's an exercise for the crowd, particularly the real archeologists and adventurers out there. How would YOU outfit an Indy for 2000 and beyond? A leather jacket, a canvas shoulder bag and a .45 were probably good choices in the 1930s and 40s, but have they been surpassed by new materials and technology?

: : For the sake of discussion, let's assume travel in varied climates; weapons in checked baggage for air travel but a cavalier attitude toward pesky local firearms ordinances; and a respect for traveling light. Feel free to recommend new headgear (at your own peril!), Gore-Tex clothing, lightweight, concealable weapons, boots and suggested gear for whatever sort of shoulder bag you see fit, that sort of thing. Would today's Indy carry a Palm Pilot instead of a lined notebook? A GPS tracker rather than a compass? An Irridium phone instead of Western Union flimsies? Would he (or she, given Lara Croft's rise to fame) still take advantage of the abundant military surplus options out there today?

: : Looking forward to a lively discussion.

: : Cheers!

: : Tim

: Boy, Tim, you asked a tough one. Indy would definately have to change with the times, as he is still a product of academic pursuit, and unless he changes with the times, he would be doomed to be passed by. Archaeology is nothing like what it was in the 30's and 40's. Almost all major sites are covered by remote ground mapping, and that is satellite based technology. There will always be a place for the trowel and brush, but the days of the hundreds of men moving sand is over as the remote sensing technology eliminates 2/3 to 3/4 of the hit and miss type of exploration. Indy would very likely have to be up to speed with GPS, as that is the mainstay of location, whether on land or underwater. He would have to be computer literate, as all sites are now mapped by plot mapping on spread sheets. His clothing would still be correct, as rough terrain would always be the same, no matter what the era. He choice of weapon would have to be a 9mm of some sort, as that seems to be the NATO round of choice world wide, so the ease of acquiring ammo would be world wide too, not just narrowed to the US. Bullwhip, probably not, but that is debatable as it does have several uses in any time period. I would imagine his pants would change to a lighter weight poplin, rather than the heavier wool, as he really didn't have any other choice for material in the 30's. The shirt is fine. The jacket perfect in any time period. The fedora, fine. The boots, fine, but could be changed to match the terrains if needed. His clothing sould be the same styling, but I'll have to say his science would be completely altered. Good question! Regards. Michaelson

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