The Campin Guru

Eureka’s roots go back to 1895, in Binghamton, NY, where the company still resides.  Its first products were canvas products, Conestoga wagon covers and horse blankets for nineteenth century frontiersmen.  They also produced American flags, store awnings, and, of course, tents.

Eureka increased its canvas production throughout the 1930’s and 1940’s.  During this time period they erected the IBM “tent cities”, just outside Binghamton.  It housed 7 acres of tents for IBM salesmen during the company’s stockholders meeting. With the advent of World War II in the 1940’s Eureka extended its operations worldwide with hospital ward tents. In 1950, upon the post-war return of the soldiers and the resulting house shortage, Eureka turned its attentions to the home front, supplying awnings for moble homes that were being purchased.

In 1960, Eureka constructed the Draw-Tite Eureka tent with its free standing external frame.  It was used in a Himalayn Expedition to Napal by Sir Edmund Hillary. In 1963, Eureka made history during its own Mt. Everest ascent, with over 60 of its tents sheltering participants from 60+ mph winds and temperatures reaching below -20F during the first all American Mt. Everest Expedition.

For backpackers and families in the 1970’s it was a time for “getting back to nature”.  The Timberline tent was thus introduced. It was the first StormShield design, the completely self supporting and light weight backpacking tent became one of the most popular tents the entire industry had ever witnessed.  Sales reached over 10 million by its 10 year anniversary.

While Eureka’s tents have traveled as part of several historic expeditions they have always stayed closer to home with some very historic families.  There large party rental tents have appeared at Kennedy family parties and the purchase of a party tent by President George Bush.

In recent history, specially designed tents were donated to shelter Eric Simonson and his team one two historic research expeditions to Mount Everest. It was a quest for truth regarding the 1924 attempted summit of early English explorers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine.

In 2004, world famous adventurer and geophysicist Pasquale Scaturro and his team of explorers navigated the entire Blue Nile.  They chose Eureka K-2 XT.