In reply to VK3KAN:
Hi Rik,
I’ve a slightly different story, the first bit of which I know is true for sure.
The original “tent without poles” emergency shelter made from nylon flysheet material was made by Karrimor many years ago under the trade acronym KISU (Kiss-oo). Which stood for Karrimor International/Instructor Survival Unit.
You will still hear people in Britain use that “word”, but most people have forgotten where it came from. Mike Parsons who ran Karrimor (when it was a family business) is a friend of a friend.
The second bit I am less sure of, but I believe this bit is true.
When other tent manufacturers, principally Wild Country, that went on to become Terra Nova, wanted to make their own “tent without poles” they couldn’t use the KISU name for obvious reasons and I believe this is when the term Bothy Bag was coined. To this day Terra Nova use that term as their official marketing name for “tent without poles” emergency shelters.
I’m sure someone older and wiser will than me will correct any of this that I have wrong.
73
Gerald
2W0GDA