Last year I spent 15–20 hours hunkered down in the rain, and earlier this year, forecasts of weekends of rain kept me off the trails, so I’ve invested in a more storm-proof tarp complete with doors. Not only will the doors keep the rain from misting in, but they will also keep more heat in when I’m camping out in freezing (and below) conditions. Now to see if this attempt to extend my backpacking opportunities pays off. So far this year it’s been a bit of a washout.

Of course, the extra material, bits of string, and stakes the new tarp needs mean it weighs more than my fair-weather tarp. I found a solution to that. I switched out my stainless steel wood stove for an inexpensive titanium one. The result is almost zero weight gain.

Mid-summer seems to be an odd time to purchase gear and prep for winter, but I’ve learned the hard way it’s better to be ready early than need the gear and not have it.

Speaking of lightening my pack-weight, I’ve also been trying to get hold of a lighter-weight handgun for backpacking. With all the COVID lockdown madness, first ammo, and now it seems handguns (well the one I want to buy anyway) are out of stock. To coin a phrase, “Take my money.”