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Gear talk: five favourite pieces of gear in 2023

As 2023 comes to an end, Three Points of the Compass takes a glance at a handful of items of gear that accompanied me on trail. One was a new purchase while another has rarely been outside any gear list I have compiled over the past decade. Another is pure luxury while a fourth was perfect for specific trail conditions this year. As to the remainder- possibly on its last legs with little hope of replacement.
Gear talk: five favourite pieces of gear in 2023

ditty bag

Gear talk: repair tape and patches carried on trail

Anyone who has been backpacking a few years will have invariably accumulated a plethora of repair tapes and patches along the way, be it a roll of tape from the local hardware store, self-adhesive flashing tape when making pot cosies, or repair kits supplied with shelters or sleeping mats. But what, if anything, to actually carry on trail? This is what Three Points of the Compass is packing along.
Gear talk: repair tape and patches carried on trail

Gear

Gear talk: peg selection

Three Points of the Compass has tried various combination sets of pegs (OK, stakes to our friends across the pond) with my various tents over the years. I suspect many of us have. There is no one-size-fits-all peg, though some come damn close to being perfect. Some ground or soil types or weather conditions such as wind or snow lend themselves better to more specialised pegs.
Gear talk: peg selection