u/sagenparsley

Hello, I’m a thru-hiker looking to buy a tarp. I hiked the PCT (’23) and CDT (’25) with a Zpacks Altaplex that was gifted to me. It’s a lovely tent, but I’m predominately a cowboy camper and would like to shed the weight of a tent for future hikes. I live and primarily backpack in the southwest so there is rarely a need for a full tent given the temperate climate. Right now, I am in between two tarps and would love some advice . Specifically wondering about how durable / long lasting these tarps are and how they hold up against weather / rain. 

Option 1: Gossamer Gear Solo Tarp 

7.1 oz. $95

Pros:  awesome price to weight ratio 

Cons: Sil-Nylon (heard this material is more likely to sag/stretch after a pitch than DCF?), not familiar with the A shape - run the risk of disliking it? 

Option 2: Zpacks Hexamid Pocket Tarp

5.5 oz. $400

Pros: pyramid shape would likely handle strong winds better than A shape, I already use a Zpacks tent and feel familiar with the company / quality / shape,  super light, DCF

Cons: expensive - is it a significantly better than the GG Solo Tarp? Like $305 better? 

*Note: I’m petite (5 foot) so feeling cramped in a shelter is never an issue. I’m leaning towards a shaped tarp rather than a flat tarp because it seems like a better guarantee at getting a good pitch every time, rather than having to practice my set up and get good at pitching a bunch of different ways. I get that the flat tarp is more versatile, but it seems unnecessary as I primarily cowboy camp and only want a tarp for when I need some weather protection. 

Thanks for the advice! 

Anyone know someone in town who can replace tent zippers on backpacking tents? Mine no longer works. I’d rather not deal with shipping my tent somewhere, would prefer to get it done locally.

Hi, I am a small time artist looking for advice. This year I have started selling my stickers and zines. Initially, I was just selling my art locally to friends and family. Thus, it made sense to order a batch of stickers and zines to my house and distribute them around town. However, recently I have gained a bigger online following. I now find the majority of my sales are no longer local. I am now spending a lot of time packing and shipping orders. Art is not my full-time job. I have an unrelated, full-time career. I am passionate about my art and want to continue sharing it with the world. However, I want to be sure not to burn myself out and prioritize art being a hobby over a job. I print my zines through Mixam. I have started using their print on demand service and really enjoy it. It is a relief not to have to deal with shipping each order myself.

I am wondering if I should start to do the same with my stickers? Should I find a print on demand service instead of handing orders myself? The con to this is that I would potentially make less profit due to the print on demand service's fees and markup. Profit is not the biggest priority as art is not my main source of income. However, having a second money revenue definitely helps. So far, I have made a couple hundred dollars in net profit after up-fronting costs for stickers and zines. Will I loose any chance of profit switching to print on demand? Another con is I worry about the quality of print on demand products. I work with Sticker Ninja right now and love the quality. Most of all, I fear potential AI / Art theft. I have heard bad things about Redbubble. Is there a print on demand service people actually recommend (needs to produce die cut stickers)? Or, does it make sense to just keep handling orders myself? Thanks so much for the advice!