Even expensive four-season shelters develop cracks in their armor, which is why every tent owner should set aside an hour or so each spring for some simple preventive maintenance. New models require seam sealing, year-old rainflies get punctured and need patches, and well-worn floors need fresh waterproof coatings. Tents of all types and ages require some weatherproofing. My sloppy sealing only cost me a soggy night in the high peaks region of northern Connecticut, but what if I’d been in the midst of a long-awaited trip to Alaska, or more important, a romantic night in the woods? Or say the temperature suddenly plunged and turned my leaky tent into an icebox? That’s a potentially lethal predicament when you’re way out in a remote location. Cursing myself for doing such a poor seam-sealing job, I pulled a jacket over my head and prayed for a sunny morning. The rainfly eventually sprung leaks in seven spots, showering my sleeping bag and gear. But there it was, bigger than life, a breach in the outer defenses of my new tent. Kersplat! The first fat drop splashed against my forehead with a sound usually reserved for cartoons.