Basha Help Please

[NorthernRaider]

(11 March 2012, 23:03)Scythe13 Wrote: That's cool NR. Thanks mate.

How about personal experiences? Have you tried them out?

Yup thousands of times over 20 plus years in uniform, using either a pair of 56 pattern ponchos in early days, then a DPM ground sheet when they were invented which evolved very quickly into a eye hole fitted basha. The longest I've lived under one was 21 days back in the 70s on the Quantock hills.

Tactically much better than a tent or bivvy bag if you have to bugger off quickly. Theres various ways of pegging them out depending on geography , weather and time of year.

Basha sheet
4 or 6 bungy lastics
roll of paracord
8 metal tent pegs
Bobs your great aunt.

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(11 March 2012, 23:26)TOF Wrote: I've been giving one of these some thought.

http://www.military1st.co.uk/32123v-2-pe...-camo.html

Only suitable if there is no risk of ambush or attack whilst you are bugging out, as my old RSM pointed out he would rather live under an open ended basher and be able to escape in a hurry than be in a tent that becomes your shroud.

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My Bambusa minus 18 sleeping bag can be unzippped enough to just be a big quilt if I need to be able to bug out in a hurry, but zips up to a nice mummy bag if I dont.

Dont forget chaps if there is 2 or more of you bugging out one is on guard duty at any given time 2 hours on 2 hours off.

[Scythe13]

Thanks NR, that's the kind of thing I'm looking to learn about.

How was it, living under a basha for 21 days?

Another question, with a basha, most the videos I've seen, people are putting their sleeping bag or sleeping mat on the floor. I'm not keen on that, simply because it means you'll be getting it dirty if you're staying there for any length of time. So a bivi seems a good enough way to protect the sleeping bag from the ground. I'm not a fan of using a groundsheet!

Any suggestions there?

[NorthernRaider]

(12 March 2012, 10:19)Scythe13 Wrote: Thanks NR, that's the kind of thing I'm looking to learn about.

(A) How was it, living under a basha for 21 days?

(B)Another question, with a basha, most the videos I've seen, people are putting their sleeping bag or sleeping mat on the floor. I'm not keen on that, simply because it means you'll be getting it dirty if you're staying there for any length of time. So a bivi seems a good enough way to protect the sleeping bag from the ground. I'm not a fan of using a groundsheet!

Any suggestions there?

(A)Filthy and smelly and smokey, but safe.
(B) if you are staying one night and your bag is a propper out door waterproof bag the ground is fine , Catalogue or Argos type crappy bags are no good for anything but camp beds in tents.

If you are stopping multiple nights you can use a crappy 1/2 inch thich campa mat, or you can collected some nice foliage and make a raised bed area, I used to use leafy branchs off trees, the thin flexible new growth which is soft and springy.

Others used to make a mattress from the turf dug up for fire pits to sleep on. Thin campa mats are a gimmic, only useful for insulation properties not comfort.

Dont forget to scrape a small hollow in the ground under the bed for your hip to go in when you sleep on your side

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In northern Europe AOOs basha living is enhanced by the purchase of a pair of secatuers or shears for cutting soft wood for bedding and cammoflage

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(12 March 2012, 10:19)Scythe13 Wrote: So a bivi seems a good enough way to protect the sleeping bag from the ground. I'm not a fan of using a groundsheet!

Any suggestions there?

Ferking hell Lateral thinking did not last long did it ?
If your allergic to the ground, and clearly obssessed with ultra lightweight sleeping arrangements why not take a bush hammock?

http://www.ddhammocks.com/products

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001WR57IA/re...B001WR57IA

http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/230295865...s&var=sbar

[Scythe13]

(12 March 2012, 11:31)NorthernRaider Wrote: Ferking hell Lateral thinking did not last long did it ?
If your allergic to the ground, and clearly obssessed with ultra lightweight sleeping arrangements why not take a bush hammock?

http://www.ddhammocks.com/products

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001WR57IA/re...B001WR57IA

http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/230295865...s&var=sbar

HAHA, already beat you to that one mate.

They are good for a few days, but I spoke with RJ about it, and he said after a few days that are real back f***ers!

Lateral is my middle name ;-)

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If you really want to have some fun, I've been thinking of running cord lines off the basha and using them as a water collection system. The amount of water coming off the basha will be huge, so I plan on directing as much of that water as possible into a select location, ready and waiting to be drank. Rain water is usually clean enough to drink.

Oh yeah, my name is Mr Lateral! haha.

[NorthernRaider]

(12 March 2012, 11:48)Scythe13 Wrote: HAHA, already beat you to that one mate.

They are good for a few days, but I spoke with RJ about it, and he said after a few days that are real back f***ers!

Lateral is my middle name ;-)

Hammocks even long term are better than cold hard ground, sailors slept in hammocks at sea up to 3 years at a time, they take up no space in your kit and are ideal for sleeping if travelling each few days.
My own preference is a foliage or soft branch mattress

[Scythe13]

(12 March 2012, 11:52)NorthernRaider Wrote: Hammocks even long term are better than cold hard ground, sailors slept in hammocks at sea up to 3 years at a time, they take up no space in your kit and are ideal for sleeping if travelling each few days.
My own preference is a foliage or soft branch mattress

Yeah, I get what you're saying. But sailers at sea were not constantly at the sea. They would stop off at ports and things like that, along the journey.

I'm thinking along the lines of, light weight, and able to guarantee a certain level of comfort.

The foliage and all of that will probably become my main matress. But for the first few days, I want that tiny added extra bit of comfort. I'm a luxury wh*re, and I can't help that haha.

[bowdrill]

well nice and light use the right knots and it can be stripped down dam quick i use a bivvy bag cheap ground roll for insulation depends on yourself if u want to prepare a bed
i find it easier and quicker than a tent

b/d

[The Local Ned]

In Germany in the late 80s early 90s I picked up an old surplus german army sleep system.

It was basically a parka that turned into a sleeping bag by dropping a bottom section that was fixed at the inside / back of the parka.
It was quilted inside with down filling , had a nice big quilted hood too.
You used press studs and a zip at the lower hemline of the parka to connect the 'bottom part to.
It rolled up into its own hood and had toggles and loops to keep it compressed.

The arms could be tucked back inside or closed by an internal drawstring to keep the warmth in.
It was originally waterproof , but I did have to re-waterproof it a few times after exercises.
It saved me a good few times during training/exercises , it was so easy to react to any situation during your sleep time that I left my old 58 patt sleeping bag and only used the parka.

The training staff / umpires / DS would ALWAYS 'bump' you (ambush) at night during these exercises...pitch black , no lights , basha area with comms cord out to help you navigate around....
Everyone else would be scrambling around trying to roll up their 58 patt bags and get their kit on - me ? I had legs out of the parka in seconds , webbing flung on , and waiting / providing cover to allow the others to get their kit ready.

The benefits of being able to immediately stick your arms out and grab your weapon , legs out and able to move so quickly cannot be overstated.

My wearable sleeping bag was an excellent piece of kit , as an aid to bug out quickly 10/10 , as a sleep system 7/10 , as a parka 8/10.
If you wear layers and goto sleep geared up and ready to run then its 10/10 as a sleep system too.

Bivi bags are fine , personally I didnt like them , we were issued them and tried to get to grips with the whole 'breathable thing - it was 1990 or something and the tech was still relatively new to our battalion , but the guys now swear by them.
I have more experience of the poncho/basha than the bivi bag , poncho/basha good for areas you may be in for a few nights ,bivi-bag for single nights under the stars.

Hammocks ? never used them except on holiday so cant really give an opinion from a survival viewpoint.

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(15 April 2012, 02:31)The Local Ned Wrote: In Germany in the late 80s early 90s I picked up an old surplus german army sleep system.

It was basically a parka that turned into a sleeping bag by dropping a bottom section that was fixed at the inside / back of the parka.
It was quilted inside with down filling , had a nice big quilted hood too.
You used press studs and a zip at the lower hemline of the parka to connect the 'bottom part to.
It rolled up into its own hood and had toggles and loops to keep it compressed.

The arms could be tucked back inside or closed by an internal drawstring to keep the warmth in.
It was originally waterproof , but I did have to re-waterproof it a few times after exercises.
It saved me a good few times during training/exercises , it was so easy to react to any situation during your sleep time that I left my old 58 patt sleeping bag and only used the parka.

The training staff / umpires / DS would ALWAYS 'bump' you (ambush) at night during these exercises...pitch black , no lights , basha area with comms cord out to help you navigate around....
Everyone else would be scrambling around trying to roll up their 58 patt bags and get their kit on - me ? I had legs out of the parka in seconds , webbing flung on , and waiting / providing cover to allow the others to get their kit ready.

The benefits of being able to immediately stick your arms out and grab your weapon , legs out and able to move so quickly cannot be overstated.

My wearable sleeping bag was an excellent piece of kit , as an aid to bug out quickly 10/10 , as a sleep system 7/10 , as a parka 8/10.
If you wear layers and goto sleep geared up and ready to run then its 10/10 as a sleep system too.

Bivi bags are fine , personally I didnt like them , we were issued them and tried to get to grips with the whole 'breathable thing - it was 1990 or something and the tech was still relatively new to our battalion , but the guys now swear by them.
I have more experience of the poncho/basha than the bivi bag , poncho/basha good for areas you may be in for a few nights ,bivi-bag for single nights under the stars.

Hammocks ? never used them except on holiday so cant really give an opinion from a survival viewpoint.

German Parka

[Scythe13]

That looks really good, but for £40, I do question it for winter sleeping. Having said that, could just layer up.

I'll check out more reviews of them.

[Timelord]

For basha's. There are lots of cheap v.lightweight ones out there but The better quality ones are the best. Also the cheap ones are generally a smaller size. You can get slightly larger Basha's that give much better coverage for you & your kit. You can also get the I.R. reflective ones like this, which may be useful?