Shelters

[Highlander]

It seems that not everyone is happy in their ability to make a shelter, we all have to learn, so with that in mind I want to go through a few very simple shelter ideas,.. none of the more complicated ones, but something that can be easily explained and remembered.

First of all you can carry your shelter, an Army ground sheet and two poles either carried [extendable] or cut from woodland,..simply note the direction of the wind and peg the sheet to the ground, raise the other end onto the poles, [you only need sitting room] and pull everything tight with bungies or cord

There are many combinations here, make the shelter a lean to like above, or like a ridge tent, if the wind is strong keep it low, if you need more height, then either dig out or erect it next to a natural hollow or slope,.. just make sure that water doesn't gather in the hollow,......... use trees to give you better shelter, maybe suspend the ground sheet completely in the air to give you loads of room if the weather permits

If you dont have a ground sheet, dont worry nature has options for you, from easy things like .... put two pole about eight feet apart at the height you want, [ probably about waist height ] tie a cross bar between the poles,..and then simply lean small branches against the cross piece,.. remember which way the wind is blowing,.. then cover with leaves to insulate

Another one I like, is find a group of small trees [silver beach grow in small groups] find three or four that are close together, and pull the tops into the center and tie them together, you instantly have a shelter shape, all you need to do then is get small branches and intertwine, in and out of the bent trees

A shelter I have often used, is find a place where sheep have hollowed out a bank for their own shelter from the wind, these can often be quiet large, extend the hollow by using a sheet or branches,..in an emergency use a coat, one stick threw the arms, and two sticks to keep the garment open. lean it against the hollow

Remember that a cold wind can be very uncomfortable, and cold wind and rain can be a killer, you must be able to get out of these two elements .... if the worst comes to the worst, get out of the wind by digging yourself down, so that you are lieing just below the grass,.. you will be several degrees warmer there than above ground and in the wind,.. if its snowing, this is a life saver, if its deep snow use the snow as a wall against that wind

[Grumpy Grandpa]

I've used the 'group of young trees' in stands of young fir. Makes excellent shelter and a wee bit less weaving required I'd imagine. Never tried yours...

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Snowholes too. Surprising how comfortably warm one can be...

[Tarrel]

While I understand, and fully accept, the need to have shelter-building skills, in a bug-out scenario wouldn't it be more effective to carry a lightweight tent?

Effective at keeping you dry and windproof, quick to erect and take down, light to carry.

Pre-SHTF, such things are cheap, easy to get hold of and easy to store.

[David075]

depends how much you want carry its amazing how quick that bob fills up with the stuff you need and leaves no room for the other stuff you need.

[Tarrel]

Vaude Taurus Ultralight. 1.8 kg and packs down to the size of a can of beans plus the poles. Goes up in 2 mins. Good headroom. Could get two in at a pinch.

[Highlander]

Its one reason I carry [two ] capes for my shelters when I camp,.. some of these so called light weight tents can get heavy enough after a few miles

Although tent/capes/groundsheets are a very good option for shelters, I do think as prepers we should at least know how to use what nature gives us to form a shelter,..its just another prep, like all preps its `just in case`

another good one, is to find a big fire tree, one that has large lower branches, that gets very close to the ground, this tree almost makes your emergency shelter for you

[Franc]

handy, if your route goes past them, are drystone field wall's, find a nice corner of a field, lean your bike, up against one wall, put one tarp between the bike and the wall, then put a second tarp over the bike, and weight it down, with stones on top of the wall and on the ground level. you sleep on the first tarp, with a bike on one side of you, and the wall on the other. the second tarp, needs to be weighted down, as a wind shield, and also hides any reflections from the bike,

[Anything Really]

If you can choose only one form of shelter what would it be?

I'm yet to buy one for my BOB so I'm very interested in your views.

[Highlander]

(15 May 2013, 23:05)Anything Really Wrote: If you can choose only one form of shelter what would it be?

I'm yet to buy one for my BOB so I'm very interested in your views.

For emergency, light weight, and versatility, you cant beat something like this, you can create so many different types of shelters with it depending on the weather, and what you have around you, i.e. trees, banks, walls etc, you can even just roll up in it, use it to keep other things dry, hell you can even make a boat from it, or at least a floatation devise

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mil-Com-DPM-Mi...35bfa76d3c

[Straight Shooter]

As Terrel said ....I carry a pop up tent....equally as Highlander said I also carry tarps, that's me sorted then.