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Building shelter in the forest

Prepper Forest January 29, 2015January 29, 2015Buil, forest, shelter

Building shelter in the forest

One of the scariest feelings in the world is being lost in the forest and having no means of shelter. Since you are outside in the wilderness, then you will be subjected to cold weather, rain, insects and the native wildlife of the area. The only chance you will have to survive in the forest is to build your own shelter. The quality of the shelter you build will depend on the tools you have available. If you happen to have a knife and rope then it will help. Then you can build a shelter by simply using the natural resources of the forest. These resources include branches, sticks and twigs. On your travels throughout the forest, try to gather as many of these items as you can or at least make note of where they are.

The first step to building a shelter is choosing the location. If you can locate an open field near a body of water, then this will be a great place to build. Just make sure you choose a spot at least 50 yards away from the water. That way the water vapor won’t create coldness and the water won’t flood your shelter. Next you will want to search for three tree branches. They should be thin tree branches that are light enough for you to pick up with your hands. Try to find one long tree branch and two medium sized ones. The idea is that you will brace the three branches upright against each other, almost like a tepee. The only difference is the longer branch will be tied in between the shorter branches that are braced into the ground. You may have to dig little holes with your hands, so the branches are tight and secured in the ground.

Once you have your three branches braced together, you need to find smaller sticks and branches to lean upright against the sides of the longer branch. These smaller sticks will make up the walls of your shelter. The sticks on each side should join together on the top, which is where you tie them together. Then you need to find some leafy twigs and start coating your walls with them. Make sure you find twigs with lots of leaves on them, so you can thoroughly cover the exterior of your shelter. Then you should be able to sneak inside and stay protected from the rain or cold weather. It may even camouflage you from the wildlife as well.

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Choosing the Right Tent

Prepper Shelter, Tent February 10, 2014bedding, shelter, Survival, Tent 0 Comment

Choosing the Right Tent

Tents provide you with shelter from the elements such as rain, snow and even wind. Tents also protect you from insects, rodents and snakes. With this in mind, what you want to look for next is how well will you be protected and how much space you will need.

Most tents when they say they are a two-person tent, for example, means two people without their gear. Therefore, if you were camping alone at a minimum you would need a two-person tent for you to have plenty of space for you and your gear.

For family camping trips, you may have sleeping cots you want to use so the tent has to be even bigger to accommodate the cots or even airbeds. You do not want the sleeping cots brushing or bulging out the sides of the tent nor do you want anyone having to sleep with their bodies in contact with the tent sides. Each person should have at least 25 square feet of space. Many tents are low to the ground and require a person to crawl in and out of the tent, so make sure everyone in your group or family can manage this feat.

Hikers would want a tent that is lightweight and yet still provides protection from heavy rains, snow and wind. Most tents today designed for hiking and camping are made of nylon and the nylon quality can vary.

The heavier the nylon the greater the protection, but this also makes the tent heavier. Certain tents are guaranteed as waterproof because they use special silicone based coatings on the material and the tent wall is usually single walled which means the moisture inside the tent from your breathing is expelled while the rain is repelled on the other side.

Many tents will have a so-called fly that stretches over the top of the tent to provide a second layer of protection and to help shed water. This type tent is less expensive because the material is not treated as efficiently and moisture may seep in if you make contact or stress the tent wall. The outer covering keeps the rain from pelting the top of the tent however, and allows venting even if it is raining out because many tents will have screened air vents just under the fly.

You want to make sure the tent flooring extends up the walls a few inches making a bathtub shape to prevent rain runoff from seeping in through the floor and wall seams.

Keeping insects out is important so you want to make sure the screening is a good enough quality that it does not tear the minute you stress it. Make sure the zippers have reinforced fabric along the zipper to prevent tearing.

You want your tent to shed water and to break the wind and not be a wind stop, in other words your tent must be designed to where the wind does not blow it over every time it gusts. Dome shaped tents are popular because the winds flows over and around and does not catch the tent itself. You want to ensure once the tent is set up that there are no sags or depressions where snow or rain can collect.
You should inspect any tent before purchasing by going to the camping store to see it set up. Stretch out in it to make sure it is roomy enough for you and your gear. Read the manufactures description closely to see to what extent it is waterproof and if any special sealants are used and can you treat or re-treat the material yourself at some point with a waterproof sealent.

Surviving a Forest Fire

Prepper Fire January 26, 2013January 22, 2013fire, forest, shelter, Survival 0 Comment

Surviving a Forest Fire

Planning is essential to surviving a wildfire. Information is crucial and you must know the dangers in the areas you will be hiking, camping or hunting. Check with your local forest service and know the probability of a forest fire before traveling in a particular area. Chances of a forest fire increase if the temperatures are high and the humidity is low. Find out how much rainfall the area has received to decided if the underbrush is tinder dry or not. These are danger areas if it is a popular spot for campers and hikers because humans are the cause of many forest fires.

Escape

Even though you are careful, with your campfires, others may not be and you could be caught in a forest fire while hiking or camping. Getting ahead of the fire is important by maintaining situational awareness, looking for smoke and smelling the air. If you see or smell smoke, identify the probable location and move in the opposite direction immediately. If you take too long, the fire can encircle you leaving you no escape. Do not get trapped on hilltops, you want to move downhill from any fire because the heat from the inferno will rise and it can be as high as a 1000F/537C. Valleys or canyons can also trap the heat/smoke and either end could be blocked trapping you in the middle.

Open ground with a firebreak between you and the fire is ideal. Firebreaks include logging roads, fire roads or even highways. Water is a safety zone as well, and if you have no other choice get into the middle of the river or stream and as far out as you feel safe in a lake or pond. The fire can of course jump the break but a break will slow the fire down. Areas already burned can be safe if the combustibles have been consumed and if the heat and smoke is tolerable.

When the forest fire hits a firebreak, it may split. The combustibles have been consumed up until this point causing it to move along the break and then possibly jump the break. Depending on the vegetation there may or may not be a safe zone behind the fire.

If you are trapped and the fire is close, get to low ground, such as a ditch or any depression Scoop out a depression if you have to and cover yourself with soil if possible, this is only as a last resort. You want the heated air to pass over you, and if covered with non-combustibles you may have a chance of surviving. Keep your face from the heat and as low as possible. Avoid overhead dangers from falling trees or limbs if you have escaped to an already burned area.

There are shelters specifically designed to reflect up to 95 percent of heat from a forest fire that you can carry with you if you are traveling in a high fire risk area. The shelters provide protection from radiant and convective heat. Several models have an optional travel pack that will attach to the bottom of your backpack for easy carrying.