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Backpacker Magazine – November 2012
Survival Lab: Gimme Shelter
Losing daylight and don't have a tent? Don't panic: We tested three shelter-making techniques that will help you survive the night. Plus: Three bomber bivies.
BEST: Improvise an A-frame
Do It Find a strong, navel-high tree limb growing roughly parallel to the ground, or sloping toward it, to use as a ridgepole (or make one yourself by placing a branch atop a stump or in a tree notch, shown below). Lean branches against the limb on both sides, creating an A-frame that’s just wide enough for your body. Continue piling sticks and debris until no light penetrates. Fill the inside with insulating leaves and foliage.
Protection When conditions were cold and windy, this shelter topped our testing as the warmest and sturdiest. It held heat and offered protection in fog and full-on downpours (with an added plastic layer). The only downside: Building it takes time and energy (a few hours if supplies are nearby). If you’re in a littered forest, uninjured, and hydrated while awaiting rescue, testers say the comfort is worth the extra effort.
Pro tip Have a garbage bag? You should. Cut it open and place it between layers of the roof’s material to add low-tech waterproofing. Got two? Make a door to block wind.
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READERS COMMENTS
So you are unexpectedly spending the night outdoors. The ability to know your way and know where you are is something we all need in any survival situation not just while hiking. Learn to stay found by using a compass and paying attention to your surroundings. A compass doesn't need a signal or batteries and works in all types of weather but you need to know how to use it and "Felix the Sugar Glider Be Safe Hike Smart" (Amazon) makes learning how to use a compass easy. Felix! explains how to orient yourself using a compass, a compass and a map, a map and no compass, no compass and no map. Anyone wanting to feel more confident about orienting ourselves outdoors might enjoy learning from this book. To refresh our skills, we read thru this book before every hike - it's only about 34 pages and illustrated. Felix! teaches the reader how to know where you are, what to pack for a day-hike, trail ethics, what to do if you get lost or scared, how to get rescued, and survival packing (for the car and for the trail). Look for it on Amazon, "Felix the Sugar Glider Be Safe Hike Smart."
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