DIY Heat Reflective Survival Tarp Shelter

In this first video of a four part series, I show a Do It Yourself project to create a tarp shelter that will reflect and retain more warmth back to you should you find yourself in a cold weather survival scenario.

Using simple, inexpensive items you can make a compact weight efficient tarp shelter that will help retain heat more effectively than your typical tarp shelter.

Stay tuned for the rest of this series which will cover:
-Braiding a Ridgeline from 550 Paracord
-Setting up your ridgeline with a Taut-Line Hitch
-Setting up your Tarp Shelter

Katadyn Hiker Pro Review

In this video I show the Katadyn Hiker Pro water filter in use and then finalize the review with an in-depth table top analysis. If you are in the market for a water filter, you need to add this filter as a serious contender. The Katadyn, pronounced "CAT-UH-DINE" Hiker Pro is designed with the ultra-light backpacker in mind, but works well for the general woodsmen, survivalist or bush crafter just the same.

The filter purifies to 0.3 microns which removes bacteria and cysts to protect you from dangerous micro-organisms like Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Amoebic dysentery and the like. It does not filter for viruses, but unless you plan to use this in a third world country, you likely are not in an area where water-borne viruses are a problem. One such virus is Hepatitis A.

For most individuals this filter will be more than sufficient in allowing you to collect and safely consume water directly from its source without requiring the time and fire to meet the need to boil, or to use chemicals or tablets and compromise the great taste of a natural mountain stream or spring.

Below are a summary of the Katadyn Hiker Pro's specs:
-Includes a field maintenance kit with cleanable filter protector to extend the cartridge life in challenging conditions
-Approximately 48 strokes per min. provide 1 liter of clean drinking water
-Quick-connect fittings permit easy installation and removal of input and output hoses; hoses also connect directly to hydration reservoirs with 0.25 in. drink tubes
-Filter physically removes particles, protozoa and bacteria down to 0.3 microns in size, including giardia, salmonella, cryptosporidia and others
-Glass-fiber element is pleated for increased surface area to handle silt and muddy water
-Activated-carbon core adsorbs chemicals and pesticides to improve taste of water
-To clean filter protector, simply swish it in the water
-Pre-filter at hose inlet filters to 150 microns, removing larger contaminants before they reach the main filter to increase its life span
-Ergonomic pump handle is comfortable and easy to pump
-Includes a carry sack and bottle adapter that fits most water bottles
-Approx. 11 ounces
-6.5x3” with 36” hose

Milwaukee M12 heated Jacket "In The Field" ITF Review

Milwaukee M12 heated Jacket "In The Field" ITF Review

In this video I review the M12 Heated Jacket made by the Milwaukee company, known also for their quality tools.

Quite simply, this jacket utilizes a small but powerful lithium ion batter pack to keep the user warm in cold temperatures by controlling jacket warmth with an easy to use activation system. This is a no brainer.

Now, I never advise to rely on gear (especially gear that is electronically powered) to keep yourself safe/comfortable, skill should always be the most important thing you bring with you in to the woods. That said, this jacket still has great application for any outdoorsman. In a hunting application, being able to turn on a jacket to warm yourself up might give you the extra edge to stay on stand long enough to see that big buck walk by. In a bushcraft application, being light weight is always a positive, you can wear a lot slimmer profile of clothing and still get out when the temperatures are low (again while keeping in mind my statement on skill over gear). It even has applications on a social level (there are other colors and models besides camo).

All in all a well made, effective item. Around the price of a similar quality name brand jacket, along with the compatibility of the power packs between the jacket and Milwaukee tools, this item fills a nice nitch, and does it well.

See more at the Milwaukee website:
http://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/cordless/2331

Ribz Front Pack ITF "In The Field" Review

Ribz Front Pack "In The Field" Review

In this review I take a look at the excellent Ribz Front Pack. Designed to consolidate essential gear in an easy access location for back packing, the Front back is a great item for anyone who frequents the outdoors. Not just for backing though, it also serves well for other uses such as fishing, hunting, and even has bush craft and survival applications. Anyone that has ever been on the move in the woods with a large backpacking pack in a bivouac scenario can appreciate not having to dismount the whole weight of the pack to retrieve a small item... and that's exactly what this front pack does for you. By keeping your essential items close at hand, you can avoid that hassle.

The pack itself is constructed of rip stop water resistant CorDura, which is a great material for this item. Its light weight, comfortable, and also works well whether you have it fully packed, or only place a few key items within it.

In this video I show the pack in use while out for a day hike, only utilizing the pack as a stand alone to show its independent capabilities, while I visit an old survival shelter and make a small fire in the single degree temperatures. The Ribz Front Pack is a great addition to any serious backpacker, bushcrafter, or outdoorsman.

See the Ribz Front Pack website for more information:
http://www.ribzwear.eu/

1st Spring Gobbler Ever 2013 - Turkey Hunting Series

Welcome back to my Spring Gobbler Hunting Series!

In this video I take you on a series of hunts as I successfully harvest my first spring gobbler in 2013. This is my first season actively hunting for turkey, and if you watch this series, I go through my progression learning how to hunt for turkey, learning about their calls and different gear associated with hunting them. For anyone who (like me) didn't grow up in a hunting family, its never too late to learn and its something that everyone can accomplish with a little hard work.

He wasn't any record setting turkey, but it was a fun hunt and exhilarating hunt, and its given me something to look forward to. I learned more in the two hours watching these birds than I could have learned in a month anywhere else.


***Update 11/2013... finally had time to update the tech issues with this vid and repost.

Finding Fatwood Pt. 3

In this post, and in the above video, I have concluded and shared what I have learned in my search for fatwood, so that others who are in a similar situation can be more successful in collecting this great natural fire starter.

Please feel free to utilize this video for your own quest. Happy hunting!

How To Build A Fire Heat Reflector For Cold Weather Survival

Splitting A Large Log With A Small Axe

How To Cook Bannock In The Backcountry

In this video I show you one of my new favorite eats in the outdoors... Bannock!

Bannock is essentially just bread, but is very easy to make in the woods. It has been made for over a 1000 years, all over the world from the Scotts to the Romans to Native Americans, each with their own variety. Bannock is a simple recipe (included below) but was usually made and combined with whatever was available. Strawberries in season? Throw them in, etc.

One thing I will say in my own quest for getting bannock right, is that there really is no "right". Experiment with recipes at home until you perfect it and then try it in the woods.

NOMOREOP4'S RECIPE:
Thin layer oil on cooking pan
1/2 Cup Flour
1/2 TBSP Overflowing Sugar (more for increased sweetness)
1/2 TBSP Baking Powder (NOT BAKING SODA)
Pinch of Salt
1/4 to 1/2 Cup Water

Premix dry ingredients in a bag, add water when ready to cook. I have been most successful using only enough water to moisten all ingredients. I have not been successful when the bannock mix was a runny consistency. Do not flatten bannock or it will not cook through well and will burn on the outside. Bannock can burn easily if not careful. I add a bit of water and cover the pan to cook the top and sides faster.

Bivouac Backcountry Camping and Survival Skill Priorities - Finding Collecting and Purifying Water

*Disclaimer-Do not try to dispersed camp without the skills necessary to do so. Do this at your own risk

**I apologize ahead of time for some parts of this video. My camera was dropped and was working intermitantly during this trip.

In this video I walk you through a 3 day trip in the Allegheny National Forest. The area we were in was an isolated wilderness area that allows dispersed camping. I have previously made videos showing the important "priorities" as I call them when in a wilderness or backcountry camping situation but these can also be applied should you find yourself in a survival situation. Those 4 priorities consist of Water, Food, Shelter and Fire. This video shows some basic camp set up goes into detail on how we typically collect water as well as how we process it into clean drinkable water. I will annotate links to the other videos I have made previously as well as the other videos made while on this trip.

There are many ways to collect water, and the most effective way for you may very well be different for someone else. A lot of that depends on geographic location as well as what equipment you have with you. The techniques that I show are just my preferences so take them with a grain of salt.

Day 1
We hiked in a little under 3 miles to where we decided to set up our camp. We chose our campsite based on prevailing wind direction, sunrise and sunset location (to maximize sunlight), firewood availability, and proximity to probable water source locations. Our first day was consumed mostly with clearing debris, setting up our tents, clearing an area for fire and gathering wood to last for the night. We had enough wood to last us through the night and get us started the next morning about an hour and a half before sun set so at that point we got the fire started and had a good bed of coals by the time the sun had set.

Day 2
We woke up and ate a quick breakfast and then got to work. Our first task was to get the firewood stocked back up. Our location was great because we were positioned right between an area of hardwood and pine, so we were able to gather small dry dead pine sticks to get the fire started, and then transition to the heavier hardwood once we had a good bed of coals. Once the wood was stocked back up we stoked the fire a bit as we worked on some other camp tasks (links to those videos will be annotated). Once completed, we left camp to collect water which is where a majority of this video's talking points revolve around.

Our method for collecting water is very simple. We bring two empty gallon containers (we do not carry our entire water supply in for extended trips as that would be very heavy and inefficient). One of these containers is used to gather water from whatever source we can locate. That container is used to transport the water back to our campsite, where it is then boiled so that we may drink it. Once boiled, we transport the water in the other container, which only ever has boiled water within it to avoid contaminating the container.

Aside from collecting water from streams, ponds, lakes and rivers, there are other methods that can be used as well with just a few items.

Transpiration:
This process is the evaporation of water from plants. We merely step in and collect it. Throughout the day, water will evaporate from the plants and you can easily collect water by taking a small plastic bag and wrapping it around a leafy branch. MAKE SURE THE PLANT ISN'T POISONOUS! Leave the bag on the branch all day and come back right before dark. The more leafy the branch the better, the more direct sunlight during the day the better. This will yield a small amount of drinking water every day, multiple bags would be needed to even come close to sustaining a person.

Condensation (via Solar Still):
This method would most likely only be necessary in a very arid region where water is very scarce. Again with simple components a person can collect water using natural processes that occur in the world. First you need to dig a pit and place a pot of some other item to collect the water. Then lay a platic tarp or bag over the pit. Cover the entire edge of the tarp on every side. Use dirt, rocks, whatever you can find, to hold the edge of the tarp in place. Then take a rock, it doesn't have to be big, but heavy enough so that the tarp will dip slightly when you place it on the tarp right above the pot. As the moisture in the ground evaporates it will be trapped under the tarp where it will condense. As it condenses it will roll down to the lowest points of the tarp (right below where you put the rock) and drop into the pot ready to drink.

Stay safe...

NMO4

Weapons For The Zombie Apocalypse

Finding Fatwood Pt. 2

The search continues...

Hello everyone. In follow up to Finding Fatwood Part 1, here is my second effort after I regrouped and did some extra research.

So during my first attempt, I focused on finding a Pine stump hoping that I might get lucky and find some concentrated fatwood. I was plagued by two issues:
1) Almost every stump whether young or old was completely rotted out.
2) When I did find the rare stump that had a solid inner core, it appeared as a false positive in the woods because the dampness of the ground made the wood take on a darker hue. By the time the wood sat to dry at home for a bit, it was obvious that I had not found fatwood.

Both of these issues are really the result of one cause; the ground (at least where I am searching) is too damp. The wood dies from rotting before any significant amount of turpene can be produced by the roots to settle in the stump.

Now it is possible that my location has a lot to do with it. Living farther north than the southern states that are infamous for having fatwood stumps every other step (like Florida), we have a different climate. My theory is that the ground is too damp here between all the rain and snow we get throughout the year that the tree doesn't have a chance (at least from natural death) to concentrate to the point to be considered fatwood. As there are no logging plots in my immediate area I have yet to test logged Pine stumps. All the stumps I have checked were either knocked over by other falling trees/wind, struck by lightning, or just actually died from a natural cause.

So after the first trip's failure and reflecting on the above conclusions, I regrouped and did some more research. I learned that the closest few inches of a dead pine branch can sometimes hold fatwood. From what I gather the tree "seals off" the dead branch from the living part of the tree. Same principle anytime a pine is injured externally, it will produce resin to seal the inner parts (this can also be collected and used for multiple purposes). So this time, my goal is going to be to cut off some dead branches and see what I can find...

One other theory that seems to make sense, is that the larger and older the tree is the more resin the tree should be able to pump. Saw this interesting Table Mountain Pine (Pinus pungens) on the way in and actually made a great find.

Table Mountain Pine


Dead Immature Cone


Mid Trunk that must of have severe damage done to it. It was covered in pure hardened resin.


It also had a dead branch protruding from it... Bingo!


Not only did I successfully find a good piece of fatwood before I even got to the area I was going, but I also harvested some pure hardened chunks of resin!


Just when I thought I had harvested everything this great tree had to offer...


Got a bag of hardened resin, and this one of pliable stuff.


Continuing on, I finally reached the woodline of the area I know pines are dispersed. I walked a little deeper in this time since I knew stumps were not a priority this time.

Look how quickly the woods change from deciduous to coniferous in the next three pictures. Use the tree in the far right of the first picture as an anchor point for comparison in all three:






And then I was in it. Large area of all pines, with plenty of dead branches to harvest. The reason for this area of pine is because this land had mining about 40-60 years ago or so, and the geography looks like they basically cut the top off of this hill to mine, and when they were done, they planted these pines. Their height seems to coincide with that timeline.


Every tree had multiple usable branches. It got to a point where I was no longer looking for fatwood, I was looking for pines with the best dead branches haha.





Here is the end product of the haul:

The hardened resin. Will make some pitch sticks or maybe pitch glue out of this.


The unprocessed lot of it.


The most concentrated piece. Check out that color!


Each of the pieces has a good 2-4 inches of concentrated fatwood. I kept another 2-3 inches of wood on each stick. Not the same as a stump, but this is was a great haul for me and a real learning experience. Hopefully this will help others who live farther north and have been having trouble finding good stumps.

Finding Fatwood Pt. 1

"Fatwood" is nickname for wood that has a high resin content and as such is very flammable and has a lot of uses for bushcraft and camping. It as actually terpene, which is what turpentine is derived from. While I have known about fatwood for sometime (by the way its also known as "fat lighter", "light wood", "pitch wood", and probably other names as well depending on where you live), I have never actually been successful at collecting my own.

Essentially it forms when a pine tree is either cut down or breaks. The roots continue to pump resin into what ever remains of the tree and stump, which causes concentrated pieces.

Occasionally on trips out to the woods I would make a half-assed attempt to check a stump or two, but was never thorough enough, and as a result, never successful. In the past, I always rushed and figured "I should be able to pull a stump out of the ground and light it right away" as I had seen some others do. But after some thought, I realized, a lot of these folks I have seen do this have lived much farther south, like in Florida for example, where the soil is usually much dryer than here in PA and most of the NE US. So my first realization was that based on how damp the soil can be, I will have to let the stumps dry out a bit before they will take a flame.

Another realization, is that because the pine tree areas around me are not logged, my best bet is going to be to find stumps that only recently separated from the rest of the tree. Again due to the how damp most of the ground is, a lot of the stumps I find rot out very quickly, because the tree usually died from natural causes (not being cut down)so most of the stumps also died around the same time. Finding pines that were cut down would be optimal because the stump would be alive and well, but I've got to work with what I've got. So what I learned today is to check the stumps that look like they are recent. The stumps that have the rest of the tree already fallen for some time and rotted out were all rotted out as well so this seemed to confirm my idea somewhat.

Here are some pieces I collected today, and what I learned from them:

The first one looked semi promising from the outside, but upon further inspection proved to be extremely rotted, helped along by its inhabitants.







The next stump I cam across was smaller and also was rotted on the outside, but with some help from my wetterlings, revealed a rock solid core. It looks like I found a winner here.






Some more cleaning revealed a nice red hue, and this looked and smelled like I finally found a good piece.









Tried a few more stumps with mixed results, some with success, most with completely rotted stumps.






One stump seemed *at the time* to reveal the best piece yet. More to come about this piece.





After about an hour of pulling stumps, I found a decent collection of promising pieces, some more so than others, but I was happy with my results for such a minimal time input. Some of the pieces appeared as though they were more concentrated than others.





On the way out I kept my eye open for pines with injuries to try to collect some hardened resin on the outside and found a jack pot.
This tree was recently injured and the sap was not hardened yet and was very easy to collect. Filled up a whole sandwich bag of very clean sap.









Got home and set the pieces out to dry a bit. One thing I realized is that the dampness of the ground can make the stumps look more "red" than they really are.

EDIT: After allowing the pieces to dry for a day, unfortunately I realized these were not concentrated enough to be considered fatwood. While they did have the smell, and some very small veins, they were not the real deal.




See part 2 for more success...

Bivouac Gear Load-Out Series Pt 4/5: Water Food and Cookware

Bivouac Gear Load-Out Series Pt 4/5: Water Food and Cookware

In Part 4 of my Bivouac Gear Load-Out Series I cover my preferences for water, food and cookware. All operating assumptions in Part 1 apply here as well. Everyone's need's are going to vary based on a number of factors including but not limited to geography/temperate region, experience, weather conditions, etc. What I provide here are some general techniques and commentary on what I have done in the past. There is no magic calorie requirement or fluid oz of H2O that will work for everyone.

Knife Sharpening Tools and Techniques

Disclaimer* These are my tools and techniques! They may be different from yours!

In this video I take a basic look at some of the many types of tools and many different techniques of knife sharpening. There are plenty of people out there with a lot of experience with knives, but for the person just getting into knives or the outdoors (where a sharp blade is necessary) it can be difficult to know when and how to sharpen the blade.

Today I go over the methods and equipment that I use. I have found that the knife community is filled with great people just like the firearm community.... And on the opposite end of the spectrum it has just as many people who are 100% sure their way is the only way things should be done. Ignore the BS, do your research to figure out the best blade angles and what grind type your knife has and you'll be alright.

As always get in touch with me if you have any questions or requests!

How to Build an A-Frame Debris Shelter Pt. 2

In Part 2 of the wilderness A Frame Shelter, I complete the final touches on insulating the roof with added debris, securing the debris and then finally insulating the sleeping area within the shelter.


From here everything is pretty simple.  If you have questions with the initial procedures please see the video and blog description.


Basically the only thing I did was add additional debris to increase roof insulation/protection. The debris will settle somewhat. You can lay sticks on top if you can not complete the shelter in one go, but settling will occur none the less. But you WANT it to settle, because as I showed, it when "cake" and become stronger when it settles. It kind of gets like peat.


Anyway, I repaired the areas that had any settling but stuffing the space with new debris. Then I went about adding the layer as before, starting at the bottom and working to the top. Finally, I put the last debris along the top of the roof. 


MAKE SURE that you cover the entire roof area on either side of the "V". This is a crucial step in stopping heat from escaping.  To check your work, enter the shelter and inspect the main support beam. There should be no sign of daylight, or even a bright area showing through.


The last step to make the shelter more comfortable and to stop the ground from drawing the heat right out of your body at night, you can add debris to the bottom of the shelter. I prefer not to use leaves for this base and instead opted for the pine needle. Try to avoid collecting the wet  needles, closest to the ground. Go for the top most superficial layer. The best place to gather needles easily is right at the base of the tree (obvious fact that some people overlook).  You can never have too much ground insulation. I will also have a tarp, a mat and a bag, but a 2-3" layer of a thick pine needle base will be my goal before I sleep.


Now all that is left is to wait for snow!

How To Build An A-Frame Debris Shelter

In this step by step walk through, in accompany with my YouTube video on the subject, I show you how to build an A-Frame Debris Shelter.

The A-Frame Debris Shelter is a versatile design that can be utilized in the summer or winter months, in dry or wet conditions.  The shelter requires minimal tools if the proper steps are taken in site selection and debris gathering, making it a good option for someone caught unprepared to spend the night outdoors. However, with a few small pieces of equipment (such as rope, a good knife, and/or a small saw) one can make an extremely durable and weather resistant temporary shelter.

There are many variations on this design and no specific way is more correct than another. In a true survival situation the best method for building a shelter is whatever method expends the least amount of energy while sufficiently protecting you from exposure to the elements.  That may involve using the "Y" of a tree to rest the support beam, instead of building an "A" for the support beam to be tied to. Again, your preparedness beforehand (having rope, or other tools available) will likely dictate this.

This shelter is such a great option to have in your survival skill set because it is easy to build and can be adapted to suit a variety of conditions and situations (for example extra insulating layers of debris in winter).  There are many different environments you might face in various regions of the world, but nearly everyone of those will provide the natural debris necessary to create this shelter.

Below I have included the link to my video walk through of how to build an A-Frame debris shelter. You can use both the video and walk through here in conjunction with one another.

Site Selection

Selecting the proper site is important regardless of what type of shelter you are building.  Every situation will be different, but there are a few general rules to keep in mind.  

Avoid areas where any of the following may be an issue:

• Areas that may pool run-off water, or be susceptible to flash floods.
• Areas that may be more susceptible to frost (hollow bottoms).
• Areas that animals may use as a primary route to water.
• Any other unstable areas where dangers such as avalanches or rock slides could occur.

A few considerations to keep in mind:

• Certain areas will get more sunlight during the day than others. (ie the North face of a hillside versus the South face.)
• What direction is the wind blowing from primarily? Orient your shelter and fire accordingly.
• Choose a camp as close to necessities as possible. Quick access to food, water, or debris in this case.

I chose an area where the wind was mostly blocked by a group of pines, and where I would be in the sun for as much of the day as possible. The area also had a significantly larger amount of debris than anywhere else in the vicinity.

Main Support Beam

You want to find a stout beam that will have the strength to support the structure. This beam needs to be strong enough to hold the weight of the roofing beams, and their debris.  If it is winter, consider that snow fall could also significantly increase the weight being held by the beam.  Wind will also be a factor.

I chose a dead fall tree that never actually fell to the ground. It was stopped by a neighboring pine, and the way that it fell caused it to curve.  I liked the curvature that it gave the beam, because it will make the process of adding the roofing beams easier.  The beam that you choose should optimally be a few feet longer than you are tall so that you can lay down in the shelter completely. But do not choose too long of a piece. The longer the beam, the larger the shelter will be, the more debris will be required, the more area will need to be heated by the fire... and so on.

The A Frame Beam

The beams you select to create the "A" should be of a similar size and strength as the main support beam. They too will hold a significant portion of the weight.  The length of your "A" beams will depend on your size and preference.  I like to be able to sit up and/or kneel at the entrance of my shelter. Therefore, I select the length of the "A" beams accordingly.

I chose a beam almost identical in size to the main support for my "A".

Connecting The "A"

This is also a very crucial step in the construction process.  Make sure you choose two beams that are long enough to allow you to fit in the shelter.  If you are cutting the two beams from one longer piece, always be on the safe side and cut them so they are longer than you think you will need. You can cut off the excess later.

Place the "A" beams in the approximate position that you want the opening to be.  Figure out what width you want at the base, and how/where the beams rest most securely on the ground.  Once you have found this, connect the beams IN THAT POSITION.  Attempting to connect the beams while laying down on the ground and not in the position they will ultimately be in will make more work for you, and will cause you to get a less secure connection between the two.

Securing The Main Support Beam

Once the "A" is tied off, grab your main support beam and rest it on the "A" temporarily.  Adjust the angle of the "A", watching what it does to the height of the shelter.  Remember to also consider the length you need to lay down in the shelter.  It is nice to have an over hang with any shelter, but that will compromise the integrity of the shelter's strength. I angle the "A" less than 90 degrees back towards the main support beam.

Once you have your frame in the place that you think will work best, fortify where the frames are resting on the ground. You can use rocks, logs, or you can dig a cavity in the ground for the frame to rest in as I did here. This is my preferred method.

Here I show the main support frame secured.  I secured the other two frames as well. For the support beam I dug an angled cavity about 8" deep and placed it in.  A rock or heavy log resting on top can also work.

Once you have secured all the frames, secure the main support frame to the "A" if you can. I used 550 para-cord as shown below.

No particular knot or method here.  Tie it tight enough to get a secure fit. If you can shake any of the frames loose or out of position once tied, you need to go back a step and secure the frames on the ground better.

Prepare The Ground

Before you start to place the roof beams on the frame, take a shovel, knife or whatever else you have available and churn up the earth will you will be laying. This will create air space which will make it easier to insulate later. We will cover this area with boughs, duff, and pine needles to increase insulation before sleeping gear is laid down.

Churn up the earth to create air space on the ground.

Mid Support Beam

This is required but I like to secure a frame about half way down the main beam. This will make stacking the larger roofing frames easier.  This helps keep the larger roofing beams closest to the "A" from falling over accidentally while building the shelter. This is especially helpful when working with wood that isn't straight, or if you are forced to build on uneven ground.

Stacking The Roof Beams
Now it is time to start placing the roofing beams.  You can start at whichever end you want.  Make sure the beams are long enough to extend above the support frame.  Use the approximate angle of the "A" so that your shelter doesn't change width along its length.  Also keep in mind that the steeper the angle the harder it will be to get a base layer of debris. 

Don't forget to remove any branches that might be sticking off the roof beams. It's not fun to bump into them at night!

Alternate the roofing beams on each side of the support frame and try to keep the spacing between each beam as minimal as possible.  Angle base your angle for each roof beam off of the "A" beam to keep things even.  As you get closer to the back of the shelter use smaller sticks, on a smaller angle.

Make sure to use good pieces as the roofing beams will also support weight.

Make sure that none of the pieces might bend and collapse once weight is on them.  Also check the angle to make sure things are even.

Prepare The Roof For Debris

The easiest way to prepare the roof for debris is to add sticks to increase the surface area.

Vine and sticks like this work well. If necessary you can weave the vine in between roofing beams, but this will take extra time and is not much more efficient than just evenly applying a layer on the roof.

Collecting And Placing Debris

Now it is time to start collecting debris. This is going to take some time and energy, but if you selected your camp site well hopefully your work and travel will be as minimal as possible.  Here I use a tarp and pile on debris, then carry the tarp back to the shelter.  You can just use the tarp to dump the debris on, but I like to get an even base layer first, working from the bottom up.

Its okay if there are some sticks, dirt or other miscellaneous debris included. A certain amount is inevitable.  Just make sure you don't pick up any snakes!

Use your hand to feel where the debris layer is light and add to it. Also be sure to pack it down as best as possible. Don't break your roof frames, but compact the debris a reasonable amount. This will retain heat more effectively.

Don't forget the top!

Inspecting The Base Layer

Now its time to check your work. Go under the shelter and look for daylight.  You will want to cover and add a layer to any thin areas.  Even though you will cover these later with the other layers of debris, it is important to do this because these areas will be more susceptible to heat loss and precipitation if left alone.

Look for daylight under the shelter.  Take a stick and run it through the opening so you can find the thin area outside and add debris to it.  If not heat will escape easier through these areas, and may also allow precipitation into the shelter.

That's it for part one. Keep your eyes peeled for Part 2!

Thanks for stopping by. Please be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and this Blog!