Emergency/Survival Tent suggestions

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waveone

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Jan 12, 2014
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I did a search on this topic and found no relevant thread. So it seemed reasonable to start one.
Are there any suggestions or better still experiences with a particular type of emergency shelter like the SOL products or even a small single/two man tent which can be reasonably carried in a pack?
 
I've used a poncho for emergency shelter before. The GI ponchos work best, with the metal grommets and snaps.
 
There are several hammock/rain fly set-ups on the market that are pretty comfy and portable. The good ol' military-style poncho like Bob mentioned is pretty darn handy... only problem is, if it's raining you have to take your "tent" apart so you can wear the poncho to go foraging or whatever.
 
james terrio said:
There are several hammock/rain fly set-ups on the market that are pretty comfy and portable. The good ol' military-style poncho like Bob mentioned is pretty darn handy... only problem is, if it's raining you have to take your "tent" apart so you can wear the poncho to go foraging or whatever.
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Right, which continues to question what is the best, or most efficient tool for this purpose?

Here is why I ask. Again, having hunted the backcountry and thus having been in many difficult, if not dangerous situations, this type of equipment is necessary. Being wet in the elements is not only debilitating , but can mean death in certain circumstances. No joke. Which is why staying dry, then warm is paramount.

You get wet in the back country with no immediate solution, even in fair weather of around 60degress hypothermia can set in and - you die. Sounds extreme , but it has happened , more than once.
 
james terrio said:
There are several hammock/rain fly set-ups on the market that are pretty comfy and portable. The good ol' military-style poncho like Bob mentioned is pretty darn handy... only problem is, if it's raining you have to take your "tent" apart so you can wear the poncho to go foraging or whatever.
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If you can sleep reclining and have something to sit on that's dry, just sit down with the poncho "on," and leave it at that. Need to keep feet tucked under (Staking out the front edge of the poncho helps with this.). I'm not very limber any more, but it still works for me. I carry an 18" x 18" piece of 1/4" closed cell foam to sit on.
 
Thomas Linton said:
If you can sleep reclining and have something to sit on that's dry, just sit down with the poncho "on," and leave it at that. Need to keep feet tucked under (Staking out the front edge of the poncho helps with this.). I'm not very limber any more, but it still works for me. I carry an 18" x 18" piece of 1/4" closed cell foam to sit on.
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I've sat for hours cross-legged with the army poncho pulled over my head while inches of hail piled up. Luckily I had a wool sweater too. The worst part, I was stuck on a saddle between two peaks, with lightning slamming both of the peak tops. Given the late afternoon time, there was no way to bushwhack down; the only way down was over one peak or the other.
After sitting like that for two hours, as the afternoon grew later and with 8 miles still to hike, I was starting to get chilled. Lightning was still bad, but the hail had slowed. I decided to play the Hypothermia vs Lightning Strike odds, made a dash over the peak and back to camp.
There were some close strikes, but had I not been prepared with the poncho and sweater I would have been totally boned. :)
 
The answer is... it just depends on where you might be and how much stuff you can carry. In pine forest a sturdy knife or folding saw is all you "really" need... you can build a warm shelter and bed with pine boughs pretty quickly.

A poncho and good sweater will definitely help a lot, pretty much anywhere, and you should have them in your pack regardless if you have a "real" shelter or not. If you're out on the flats and there isn't a tree in sight, a hammock/fly rig isn't going to do you much good at all ;) But in the woods they're great... comfy and cozy as long as it's not crazy cold (wind blowing under your back sucks the heat right out of you). Plus as I said earlier, you can leave other important stuff protected if you go off foraging or whatever. So it's a redundancy thing.

In a way, the best first line of shelter/defense is a warm hat, gloves and socks. Short of a pouring rain or blizzard, if your head hands and feet are warm and dry, you can stand a lot more trouble than if they're cold.

So I look at it like this... hat/gloves/socks/boots/sweater or jacket and poncho are mandatory regardless. After that, there are lots of options.
 
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I've been using the fly creek UL 2, absolutley dig it. It's packable even in a daypack, @ 2.6lbs, takes about 5 minutes to setup free standing. If you can shop around you can get them much cheaper than retail. Think I got mine for $220ish shipped.

Having used the SOL E-tarp, I pretty much used it as a ground tarp more than anything else, tried the bivy, but felt them a little noisy.

Other than that I pack silnylon tarp and a light wool blanket in case of needing extra cover/insulation.

The UL2's great, but there are a bunch of other great ones out there too.
 
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waveone said:
I did a search on this topic and found no relevant thread. So it seemed reasonable to start one.
Are there any suggestions or better still experiences with a particular type of emergency shelter like the SOL products or even a small single/two man tent which can be reasonably carried in a pack?
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Tough call. In advocating for fast and light alpine style climbing, Chouinard argued that "Speed is safety" and "if you carry bivi gear, you will [be forced to] use it" because the weight will slow you down.

For general backpacking and hiking, I try to avoid emergency/survival situations ahead of time.

For winter ski touring and winter climbing, it's a tougher call, because a twisted ankle can be deadly.

The broader question for me then becomes what is the plan on a fast and light trip should an injury pin 1 or 2 team members down (while the other(s) seek help)?

Like many climbers in New England, I carry a super light, single use mylar type bivy shelter in my Essentials Kit. I've never used it, don't plan on using it as a trial and pray I never have to. One needs to think about ways to augment it. Pack becomes insulating pad, enough jacket and layering to survive a night, small twig stove for fire (when below tree line). Often on winter day trips with a party of 3 (safest minimum), we'll carry a 20 degree sleeping bag as a part of our community gear to help an injured team member survive the night.

Lowell Skoog (brother of the now deceased photographer, Carl Skoog) originally posted these plans for a Zdarsky tent on usenet back in the 90s.
http://www.alpenglow.org/tech/zdarsky-tent/

I'm begining to think about saving up for a nysil 2 man tarp tent, like the BetaLite. Weight is coming down on these types of shelters. A lot of protection for not so much weight.
 
A poncho with tie-offs or grommets works great and here is why. The chances of an actual ER shelter being used for it's intended purpose is rather low but how often does it rain when the forecast said otherwise? Some ponchos have an extension to cover a large pack as well. Some silnylon ponchos pack down to nearly the size of a soda can.

Poncho uses.

1. Tarp.
2. Water trap.
3. Ground cover.
4. Rain gear.
5. Wind block/jacket.
6. Blanket. Ok it's marginal but once used a Tyvek ground cloth plus poncho for a blanket inside my Hennessy hammock in the 40's.
7. Pack cover when hiking or at camp.

Gosh there are more uses. Also it doesn't hurt to have tie-off line ready to go.
 
surplus ponchos are heavy, but tough. Silnylon ponchos are light, but don't do bushwhacking well. I generally have a rain shell due to where I am, so I start there, and may or may not also carry a simple silnylon tarp.
Beyond that it comes down to season and budget. I'm a huge fan of the AMK heatsheet as a multi-use safety device. There are piles of one and two person tents that are very light, but are you willing to drop a few hundred on a tent you won't use often? I'd rather carry a multi-use bit of kit that could also be used in other situations, signaling, treating shock, all that kind of thing.
 
The Bothy line from Terra Nova are lightweight and a great place to sit out a squall.
 
gadgetgeek said:
surplus ponchos are heavy, but tough. Silnylon ponchos are light, but don't do bushwhacking well. I generally have a rain shell due to where I am, so I start there, and may or may not also carry a simple silnylon tarp.
Beyond that it comes down to season and budget. I'm a huge fan of the AMK heatsheet as a multi-use safety device. There are piles of one and two person tents that are very light, but are you willing to drop a few hundred on a tent you won't use often? I'd rather carry a multi-use bit of kit that could also be used in other situations, signaling, treating shock, all that kind of thing.
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Not all military surplus ponchos are heavy - only the older ones. Also, mil-spec ponchoes are widely sold. Crumble down to grapefruit size and weigh very little.

And, as I am sure you have noted, not all ponchos are "military." Coated nylon ponchos with snaps and grommets have been made for the civilian market for decades. Quality, of course, varies.
 
gadgetgeek said:
Agreed Tom. But still, you are always going to trade durability for weight.
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I try to avoid "always," as well as "never."

My first milsurp poncho was rubberized cotton. Certainly was heavy.

My first civilian coated-nylon poncho is still going strong after 29 years, but not so much solar exposure on rainy days to "rot" the nylon. Weighs maybe 1/3 of that rubberized monste, if that.

A stainless steel poncho would also be durable. :D
 
gadgetgeek said:
surplus ponchos are heavy, but tough. Silnylon ponchos are light, but don't do bushwhacking well. I generally have a rain shell due to where I am, so I start there, and may or may not also carry a simple silnylon tarp.
Beyond that it comes down to season and budget. I'm a huge fan of the AMK heatsheet as a multi-use safety device. There are piles of one and two person tents that are very light, but are you willing to drop a few hundred on a tent you won't use often? I'd rather carry a multi-use bit of kit that could also be used in other situations, signaling, treating shock, all that kind of thing.
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I can totally appreciate those points.

My main goal was to have a tent that I could use for backpacking and hunting with meeting many of my requirements for emergency kit. The tarp's more a personal style thing, what I grew up with, at least much heavier versions, the silnylon's aren't perfect yet, but they're a great backup. Those panchos Thomas is talking about are fantastic, especially if you have a tree above you. I just wanted something for 2-4 people as I'm usually with people when outdoors, and while not in everyone's budget and/or style, the panchos are a great alternative to pricier tents/tarps.

A few weeks ago in the Sierras, we had another with us, so ended up pitching the tarp as a tent in the background behind the flycreek. Worked great with the SOL tarp as a ground tarp with a wool blanket. Stayed toasty in high 20's.
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trestle said:
The Bothy line from Terra Nova are lightweight and a great place to sit out a squall.
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We carried Emergency heavy mil orange plastic bivi bags when benighted in the very wet cold British Hills
We pulled the big bag over our heads and sat on out rucksacs for the night
Better than a poncho wrap as the bag has distance from your body so you are not additionall damp from the nylon directly on you

Terra Nova / Wild Country a fine tentmaker produces a line of these Bothy bags but now in nylon and tough and light and reusable
they are designed for 2/4/6 persons, so you have the important social factor
These are exactly what is needed for being caught out for the night in pouring rain

Check them out
 
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