Yet another contest.

Which is exactly the point of these contests, learning new skills and actually putting knowledge into practice. The free stuff is just a nice incentive. :D
 
This is really going to be a tough contest to judge. I think I will pick the top 4 or 5 and then post a poll for the members to vote on. I think we need more than one prize on this too since there was a lot of hard work. Second and third place winner will get to choose between an Izula, RC-3, RC-4, RC-5 or RC-6 knife. First place will get a RAT Pack with their choice of knife (RC-5 or 6). All of you did a great job and we appreciate the participation. This whole thread is about learning, as gungho stated.
 
I have to say RAT is probably the coolist company ever! im not just saying that to suck up either. How many other companys out there would offer you free swag just to go out and learn a life skill....? the answer is none! As i said befor even if i dont win a thing this was probably one of the coolist things ive put effort into doing. Unless you go out and try this you will never understand how rewarding it is to fall asleep in a warm shelter you made with your bare hands. Not only that but all the people that said we were crazy and would never last a night out in the cold now keep asking us how we did it. my buddy and i are already planing to make this a yearly event. Plus it beats the hell out of sitting in front of the tv! So once again we should all thank RAT for pushing us to be better.
 
ben2002gsxr said:
RAT for pushing us to be better.
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And that is what we are all about, nothing more. To hell with knives, soft gear, cool little useless arrowheads and the like. If we can encourage someone to find it within themselves to be a better person and Individual who can survive more than most, then we have achieved what we set out to do.
 
R.A.T. said:
This is really going to be a tough contest to judge. I think I will pick the top 4 or 5 and then post a poll for the members to vote on. I think we need more than one prize on this too since there was a lot of hard work. Second and third place winner will get to choose between an Izula, RC-3, RC-4, RC-5 or RC-6 knife. First place will get a RAT Pack with their choice of knife (RC-5 or 6). All of you did a great job and we appreciate the participation. This whole thread is about learning, as gungho stated.
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That sounds awesome!
 
Awesome, thanks Jeff! You guys here on RAT forum have really gotten my love for the outdoors moving again. I'm already planning some winter hikes.

When I was out in the woods last week, I took my old 1970 edition Army Survival Field Manual with me and was reading the introduction, which I had always kind of skipped over. It said something kind of neat that I highlighted:

"You can remain alive anywhere in the world when you keep your wits. This is a major lesson in survival. Remember that nature and the elements are neither your friend nor your enemy--they are actually disinterested."

The coat you have on isn't your only protection. You don't have to freeze. Get off your ass and build a nest just like the squirrels.

When I was doing research on debris shelters, some of the tutorials weren't the greatest. That's why I tried to take decent pictures and do it step by step. This thread has made a heck of a piece of reference material for other newbies if nothing else. Lots of cool shelters here. Shelter building is something I was always curious about, but this challenge has really allowed me to build a new skill.
 
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Adam makes a great point. These contests end up being awesome resources in each skill being attempted.

If someone reading through THIS one is unsure about how to put together a good emergency shelter something's wrong!

I'm stoked for the next contest and "reference thread". ;)
 
Hell ya! i cant wait for the next one. What ever it is ill just have to adapt it to snow, as we are sopose to get 8" in two days. I guess ill get to go use my shelter again sooner then expected... lol
 
RP# 414 Emergency Shelter. I added pictures of my experience. I will try to figure out the posting of pictures. First of all thanks for the push to get off my butt and get some experience of trying to build a shelter. This does take much longer than one would expect so don’t wait until it’s almost dark to stop to make your shelter. I started with a large log maybe 30” dia. On the uphill side I started by putting down a smaller log parallel to the big one and laying down the bedding. To make the bedding I laid down some 1” sticks first incase the ground got wet, then laid down a generous amount of pine needles and oak leaves, tested ok. I continued to stack limbs at cross and parallel to the big log and on top of the smaller log. Then pile on the pieces of bark and oak leaves and pine needles. I tested the fit and found out it was too small so I lifted up the smaller log one end at a time until I could get in. Piled more debris on the sides and top. About 2.5 hours went by and I thought it was close enough to test later. It didn’t rain but I got a nice hale storm with snow and at 3:30 AM it was 24*. I didn’t get wet and was fairly warm. I used my hunting coat as a door. I stayed in the shelter until nature called me out at 3:30 then went to my hammock for the rest of the night. I think the shelter was warmer but not as comfortable. Thanks again this was a bunch of fun and I learned quite a bit from it. I also started the camp fire with a fire steel for the first time also not the easiest thing to do the first time. Practice= Experience Experience=Skill Skill=Survival Survival= Seeing for family and friends again.
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[/IMG]Talking a little nap! [/IMG]
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[/IMG] Added sticks to the top to keep the wind from blowing off the leaves
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[/IMG]Working on the shelter more leaves never too many leaves.
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[/IMG] Using my hunting coat as a door.
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[/IMG] It didn't rain but it haled and sleet for 2-3 hours.
 
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hey awesome job man, glad to hear you stayed in it! i agree a hammock would have prolly been more comfy then mine to lol.
 
I started building mine this morning before work should be done tomorrow, how much longer for the contest to be open? i know jeff said mid December so i suppose were shooting for the 15th? just finished exams finally have time for a lil outdoors stuff
 
Hey guys went out to check on the shelter today. I really wanted to stay in it this weekend again but unfortunatly i have to work... maybe next weekend ill run back out and stay in it again. any how the shelter is doing great, and seems to be insulating really good now (not that it did bad the first time, lol) that its cover in snow. only down fall was i coulnt get the dogs to stop playing on the roof! they didnt do any damage and no snow came in the shelter. they just liked to play on top of it cause its kinda springy lol. So heres a couple pics from today, and a pic of the big monsters that kept playing on it. lol.
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holy crap jan 10th! why so long man? find an afternoon, or even just a few hours to make your self get out there. even if you dont work on the shelter stuff, its nice to get the fresh air.
 
ben2002gsxr said:
holy crap jan 10th! why so long man? find an afternoon, or even just a few hours to make your self get out there. even if you dont work on the shelter stuff, its nice to get the fresh air.
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Due to being a high school student stuck at home with no means of transportation :grumpy:
 
Will be posting final pictures tomorrow.

I had the first layer done before the rains started a few weeks ago.

This is my first debris shelter, I never though about leaves "settling" after storms.

I had quite a bit of settling, the shelter was 92% watertight, I did have a lot of sinking on the north side, I added more leaves so I know it will be watertight now if it held up to the storms we had this past week.

Will be spending the night Monday, but I dont' think it is going to get really cold or rainy for a few days now :(
 
lol sounds like you wana test it out, but i dont think ide be sad that its not going to be raining or cold lol. I got tell you my buddy and i took a big gamble making ours in 20 degree weather. yes we had our sleeping bags, but if we messed up making the shelter that would been a damn cold night sleep. So all im saying is be happy you have some decent weather to test it in first. lol.
 
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