# being ready questions



## jpadams (Sep 7, 2012)

Well we have been working hard at getting as ready for what ever is coming down the pipeline... But one question has left me a little on the lost side...

What and how is the best way (things) to build a shelter, while on the go??? what kind of things should we put into a bug out bucket to help with that end of things as well as being useful for most anything else.. (I am a huge multitask er kind of person) 

Any kind of help would be greatly appreciated on this.. Heck any kind of inside help would be great. 

Oh and we plan on bugging in for as long as we can, we have plenty of resources that are at my back door (so to speak) but very close. And it makes since for us to stay put for as long as we can. 

Thanks for your input!!!
Peace ya'll!!


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## Marcus (May 13, 2012)

A tarp of some sort, tent pegs, and paracord come to mind.


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

We've got tarps and paracord, bungee cords etc. Every body has one in their bag, so that's five tarps in all. Even though we do not need them in our climate, we all have -20 sleeping bags. Cheap emergency blankets as well. Will we survive, I don't know. I'm the only one prepping so I've done my best. :beercheer:


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## Friknnewguy (Jun 30, 2012)

Don't forget duct tape , and zip ties .


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## GrinnanBarrett (Aug 31, 2012)

If space is short consider extra heavy duty plastic sheeting in as heavy a MIL as you can get. It is truly water proof and can be used to seal up an area if you need to keep on particulate fallout as an example. With it you need duct tape and or staple gun. A good tent never hurts to have in the trunk of your car. I also like the idea of taking along some mosquito netting to allow air into your shelter without the bugs. it does not take up a lot of space or weight. GB


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

Now is a good time to find good quality tents on sale.


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

we have multiple tents, (10x10s, pup tents, as well as a hige 3-roomer) as well as the biggest tarps we could find. Tarps make excellent and versatile shelters, once you know how to rig them. You will need ropes, and stakes (in case you cant find any proper wood to improvise, or would rather save the local wood for a small fire). Yes, mosquito netting - wal mart sells it via internet. I like the tarps, they have grommets for tying (handy) yet are tough enough to use as a liner for a debris hut (for stealth camping). Practice setting them up in various ways BEFORE you need to do it in the dark, rain, stress situations that may require their use. If you need to, check out a boy scout manual from the local library for how-tos - (the boy scout manuals are a heck of a resource for survival training). If you have kids, take them 'camping' in the backyard, they will love you for it, and everyone will get some prep training. You can tell the neighbors you are playing/bonding with the kids when they look at you sideways for making their kids pester them to do it too....


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## kejmack (May 17, 2011)

No one has mentioned a hammock. I have a hammock with a tarp. Sleeping on the ground with scorpions and rattlesnakes is not my idea of fun.


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

kejmack said:


> No one has mentioned a hammock. I have a hammock with a tarp. Sleeping on the ground with scorpions and rattlesnakes is not my idea of fun.


What kind of hammock? I have seen those in camping stores, definitely would prefer during summer. The ones that I've seen are around 75.00  each. I would need five !


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## oldvet (Jun 29, 2010)

DJgang said:


> What kind of hammock? I have seen those in camping stores, definitely would prefer during summer. The ones that I've seen are around 75.00  each. I would need five !


Check the Military Surplus Stores, I have found the issue "jungle hammock" (that's the one with the built in mos. net) for around $50.00.


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## oldvet (Jun 29, 2010)

If you are concerned about size and weight I would say tarps, 550 cord, and bivi sacks. Don't forget a good dual purpose hatchet (hammering and cutting), in case you need to cut some poles and stakes. Add food, water, trifold shovel, good strong "camp knife", fire starting material, small cooking kit, 1st aid kit, pen light with extra batt., a small sewing kit, and a small fishing kit and you should be good to go with a fairly light weight ruck.


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## Startingout-Blair (Aug 28, 2012)

kejmack said:


> No one has mentioned a hammock. I have a hammock with a tarp. Sleeping on the ground with scorpions and rattlesnakes is not my idea of fun.


During one of my training rotations to Fort Irwin, CA, I decided I would take a hammock and sleep in that. I tied one end to the 2 1/2 ton and the other to the trailer. I put my sleeping bag in it and I was comfortable. A little while later, I awoke to coyotes hourlong and running around my area very close. I also realized, since I was not in the ground or inside a truck, I was freezing! I was so cold!! I wasn't worried about the coyote...I had my big knife. But it did send chills down your spine!


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## Shammua (Jan 27, 2012)

To use a hammock and keep warm you have to have something that will work as some sort of insulator under you as well. My daughter has a hammock in her room instead of a bed, in the winter she just puts a sleeping mat in the hammock and sleeps on that to help her keep warm all night. She doesn't get a chill that way.

If you are looking for best way to have a shelter and keep warm at night and there is 5 of you. Use the tarps, 550 cord, hatchet, and combine them all together when needed and make a shelter that can be covered effectively with local brush and tree limbs to provide camo. The camo will also work to help insulate the shelter so that it will either help keep warm, or keep cooler throughout hot nights...

Don't plan on carring everything you need, instead learn how your surroundings can provide for what you need as well. All my preps are for when I can't use my imediate surroundings when I have to bug out.


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## invision (Aug 14, 2012)

I think all the advice above is great, but I would also suggest something that is missing - scout out a couple areas where you plan to bug out too... that way, having walked the area, seen first hand where you will be staying, you can determine best what you might need... everyone can be prepared as much as possible, but no one will have everything they could possibly need to have... so being prepared is only half the battle, the other half will be mentally - keeping calm, thinking outsid the box, being creating with what you have...

Also - make sure there is a good water source near where you decide to locate your BOLs, and add some water filtration units to your BOBs...


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## jpadams (Sep 7, 2012)

These are all great ideas... I think I am going to look into something that has to do with, just incase we don't have those things handy.. like out in the wilderness... 
Thank you all so much


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## Attila (Jan 30, 2011)

I have a buddy who has used a Hennessey Hammock for years. Even in winter. In years past he's used one of those silver sun reflectors like you use in your car to block the windshield when parked. Several backpacking hammock manufacturers sell a bottom quilt to keep you backside warm and from all I've read they world great.

Do a search of backpacking hammocks and see for yourself.

My thoughts on 550 cord is you should have 50 feet in a bob, and 100 feet in a five gall on bucket. Also an assortment of black tie wraps, the white ones don't have UV protection and will break eventually because of sunlight. 

Extra batteries are also good and toilet paper.


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## Padre (Oct 7, 2011)

Lake Windsong said:


> Now is a good time to find good quality tents on sale.


I have actually thought about tents for a long time and decided that in most cases a tent is a luxury item. Tents are for camping and backpacking, they are more for comfort than survival. When do you really need a tent? When you are in the middle of the woods and exposed to the elements, and still, there are viable short term alternatives which may be preferable. Most tents are designed to be used with a sleeping bag, I don't know about you but I don't pack a sleeping bag in my BOB, I have one in my truck, but its too bulky for my BOB (I could fasten it to the bag). Unlike an improvised shelter, or a fire bed (warm and toasty), most tents don't mix well with fire, so I can only imagine how miserable a cold night in a tent would be without a sleeping bag. In contrast, for only a fraction of the weight and bulk you can have a few tarps and space blankets, which with some paracord, some leaves and branches, and a fire can make a much nicer and warmer shelter.

Fact is that to survive long term most of us will not want to be caught out in the woods without much better shelter than a tent. People go out into the woods with a tent today for vacation looking to escape the world, but after a SHTF its not nature we will be looking for but supplies and security, so while we seek to escape high population areas most of us will still seek shelter in structures or at least vehicles. If necessity requires it and we are caught in the woods for a night we could make just as easily make a shelter out of a tarp, or even just leaves and branches.


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## bugoutbob (Nov 11, 2012)

A good canvas tent with a wood stove will keep you toasty at -40. Unfortunately, it is pretty tough to carry around


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## Padre (Oct 7, 2011)

jpadams said:


> What and how is the best way (things) to build a shelter, while on the go??? what kind of things should we put into a bug out bucket to help with that end of things as well as being useful for most anything else.. (I am a huge multitask er kind of person)


So to answer the OP: Especially in a cold environ like the NE I am a big fan of the fire bed, you dig a man size pit about 10 inches down (*shovel*), build a fire (*kindling, matches, fire starters, flint, hatchet, etc*)to cook on, when you are ready to sleep you rake the coals across the pit, cover them with dirt a few inches of it at least, and sleep on top of that. A simple *tarp* lean to atop of the fire bed to keep off water will round off the shelter nicely and keep you toasty and dry. If you don't have the time or effort to build the fire bed a simple fire with a two sided tarp lean two will also work (but won't keep you nearly as warm). The key to any shelter is to insulate the bottom of the shelter against heat loss into the ground, so having a few tarps or space blanket is a must. Personally I think that with a fire kit, shovel, camp axe, some tarps, and cord you can be just as comfortable as in any tent. Add some *food* in the form of MREs or DATREX food bars, and some potable water (* a filter or tablets and a container* to collect and boil it, and the *knife* that you carry with you always, and you have a pretty food start for a bug out kit.



bugoutbob said:


> A good canvas tent with a wood stove will keep you toasty at -40. Unfortunately, it is pretty tough to carry around


If its cold enough and there is snow on the ground you can use the snow with a tarp liner as a shelter with a fire just outside the opening. You've just gotta be careful because a fire can causes too much melting, and wetness, in the snow...


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## Attila (Jan 30, 2011)

Fire can also be a beacon. In a SHTF scenario light security at at twilight and dark will be important. A good wool Army blanket is a good choice for a BOB. Wool, even when wet will retain some insulating properties.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

In Lieu of a tent I have a wool blanket with a hole cut out poncho style and a millitary nylon poncho to go over it. If it s bad enough I"m buggin out I"m not laying down and falling sound asleep until I get to somthing safe. I may not be able to prevent nodding off a little but I shouldn't be too sound asleep to hear movement. If I have company and can actually lay down I have another pncho with a liner in it. I can fabricate enough shelter with the ponchos and sleep well enough with the liner and wool blanket.. I also have a tube tent in the Bob probaby break that out if I was gaonna stay oin one place for a lil bit, especially if I was laying up due to bad weather. Or if I was stopping somwhere to build a better long term shelter like if I was up north and needing to stop and layin supplies for a winter and build somthing better for a northern winter. Probably use it to better weatherproof the roof of that structure when it is almost done and the roof is going on. I can take or leave teh hatchet especially if I"m gonna have the shovel, I bit would strongly reccomend a folding bow saw for wood gathering and shelter construction. And the good solid knife as mentioned. I do have a trail hawk on my BoB bit if I had to cut weight it would be one of the first things to go. you can hammer with anything a piece of green log you cut, THe shovel, Or a Big rock.


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## jpadams (Sep 7, 2012)

Well as wonderful as a tent sounds, but truthfully, it isn't very practical out in the wilderness in a flight situation.... And neither is a hammock, good ideas, but just not very useful with a family of 4 and you have to hit the road...
I think I am going to look into making a shelter that is something like on the tv show survivor.. Something that can be made on the fly and left in a hurry if needed.. 
But there are many great ideas here.. Just not what I am looking for, at the moment 
Peace


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

Folding saw or bow saw is very useful. I think the hatchet is worth while also.


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