Super shelters are known to work well, i have not used them but once. I have a different approach to a survival shelter but , this is one that has proven itself for many folks. Well done.
In the '80s in Pennsylvania's Allegheny National Forest on a hunting trip a buddy and I made this lean-to the same way but without the nice reflective layer you have but with clear plastic sheeting. We held the "roof" down with saplings and hemlock boughs and the ends (no plastic) were done the same way. The front plastic was held down using duct tape on 4 locations of the door "hem" with paracord thru duct tape loops and tied to an 8 ft. thick sapling. A reflector fire backed by some large stones behind the reflecting logs kept us warm ALL night with only one "pee trip" to also add logs to the fire. Heat coming thru the clear front plastic was amazing and a revelation to us.
Because of all the examples here on You Tube, empirically we know that this design works. It is not just a tent. Thanks for sharing...I'm making one. It appears to be a very good set up.
It may have been proved 'empirically', however it's based on SCIENCE, not opinion. Science of greenhouses and the science that NASA used to develop Mylar for the space program. I'm old enough to remember that it was used on the Lunar Landing Module, to reflect heat from the SUN.
Hi Canadian Prepper. I really appreciate your support. You tube can be frustrating with some folks throwing out rude comments. Most folks are great. BTW. I just subbed your channel. Looking forward to sharing ideas and checking out more of your videos. Take care
Hey thanks for the video! I came from Missouri as a child, no electricity in our cabin for my childhood. I'm an adult now, and have been planning a sort of "right of passage" for myself. I have been preparing for a couple weeks, and just one week left until I'm out and about, within the western Washington mountains! There's still a bunch of snow up here, so the challenge will be real, just as it should be. videos like this not only inspire me, but ate kind of what to do and not to do ya know? Thanks so much. have a great day!
Hi Adam, I though I had sent a reply to you but I can't seem to find it. Anyway, I really hope you have a great rite of passage in the outdoors. I love it when I find time to get out alone and go through everything that nature has to throw my way. That is the best way to learn and feel truly alive. Take care and stay safe.
I like the "greenhouse" idea behind your shelter - The fact that the fire's radiation is doing the job like the sun does inside your car on a cold but sunny afternoon. The elevated bed with the cattails is another nifty idea worth remembering. Thanks for the upload!
Thanks for your comments Bill. Sorry for the late reply. BTW, I just uploaded a new video on the History and How the Super Shelter Works. I really expands on the video you commented on. Here is the link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2QZI2QSiwTY.html
Greetings right back at you. I hope you get the chance to try building a super shelter and spending time in it in Finland. For additional info on this type of shelter, google up 'Harlton Hacienda' and you will find greater detail on building this type of shelter. Cheers
Hey thanks for the video! I came from Missouri as a child, no electricity in our cabin for my childhood. I'm an adult now, and have been planning a sort of "right of passage" for myself. I have been preparing for a couple weeks, and just one week left until I'm out and about, within the western Washington mountains! There's still a bunch of snow up here, so the challenge will be real, just as it should be. videos like this not only inspire me, but are kind of a "what to do" and "what not to do" ya know? Thanks so much. have a great day!
Oh Wow! Thanks Adam, you just made my day. I really appreciate comments like yours, and they inspire me to continue following and teaching my passions. You have yourself a great day and I hope that you have an amazing right of passage and forge deep empathetic connections with the land. Take care.
Thanks for your comments snowtrekker. Yes Mors and Kelly are major influences in what we do. I have the honor of teaching with both of them often. What is your connection to Mors and Kelly? Take care
Thanks for your comments Thomas. I am working on a much improved video series on the super shelter. So far I have the first of six completed and up on my channel. Its called Best Survival Shelter - The Super Shelter #1 - Intro. I do still use tents on various trips and I mix it up with super shelters as well. They both have their merits. Thanks for watching and take care.
Thanks for your prompt & very knowledgeable answer ! I`ve watched a number of your videos & have learned a bit from all of them ! Keep up the good work !! Thanks again.
My very fist bushcraft overnighter was in version of this, long fire, visqueen(spelling?) Plastic and a solar blanket, hammock, MSS...it was a frigid night...I slept quite warm..well until the fire went out early in the morning!! But it was surprising warm considering the outside temperature, and snow rain and sleet that night. Thanks for sharing your version of the super shelter
Thats awesome! Great to hear about your success. By trapping a bubble of warm air under plastic, you can effectively lengthen the burn time of the fire and reduce the size of wood pile requed for a cold night.
i really love that harlton kizlik hacirnda concept--i have a 9x9 poyester sheet but it weighs a ton--need to find some broad ripstop nylon---your vids are so in depth THANKYOU !!!!!
I like the setup. Cody Lundin made one on Dual Survival, with a Mylar blanket and a piece of plastic. They used a fire wall to direct the heat towards them and in freezing temps they were warm. Great idea in building a transportable one.
+Jeff Spradlin Cody had taken a few classes from my Mentor - Mors Kochanski. I remember when I first saw the shelter on Dual Survival, I got a kick out of knowing where the idea came from. A bunch of years ago, Mors was teaching shelter building with a group of kids, and he had passed out plastic to each shelter group so that they could cover the back of their leanto's to keep off the rain and minimize the amount of wood the shelter required. He went to visit a group of kids and discovered that they completely covered the back and the front of the shelter, and he noticed that the kids were inside without jackets and appeared unusually warm for the winter. Mors hopped inside the shelter and was blown away by the heat that transferred through the plastic and into the interior of the shelter. Over time, Mors combined the reflective dome structure of the Igloo with the concept of the leanto and fire, and he came up with the incredible supershelter that you saw in the video. I am working on another shelter video that goes deeper into construction of the supershelter and its variants. Cheers, Dale
Interesting story how Mors came up with the Supershelter, a question I meant to ask while taking his summer course. I stayed in the leanto and found it warm enough for summer but want to try his Supershelter this winter. Tenting is far too cold in Canadian winters and this shelter looks like a life saver if it is packed into the wilderness. ATB
And then a fresh breeze blows sparks or hot ash or glow on the plastic foil! And you have a beautiful, burning shelter! And if you're lucky, you were not in bed right now to sleep! But unfortunately, the equipment is burned! 👍👍👍 clever !!
Thanks for your comments Steppi. I understand why you would immediately think about the fire danger of this shelter. Many people have commented on this. But, there are many people and instructors who have been using this type of super shelter for close to 20 years in our area, and nobody has ever reported the shelter catching on fire. I have used this shelter close to a big fire on many occasions, and at worst, all I get is a few small holes from sparks. The reason the shelter is so clever, is that it is super compact, super cheap, super versatile, and incredibly warm and weather proof. And there is no better way to effectively capture the warming effects of a fire than the plastic bubble created by this shelter. Once you have spent a night in a super shelter in cold weather, you WILL be convinced that it is hard to beat. Take care.
Very nice. I have a blue, nylon utility tarp that's a good size for that, but I think what I would prefer is something like a parachute nylon since it's lighter and still quite strong. A good sized painters' drop sheet would do for the outer layer if I can find one thick enough. As for the mylar, the only thing I know of is the small, emergency ones. I wouldn't have a clue where to get one that big. All in all, very good. Simple design, well explained. Now all I need is to learn those knifty knotts you were using. Thank you.
Thanks for your comments Bruce. The mylar blanket I used in the video is actually three smaller sheets overlapped and tied into the shelter. I am currently working on a much more comprehensive video on the super shelter concept and I will hopefully illustrate all the rope work and design principles in greater detail. Take care.
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately the dog bekonged to the camera man and 'Thunder' stuck with the owner and I was left along. If I had a dog of my own I would certainly build a shelter to fit. Take Care.
Thanks for your comment. Its true, the noisey plastic is annoying. Luckily we can all choose to build whatever style of shelter we want. Sometimes its a mix of synthetic and natural materials, sometimes just natural materials, and odten I just enjoy bushcraft in the luxury of my tent, sleeping bag, and thermarest mattress. Heck, I do own a tent trailer and my family uses it extensively when we camp in the Provincial and National parks. Take Care
I lived in a shelter like this for a week in the northern Maine woods in mid October a few years back. I didn't have the reflective layer so I made the shelter so that the air space was less than 2 feet above me while laying down. I took a few twigs to the face the first 2 days which was a little frustrating. At the end of the day from a survival stand point it was great. From a comfort standpoint, it sucked! In my opinion the 3 pieces of advice for someone who wants to try this shelter for a week or more is to stock pile your wood. Build your bed off the ground so that you can store wood underneath in case it rains. Lastly, enjoy the wild!
Great comments Fred and I am in agreement with everything you have mentioned. In cold weather (below freezing) I always build a chair seat high bed to keep my body closer to the warmed air trapped within the plastic bubble. A good comfortable bed is super important and it will make or break your outing. Just a note: I have stayed out in bitter cold in an all wood leanto at 37 degrees below freezing in just my homemade wool clothing, and the size of woodpile I burn in one night is equal to wood stacked up to the same size as a small pickup truck! It's true. But with the super shelter, there is such an efficient use of trapped warm air contained within the shelter that in the same temperatures I have used 1/3 less wood to make it through the night. That is a huge energy savings just because I packed along some plastic and knew how to build a good shelter with it. It's a game changer. Take care.
I have a style combined with the leafy tipi and leaf shelter. I used tall wooden like weed flowers to put on top of other large weeds such as poke berry plants and well connected sticks. Dead trunks can keep the sticks already stuck in dirt to remain in their place through both wind and snow. The material could also last for a numerous amount of time, but of course leaves are always more beneficial.
i love the super shelter it gets so hot you would not even know it was winter! i have resently found out that if you have a well made fire that two or three good size logs will last three hour !
Thanks for your comments Joe. I do have a video on the merits of a well built long fire, and you are rights that it can last up to three hours in the right conditions with the right wood. The more time you spend overnight in cold weather sleeping in shelters, the more you learn about the massive firewood requirement that is necessary. I have stayed overnight in lean-to shelters at -37 Celsius in just my wool clothing with no sleeping bag or blanket. To successfully accomplish this I burned a pile of logs that was about the size of a small truck just for one night. Take care.
you know i have been self survival training for a year and a half and i learn alot from watching videos on you tube! but when i try to ask something or compliment them i get nothing! so thank for taking time to answer !!! you just got a sub!!! stay safe out there!!!!!
Thanks Joe, good luck with your training and have fun. Over the years, a lot of my self survival training occurred in my living room after my wife an kids went to bed. I learned to sew up a tipi, clothing, sharpen knives, make baskets, plan shelters, plan trips, an so many more lessons. Take care.
You could also heat some large stones in a campfire and then put them next to the shelter or even inside it. They would radiate quite a bit of heat relatively safely for a substantial period of time.
You betcha. Heating shelters with stones is a great way to stay warm. I have used this method many times with great success. Thanks for your comments. Take care.
A good idea might be to have two thermometers, one showing the ambient outdoor temperature and the other showing the temperature inside the shelter. Also could use Airfoil insulation attached to 6 mil plastic or large tarp with something like Gorilla tape.
Thanks for your excellent ideas. I have used thermometers for tests in snow shelters, but not in super shelters. Good idea. Would the thermofoil pack down small? Cheers
In all, the thermofoil is about 3/16 to 1/8 thick. Its basically bubble wrap sandwiched between two reflective aluminum sheets. It is excellent insulation. Probably making or repurposing a compression sac would be a viable option.
Airfoil or permeable Ultima-Foil sounds like a great idea! And, the breathable nylon is a great concept, never heard of that in a super shelter before. I like that you keep your shelter assembled, and ready to go. A very light-weight and packable shelter, indeed! Someone would have a great product, if they can design a pre-made and packable 'survival tube' that has super shelter characteristics. I imagine a ripstop fabric tube (different diameter and length models), 1/2 reflective lengthwise and 1/2 clear plastic lengthwise. Sort of like a tubular solar cooker, LOL. You might add a second (or more) permeable or waterproof layer(s), for strength, insulation, or waterproofing. You could even have a frame, like a bivy shelter. Or, like a self-erecting tent: it pops open instantly, and you just tie it off for wind. Keep it ultra-light (tyvek?), and it's still easily packable. Just having a pre-made and durable 2-layer shelter like in this video, would be a great emergency product - for the average, non-skilled person. Thanks again, for a great video, and a well designed super shelter!
Great demo ! cozy shelter with minimal stuff... but you need to have the plastic and the aluminium thing ... nothing is perfect all comes to personal preference. great video, subbed ya !
I wish you guys would have been my troop leaders in scouts instead of the fat middle age worthless women who we had. They never made us do anything, we whittled with bar soap for fucks sake lol.
Try a wigwam design for colder temperatures. Those emergency blankets work very well. So many forget that its really life or death when out in the wild. Most want it easy when in truth there is a huge difference between camping and survival!
I haven't really built any wigwams in my time but I would like to try. I have seen many examples on line and Ray Mears did a bang up job of one. Most of the time the folks up here go with a leanto style of shelter. Our hunter gatherers who lived here in the Northern Boreal Forest were know to move locations up to 50 times a year in order to find food and shelter in our harsh environment. They just didn't spend a lot of time on elaborate shelters since they were always on the move. There is mention of wigwam type shelters and bark tipi's (here they used spruce bark instead of birch bark because the birch trees are rarely large enough for shelter coverings. Moose hides were also used for shelter coverings but if you ever carried around a moose hide you would quickly realize that its very heavy and to pack dozens of hides around the boreal forest just didn't make any sense. Life was very tough for folks up here. Anthropologists figure that at least once per decade, small tribal groups would experience famine so such a great degree that populations would be reduced a great deal due to starvation. We get below freezing temperatures for 7 months of the year and our plant foods are relatively scant and unproductive. Honestly, I wouldn't want to have to life off the land up here. I would try to make it to the west coast for a much better chance of survival.Take care
Adapting to the environment and posesing knowledge always helps people live longer then others. Rule of thumb, what worked for indigenous people will no longer work because the environment is now even more hostile. More knowledge and adaptation and technology is needed now in order to survive. Look around the world global fresh water depletion global food chain collaspe and irradiated oceans that spread irradiated rain over land? The west coast is dead and so are all the people they just don't realize it yet! Even the UV spectrum from sunlight is off the charts! Which means people will not be able to be in direct sun light. Which also means changing shelter designs and sleeping during the day so work can be fine at night? Hope your training does help you with what's to come. -_- Take care
Shelter designs will have to take into account how the sun is now. Its only going to get worse. Soon folks will need a sheet of UV plastic film to protect them in shelters made from plant material. Best check into that UV plastic sheeting it could save your life in the very near future. -_-
Sleep in a open fronted lean to a few times, and then try out a plastic fronted super shelter and then you will be totally hooked. You get long, uninterrupted sleep periods without breathing in smoke or worrying about sparks on your clothing. It really is a great way to go.Thanks for watching,CheersDale
Thanks for your comment. Instructors up here often use old surplus parachutes for the permeable fabric. I happened to find a large roll of tough nylon at a thrift shop. It helps strengthen the shelter. Take care
+Mark Young (Shunpyke) Hi Mark, thx for your question on porous nylon. Well a lot of people use old parachute fabric and just cut it up into the correct size. I just used some rip stop nylon from a local fabric shop and sewed it together to the appropriate size. I just needs to breathe easily and be reasonably tough. I have built a number of family size super shelters in the past 15 years and for those large shelters I just use two layers of polyethylene that I purchase in 100 X 20 foot rolls at the local hardware store. I hope to put up a video showing the large super shelter soon.Cheers.Dale
That would work great for this seasons Alone in Patagonia. They are given 2 tarps that are both 10×10 ft. One of course can only be used for camera equipment. But I'm sure that would work with a colored tarp too. In fact better. It's said a color pot will bold before a shiny pot will. IDK how, but I guess it's true.
Thanks for your comments Patrick. I have also wondered about a super shelter setup for that show. I know the survival consultant for the show - Dave Holberg - and he is an instructor from our neck of the woods. He is super familiar with Mors Kochanski and the super shelter. I wonder what his take on this would be. I will actually be seeing him in a few weeks and I will certainly ask. If I was to be on that show, I would hope to take a 10 x 10 foot piece of heavy duty plastic along. I think it would be more useful than the lightweight siltarps or blue poly tarps. I just don't know how the plastic would hold up under 90 days of use. Perhaps it would measure up about the same as any other kind of tarp. I feel strongly that a clear plastic supershelter would help a great deal on that show to reduce the amount of firewood to keep warm and dry. That is where the supershelter beats all other types of shelter. Plus, on reasonably warm days, you could just use the heat from the sun like a greenhouse to warm the plastic bubble and then you wouldn't even need a fire for much of the time. You can't do that with a blue poly tarp. Take care.
Nature Alive Humm good points. So one guy took a clear poly tarp with him. I think on just the aspects of living in a clear shelter it would be great for rainy days. Because it would still feel like being outside, only dry. IDK how it would do in a super shelter. I'm going to try this one in your video this sumer. Thank you so much. This is one of the top 2 shelters for sure. When they handed out the 20×20ft canvas tarps I would have to say teepee would have been the best in that case. A little cutting, but perfect if you have that much material. This one is perfect for when you have less material. And takes less energy to build.
Word of warning using stones to hold down the base of your tarp, if a strong wind picks up it can cause the base of the tarp to rip it will move the tarp wall and the stones will be dragged along and cut the tarp on the ground. So it would be far effective by using stiff branches to use as tent pegs to lash the ten down.
Thanks for your comments. I agree with you with regards to using stones. Most times, I use long logs or robust sticks and roll them up in the plastic. This seems to work very well. Thanks and take care.
Hi Paul, great question, Yes there is some damage due to sparks but it is less than you may think. Haveing the front window/door completely verticle or past verticle really prevents the sparks from catching hold of the plastic and they just bounch off. This is more a less a temporary survival shelter but I have used that same shelter for around 20 nights beside a fire and mostly in the winter, and the shelter is still useable. It does have a few small holes but a piece of duck tape keeps the shelter going longer or I just ignore the holes. I know a few instructors who use this exact shelter for multiple outings and nobody has eaver had a major meltdown or flare up - just occasional small spark holes. Take care.
moisture does form in the shelter due to breathing and condensation. but with the layer of fabric incorporated into the shelter it is a very insignificant problem. sometimes the heat from the fire is strong enough to dry out the inside and moisture isn't a problem. I haven't had a chance to weigh the shrltrr but I figure its obly a couple pounds.
Great video, the idea is truly great and usable. The whole structure of it makes lots of sense, and has lots of benefits compared to a tent: The heat management, the flexibility, it's really a great concept. It's great to see a channel on RU-vid that knows about the outdoors. I myself am a Boy Scout in the Rocky Mountains of CO, and your setup looks fantastic for a camp. Just one quick question. Do you think that you could change the plastic to the type of fabric used for Fire Fighters? That fabric is pretty much unbreakable, plus it's a great insulator. Or would this idea not work with the "Solar Cooker" effect? Thanks for your time, much Sincerity: Patrick
Thanks so much for your excellent comments Patrick. I really appreciate it. Have you checked out my other videos on the super shelter? They are up on my channel and I am also working on a complete series that goes into great detail on the super shelter. There is also a bunch of information by Kelly Harlton and Karamat wilderness ways. Here are a few links: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-O-95iMuPiV8.html masterwoodsman.com/2013/the-harlton-hacienda-supershelter/ ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YqDEI2apKdY.html As for your question about fire fighter material, well, I am not familiar with this type of fabric. As long as it is a clear and allows the exchange of long wave radiation from the fire to convert to short wave radiation once passing through the fabric, then it should work. The principle here is simply the same as with a greenhouse; the suns rays hit the greenhouse and heat the inside of the shelter by trapping the short wave radiation within the shelter. I have been experimenting with a clear durable fireresistant plastic that is used for windows in boat covers for smaller watercrafts. Hopefully I will have results within a few months. Thanks again and take care.
Thanks for you comment. Yes bringing a tent is easy and fast. The super shelter is also easy and fast. If I pack a sleeping bag and mattress then my super shelter becomes basically a tent without a floor. I can actually set it up faster than I can put up any of the tents I own. There are no tent poles required and I only need to lash four ropes to nearby trees or use a couple hiking poles and its up in less time than a traditional tent. Plus I can choose to build a fire by my super shelter any time I want. I wouldn't dare to place a fire next to any modern synthetic expensive tent.
Add a mosquitoe net to your setup. It helps with mosquitoes and bugs. You will sleep better and will not worry about malaria. They are also very cheap and easy to setup.
Thanks for your comments Hadiza. Fortunately, we don't have to worry about malaria up here. It doesn't exist in our mosquitoes. I do pack a mosquito net in June and sometimes into July, but that's the only time of the year that they are really a problem in my area. Take care
Thanks for your questions Kelly. The mylar sheet is somewhat delicate, especially along the edges. Once a tear in the edge starts, it tends to rip very easily. On its own, it is too delicate to use, but combined with plastic or other tarp like fabric, it does well. It's best attribute is to reflect heat similar to a mirrored surface. I have used my super shelter for approximately 25 times before replacing the mylar sheet, and usually by that time the plastic needs to be replaced as well. Repeated folding or stuffing does slowly wear off the metalized surface off, however it will stand up to take down and set up many times. I have one super shelter kit that had been rolled up in my truck for 4 years, and I use it for spontaneous campouts and occasional use... So far it has held up well. Truthfully, this style of super shelter is not meant to endure years of heavy use like a high quality expensive tent - it is quite simply, a 'wonderful survival shelter' that really blows away anything I have ever used when plastic, mylar, or tarps are available. 15 years ago, I just used a piece of plastic as the super shelter, then, over the years, I began adding the mylar sheet and parachute fabric to really enhance it's performance. I recommend that you try the basic shelter with just plastic and even that will convince you of the significant comfort of a warmed bubble of air that is heated by a fire. Then add a mylar sheet, or a second layer of plastic, and it will get even better. I have built large group super shelters for years with only 1-2 layers of plastic and they have carried me through very cold winter temperatures just fine. Thank you for the stimulating questions. Take care.
Hi Leaf Rustler. Thanks for your comment. A good place to start is by watching this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-O-95iMuPiV8.html About half way through the video you will see the size of materials required and how to set it up. I don't have a video up yet but perhaps soon. Take care.
My 1st introduction to this kind of shelter was about 1 hr ago by Survival Lilly. I think it's a great idea, but what I don't know is where to get a sheet of plastic that big. That one seems huge. I've seen painting drop sheets about that size but they weren't as thick as yours. I really do want to try this out. Winter is coming on and I want to try it in my back yard if nothing else.
Hi Bruce, thanks for your comments. I had to go to a couple different hardware stores to find larger plastic sheets. Seems like 1 in 5 stores will have a roll that is big enough. I build a family size shelter for my kids and I way back in 2001 and to find plastic sheets large enough for that shelter, I had to combine two sheets into one. I simply rolled a strong hem between the two sheets and then used a stapler to make a fast seam. It worked for a couple years but eventually let go. Just try searching around and you should have success somewhere. I look for a roll that is 100 X 20 feet. Take care.
The MAIN PROBLEM with using that for bedding, is ONE SPARK from the fire and you're going up in Flames while you sleep! Haha haha 😂🤣 🔥🔥🔥🔥 ( But plastic Shield will save ya!)
Type in Harleton Hacienda in the above search bar. It'll bring up Kelly Harleton and Mors Kochanski detailing the specifics of the Super Shelter. Otherwise it's, medium weight plastic 10' x 16'; fabric 10' x 10', Mylar sheet standard size. Secure knots with cordage in the 4 corners of the Mylar sheeting and you're good to go.
+OOA WILD CAMPING I've had the same experience. I had a nice shelter build in the mountains a while back and some jokers went in there and smashed it up and left a bunch of beer cans and garbage around the shelter. Take care and hope you find another place to build your secret hideaway.
Good evening , I have been always fascinated from nature. Moved to USA from Italy just a month ago , I have many many questions. Well this is my first question , maybe stupid for you , but not so much for me, where you guys go and build your shelter? It's a private land ? Are you allowed to build in national park ? If I find a nice spot in a bush (no national park) am I allowed to light a fire and spend the night there ? Please let me know... Thank you
Hi Peppe, Great questions!Too bad you didn't move to Canada ha ha. We have so much space and wild land up here to enjoy. No you cannot set up a shelter in a National Park, State Park, National Forests, or any frequently used public lands. It is considered disrespectful and there are many rules on cutting down trees and plants and building fires. You have to follow park rules and you have to stay in designated campgrounds and remain on the trails that the parks provide for public use. Here in Canada it is the same. I do not do any bush crafting or survival stuff in Parks or on recreational land that is frequently used by other people. Fortunately, we have an incredible amount of government land that we commonly call Crown Land, and it is pretty much free space to utilize for activities such as bush craft and survival. I would suggest that you begin by searching around your area for private land or government land that you can access. It may take some time but it will pay off in the end, and you will learn a lot about your area during the search process. Check out local maps and try to find groups that may be utilizing this type of land for recreation. For Example, birdwatchers, amateur naturalists, hiking clubs, nature clubs.....Take care and happy hunting.
@@NatureAliveAdventures BLM, (Bureau of Land Management), is more relaxed when it comes to land use in the States. It is often designated multi-use land and therefore, not subject to the same regs as National Forests or Parks.
With this being made of plastic tarps, how do you deal with the condensation that will build up inside? There doesn't seem to be enough veneration to stay dry or deal with CO2 accumulation. Not to mention potential CO from the fire. Is it vented somewhere?
Thanks for your question Rayford. It is very easy to open the front of the shelter and quickly drive any condensation out of the shelter and dry clothing or footwear. Most of the time, I have the front window open while active, and I only close up the front of the shelter when sleeping. It really works wonderfully. Take care
Thanks for your excellent comment. I've learned that an adult human gives off roughly the same amount of heat as a 150 watt light bulb or somewhat close to a single burning candle. The great thing about the super shelter is that with the greenhouse effect of the sun and plastic, the shelter will be warm enough to sleep during the day a temperatures just below freezing without a fire or any supplemental heat. I have experienced this numerous time in the various forms of super shelters I have built over the last 17 years. This would facilitate getting some sleep during daylight hours and eliminating the need to maintain a fire, and then later, when it is dark, one can stay awake and work on projects into the night and then add some sleep time by using the radiance of the fire through the shelter window. Using candles or lanterns inside a small super shelter is a bit tricky in regards to preventing an upset. I often use a small lantern or two in my larger super shelters. Take Care
You betcha. I agree wholeheartedly. Shelters up here in the Boreal Forest may not work well in the Southern USA. But it sure is fun to experiment and build various styles. Take care
I haven't noticed any smell or fumes coming off the plastic, even when I get the odd spark hole in the plastic. I guess it is a bit of a personal decision when thinking about inhaling chemical fumes from plastic, or chemical fumes from campfire smoke. Humans have had a long history of living near campfire smoke and with the many hundreds of carcinogens found in wood smoke. I imagine if you could look at the lungs of people from the past who constantly lived with fire, we would discover many blackened lungs and sicknesses that go hand in hand with that kind of living. Personally, I have spent enough smoky nights in winter leanto's and I have always found it to be hard on eyes and lungs and nostrils. I quickly fell in love with the plastic window of the super shelter and the wonderful way it captures a bubble of warmed air and keeps all the smoke and sparks away from my body. I am willing to put up with the plastic being possibly a bit stinky and fumey. Take care.
Thanks for your comment clarky. I really don't use ponchos at all. I know that military folks often employ the use of a poncho for raingear and for simple shelters. Any time I have used a poncho in rain, I find that I get wet from the knees down and this is a pain and something I would rather avoid. So if I am going to use rain gear, I would always opt for full rain pants to avoid this uncomfortable wetness. The same argument goes for the arms being exposed with a poncho. I just found that a poncho is really a poor compromise for true raingear that protects the entire body. Perhaps I could learn more about ponchos, but that is my current position. Also, I do a lot of canoeing and poncho's just don't cut it when paddling for hours in a canoe during a rainstorm. Take care.
Thunder just curls up under a tree. he is do lucky to have a built in shelter to fight the cold. there have been attempts with a heated dog house, but thunder seems to prefer to always be outdoors.
I rarely ever worry about bears. They are often in my area but encounters are few. I am always watching for tracks and sign of recent bear activity when I go into the woods and by paying attention to this I am able to determine if there are bears close by and if I need to take precautions for bears. Cold weather, mosquitoes, lack of water, and driving in vehicles are a much greater risk than worrying about bears. We are much more likely to be killed or injured in a car crash than attacked by a bear. Take care.
Half way through Autumn, till the end of Winter bears are in hibernation. But for the food, there are some ways to take care of it. One of which is to put the food into a sealed bag, and tie a rope to a rock of some sort. With the rock connected to the rope, toss it over a tree branch that is at least 4 feet away from the trunk. Retrieve the rock, and pull the bag up. The bag will stay up, if anchored correctly. However, this does require for some practice.
Thanks for your comment. Yes there is some condensation. When built as per Mors Kochanski design, the inner parachute fabric soaks up the condensation and sort of keeps it from dripping on your body when the doorway is closed. Also, in very cold weather, I find that the fire warmth that forms inside the bubble of plastic, kind of dry's the interior up quite well. It is a bit of give and take when using plastic as a shelter. Yes there is condensation, but the bubble of warmed air is so very worth it.
Thanks for your comment Jalal. Actually I never worry about animals at night, especially in winter. In the winter all the bears are sleeping and coyote's, cougars, and wolves are not a concern. In the summer, the fire helps keep the most ferocious animal of all away....The Dreaded Mosquito. They can drive you nuts up here in the bush. Take care
Thanks for you comment Barry. I understand your thinking on this, however, many hundreds of people, including professional instructors, in our area, have been using these shelters for a few decades. The truth is, that any shelter can catch fire - homes catch fire, cabins burn up, etc. As with all things around a fire, care must be taken. In my experience, there are more examples of synthetic clothing catching fire than any shelters causing issues. Take care
Your basic structure is excellent, but you really don't need to use wood that large. Most of it could be halved and still serve as well, especially on your bed. You don't weigh that much!!
Hi Tim. You can for sure line a lean to and place a plastic window over the open front. In fact, I am working on a video that illustrates that exact concept. I call it the super lean to ha ha. Thanks for watching.
Just sub'd and look forward to seeing the video. The supershelter seems like the most efficient with it's ability to trap heat, unlike a tent that wicks heat. Have yet to try a supershelter but those that have swear by it. ATB
Absolutely, I will be uploading a video soon that illustrates the very shelter that you have mentioned. I call it the super lean to. It is a natural material lean to with the addition of a plastic window over the front. Great comment. Take care
To me if you can't stand up in it it's not a 'super shelter', lol. I gave up natural bedding when I learned to hang in a hammock. Ever have a spark catch on your cattail bedding material, lol?
Thanks for your comments Stambo. I haven't had a spark catch a cattail bed on fire, but in 2002 I did have a bed made of grass catch on fire in an open leanto. My pants burnt up a bit as well but my wool long johns survived. Quite a learning lesson. I also agree with you that it's great to stand up in a shelter. I would consider this a short term shelter. For long term I would build a bigger and roomier shelter. Take care.
Thanks for your comments. Your suggestions would certainly work well. Stay tuned for my series on why the super shelter is a great shelter, however there are other options for sure. Take care.
Thanks for your question. It is a medium thickness. (4mm here in Canada). The heavyweight plastic from local hardware stores is too thick and bulky. Medium works the best. Take care
Thanks for your comments Chris. Yes you are correct with the space blanket. I have used that set up a few times and it works wonderful. Thanks and take care
I was unhappy with the vehicle noise in the video as well. I hired a video camera man for the shoot and in order to make things comfortable for him, I chose to do the video on public land right near his home. That way, he could just walk back to his house for meals and sleep. It was convenient and useful for the video but it wasn't really a place that I would choose again. My preference is to get back into the woods as far from roads and people as possible.Cheers,Dale
Thanks for your comment Pete. I base my observations on the presumption that it is an emergency shelter situation. So, if you do not have and plastic or other man made materials with you, and you are forced to stay out in an emergency situation, then the lean-to I demonstrate is the quickest, easiest, and most efficient use of your energy to build. If you have plastic and mylar blankets, then the Mors Kochanski Super Shelter is undoubtedly the best emergency shelter ever designed. Take care
This dude reminds me of a character actor i have seen on TV and maybe movies ? The voice and the face, so similar. The actor is shorter and more boyish. Cant think of the name
Your could be right, my name is Tom Cruise........... Hah! just kidding. I have never been an any movies other than a few RU-vid videos and similar. Take care.
