Big Tarp Survival Shelters: Tips, Hacks, Tricks 

I love that you said, “mid to upper abs”. You assume we all can see our abs. Thank you sir, thank you very much.

Hey Dan, Seacher here, been into Survival, camping, bushcraft, All my life, 74 now and still doing it, thought I knew a lot, but always picking up a few new tricks on your channel, been watching it for years, Really enjoy it, just one question, do you ever answer any of the questions in your comments, BTW, I live just over the mountain from you, down in the Valley. Keep them coming, never to old to learn more.

Dan, this video made me glad I bought a big tarp. Sometimes bigger isn’t always better. But now, it is.

We don't deserve this man, he is teaching us how to protect more of our most precious item. Beer!

I wanna see a whole series on foraging!!!

I would love to see Dan come to Australia to do a few videos and experience the differences in our environments 🦎🪰

I like big tarps and I cannot lie...

Sir,you have tought me so much. Enjoy every one of your videos.

I used an 8x10 over my hammock for a backpacking weekend on the MRT in MI in the fall. When a sudden rain storm hit while hiking back I was able to whip it out and give 3 hikers a place to stay somewhat dry and make some hot soup. Great tool.

A good tutorial smart thinking pulling the tarp out!

Just bought a Trekker tarp. Surprised at how nice it is. Perfect size. Just need to get out in the woods with it.

Dan, I so enjoy seeing your videos pop up on my feed. I don't get out in the woods as much as I would like, but when I do, I will be very prepared. Thanks!

Fun with tarps. Howdy from Williamsport.

This dude makes such great informative videos!

I like that the large oilcloth tarp can provide a decent floored-tarp too if you build smaller. 😎👍

Awesome Video!

Like the new opening. Great job as always!! I'm hoping to come do a class with ya'll soon. Blessings from Texas!!

This is dope. Wish we could see Mr. Wowak in the comments sometimes.

The new intro is primo. Looking forward to whatever you get into next.

Great video, I liked it. Grretings from Belarus tourist.

Great video Best wishes from London 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🙏🤘

That is sooo awesome dude. I love your channel. I just opened my channel and I’ve got to thank you for inspiring me. Cheers

Since Dan was talking about the beer remember solar system science when it is near or below freezing at night. The sun has a habitable goldilocks zone. Not too hot or cold. Campfire also has a goldilocks zone. Not freezing but keeps the beer cold. Find that zone and your beer doesn't freeze or get too warm. This came to me one New Year's camp. Works great. You're welcome.

Nice new opening.

Hello from Oklahoma! Good Video! I use a 10'x10' nylon tarp alot. I generally set it up in a "C" configuration. It's usually just me and my pups. We spend alot of time in the kiamichi mountains. Thanks for all you do.👍👍 God Bless!

Your channel now possesses the cool factor.

Great idea to use sticks!! Thanks i can’t wait to try that

This thumbnail looks like the opening play of "Ye old coalcracker and merry woodlands friends "

It looks amazing ! Multi educational videos in a simple way. Many thanks from Greece🇬🇷

Awesome video my friend. If you ever need help drinking all that beer just let me know😁😁😁

Excellent

More room, more rent. Bushcraft slum lord millionaire. Especially like the beer storage area. It was amazing how much more room was gained by using those techniques.

I like the new intro 👍🏻

Huge tarp shelters are fun, I did a lot of those, when I was going to a school back in 2012, I’ve backpacked, hunted a ton in the PNW, I grew up there, cool, wet, and brutal at times weather in the mountains, I’m not an expert, just experienced, only had some of the knowledge, or the way that coal cracker and others do, learned by doing it, and from my elders, it worked, always the best no, but worked in winter storms in the cascades, so I’ll take it. Anyways, we a lot of people going backpacking, just truly camping for the first time with me and my step brother, our side of like ‘camp grounds’ on the outskirts of cities with paved roads and bathrooms, running water, you know, your KOA’s and thousand trails and stuff. We took them up, out into the woods and trails of the PCT. They had little to no gear, zero experience, haha. My step brother had similar but slightly less experience, he was also in the army, deployed and fought, USMC here, so from expense the Corps, heavy packs are nothing, but knee dmg and pain, lol. They were college kid poor too, me and him were using our GI bill, had money saved, and gear to begin with. So we took to them to surplus stores and second hand stores, got them decent gear, decent enough, with us, or other experienced people their to help, and started teaching what we knew, I carried the shelter top, a massive 16’ x 24’ tarp, he carried the same size, so it’d be wide enough, we just folded up some on the depth, along with rubbing it up to supports, made modified lean-to’s where the back was on short stands to give the height needed and room for rubbing the bottom in a very wet environment. With less than ideal locations most times as we’d have to load up and go out, after class on a Friday, so most of the good spots/areas taken. We could and did sleep up to 20, with all our gear under cover at times, usually about 12-16 though. Ridge poles for that are fun, haha. And all axes/good tomahawks and knives. We also carried most of the cookware, and main important things, they cost more for those who don’t know, and they didn’t want to spend the money. We already paid for a ton of the stuff they used. Was super fun though, we were mid twenties to barely 30 and teaching a bunch of 18-21 or so yr olds stuff, showing then new things they liked, most went back out time after time with us. Even up to 16-18 mi hikes, at night on Friday’s, when they’d never hiked at all a couple months before, from like NYC and Chicago, etc, never left the city even for some. Was cool and great, I wouldn’t mind a situation like that again, got kinda close to USMC gear weights, lol, I was up to 105 lbs most times with us going backpacking.

Way to go Dan. Keep up the good work 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Watching you handle tarps makes me feel like shuffle dancing around a pot of boillo

Thank you for this video. That tarp looks to be quite an awesome piece of gear. Clearly, a lot of thought and experience went into its design.

You know it is really a serious survival situation when you only have to fit 2 coolers of beer in your survival shelter!

i love big taps and i cannot lie...12 to 16 foot squares are what i like to hang as a fly...

Lol, great pinky finger bend i have the same bend so does my sister. Ive read because we from near the same area it had something to do with out ancestors.👍🤷‍♂️😎

That's amazing Dan! Thanks for sharing this with us! Take care and stay safe my friend !!!

Watching this video has solidified my decision to grab a 10 x 13 for my family of 5 when we go on hikes. It won't be canvas though. Way lighter tarp for hiking, been eyeing up the aqua quest defender. Keep up the exceptional content.

My husband is a big guy. My tent is a bit too small. (Cramped but everything fits.) This would be a game changer. Thank you. Now I need to find a 10 x 10. (I may have to add the side loops. We will see.)

Another good video!! Thanks for sharing your experience with us..

Great new video opening 👍 I remember carrying oilcloth pup tents, they're rugged and beautiful, especially in a car camping setup, but I'll still to more advanced materials for backpacking and save the weight 😉 Still, that's a great setup there.

Great video..nice shelters

Looks good Dan. Thanks for showing us.

great intro m8.

Looks good. My favorite setup is the wedge. Maybe in the future you could give options for that setup as well

Thanks Dan!

Great video as always ! I really appreciate your work and effort.

I love this channel

Informative and beneficial video

My 10x10 aqua quest tarp is my go to. I like having a little extra space that it provides over a 5x7 ish size tarp. gonna have to try the A-frame set up.

Outstanding AF Good instruction

Thanks. ✌🏻👊

Good idea 💡

I think the old into soundtrack was better then the new one

What an awesome tarp!

I'm in Portland Oregon AKA PDX myself if I was doing a lean-to with that tarp I would put the ridge line at around shoulder hight and I would attach the center lash point to the ridge line because of the weather we have year round (rain & wind).

I wish I could afford one of those tarps and oil cloths.

R=You should run the ridge linee through all the loops. From experience, despite what it looks like, it will collapse under heavy rain at the front.

Here's a pro tip: to save space and weight pack whiskey (my choice vodka) vs cases of beer. Glad I could be of help.... I'll see myself out.

To be fair; it doesn't take long to attach the loops to the ridge line. And helps against those unexpected gusts; changes etc. This more about spreading force and dealing with the unexpected. Love the idea about using sticks to minimise cordage usage. I normally camp with tarps 20+ ft square. But have smaller to suit our site/needs.

fantastic! thanks.

You do awesome work Sir thank you

“You can charge more for rent”… that may be the funniest thing I’ve ever heard in a bushcraft video, thx bro.

Beautiful set up, sir. How much does your particular tarp weigh, for those who like to hike into the woods with a backpack, please?

cool great video !

Thanks

Hey Dan, just wondering what you suggest or recommend as far as tarp size 8x8 or 10x10? Thanks a lot man.

Great video!

Thank you. I got the 15x15 aquaquest defender tarp and was wondering how I'm gonna prop that thing up.

Nice video, easy to understand, sound was clear. Is that a custom made tarp? Wish I was there. Thankyou.

That's just like Snow Trekker canvas tents. Fairfield Textile in Fairfield NJ for a excellent price of 6oz fabric or get 22oz for Military tarp sizes.

Other than sticks and trekking poles, what is your favorite tarp poles?

good

Love ya work mate awesomeness content. 🤘

Thanks, once you get your other channel going, i.e. more content. You could reference you use content on your product, to your review description content on your Coalcracker Gear channel. i.e. I own the 10'x10' oilcloth tarp. But I wanted to see if you had more product info on the gear channel, e.g. all of the tie outs, maintenance, repair, re-treating, etc.

Like ur tutorials. Was the Filson t shirt $$ 80 bucks?

I set up a camp with a 30 x 20 by myself. It took 2 hours….. 👍

thx

Hey Dan Why don’t you come up w a t6 zero poncho?

What do you soak your tarp in to make our water resistant?

Becareful around up rooted trees! I've heard logging story's about a logger had just cut off the log of a uproot and went around and took a dump and the root system fell back down and made a hot pocket for worm's

Sound is ok I've never seen tarp like that either, come from who ? where? Costly ? Thank You

And don't forget the beer!lol

That wouldn't be nearly enough coolers of beer and piles of wool blankets. Not even close. 😂

I've never seen that kind of tarp with the loops and center ridges?

Need a Setup for our 5*8 :D

How would you set it up if you don't have any abs? 😅

Where do i get that tarp. Do you have a link.

2 cases of beer 👍

Man I wish I’d even be able to spend a night in that if i knew I’d survive

Pricey though

The new intro makes my lips moist 🥵

You Preacher Style With The Arms? Get That Arm Cup 🙂

👍😎👍

👍👍

Won't catch any parasites with beer and you sleep like a wee baby.....LOL