Emergency/Survival Tent suggestions

Emergency shelter = tarp to me. You can carry a good bit of 4 mil plastic sheeting folded up inside a pack without it being overly bulky or heavy. Tent is a planned shelter and a light weight 2 man is what I would choose for that. I like a size that allows me to stash some stuff inside to keep it out of the weather if necessary.
 
22-rimfire said:
Emergency shelter = tarp to me. You can carry a good bit of 4 mil plastic sheeting folded up inside a pack without it being overly bulky or heavy. Tent is a planned shelter and a light weight 2 man is what I would choose for that. I like a size that allows me to stash some stuff inside to keep it out of the weather if necessary.
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same here. if he doesn't mind the price a silnylon tarp is very light...cuben fiber is even lighter.
 
hard to beat a good nylon tarp. Silnylon or similar. I carry a small kit in my pack, that has a 10x10 tarp, a 5x7 tarp and the cordage needed to set it up. I use the smaller tarp m ostly as a ground sheet. There are a vast number of ways to rig these tarps.
 
Mannlicher
I use tarps when in the British Hills
I use them as a wind/rain shelter for painting
it is much more difficult to set up in the wind and rain
no trees just a walking stick

bothy bag has no set up time and the coverage is maximal
 
In 'my' opinion, it depends on the type of situation and/or terrain...It also GREATLY depends on what other items you are packing, how long you plan on using it, how hot/cold it will be, and last (but not least) how comfortable you need to be. In the spring or fall (in a woodsy environment) a hammock/tarp combination would be perfect. If you're in a desert (or other treeless situation) a hammock will do you absolutely NO good. If it's going to be -40 degrees outside, a hammock/tarp would also be just as useless as it would be in a dessert... For this type of situation a 'tent' would be your better option (my opinion of course). Personally, I live in a HEAVILY forested area of the U.S. yet I still have a tent attached to my 'Outdoor) bag. Flat areas are not that hard to find and with the trees I am supplied ample protection from wind and seems to be a lot more comfortable than being shielded on 2 sides by a tarp. You're also a LOT more protected by those pesky little stingy/bitey insects that seem to infest the forests. The downfall to tents though (during the warmer months) is that if you're with your wife/girlfriend you are going to be VERY uncomfortable as the temperature rises. You could bring mosquito netting with you (along with your hammock(s) ) during the warmer months for your hammock/tarp combination but (to me) it's just easier to bring a 2 man tent.
 
I use silnylon tarps. By far the biggest obstacle I find with them is not the pole aspect it is the pegs. Sometimes I am out at places that although you are on rock there is a paucity of rocks. With two walking poles erecting the thing isn't a problem. Where you have to get creative is in getting good anchor points into a relatively thin layer of mossy scrub that covers the rock.

That said, I use tarps on planned overnights. As far as emergency use goes I'm totally onboard with the role of the bothy bag. They've been a staple for hillwalkers and moutain rescue for yonks in one form or another. As I see it the key role is to reduce exposure during an emergency by trapping a layer of dead air. And in a group context, if you can get one of these up over a casualty and all bundle in and pool warmth all the better. In a genuine emergency this affords significant advantages over a tarp. Sure, even with good ventilation it's not the most pleasant place to be, and the chances are you'll still be damp. But out of the wind and with a trapped pool of warmed dead air you will be warm even if you are a tad damp. Another key advantage is that used properly they force you to adopt a correct position not sprawled out on the ground making matters worse for yourself.

If I were to be walking up to the top of something carrying just a day pack and not anticpating benightment, but still wanted a margin of safety, I would take a Gore-Tex bivvy bag and use it as a one man bothy if need be. On the same sort of trip with others the communal bothy wins. Invariably though if I am somewhere like that I plan to be out overnight so I have a tarp and mat and blah.
 
neeman said:
Mannlicher
I use tarps when in the British Hills
I use them as a wind/rain shelter for painting
it is much more difficult to set up in the wind and rain
no trees just a walking stick

bothy bag has no set up time and the coverage is maximal
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like everything else in our little outdoor world, what works best for you is highly dependent on where you hike and camp. Here in Florida, we have an abundance of trees. Hardwoods, softwoods, and everything in between. I never am at a loss as to how to hang a hammock, or string up a tarp support. ;)
 
baldtaco-II said:
I use silnylon tarps. By far the biggest obstacle I find with them is not the pole aspect it is the pegs. Sometimes I am out at places that although you are on rock there is a paucity of rocks. With two walking poles erecting the thing isn't a problem. Where you have to get creative is in getting good anchor points into a relatively thin layer of mossy scrub that covers the rock.
......
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Or wonderfully thick grass cover over soft earth or peat, where it is difficult to get the pegs thru the grasses to get into the earth or bite into the earth
And the snapping wind pulls out the pegs even using bunge elastic shock loops

My silnylon tarp
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I really like the usefulness and durability of the Sea-To-Summit tarp poncho, nice over the pack coverage and makes a good sized diamond fly. That being said, I also carry a contractor grade black garbage bag for a ground cover/stuffed with leaves cushion. The wool shirt/pants/extra socks/hat and gloves really make a difference for me. Since I lost much of my fat these last few years I like the warmth of wool.

:)
Mark
 
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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Wave,

Since you say survival, i assume you won't be finding yourself on top of some alpine peak above tree line.

I like sil-nylon tarps, small, light, and versatile. Strong, easy to use, simple to set up. I use one from Cooke custom sewing.

It is a 10x10,


If you are not a tarp guy, i would recommend, something like a Mega-mid from Black Diamond. Pyramid style floorless tarp tent. MSR makes some too. But I have no experience with them.

I would be quite comfortable in most situations with either of these options. If snow is prevalent, I would lean more toward the Beta-Mid or Mega-Mid. All the options I mention, offer a great deal of versatility. I have spent many nights out in both the Cooke and the Mega-Mid. In the Catskills, Whites, and Adirondacks in all seasons and all weather.

I also have an old Moss(Now MSR) Hepta-Wing that has also served me well. From open and airy to battened down and weather proof.

Hope this helps,
LV,
 
A Bivy sac is the easy solution, but since the question was which tent, then I'll say tarptents double rainbow, mine went through a 3 day rain last weekend that had about 4 hrs of dime sized hail mixed in.
 
Even for day hikes, day-long scouting trips, bouldering or kayaking for the day, one should have a small day-pack with a few essentials and shelter is one of them. I built my day pack from an Osprey Manta 30 hydration pack and it’s pretty much my three-season day kit for trails, hitting several of the small summits in the SE Appalachians. Temperatures are moderate and rarely dip below freezing for more than a few hours for most of the three seasons (I take a few more precautions for actual winter months).

My intent is just enough to ride out a severe afternoon thundershower for best case and just staying overnight if I suffer a mechanical injury late in the afternoon. Outside of some very remote locations and with proper pre-planning, most rescues occur within 72 hours; hence most refer to these as 72-hour kits.

Your first line for shelter is planning for and wearing appropriate, seasonal clothing that can be layered and includes wet weather gear, hat/gloves and even a spare pair of socks. A small day-hiking pack allows you enough room to store layered clothes depending on the activity to maintain proper thermoregulation. Even though I include a poncho (Exped Bivy-Poncho), I still prefer a dedicated pair of rain pants and jacket. Not only are they an extra layer when needed, if your hiking pants/shorts get soaked, you still have something to wear and provide some protection from the elements…planning layers gives you several options.

I carry four additional shelter items for my day kit, specific to my area. I wish the Exped Bivy-Poncho was sil-nylon, but it’s still effective rip-stop polyester (similar to the USGI ponchos) and compresses well. Not only a poncho, but a well designed tarp or even a bivy bag. Rolled up, it includes suspense line and guy lines for setting up as a lean-to (using my hiking poles) along with four of mini Groundhog stakes. Second item is the compact Heat-Sheet Bivy bag. Third is a large, heavy-duty trash bag (multipurpose) and lastly is a small section of closed-cell foam as a sitting pad.

These all help to defend against the affects of precipitation, conduction and convection which all contribute to hypothermia and are the biggest threats to address. With the rest of my kit, I can easily hunker down for a few days as my water bladder capacity is maintained on the trail (three liters) and I have the ability to filter or boil from non-potable water sources. Add a fire with a lean-to shelter with a decent reflector and survival quickly becomes just slightly uncomfortable.

Again, that is just a day-hiking or other day-long activity shelter kit I always take with me for the majority of the year. I’ll augment based on the activity and actual weather conditions as a compact Trek-Lite hammock is excellent when it’s really muggy and buggy. If I’m planning on an overnighter or more, it’s a dedicated hammock or tent shelter.

ROCK6
 
for day trips in the "summer" I carry a light SOL bivy (~ 3.5 oz), shoulder season a SOL Thermolite bivy (~ 7 oz) and add a short (30"-ish) 1/8" ccf pad, winter a Blizzard Bag and add a 36" 3/8 pad (folded and used as quasi frame for my pack), folding saw and a shovel- a trench shelter is the most likely scenario here in winter

all seasons I carry enough cordage to fashion a debris shelter, a pack liner that keeps clothing dry, but also is great for collecting debris, dry grass or other natural insulation for shelter construction

a good fire kit goes w/o saying; but what is worth saying when it comes to "shelter" is adequate clothing-as the seasons progress, so does the amount (and thermal efficiency) of the clothing worn and carried, a good hardshell in all seasons, an adequate insulating layer (might be a light vest in summer up to a heavy belay jacket in winter) and appropriate hand and head coverings

I've been forced into a night out a few times, never pleasant, but I'm still kicking because I did pack appropriately

in regards to tents-I've got a lot of tents, but they are reserved for backpacking :D
 
I suffer the weight of a tent almost always. If my friends and I are doing some sort of survival/extreme camping then I don't bring it.

Anything else, hike through, backpacking or car camping I'm bringing my tent. It's nothing great, an REI t2+ half dome but it is my home. All my gear is dry, I'm protected from bugs and other bothersomes and I can always stretch out. I got the weight down to just over 5lbs, so its a heavy item for sure, but if my bag/air mat/tent is 25 percent of my load, I can live with it. Assuming I'm limiting myself to 40-50lbs not including my pack.
 
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