FLIX's 1000th Post Shelter Contest!

[Pritch]

Okay, I finally made it to 1000 posts and rather than a simple giveaway or trivia quiz, I thought we ought to do a contest. The object of this contest is to design and build the best possible shelter you can, using a limited array of materials and posting pictures of your creation here. Bonus points if you actually stay overnight in your shelter. More bonus points for building or staying in it in the rain or snow. If your design is built to be heated by a fire, do so, and let us know how it worked.

To make a shelter for entry into this contest, these are the "kit" materials you may use:

• Up to TWO AMK HeatSheets or similar mylar space blankets
• No more than 3 Ft of Duct tape
• No more than 30 Ft of paracord or similar cordage

That's it. No tarps, trash bags, or the like. You may augment your shelter with natural materials you gather on site, such as brush, sticks, or stones.

The purpose of this exercise is to build a shelter in the wild with only a few carried items. You may use whatever (tools knives, saws, etc) you wish in the construction of your shelter but please refrain from over-the-top methods such as heat welding seams on the space blankets or relying on designs that require precision cuts done indoors on a work table.

Try to innovate, but test your theories. I'm not looking for hypothetical ideas and drawings alone. I want to see actual shelters! If you try something and it doesn't work, share that and then show us how you overcame (if you did). These materials are relatively cheap and the experience you gain by actually doing, as opposed to just thinking, will be worth the expense.

The contest will run from now thru the end of March. Oh, and prizes. There will be prizes! First place winner will receive a brand new Maxpedition 10x4 bottle holder in Foliage Green. If there are more than fifteen people who submit shelters, there will also be a SECOND PLACE prize of an istructional DVD entitled "Quarter and De-Bone Big Game in the Field."

(Photo poached from Joezilla!)

Feedback from fellow forumites on the various entries is encouraged, but I will be the sole judge. (BWWAHAAAAAHAAAAHAA!!!) Don't dig up old photos or link to a prior shelter you built. Get out there and do it!!!

-- FLIX

 

[Pritch]

Of course, you will hold the (soon to be) much-coveted title of "KING OF SHELTER" as well. (Until somebody else comes and bumps you off! )

C'mon guys. I now this one isn't as easy as guessing a number between 1 and 100, but it should be fun.

I'm open to ideas of modifying the rules of the contest up to the point that a valid entry is submitted. Also, if anybody would like to contribute additional prizes to sweeten the pot, let me know.

-- FLIX

 

[sicily02]

H all,

Flix I just did this one today. Today the temps were in the 60s. This morning as I was looking in the mirror and talking to the boss ( me LOL) I told him that today was going to be such a great day that I am calling work off( No knife making today LOL ) and I think it would be great Idea to go and play in the woods. I put up this little amk shelter and made a spear with thorns for the tip, from the locust tree by my camping area and then chopped some wood up for a fire.

I just used one AMK sheet for the top. for the ridge pole I used a long slender stick. to keep the steep angel I used another I stick for hold it down in the back of the shelter. Well you can see what I did. I used
2.5' of para cord inner strands for the tying off the the ridge pole. I used 2 strands for each of the tie off points and the other 3 strands I used to finish the spear. I chopped up a bunch of wood for a night fire. I am going back out in a little while and stay the night. Just my coat and the clost on my back. I started at 11.45am and was on my way back home at 3:01 today. I had some chores to do for the evening and to tell Kathy what I was planning to do.

here are the pics.

Here is the fire wood I chopped for my night fire. I did drag in another couple of logs and I will chopped them up later this evening by my fire. I have camped at this place before. But I wanted to do things to day for the practice of it and will not used any of the wood I had cut from the last time I camped there.

Here is a close up of my spear and the hanky on the ground that I could use for a fishing net in the creek that is behind my camp site.

I also plan to make up a Trapper widget trigger set from walnut just for fun to.
Since last sunday I have made 4 of the trap triggers. 2 from ash, 1 from mulberry and 1 from Eastern red ceder.

Well chat with you all in the morning. I have a few more things to do here on the farm and then I am heading out. Temps are going to be down in the hight teens I heard this morning and tursday is going to get nasty.

I am going to take my coat leather gloves and my filson hat . and my SAS headover ( warm hat )
light wight long john top and then my nomrall green long sleeve shirt and then blue jeans wool socks and then my hiking shoes. This is practice , I really do not plan to sleep a like a baby, but it will be like if I had gone out for a hike and got lost and had to stay the night. with just my normall hiking kit.

here is what my kit looks like

here is what I keep in the bag. I switched out my orange handle knife for my scandi grind knife that I made and now I also carry my 17" axe also.

Bryan

 

[Pritch]

Wow Bryan! Perfect timing! Make sure to let us know how it works out. I'm especially interested in how the lean-to survives the fire.

-- FLIX

 

[sicily02]

Hi flix, will do. I will not have a big roaring fire LOL. I still have a few things to do and then I will be heading out.
LOL when I seen your post I thought( what LOL how cool) Yea talk about the timing LOL.


I had breakfast this morning a and then I had know lunch or anything I have and carry a small bag of sunflower seeds. I still have not eating any thing but a few seeds so far and I have in my kit enough coco for 3 cups and then I carry 3 packet of chicken boilin from a roman noodle packet that I swiped from it LOL

Yea I will let you know how the heet sheet does. I am going to take my camera too and take a few pics of the evening and then in the night some to.
I will not really sleep per say but does inbetween putting wood on the fire.
Bryan

 

[sicily02]

Hi all,

It is thursday morning and I am back from my little practice of using what I carry in my kit if I had gotten lost. No tent, no sleeping and pad, just the clothes on my back and my kit. I had my carrhart coat and leather gloves and my SAS head over that I carry in my pocket of my coat. I had my filson hat to that I always wear. I sleep on the ground under my heat sheet leanto shelter. I thought about getting some ceder boughs to aly down but they reall stick you so I grabbed some grass and put that under me. The ground really was not that cold we have had a few days of high 50s and into the
60s and sunny days. I went on hike/ walk with my dog Kelly girl and was thinking that while she sniffed out some rabbits and what ever else. I would put up my heat sheat that is in my kit. I used some 550 cord about 2.5' and I used the inner strings and did not use the outer sheath. I cut 2 ples ofr my frame work and then cut a stick for the cross brace. I tied the cross brace with 2 strands,each for the 2 tieoff points at the 2 sticks that I cut and drove into the ground. I laid my heat sheet out and then rolled the long stick with the heat sheet a few rolls then I did not have to tie it to the stick then I tied the stick off to the 2 poles. I then got another long stick and just laid it on the heat sheet and formed the leanto. I wrapped the heat sheat under the stick and that held it in place and formed the slant of the leant to.
I have used that method before and I find that it works pretty good. I then took my axe and cut wood for a fire and to last throught the night. then I made a spear with locust thorns on the tip. Then I cam home to tell kathy what I was planning on doing. spending the night out as if I had gotten lost and had to stay the night. I came back home and posted in this thread Well temps did not get down to the teens they stayed in the 40s and Tonights the teens and possible snow ( will see) any ways I got back to my site at 7:04pm. I used my flash light from my kit. a mini mag with a LED bulb. I got some dried plants and broke them up in to foot lenghts and then some small pencil sticks from a ASH tree. I took out my tin that I keep some cotton/pj mix in it and then wrapped some around one of the plant stalks that i keep for the purpose of making a nice long match. I used my firesteel and struck it with the small knife that I carry on the strap of my kit. I lit the cotton /pj mix that was wrapped around the end of the stalk. then I put it into the dried plant stalks and lit them on fire and then added the small sticks to it as the fire grew. I the took out the mini solo kit and the lid and the cup that I keep in my kit the fire was going good and so I went to the creek to get water.

I put some water in it and then took the pic of it

and then took the little pot of water up to the fire. I planned to have some hot coco in a while. I have in my kit enough coco in a bagy that I can have at least 3 cups.

By 8pm I was having coco and in under the little heat sheet leanto. with kelly girl snuggling up to me. I kep my fire small and stayed pretty close to it all night. At 3:00am I got to pee and so did Kelly girl LOL I walked up the hill as I was in avalley and took my phone to see if I could call and see what the temp was was. It in the 40s and the breeze up there was chilly I went back down into the the valley and got back under my little leanto and mad another cup of coco number 2 LOL then eat some sunflower seeds and watched the fires and heard some koyotes singing in the night. Then I dozed some more and and put a few sticks on the fire ata time. with the sticks that I chopped up I kept track of the time untill I felt a little chill comming on then added more a couple more logs. 2" to 4" and f roughly 24" long. These were all ash wood. When I would put on 2 logs they burned in the middle and then once they burned in the middle and broke i would put there ends in the middle of the coals and then add 2 more logs to the process. I would do that about every 40 minutes. I started the bigger logs at 10pm and did that routine throught the night. Ash wood burns for a good while and gives off good heat. From 7:15 roughly I used small sticks pinky finger thickness to thumb thickness and up to like duble thumb thickness and I had a pile of them that was about like to basket balls put to gether side by side and about the smae hights as the b balls would be. I did this for a reason. I had a nice cherry fire and made a nice bed of coals. at 10pm I started the bigger logs and and I figered up that I used 3 logs and hour and that took me till 6am. According to William H. Miller in his book from 1918 He says that if you cut 20 logs 5" thick and 20" long and put 6 on at 10pm and 6 on at1 am and 6 on at 4am. that will take you through the night and then the last 2 logs are for breakfast. I used 21 logs and I cut 30 to be sure. I was exspecting it to be colder to. that is why. I did not put 6 on at a time because I was so close to the fire and the really warm enough doing it that way. I did once put bunch of smaller sticks ( about 8) on the fire and that was fine for a couple of minutes then I got to hot and thought that my heat sheat would get to warm but it did just fine I kept touching it at the cross brass to be sure. I did not do that again LOL. My legs from the thighs down to my knees did get a littl chilly but then I would lay on my back and raise my knees up and the heat would wram them back up. I did not wear my coat. I have found out that if i put my coat down on the ground ( think about when you put your coat on one side of you. it covers your back side and front but not the other side. that side that was uncovered I ketpt towords the fire and I was never cold that way. I also rolled over and laid on my right side and then my back got the heat ( like when you put your coat on you like a blanket your front and side are covered. any ways I did not sleep like I was in my bed and all LOL but I dozed and watched the fire and heard the night sounds and plain just had a good time. I did this a couple of monts back and it was really cold and and even with a big fire I was still chilly. the temps were near 0 and the windchill was nasty. My nephew came with then and he did not care for it. At about 3 am in the morning he said that if we were not so far from home he would go home but thought he might freeze on the way LOL
I think he just did not want me to think of him as a quitter. LOL He did not know and still does not no how close I came to saying I am going home screw this. He has not been out with my since. LOL the heat sheet work pretty good I wish it was bigger and I no they make a bigger one now and I am going to get one LOL myabe a couple. One big and one small for a ground type cloth. the heat from my fire at times really bounced back at me. The heat sheet like all the space blankets is noisy if there is wind and I had some last night to, I think it is a good way to keep any critters from comming into your camp though LOL I took this pic and at about 4:30 am just for fun. I have my SAS headover on my neck and cheeks and on part of my head. I was using my kit as a pillow and my filson hat as a little more padding. It is kind of a cool fire pice I was holding the cameral behind me when I pushed the button.

In this pic is how I laid my coat in there under the heat sheet. I think you kind of get the idea. Kelly girl does not like the fire so if I got out she got out LOL.

Well I had fun. It is always great to practice this and see how the wood burns and how much you use and all. That night earlyer that I spoke of I burned near 2 and half times as much and we were still pretty chilly.

Well that is it the heat sheet can make a nice leanto shelter if it had rained and was blowing I would have gotten wet I bet. carring two of them would be better I think. I Have used the 9x12 drop cloths you know the clear plactic ones with better success and have way more room. but they do not fit in my kit as good as the heat sheats. I either need to get a bigger pack or take some else out of my pack. Or carry onther heatsheet in my pocket or even a trash can. If I get a bigger pack then some will say I am carrying way to much for just a hike LOL. I will look into it though. next time I dead to town. I aleady have a thought on pack I seen and it is still a sling bag type. I am not a big back pack person for just hiking kits.

Only by practice will get the burn time of different woods. the next time I am going to use just walnut.LOL


How is that Flix? one worked but 2 would be better I think. or a reall tarp LOL

Bryan

 

[jds1]

Nice write-up Bryan. That looks like a cozy little camp. :thumbup:

Jeff

 

[HikingMano]

Good job Bryan, looks like a good experience :thumbup:

Good contest FLIX! I don't want to enter for the prize as I already have a bottle holder, but I hope to contribute something anyway, if I can get out sometime soon....

 

[sicily02]

jds1 and rksoon thank you guys. I kathy was going to go with me after she found out that I was going to go but then when the news said that there was a chance of rain after mid night she said nope LOL I went any way.
I told here this morning that we will do that together closer to home. down in the timber right by us. I was at another area last night that I like it is really a wild place. It is roughly 3 miles away from the house.
The more you do stuff like that it really tells ya where you are lacking in your kit. I would have like to have brought long john bottoms but I did not. My wool blanket would have been even better I was just a little over a foot away from the fire even though it was small ,I was really warm but my legs were a little chilly at times. I used ash wood for the fire. it gives off good heat and does not throw sparks like the some woods do. Walnut is one if the most quietest woods that I burn I really have to listen at times to hear it burning and it does not throw sparks like ceder or osage is terrible I will not even use it any more, to many burn spots on gear LOL.

I do have another little pack that i carry some times I an going to get it out and put some stuff in it for my next night out like this.

I will post pics of it and that time to.

Bryan

 

[RescueRiley]

I got to get out doors for a bit, and I'll try to get something up. This is an old pic of a small debris shelter I made a few years ago..I'll get a pic of better shelter up when I get around to spending some time out.

 

[HikingMano]

The more you do stuff like that it really tells ya where you are lacking in your kit.

Definitely, that's why I really want to get out and do something like you did :thumbup:

 

[Pritch]

Good on ya, Bryan! :thumbup: Are you gonna stay with the lean-to design?

Thanks, rksoon. I look forward to seeing what you come up with. I agree that this kind of doing is very helpful. Finding out what doesn't work is as important as finding out what does.

RescueRiley, I know this will be hard for you to actually use man-made, brought along materials, but I'm sure you'll do fine!

-- FLIX

 

[RescueRiley]

Do I have to??

 

[Pritch]

Do I have to??

RR, I probably didn't make it real clear in my initial description, but the emphasis on this one is shelter from heatsheets or space blankets. I'm hoping to see some innovative ideas from our very talented bench here. We can do a future contest stipulating "only natural materials," "best tarp configuration," etc another time.

-- FLIX

P.S. If you knew that and were just pulling my chain, I completely mised the invisible smilies!

 

[RescueRiley]

Edited bro, Sorry I was just messin.

 

[sicily02]

Hi all,

rksoon the only way to know what you can do and take, is buy getting out and prciticeing it. Take your tent and sleeping bag and have it all set up and then make whatever shelter you like near your tent and do it. See what your fire does and how it keeps you warm, if you really get cold go into your tent and sleeping bag. Lessons learned before you have to do it for real.
In the Marines we had a saying The more you train in Peace the less you bleed in war. If you do not do very well the first time the second time will be better. Horace kepthart said that he burnt more than one coat from being to near a fire when he did this type of thing. I have never burnt a coat yet but I did do in a pair of shoes once LOL. rksoon really get out there and try it and then do it again and again until you feel like you are just camping, but with out having the hot dogs and marsh mellows LOL. Like I said I ate breakfast and then did not have lunch or supper and then went back out in the evening then stayed out there. is it really fun to do this? No LOL I did not sleep good I dozed , I did not have a full tummy LOL, I was laying on hard ground. What I did get to do that was cool. I had a warm and cheery fire, I heard the coyotes at 3 different times and then heard geese flying over at 4am. I felt the cool breeze on my face and just felt like I was, well where I should be. In the woods.

But it really tells you what you are lacking in your kit and all.

Like I said I was a little chilled with my legs but I just raised my knees up and they got warm. I do carry more than I need but I have found that it works for me. My kit weighs in a 10.5 pounds to. I can live with that. Add a blanket and a, LOL a real tarp ( 5'x7' canvas) LOL and little food and this is camping to me. I am getting older and I did feel it some today ( back wise )LOL. I would like to get a small pad of some kind that is say 40" long. I am
5' 10" and but I kept my legs when I was on my right or left side curled up next to me. when I was laying on my back I did stretch out my legs and then raise my knees up when they got chilled. but that would really add to my kit bulk wise. if I go for just a walk down the road with kathy and kelly girl I still take my shoulder kit with knife on the strap and axe in the loop hanging off the the same strap to. plus the contents of the insides.


rksoon give it a try and let us know how your did.




Flix I tell I have used the leanto for many camping and practice sestions like this. It can be done with the heat sheet but I really like a canvas tarp 5 by 7feet. they roll up small enough for me. I do not always carry mine though. I have 2 6x8foot ones and like them better more room but I do not carry them with me either they stay on the atv LOL. the 5 by 7 is cool though.

RR I have done several of the debris shelters and two of the pine and 2 ceder and they look cool but I tell ya they really need alot of boughs though. and they take a while to build to to really work in a colder climate with no fire i think. That is my thoughts any ways.

Great job on that one

Bryan

 

[RescueRiley]

Sicily Thanks for the compliment. I've done a fair amount of debris huts..the walls have to be thick..its better to let the terrain dictate your shelter. if your fixated on a debris shelter and there isn't enough leaf litter to insulate you, ( at leats enough for walls that are 1&1/2 -2 feet thick) your going to have an unpleasant stay. I spent a 5 degree night in one this past december, I didnot build a door plug (which I should have) I was toasty warm untill the wind changed direction at about 3:30 am and started blowing right into the mouth of the shelter.. (I learned my lesson the hardway that night) Lately I've been focusing more on wikkiup and teepee designs..althoug with a good fire and a reflecting wall a leanto is tough to beat.

 

[HikingMano]

Yup, everything you said is true Bryan :thumbup:. I've been itching to get out and do an overnighter like this for a while, ever since TFin04's outdoor challenge thread a while ago. Just haven't found the time or right place for it (not many places here in cali near me that allow open fires, probably have to go fireless if i do). I'll see if I can get out this weekend or next. Shelter and kit testing aside, the experience itself sounds awesome, as you pointed out.

 

[Joezilla]

Perfect timing! There is a camping trip on another forum where we are only using one small emergency blanket setup and I'm using this one!great pictures! thanks and awesome awesome post!

 

[sicily02]

Hi all

RR your welcome. You are right on, the place where you are will dictate what shelter will work best. Yea LOL I bet you were thinking about door then when the wind changed LOL.

rksoon oh man no fire. I for get that not all get to have a fire where they
live at. I still hope you can get out there and do it. the fire makes it really worth it though LOL. Hot coco at 3am is pretty good though LOL.
Is there a place you can drive to and then hike in a little ways and build a fire (with out getting in trouble ofcorse LOL) Since I do not live there I do not know. I still hope you are able to.


Hi Joe, Hope it works for ya?

take care all,

Bryan