has anyone really built a lean-to?

psy-ops

psy-ops

Joined
Sep 27, 1999
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a lean-to is the most popular idea to a survival shelter. It is simple in design and effiecient.

but has anyone built one, with the tools they carry in the field?

Man is it tough. I am using a small hatchet and it isn't as easy as I thought. I am bulding one in my backyard. I am cheating a bit.
Instead of cutting down the very few saplings that separate my house form the nieghbors. I am gonna buy 3 2X2 for the roof part. and I used a Lg shovel to dig the holes for the front supports.

other than those I am lashing everything together with jute and I have alot of pine needles in the yard so I have a pretty good bed. I am gonna shoot for total waterproof-ness with natural materials. I hope I can do it.

if I just carried a leatherman or rucksack, it would be much more labor intensive. a large knife would work pretty good and you could dig the holes too, but I think the hatchet is the best carrying tool to do this job with.
 
I bet it's hard, in the backyard, without a bunch of dead stuff to just grab up.
The few that I have built-three or four-were with stuff that was just laying around, though some had to be broken or cut off. I've built two different kinds, and made a little drawing, since it's easier than describing them+it's been a long time, so it would have been hard to put into words. The first type, being built under a tree, didn't have to be totally waterproof to keep the rain off of you, because the tree's foliage did most of the work. I've made a couple of these.
The vertical lines are limbs stacked up against the "support" limb, which is wedged in a fork on the tree. The horizontal lines are smaller branches (these had to be cut as they were live) woven between the limbs, and then another layer of limbs were stacked over that (done that twice). Only been in the rain once. I kept dry, but it was pretty cramped in there. Note:Spanish moss for bedding was full of redbugs, and looking back, I'd probably have been happier if I'd stayed out in the rain:rolleyes:
The only other way I've made one was under a deadfall, and used the limbs of the downed tree, along with more limbs stacked along the trunk for cover.
I'm sure they were far from perfect, and I just used a knife...all but one were back when I was in the Boy Scouts, so it's been 15 years or so.
I camped out for three days this past week, and never used a tent-rock overhang;). Going again later this week hopefully, and I think I'll try building a lean-to. I'll have are a pair of fixed blades (one 3.5", one 7"), and a Leatherman Wave for tools, so it'll be interesting to see how long it takes.
No bugs this time of year, and there'll be a Thermarest Guidelite in place of the moss or pine needles, anyway:D
Sounds like fun.
 
...and please, let's keep the laughter about my "artistry" to a bare minimum:p
 
i ahave to agree with yo it is much easier if the materials are at hand and you can readily gather them up. in the forest where there are many blowdowns and downed trees shelter is much easdier to construct.

chris i think you would find a bigger axe than the small hatchet you have also will speed the work along. as rar as chopping is concerned you wont need to do that much to make your shelter as most of the material you need to trim is small diameter branches you can break by hand.

alex
 
I am in the Air Force reserves and had to do a mini survival course for aeromed techs. It was a 3 days in the woods (ooooh...I had spent 11 years with Army Infantry in the reserves. ) Making a lean to with an AF survival knife and the aircraft axe was not that hard. We had to sleep in it. In survival situations it sn't important to get the shelter perfect quickly. You keep improving over time. By the time we were done it was pretty good.
As for needing shelter by yourself, a poncho can serve you really good. I was living under one at Recondo school at Camp Edwards in Feb about 6+ years back. ^ inches off the ground and a sleeping bag.

Just remember one thing, you can't hurry survival. You can't do things quickly. When we were in the survival scool we had some type a personalities, they didn't get it. I kidded them by saying shrilly to them, "I want to survive NOW!!!". !st you make a quick impromptu shelter then go about building better.



Paul
 
My best lean-to's come from cutting a sapling and placing it in the crotch of a tree similar to the above diagram. I used pine boughs for the floor and the roof (weaving them together) then insultated the whole thing with plastic sheating from my BOB. I now carry garbage bags for the same purpose and they take up less room.

With a fire near the entrance to the lean-to I was quite warm even in the below freezing weather.

The tools I used were my Randall 18 and some paracord. :)
 
I've made my lean to in a pup tent style whenever possible. Lot warmer and kills the time. That's part of being up here in the boral forest with lots of pine and spruce however. With my BusseBM-E my boys and I built one this year that we spent a weekend in. We found a good location that took half the work away from us because we were able to use natural features ie two forked trees to good use.
 
alco, I wanted to build the shelter with tools I would be carrying. though I cheated a tiny bit.:o

pc norton, I am taking my time, it is after all in my backyard.

owen, I down loaded your lean-to drawing as my new wallpaper. it is awesome. I am not kidding!:cool:


today was day 2. it was pretty tough about 32 degrees not including windchill. I did not wear gloves so it made it a little more challenging. it isn't sleepable yet but a hell of a lot closer. I probably put about 4-5 hours into it so far. I also used a roll of jute to tie all the branches to the roof.

my wife took a few photos we don't have a scanner, so it will take me bit to get the photos up.


for the finishing layer for water protection I am thinking of pine straw alot. do you guys think it will make it water proof?

thanks for all the help
 
Sorry, don't really know the weather down your way but at 32F + windchill if you have any snow just burry it. Since we're not talking high artic we're not talking igloo, but in a pinch a snow cave is might warm and dry.. from experience;)
 
Chris...:o
If I'd known you were going to do all that, I'd have broken out the crayons!

btw, I decided that I'm going to carry three large garbage bags with me this week-two will be cut open, and go over the support log, and between the two layers of limbs, while the third will go over the bottom half of my sleeping bag and have some pine needle padding, since I noticed that with my 3/4 length pad, my feet were the only thing that got a little cool when it hit 10 degrees (in Alabama!!) the other night when the cold front went through-not to mention it'll keep the bag clean when I wiggle around at night.
It won't be as stylin' as my TNF Slickrock, but I won't have to pack it in, either. I'm streamlining, shooting for a 25lb pack instead of 50. Guess I'll leave the collapsible camp stool behind, again, too:(
One of my buddies calls it "man-camping"....
 
Chris,
When I,m out on the farm practicing, a hatchet,and my multitoolseem to be the two things I reach for most. Maybe add to that a Gerber or other folding saw. I have bowies, machetes, and axes, but that old craftsman hatchet gets the buy most of the time. I find that the multitool serves great for firebuilding too as the file remoives mag from a mag block better than shaving, and the dege of it strikes a better spark.
I would love to find a longer handle for a standard hatchet..about 16-18 " long, i think it would increase the chopping ability of the hatchet, without adding that much weight to it
Enjoy...
Ravenn in Ky
 
Would like to hear how much pine straw you have
to put on top in order to make it water-proof.
Assume you're using small limbs with green pine
needles. I think it would work if you do it thick
enough, sort of like the old thatch on a roof.
If I remember correctly, the thatch is piled on
pretty thick.
Let us know how it turns out, and also if when became
water-proof,whether or not that also stopped the wind.
Interesting experiment.
 
I must admit that I have not tried it since the scouts and that has been awhile. But I think it shows why adding a few plastic garbage bags to the bottom of your daypack is always a good idea. They have no weight but would come in handy when you try to waterproof the lean-to. A couple on the top and one for a groundcloth and you are set. My wife thinks I'm leaving for days everytime I go for a walk in the woods. But with the idea of having to use only what you have with you will show the good sense of carrying more gear everytime you go out.
 
I made a bunch of piles, my backyard is surrounded by 25 or so big pine trees, so our yard is mostly covered with them.

I did use a rake if I was in the woods I wouldn't be carrying a rake, I figured it would only take more time. so I used the rake, I didn't use our wheelbarrow(sp?). it has at least 6 inches of pine straw covering the whole thing.

it took about 1 hour this morning to cover the whole lean-to, I also used more jute cordage and tied down the pine straw to keep it on there. we have heavy winds down here. it looks really dense and quite possibly water proof or at least water resistant.

I still have to close in the sides, I have yet to do that.

one lesson I learned is the front supports have to be able to take alot of weight, since we are using natural materials density is important and to get the water tight density take piling on of mass which increases the weight. I had to brace the front supports to keep it from leaning over too much. so there is a danger of it falling down hopefully I solved that issue.

if I were in a real life scenario, I would make it alot smaller right now it is about 5'8" on the inside front top. so it is pretty big.


I have have taken a few photos at different stages which I will post in a week or 2.


but as a few people already mentioned, carrying garbage bags or a tarp is so important. this is work. hours of work!

thanks
 
I have built many "lean-to" type shelters...in fact that is what I use in all of may backpacking trips (except in winter). However, I make mine with a tarp / rope / scavenged wood. Without the tarp...well...it takes a lot of time (as many of you have mentioned). I have only done it without a tarp once...but not in a 'survival' situation. I feel confident that I could...but since I seem to always have a poncho or tarp with me, I don't think it will be necessary to do it the "real" way. As for my tips, build it low, and as chris pointed out, make sure you use strong supports. Finally, always bring plenty of rope (550 cord). This...is as essential as your knife.
 
Chris, I have made a few lean-to's, but I can't say any were waterproofed using only natural meterials (a poncho, tarp, garbage bag, space blanket or some plastic sheeting oviously makes this easier).
This is a little off the topic, but if you have a sleeping bag and a large enough tarp, or piece of plastic sheeting you can sleep comfortably by using it to securely wrap your bag and digging a trench in the snow for it or just laying on the ground or evan on top of deep snow. The tarp keeps the bag dry, sort of like a poor man's bivy bag. I have used this method many times in winter, and I know of others that have used a couple of heavy garbage bags and duct tape to make a water proof sack for their bags. Evan if you build a lean-to, it may be easier to waterproof your bag than the lean-to roof if all you have is a couple garbage bags.
Good luck with your lean-to, looking forward to seeing your pics!
 
While most survival manuals seem to include the lean-to, it seems like an amazing waste of valuable energy, not to mention local flora, to make one. A survival shelter should be made with as much 'found' material as possible and should take as little effort as possible to build. A lean-to largely constructed of things laying around, or with a tarp or poncho, is a reasonable proposition, but not really the most efficient as it depends upon you having a fire to keep you and the shelter warm. A debris pile is easier and warmer (if there's decent debris laying around). I think actually going to the trouble of cutting all the poles etc. to build a classic lean-to would be a dangerous waste of time and energy in a survival situation.
 
in an immediate survival situation a debris or poncho type shelter is best. but under longer term conditions I would start building a shelter so I can use my trp or poncho to keep my body warm.

so I would get a decent shelter together then if I felt like I was gonna be there while start building a larger shelter.

I think building this lean-to has been a huge help to my survival knwledge because not tonly did I learn to build a lean-to but I know about about supports and natural materials alot more.


I also think so many times we read books watch videos and think we could do that. we carry kits and tools but sometimes the knowledge doesn't match the tools. I think some one who goes out into the woods with only a 4-5" hunting blade would be hard pressed to build a shelter out of natural materials. of course found materials make it a possiblity.

it has rained down here since I finished the shelter and I think it has held up. though it was only a drizzle, I am really curious to see how it holds up to a down pour.

pictures will be coming

thanks
 
While I haven't done it yet (I'm hoping I'll be up to it this coming summer), I think a better plan for building a wholly "natural" lean-to would be to use a sheath knife and a folding saw.

I plan on using my Campanion (as that's my "survival knife"), a 7 inch folding saw, and some nylon twine for lashing. Other than those tools, I plan on using only natural materials, including as much already dead material as possible. I feel that sawing would be a better use of calories than chopping, and it's certainly easier to carry a folding saw than a big honking chopper.

But as numberthree and chris pointed out, this would only be for a protacted situation, or if I didn't have any tarps or whatever handy. Which is why it's so darned handy to have large garbage bags and mylar blankets in your pocket kit. I even keep a disposable poncho in my left BDU pocket. With a poncho and some line, you could whip together a pretty decent shelter in little time or effort.

I mainly want to build my brush lean-to as an experiment, and a place to "hang out" in the woods. For a TRULY long-term stay in the bush, it would be best to look for natural shelter sites that can be improved upon. Great topic.
 
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