survival IQ test

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alewn

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you're going to be camped out in your van and the weather man says it's going to get about 20F colder than your current sleeping bag is rated for, for the next money. You've only got $40 and the only place in town that's open is wally's. What do you buy to help you get thru the cold snap?
 
The paper so I could review the help wanted ads? :p

So - if I had to spend the night in my van in Walmart parking lot, I would probably just get in the sleeping bag, and if I woke up cold I would go into Walmart and buy something to eat and warm up.

best

mqqn
 
I assume you have some clothes? Just put on a couple more layers and you'll be fine. Plus it won't be as cold inside your van as out. In addition to that sleeping bag ratings are not accurate. Eat a bit of protein before bed, make sure you're hydrated and above all wear a hat to bed.
 
I'd raid the Wally World dumpster and grab some clean cardboard boxes to put underneath my sleeping bag, put another cardboard box over top of me; great insulation and costs nothing.

Save the $40, buy warm food and hot coffee in the morning with a small portion of it.
 
I was going to say CCF, but Swamp has a better idea. Insulate the van, if you wake up cold, run the engine for 10 min. The cardboard can be used to cover/insulate windows, block off the cab from the back, even make a "bedroom". also make sure you are not sleeping on the floor of the van, but ideally about half way up. That way you are in the warm half of the space. A few "borrowed" pallets would help make a bed, but don't take the painted one's I hear the blue pallet guys prosecute.
 
Pay 40$ for some lot lizard to crawl in the bag with you... carefully place the cardboard b/t you and the lizard. Boom
 
willard0341 said:
Pay 40$ for some lot lizard to crawl in the bag with you... carefully place the cardboard b/t you and the lizard. Boom
Click to expand...

If you hire a lot lizard in a Walmart parking lot, you just failed the survival IQ test. :D
 
Purchase a lighter a $39 worth of lighter fluid or some cheap combistible. Light van on fire. Just before authorities arrive, lie down and feign injury. Enjoy nice warm hospital bed. Blame Willard's shady lot lizard for the fire and collect insurance on the van.
 
mec003 said:
Purchase a lighter a $39 worth of lighter fluid or some cheap combistible. Light van on fire. Just before authorities arrive, lie down and feign injury. Enjoy nice warm hospital bed. Blame Willard's shade lot lizard for the fire and collect insurance on the van.
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You, sir, have an extremely high survival IQ. :thumbup:
 
A cup of coffee, and just sit in the Walmart all night, since pretty much all of them are open 24/7.
 
^ This

Then take a nap in your van during the day when the sun is up and the temperature rises closer to your sleeping bag's rating.
 
Do what I did last camping trip. Get a mummy bag and put it in a regular bag. Buy a cheap bag at Wally World


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alewn said:
you're going to be camped out in your van and the weather man says it's going to get about 20F colder than your current sleeping bag is rated for, for the next money. You've only got $40 and the only place in town that's open is wally's. What do you buy to help you get thru the cold snap?
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Spend no $$$. Spend the night in wallyworld.
 
I was out camping one night and it got a lot colder than my sleeping bag was rated for. After trying for hours to get warm, I lay my poncho on top of my sleeping pad, put the sleeping bag on top of that, got in the sleeping bag and pulled the rest of the poncho on top of me. The poncho acted as a vapor barrier and I slept well for the rest of the night.

Chad
 
ChadHahn said:
I was out camping one night and it got a lot colder than my sleeping bag was rated for. After trying for hours to get warm, I lay my poncho on top of my sleeping pad, put the sleeping bag on top of that, got in the sleeping bag and pulled the rest of the poncho on top of me. The poncho acted as a vapor barrier and I slept well for the rest of the night.

Chad
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Every time I tried that (twice) I woke up shivering with a damp sleeping bag. Your body WILL give off warm, moist air, and that moisture WILL become liquid water when it reaches air that is at the Dew Point. (Breath on cold window glass and see it happen.) If that location is in or on the surface of your bag, the bag gets wet. "Vapor Barriers" go BETWEEN you and your bag/insulation to trap the warm, moist air so it cannot condense inside the bag/insulation.
 
bs about the clothes. they pack down and aint worth a hoot. In fact, they can reduce the "sharing' of your body heat one limb to another, etc. If you packed some form of debris (ie, the newspaper, torn into strips) that's a different story. Tactics, (ie going into wally's) is not part of the thread's question. gear-knowledge is.
 
The walmarts where I live are 24 hr stores. Why would I camp in a van in below freezing temps. Talk about low IQ.
 
alewn said:
bs about the clothes. they pack down and aint worth a hoot. In fact, they can reduce the "sharing' of your body heat one limb to another, etc. If you packed some form of debris (ie, the newspaper, torn into strips) that's a different story. Tactics, (ie going into wally's) is not part of the thread's question. gear-knowledge is.
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A sleeping baq is just specialized clothing. Putting on other layers of clothing will, within limits, l trap some additional amount of dead air ("insulation") and, thus, improve the situation of the hypothetical individual.

But as you are the final arbiter of all things survival here at BladeForums , we had best not add your name to the Ignore list.

hlee said:
The walmarts where I live are 24 hr stores. Why would I camp in a van in below freezing temps. Talk about low IQ.
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Going inside is not "real" survival, it's just surviving. :D
 
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hlee said:
The walmarts where I live are 24 hr stores. Why would I camp in a van in below freezing temps. Talk about low IQ.
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Around here they aren't 24 hours.
So I'd go survive at Tim Horton's, most of which are open 24 hours a day. :thumbup:

For some reason, this whole thread makes me think:

[video=youtube;3nhgfjrKi0o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nhgfjrKi0o[/video]
 
alewn said:
bs about the clothes. they pack down and aint worth a hoot. In fact, they can reduce the "sharing' of your body heat one limb to another, etc. If you packed some form of debris (ie, the newspaper, torn into strips) that's a different story. Tactics, (ie going into wally's) is not part of the thread's question. gear-knowledge is.
Click to expand...

So if clothes interfere with the sharing of body heat why do so many sources cite the layering of clothes as a good way to maintain body heat?

Your original post said nothing about being unable to go into Wally World for the night. Any other rules you need to add before we play this game anymore?

Figured you were fishing for the homeless person newspaper insulation idea, but decided to ignore it. Fine here's my new idea:

1) I go into Wally World, pick up a Barnett Wrist Rocket, some Crossbow Bolts, a cheap paring knife, and a candy bar. Easily done for under $40
2) Plant the candy bar in a visible location in the parking lot.
3) Patiently wait behind cover with my sling shot bow for some obese patron to go for the candy bar.
4) Shoot them with my sling shot bow.
5) Gut the carcass and crawl inside like Luke Skywalker did to the Tauntaun on the ice planet Hoth.
 
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