Building our bivouac shelter during our first Bug out bag test run (time laps video)

[Richarddbeck]

So I had planned to get lots of footage of our entire experience but it turns out my camera battery SUCKS! I ended up only having enough battery for the set up of our shelter. It got down around 20 degree so our fire was critical. Overall our bug out bags worked had everything we needed to survive one night in sub freezing temperatures.

We both plan to get more equipment and better supplies and continue to push the limits of our survival set up farther.

[Taz Baby]

when I use to go raw camping as I call it, (sleeping on the ground) I used those body warming beds for dogs. I know sounds funny but they worked. They heat with your body heat and keep you warm. I would put a warming blanket on top of the bed and then my sleeping bag. Keep me nice n toasty. We also would fold up the bottom of the tarp and tape it to the over hanging one to keep air , water and snakes out. Maybe over kill on the duck tape but no sneaky snakes in bed. Thanks for that looks like you guys had it all covered. How did it make you feel? Camping always made me feel like I was getting back to my heritage and connecting with my inner spirit.

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[helomech]

The wind around here would rip any shelter like that to shreds in minutes.

[Richarddbeck]

yea I love camping so testing out our bug out bags was a great excuse to get out.

We didn't have any wind and we were inside the woods, but I hear what your saying about the wind factor. We did have rope in our bags as well, we just didn't tie things down because the lack of wind and the cover we had in the woods.

I stuffed my coat into the bottom of my bag down by my feet but we still woke up about 4 times to build up the fire and warm up. Thanks for the feedback! I'll look into these ideas. I came here to learn from those who have gone before me.

[bacpacker]

That looks like a great time to me! Thanks for sharing.

[Sniper-T]

ok... wow... I don't know where you are, but if you are building a shelter in t-shirts. you're not too bad off. with no wind, you did good. if there was a wind blowing, then by roping the open section of your shelter low to the ground, you would've been miles ahead... I see the snow dusting on the ground, so you are around zero.. so a good brush base under your bags (to get off the ground), is instrumental!! beyond that, a decent bag, and a break from any wind is all you need.

imo

[rentprop1]

I think it got colder as the sun set, you can see him put on a hat

[Richarddbeck]

I was wearing three T-shirts, and two pairs of pants. We had just finished walking a half a mile carrying all that stuff so I didn't have a coat on because I didn't want to sweat. The puddles of water we saw on our walk in froze during the night and the ice was about 1/2 of and inch thick. The temp dropped about 15 degree from the time we got there until we left the next morning. I did have a foam mate under my bag but my friend did not. His bag go wet and needless to say he got pretty cold.

We left the one side open and build a fire nice and close. When our fire was going it was nice and warm but go figure every time we fell asleep the fire died down and we would wake up cold and add more wood.

Overall it was lots of fun. Our bug out bags had enough stuff but the bags themselves where terrible. They don't carry the weight very well. The weather could have been MUCH worse.

update: also all four corners of the base where staked into the ground. It hard to see Trent pounding in the stakes at 400% speed. now we did use Duct tap to attach the rest but we checked the weather and decided we didn't need to rope it down since it was just for one night and we didn't have much day light left.

[Stormfeather]

Definitely a great video! I would have built it a lot lower to the ground, mainly to stop the wind, and for ease of building. plus I would have added a lot of brush/foilage that you scavenge as a insulation layer over that tarp. When I teach soldiers how to build these, I have at least 12" of insulation layer on top, this way you can be inside your hooch and be in minimal layers and stay warm. The pertains to any weather scenario.