The Basics Of Building A Survival Shelter

If you face a situation of unpredictable weather in a survival situation, you will need the basic skills to build a shelter. A good shelter must protect you from the weather and provide a place to rest and sleep. Each season provides a different challenge, but there are some universal practices that can be used to build a shelter in the wilderness.

The most important part of building a shelter is the location. One that provides building materials such as dead sticks, leaves, and grasses. You want to be away from falling hazards: Falling dead trees or branches, water pools, and away from insects. You want a large enough area that is flat so you can lie down and sleep. If you are lost you want to be seen by rescue teams. Avoid building by a stream or river as water will rise. Low valleys can be colder at night and the high elevations of the mountains can be windy. You want to build some where in between. Also look for natural shelters such as caves, rocky crevices or even large trees. If you can't find any of these, you will have to build a shelter.

Building a shelter too big is one of the many mistakes that can be made. Not only does it take more time, effort and materials, but the amount of space can be cold for one person. A good shelter will be just large enough for you to fit inside so you can conserve your body heat.

The structure of your shelter needs to be built with safety in mind. You want large branches that can support the weight of an adult for the framework. This is especially a concern when building lean-to and debris hut shelters. If you were carrying a tarp, poncho or a emergency blanket you are almost done. But if you find yourself lacking equipment, conditions and materials will decide what shelter you build.

Covering and insulating your shelter is an important part of keeping out the outside elements whether you are in a hot, cold, or wet environment. Leaves, grass, ferns, small sticks, pine needles can be used. Use the debris to create a thick roof, and don't forget to create a mattress also out of this material. You can add bark or soil to the sides of your shelter to keep out wind and rain.

The shelter you choose to build depends on the equipment you already are carrying with you, the materials you have available,the outside elements, and whether your building it for one or many. Building your own shelter can be rewarding in itself when you have to sleep in it. With an understanding of the basic skills and techniques, you can weather almost any survival situation.

Tom is passionate about the outdoors and all it has to offer. If you want to know more about the type of Survival Knives out there, please visit: http://www.mysurvivalknife.com

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