When out in the wild a tent is not the only form of shelter available to you. In many ways, a tarp can be more useful because it can be rigged to allow many people to stand under it and a stove can be placed on the edge and won’t be dangerous.
A great thing about tarps is that they offer a number of eyelets that are evenly spaced around the edge. These eyelets are designed to be secured with rope to provide a rigid structure. One way to create a stronger structure is by securing the tarp on branches or trunks.
In an emergency, your tent could have been destroyed or your tarp might have flown away due to gusts of winds. Alternatively, you could have tried swimming across a river and your tent came loose and now is floating away. If your shelter becomes damaged or lost, you might want to know how to construct one using what’s on your person and what’s in nature.
Now comes a different type of shelter. All natural. Being able to build a shelter using natural resources is essential. Why do you ask? Because having adequate shelter is a critical element to survival. There are many forms of shelters you can build when out in the wild. However, understanding what type you need is more crucial. When building any type of natural shelter, the first thing you should consider is what your surroundings are providing you. Is there is deadfall, fallen branches, pine needles; all of these natural objects will help.
The chances of building one of these structures are remote, but the concept is pretty straightforward. The following techniques can be used naturally as well as with a tarp configuration.
LEAN-TO SHELTER Like stated earlier, understanding what type of shelter you need is crucial. A lean-to shelter is really simple to construct and is a shelter that is commonly used. It is a basic one side design that allows you to either give you a lot of airflow or block it depending on the direction you set up in. Similarly, you can protect yourself from rain and other elements. To do this, secure a long branch between two trees or two structures. Cover one side with large leaves, grass, or any type of vegetation that won’t easily burn. They will also provide you with insulation. The more you use, the more insulation you get. Place it at a 45-degree angle leaning (hence the name) on the two structures. Always remember that weather patterns change and can possibly not shelter you from the elements.
A-FRAME SHELTER The A-frame comes from a tarp design that provides excellent coverage against the wind and rain. Also, the A-Frame can be built close to the ground as well as high above. If you decide to hang it up higher, it’ll still provide coverage from rain but you will have a lot of airflow from underneath. A positive feature to the A-frame is that it’s really easy to set up too. It’s just like the lean-to but with the other half. To do this, you can use some rope or cord and hang them between two trees or structures. You can also use a long branch in between. Now, you do the same as the lean-to but with an additional half. That’s it.