Bushcraft shelter for hammocking?

[RePete]

Sounds like a cool experiment. I dont think the hammock will be in danger because it will be inside the shelter unless you somehow catch the plastic sheet on fire. Fire safety aside I think one of the biggest issues will be keeping the fire going. Big enough blaze to keep it going most of the night will be a fire hazard. Kept small enough to be safe will require regular attention. If you are getting up regularly enough to pee then you should be able to keep the fire going. If you oversleep a bit and the fire dies down to much you will wake up on cold person.

[fourdog]

Sounds like a cool experiment. I dont think the hammock will be in danger because it will be inside the shelter unless you somehow catch the plastic sheet on fire. Fire safety aside I think one of the biggest issues will be keeping the fire going. Big enough blaze to keep it going most of the night will be a fire hazard. Kept small enough to be safe will require regular attention. If you are getting up regularly enough to pee then you should be able to keep the fire going. If you oversleep a bit and the fire dies down to much you will wake up on cold person.

Your right, except for the fire it does not have to be as big as one thinks
because of the "oven" effect of the poly and space blanket.

Also depending on what sort of fire lay is used you may not have to or only tend the fire once or twice during the night. Even in -0* weather.

Your hammock is protected by the poly, you lay your fire parrell to the wind
and practise good fire skills. With good technique one can sleep in ones cloths.

fourdog

[Bradley]

. . . also if you have fire wood near the fire
all you have to do is use a stick, reaching out of the hammock and roll it onto the fire.

As far as waking up the old drink lots isn't necessary,
as every watch and phone has an alarm function.
My phone has three alarm times that I can use.
You don't need cel phone signal for the other functions to work

[Bubba]

I don't want to sound negative but building a super shelter requires a lot of wood and even if you use all deadfall, the environment is still impacted. Obviously for a survival situation, one must do what is necessary but I'm not a big fan of creating that much impact on the land around me. As much as I enjoy learning and practicing a bit of bushcraft, ultimately I try to be a leave no trace outdoorsman. I am probably not well versed enough to understand how much impact is acceptable or not but that's just my opinion.

[Just Jeff]

Impact also depends on the environment and amount of use the area receives. Doing this in an alpine environment would be an unacceptable impact, but doing it in a healthy lowland forest would probably recover quickly if done responsibly. You seen how fast stuff grows in the Smokies?

Doing it well off-trail where most people never travel would help diminish the impact as well.

I'm all about being responsible in the woods and definitely about considering the impact we have on it...but there's a balance where we can protect our trees and still practice the skills that may keep us alive one day. My personal opinion - if done responsibly and in an appropriate area (in a healthy, recoverable forest and away from high-use areas) then this wouldn't have an unacceptable impact.

[fourdog]

Impact also depends on the environment and amount of use the area receives. Doing this in an alpine environment would be an unacceptable impact, but doing it in a healthy lowland forest would probably recover quickly if done responsibly. You seen how fast stuff grows in the Smokies?

Doing it well off-trail where most people never travel would help diminish the impact as well.

I'm all about being responsible in the woods and definitely about considering the impact we have on it...but there's a balance where we can protect our trees and still practice the skills that may keep us alive one day. My personal opinion - if done responsibly and in an appropriate area (in a healthy, recoverable forest and away from high-use areas) then this wouldn't have an unacceptable impact.

I'm with Jeff . A person should always think where he is at and only harvest
natural materails not mine. I've done course work with Mors in Northern MN
where up to 12 students have made super shelters with natural materails
and slept in there cloths with temps down to 18*F and when we bought
the next round of students 2 years later to the same spot in the bush
in till we pointed out things they could use from the last class they did not know we had be there before.

When one goes some where they can do one of three things;
-Leave it the same
-Leave it better
-Leave it worse
Also remember no matter where you go you have left a trace some where by how you got there and the gear you use.

fourdog

[Bubba]

Jeff and fourdog - thanks for the replies. I see your points and agree. It's just too bad that not all who go into the woods are conscientious and responsible. I think because of my limited knowledge I tend to err on the side of making as little impact as possible.

[Theo]

Most of what bushcrafters do with poles can be done with cordage. Not as sturdy or neat looking but a lot more LNT. It is amazing what just a space blanket lean-to and a proper reflector fire can do.

[GingivitisKahn]

Looks cool! Of course, we will demand pictures once your experiment is complete.

[tammons]

I do have some insulation, but I'm not sure how comfy I am with testing in the teens :-D Besides, sleeping by a fire seems really cool and primitive and a way to not have to invest in a super cool underquilt (though that doesn't make me want them any less!)

I started carrying a large piece of polycro in my survival pack after I watched The first Dual survival show in Nova Scotia where Cody Lundin built a super shelter.

I have yet to try one out. Better would be some fire resistant clear plastic which they do make but its heavier. Should make a great survival shelter as long as you can start a fire and you dont have to build an elaborate log structure if you can find a natural back like a blowdown to hook the space blanket on.

You dont need much to get down to 20dF with a normal hammock setup.

A 10x12 poly or other tarp will create a tent with doors over a hammock.

I slept in a golite ultra 20 in such a rig, on cheap crossed CCF pads with a garlington taco last year down to 14dF and I was warm all night.

If I would have had a bag topper or a 0dF quilt, 0dF would have been no problem.