Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Surviving a cold wet night

http://www.amazon.com/The-North-Fac...97353&sr=1-13&keywords=Bivy+tarp

Can this Northface footprint tarp be considered as a good packable Bivy shelter that can be used either on the ground or as a tarp tent. This is what I'm considering for emergency usage.
Thoughts?

That's most likely just what it says it is. A footprint and nothing more. If you really want a great bivy head over to the classifieds at rokslide.com and make an offer on the ID eVent Bivy. TI Goat has a less exspensive bivy but it's not gonna breathe or protect as well as the ID eVent bivy's will. Worth every penny if you ask me.

Down bag in S.E. Alaska?

NEVER

A little late but just noticed your post. I bought an REI footprint that looked just like the one you mention. Mine is 9'x12' and I picked it up at their parking lot sale for $19.00. It is nothing more nor less than a waterproof flat tarp, a good one if that is what you want. I took off all but the sewn-in loops and have slept under it a dozen times or more from river bottom to sub alpine, in dry summer to wet snow. On a 3 day canoe trip week before last I took it instead of a tent because it is far more compact to haul and the mosquitoes were already gone. Here's a pic from the recent canoe trip. I usually put in more of a center ridge line than shown, but it kept the heavy dew off of us, especially pitched back under heavy overhanging tree foliage.

Good topic. A few years back at the Denver Sportsmen Show one of the seminars was on winter hunting survival presented by a fellow who teaches a survival course at the USAF Academy. What stood out the most was to pack a good balaclava. I don't know where you can buy a proper one that thick enough. I purchased mine at years ago at the same show and it is about 3X as thick as the ones I have seen at Sportsmen and Cabela's.

Tragic story of an Air Force veteran and his two young sons who died when the weather took a turn for the worst.
I hope and pray that I am never faced with that situation while I have my small kiddos with me.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/01/1...-2-sons-die-while-hiking-missouri-trail/
http://fox2now.com/2013/01/14/father-sons-die-after-missing-path-on-freezing-hike/

I read that one this am, & it wore heavily on my heart. I've got some kids that age, & I really feel for the remainder of that family.

Any hike I take finds me with my backpack. With a leatherman, several ignition sources, several tinder sources, emergency blankets, a few hundred calories of emergency food per person, headlamp, first aid kit, etc., I feel like we'll at least have a fighting chance if we're forced to spend a night out.

Most important is what's between a person's ears, and I've picked up much from threads like this one. I pray that this kind of information makes it far & wide, & can help others.

FC

MarcT,
Some things are learned by experience. Central Alaska in August seemed like it did not require any serious changes in equipment. I found out different.

One could die of hypothermia on any given day in any part of AK.

I have had several times in my lifewhen Iliterally havedone the survival thing to see how far I could go with it. This entails a small pack, rifle (or pistol) Ponchos(1 to wear, and 1 to use for shelter)and use of small game getting gear and cooking kit. The first few attempts were ata young age, but over the years, I've gained a lot of skill with it. Biggest concern still is the same... WATER.... Yep, finding good source and making sure you survive drinking it. Filtering and even boiling using a condenser pan over the evaporater to drip into the cup works best before filling canteen.... lengthy. Food is where you find it, be it veggy or furry or swimming around. Amazing how good an old Bullhead fish tastes if you are really hungry. my favorite shelter is still the lean-to with the fire in front. really keeps the radiant heat in the shelter and lasts easily the night if you stock-up before retiring. If you want to hear what's in the neighborhood, leave the fire out. Cold camps are just that...bring a good cover of some type along. AVOID ANTHILLS......!

I would totally agree that Alaska has some real weather to contend with. A couple buddies of mine say the same thing, that you PREPARE for night before it gets here, but then, I would imagine with the days as they are.... The time involved in sun setting allows for some prepping... Right?? Using tents with rain-fly's would help. Ground cloth and tarps??

frog,
All that daylight goes away pretty fast in the fall.

One prepares for the night before it occurs. It's possible afterward, just harder. If a fire is in order, firewood is WAY more easily collected in the daylight than via headlight/flashlight. Something to avoid dew and or precipitation is required, IMO. Everyone has d preferred method - as long as it works!

Where in KS are you Jim? I had to live there in the little apple for 4 years.

Ironbender: I graduated from KSU in education... Ft Hays with Forestry / Biology... I actually preferred Hays,(especially after school...!!) Education was in Vietnam 65-68.. Now I live in a little town called Longford that is 45 minutes west of Manhattan. Spending time now looking for ground to use for camping (me and the little critters). I love the chatter at night until the local coyote walks through and everybody shutsup tight.! Reminds me of the Malay when a tiger walks through at night.. I would imagine a Brown or Grizz has the same effects,except for size and hoping he doesn't like "white meat"..Ha!

When I was stationed at Ft. Riley, Manhattan wasn't an "Army friendly" town, has that changed any?

I used to like to get away from the Manhatan/Junction City area and meet the people who lived in the small towns like Alta Vista, Clay Center, Enterprise, Green, Leonardville, White City, etc.

Seeing as how this thread is about surviving a cold wet night, what do you guys think about that show "Naked and Afraid"?

Or in other words, what would you do if you had to survive a cold and wet and naked night with no modern conveniences?

No fire making tools? I'd be inclined to go squirrely, and build a nest in a burrow.


damn no firemaking tools??? that's a scary thought, me like em fire

and nekkid? Is Halle Berry on this show?

No tools? That pretty simple. March or die.

Been naked. Judging from the reaction of the casual viewers, they were afraid.

At least they were running away screaming

I've seen this show once or twice and think it's pretty idiotic. Unless the mafia strips you buck naked and drops you in the middle of nowhere, why would anyone be there with absolutely nothing? Very realistic(sarcasm)

Anyway, if you're cold and wet and have nothing, naked or not, you have trouble on your hands.