Comments on: Ray Mears Forest Survival Shelter

By: Echo

Echo — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 04:24:19 +0000

In reply to Wicker1967. well had he made the shelter with less of a steep slant he could have easily used a smaller fire. i guess he knew exactly which direction the rain would be coming from? because at that steep of a slant it sure didn't give much protection over head, the front or either side. a lower slant to the roof would have given better protection for wind/rain direction change. plus you could close off the ends. having a lower, deeper shelter he could have a smaller fire which would have meant that he could have actually had the fire under cover too, to protect it from rain.

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 19:58:18 +0000

Ray Mears is awesome he shows good practical survival skills. He in Vermont with cold winters a basic debris hut works good for temporary shelter but to have something more permanent an earth lodge type shelter can not be beat it allows a indoor fire and the snow only adds insulation.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 17:01:41 +0000

A 4-hour plus process cut down into a 4-minute video makes it look simpler than it is.
Also, previous statements of needing as a more semi-permanent shelter echoed… modifications would be needed for a longer period durations, but it is a good start and gets the thought processes flowing.
The raised bed/floor also allows for gear storage underneath and other insulation items.

By: church

church — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:09:05 +0000

been there done that…..mears ant got shit on me…I practice this same technique three months out of the year during hunting season…going on thirty years now …..practice practice practice …then practice some more …..hone your skills at finding water making fire building shelter…OR DIE

By: TexasTony

TexasTony — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:16:40 +0000

In reply to Glen. I made a small one room log cabin in the BlueRidge Mountains when I was younger, armed only with a hatchet. I stayed there through the winter and was pretty comfortable once I made an oven out of riverbed stones. I would love to do it again, but preferably in the spring this time haha

By: diannamarsolek

diannamarsolek — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 18:55:22 +0000

i can see allot wrong with his shelter for one thing you don’t cut the limbs off the out side it gives you a good place to help holed the other limbs you have gotten off allot of other trees we live in the northweast and see allot of rain and snow so knowing how to build a shelter if you hike or ride is life saving don’t get me wrong his idea is sound but it would take a hell of allot more limbs to thatch that shelter as for fire putting it in the rain would be the worst idea it would go out and you would be screwed at 2 am trying to get it going agen

By: Tune

Tune — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 10:51:59 +0000

This shelter offers protection from one direction…up. What about the sides and front. In the wilderness setting you would definately have to surround yourself better, especially if you plan to be there a while! The idea of putting the reflective material on the entire roof is a good one…his roof will definately leak and it would not last very long. However if it’s for a night that isn’t too windy, with lots of rain or snow I guess it would be ok. Heavy snow would melt on the roof and I guarantee you would be very cold and wet! Capturing more of the heat from the fire with at least two sides built like the roof would be a good idea.

By: alkh3myst

alkh3myst — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 03:50:57 +0000

This dude is awesome! But I heard Bear Grylls ate his head…

By: Wicker1967

Wicker1967 — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:39:38 +0000

I was particularly impressed by the long log fire. Everyone seems to have this convention that a fire must be in a two foot circle.

Bravo Sir.

By: JDO

JDO — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 04:45:58 +0000

For a cold weather situation there are 2 thing you can do to vastly upgrade that shelter.

1. on the inside of the roof place a reflecting survival blanket on the slope. This will reflect the heat of the fire directly onto your bed. Added bonus is an small leaks in the roof will be channeled away from you.

2. Use a clear tarp or piece of Clear Plastic to make a “door” hanging down the front. This will help protect you from the wind, rain, blowing snow and hold in the heat reflected from the fire. (I prefer clear tarps v.s. the blue ones so I can see what is going on outside, they are also easier to camouflage or make visible by using the orange side of an emergency blanket.)

Just make sure your fire is far enough away so you do not melt your sheeting.