A valuable outdoor survival skill is knowing how to build a shelter. Your survival needs to know the proper techniques to make a shelter that will allow for adequate sleep and rest while protecting from the elements.
The environment’s climate plays a significant role in the need for shelter. Many individuals can only survive several hours without adequate protection from severe weather conditions. Extreme heat and cold are very dangerous situations to face without the proper shelter and security for the body.
The first step in choosing a shelter is to select the location. The location of your survival shelter must be as safe as possible. Try to create an easily visible shelter. This will help the search and rescue teams find you quickly and easily.
Choose ground that is as flat as possible. The ground should be dry and free of loose rocks and dead trees, and such hazards may fall on you or destroy the shelter. You should make a shelter near water, but avoid becoming too close, for this will bring you trouble with insects and flooding.
If your survival gear contains an extra shawl or blanket, your task of making a shelter is significantly easier. If not, you will need to use the environmental items to create a cover for protection from the elements.
The natural environment may have made a shelter for you. Survival does not mean reinventing the wheel. If a cave or low limbs are available, use this as part of your survival shelter. Do not over-complicate the issue at hand.
If nature hasn’t provided a shelter for you, make your shelter that can accommodate you while you sleep and rest. The survival shelter should only be large enough to sleep comfortably, and you will need to heat this area in cold climates, so bigger does not always mean better.
It will take some time to make a shelter that will provide a level of comfort and protection. Please do not wait until you are tired and it is dark to begin choosing your shelter for the night. Think about your cover before jumping in and building.
Whenever possible, let the open shelter face away from the prevailing wind, and this will ensure you are more comfortable in the cool of the night. Protection from the wind, rain, and sun is key to feeling well enough to continue.
Selecting or making a shelter is crucial to your survival. Think about making your shelter early in the process, not after you have become tired and worn down. Use what items you have with you and the environment to your advantage. Nature may have provided a shelter for you if you look around.
A good shelter will allow you to rest and sleep, so you can carry on until help arrives. Adequate sleep and rest will keep your positive attitude and energy high, thus greatly improving the odds of survival in an outdoor emergency.
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