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Shelter & Warmth

3 min read

Salvage sleeping bags rated to 0 degrees C or below, tarps of at least 3 by 3 metres, wool blankets and layered clothing, and skip cotton. Synthetic-fill sleeping bags still insulate when wet, which down does not, and wool also insulates when wet. Add leather or heavy-duty work gloves, since you will be handling rough material constantly.

Part of Tier 1: Immediate Survival Gear

Hypothermia and heatstroke both kill in hours, so insulation, waterproofing and ground cover come before comfort.

Wet Insulation Decides What To Take

The main question is not how warm an item is when dry, but how it behaves when wet. Cotton holds water and loses its insulation; wool and synthetic fabrics keep insulating. Sleeping bags follow the same rule: synthetic fill works when wet and down does not.

What To Take

  • Sleeping bags rated to 0 degrees C or below. Choose synthetic fill if you have the choice.
  • Tarps, at least 3 by 3 metres. Hardware stores, camping sections, truck beds and construction sites. A tarp is the quickest shelter you can raise; building methods are in Emergency Shelter.
  • Wool blankets. Hotels, homes, military surplus and emergency vehicles. Wool insulates when wet, unlike cotton. A wool blanket takes months to produce from raw fleece, so it is a good use of weight.
  • Clothing layers. Wool and synthetic base layers, insulating mid-layers and waterproof outer shells. Leave cotton behind.
  • Work gloves, leather or heavy-duty.

Where To Look

Outdoor stores, bedrooms, hotels, military or surplus stores, construction trailers and emergency vehicles. Bedrooms and linen closets are low risk and often under-looted.

Checking What You Found

Step 1: Look for water damage. A damp or mouldy bag or blanket will not insulate well and may carry mould spores. Prefer dry stock stored off the floor.

Step 2: Check the fabric label. Fabric labels, where they are intact, tell you whether an item is cotton, wool or synthetic.

Step 3: Test the tarp. Unfold it and look for tears and failed grommets. A tarp with holes still serves as ground cover and windbreak.

Step 4: Pad the ground. Insulation under your body is compressed by your weight and does little, so cold ground draws heat from you through the bag; see Ground Insulation.

Common Mistakes

  • Packing cotton hoodies and jeans as winter gear. Wet cotton pulls heat from the body.
  • Taking a bag with a high rating and no pad. Insulation under you compresses and does little; add material beneath.
  • Leaving blankets in a leaking building. Damp ruins them quickly.

Safety

Never warm a shelter with a combustion fire in a closed space

Carbon monoxide from a stove, charcoal or open fire is odourless and kills sleepers without waking them. Ventilate any enclosed space where something is burning.

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