Nice post!

If we had a karma system, I'd +1 you

Awww that is very sweet of you, refuge.

I'm glad you found the information interesting and of use.

Actually, when we did have karma, I shut mine off, lol.

refuge, I tried that yesterday. Holy crap, it took me about 20 seconds to do it before I got warm, but it was worth it. I didn't do it long enough to get *really* warm but I did notice some warmth. I'll try it again!

Thats pretty cool, but it's a bit bulky. I think I would go with a small gas cooker and perhaps have something like that in a more permanent location...

I thought it was one week without water and 2 weeks without food...

?

No, it is three days without water...I know this as a registered nurse.

The elements means like the cold..hence hypothermia.

Sophia--- have you tried to make a fire with this system? It is not a easy as it sounds or looks it is actually fairly hard to do for the first few times.

My husband made one.

Yes, it is hard! It takes lots of practice.

That's why I posted it way ahead of 2012 so you can all start to practice!

Sophia, i am not sure if that was Really NICE of you, or quite vile indeed... But you see where I stand on THAT...

I also favor flint and steel.. (I always have steel...) And those Lovely little magnesium/flint fire starters at wal-mart are Awesome... Since you can keep the striking rod, and just use that after you run out of magnesium...

Mm... Magnesium. Such a nice thing...

LOL, Kyokudo!!

I'm not vile hehehe.

How to Build a Debris Hut

Just in case 2012 turns out to be nasty and for some reason you are outdoors, a debris hut is an extremely versatile wilderness survival shelter.

It can be built in almost any habitat and does not require tools or special equipment.

Creating an effective shelter is one of the most important priorities in a survival situation.

Most lost persons perish from hypothermia, which may have been easily avoided had they constructed a simple shelter.

The debris hut is constructed using sticks and any available debris, such as leaves, moss, ferns, bark, etc.

The key to a good shelter is to insulate yourself from all of the forms of heat loss.

Your body can lose heat through direct contact with the ground, wind, and simply radiating off of your body.

Therefore, your shelter needs to provide insulation and protection from all of these elements.

A completed debris shelter is like a gigantic water-resistant sleeping bag, insulated by debris and held together by sticks.

To construct a debris hut:

1.) Select a location that provides ample building materials (sticks and debris) that is safe from falling branches, pooling water, and other hazards.

2.) Prop up a sturdy 8-foot pole-like branch on a stump or crook of a tree. This ridge pole should be sturdy enough to support your weight. The size of the space underneath the ridge pole should be just large enough to fit your body plus six inches of debris on all sides.

3.) Lay shorter stick along the length of the ridge pole on both sides, leaving room for a doorway. These shorter sticks are called ribbing. The ribbing sticks should touch the ground roughly six inches outside of where your body would lay.

4.) Add smaller sticks on top of and perpendicular to the ribbing sticks. These latticework sticks will keep the outer debris from falling inside the shelter.

5.) Pile large amounts of leafy debris on top, as well as inside. Use your driest, softest debris on the inside closest to your body. When complete, there should be at least three feet of debris piled up on top and on all sides of the shelter.

6.) You can lay more sticks on top to keep the wind from blowing the debris away if it is a windy day.

7.) A door plug can be created by stuffing a shirt full of leaves.

Crawl inside, being sure to burrow into the leaves, so that there is a mattress of leaves insulating you from the ground and on all sides. Though nothing like the warmth of your own bed, a debris hut will allow you to survive the night.

Plastic trash bags are a great survival tool

Container
Rain gear
BodyBag (duct tape required)
Sun Shade
floatation device
toilet

Sun shade is very important.

Make sure we have some at that Gathering Goz.. =)