Bushcraft Shelters - Tree Root Shelter with no tools TA Outdoors
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Date: 2019-09-10
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Comments and reviews: 10
Jake Rust
First off, that's a great shelter, it will likely be very warm and wind protected. That being said, moss is absorbent and heavy when wet. The weight probably won't be a problem with that sturdy construction, but it will be like a sponge in the rain and water will get into your shelter. I once made one of these types of shelters when I was fighting a small fire deep in the woods of northern Idaho. We had to stay on the fire for 3 days, and I didn't have a sleeping bag or shelter of any kind. The shelter worked great with hemlock branches as the covering (the needles grow flat) instead of moss. If they are all laid the same direction, water does not penetrate. Also when I had to sleep in this shelter, I needed to put a lot of leaves and branches on the floor to insulate me from the ground. Another thing that made the shelter more comfortable was tilling up the dirt that was the floor (it makes a softer bed. These modifications kept me warm and comfortable.
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First off, that's a great shelter, it will likely be very warm and wind protected. That being said, moss is absorbent and heavy when wet. The weight probably won't be a problem with that sturdy construction, but it will be like a sponge in the rain and water will get into your shelter. I once made one of these types of shelters when I was fighting a small fire deep in the woods of northern Idaho. We had to stay on the fire for 3 days, and I didn't have a sleeping bag or shelter of any kind. The shelter worked great with hemlock branches as the covering (the needles grow flat) instead of moss. If they are all laid the same direction, water does not penetrate. Also when I had to sleep in this shelter, I needed to put a lot of leaves and branches on the floor to insulate me from the ground. Another thing that made the shelter more comfortable was tilling up the dirt that was the floor (it makes a softer bed. These modifications kept me warm and comfortable.
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Maxton Congrove
Every survival/bushcraft video I see, people are doing it in these lush and expansive forests/rainforests. I live in Ohio, and all the woods around me are spindly maple trees, poison ivy, nettle, and the occasional cluster of a few massive birch trees. There are no large rocks to use as tools since there is no running water, and where there is running water there is 7 foot tall grass infested with more kinds of parasitic bugs than I can name. I bet an actual survivalist could easily make shelter and find food in the forests near me, but I really have no idea how they could
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Every survival/bushcraft video I see, people are doing it in these lush and expansive forests/rainforests. I live in Ohio, and all the woods around me are spindly maple trees, poison ivy, nettle, and the occasional cluster of a few massive birch trees. There are no large rocks to use as tools since there is no running water, and where there is running water there is 7 foot tall grass infested with more kinds of parasitic bugs than I can name. I bet an actual survivalist could easily make shelter and find food in the forests near me, but I really have no idea how they could
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Black Hat Bushcraft
Very nice looking shelter One of the great things is this shelter lends itself to continual upgrades as you add insulation inside and more debris on the outside as time allows. I put one similar up and maintained it for a couple of years just every once in a while adding layers as it needed. As debris settled and I added more it just became more and more dense and therefor more watertight. In my area we don't have much moss so we use pine needles and leaf debris. I would love to have that resource Totally Awesome as always my friend Take care, Matt.
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Very nice looking shelter One of the great things is this shelter lends itself to continual upgrades as you add insulation inside and more debris on the outside as time allows. I put one similar up and maintained it for a couple of years just every once in a while adding layers as it needed. As debris settled and I added more it just became more and more dense and therefor more watertight. In my area we don't have much moss so we use pine needles and leaf debris. I would love to have that resource Totally Awesome as always my friend Take care, Matt.
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James Carmean
If possible please attain two temperature dials that show the lowest temp attained and set up one outside and one inside to help determine the actual benefits of the shelter in use. This was used by Mr Hood of Hoods Woods (Sadly now deceased) I liked how he would use it to show temperature differences near water, in a valley near the base or on the military crest of a hill, the leeward side of a hill. All of that sort of thing. This is always a lot of work if a lone survivor. Great job. This would be a good shelter during E&E (Escape and Evasion)
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If possible please attain two temperature dials that show the lowest temp attained and set up one outside and one inside to help determine the actual benefits of the shelter in use. This was used by Mr Hood of Hoods Woods (Sadly now deceased) I liked how he would use it to show temperature differences near water, in a valley near the base or on the military crest of a hill, the leeward side of a hill. All of that sort of thing. This is always a lot of work if a lone survivor. Great job. This would be a good shelter during E&E (Escape and Evasion)
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Erdinger Nullfast
Great video You raise some important issues here, namely finding a suitable location ( wooded land versus open field. You must identify resources in your immediate surrounding ( tree root, ample small timber. You must act fast, especially if daylight is waning or a weather system is coming in. Every time I go hiking in the woods, even if just for a few hours, I try to identify as many resources as I can ( shelter possibilities, fire sources, food sources, water sources. It's a good mental exercise. Thank you for the video
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Great video You raise some important issues here, namely finding a suitable location ( wooded land versus open field. You must identify resources in your immediate surrounding ( tree root, ample small timber. You must act fast, especially if daylight is waning or a weather system is coming in. Every time I go hiking in the woods, even if just for a few hours, I try to identify as many resources as I can ( shelter possibilities, fire sources, food sources, water sources. It's a good mental exercise. Thank you for the video
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Susan Kerr
Here I am cuddled up in bed with a coffee and full of ideas to improve this delightful construction that I think animals would use for a squat once you left. I would stuff it with pine-needles for insulation and I hope find something to protect me from their pricking. During the construction would perhaps be the best time to put in the pine needles and buffers. I wonder if moss can be rolled up like a rug if handled right. Chill would sponge into you up from the ground. Rain would be the thing to counteract.
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Here I am cuddled up in bed with a coffee and full of ideas to improve this delightful construction that I think animals would use for a squat once you left. I would stuff it with pine-needles for insulation and I hope find something to protect me from their pricking. During the construction would perhaps be the best time to put in the pine needles and buffers. I wonder if moss can be rolled up like a rug if handled right. Chill would sponge into you up from the ground. Rain would be the thing to counteract.
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Nathan Jennings
I have a few camp spots that I have set up under blown over trees. In my area, I'm fortunate enough to have VERY large rootballs come up, sometimes standing up to 7 foot in the air. Make for great shelters. Often there is enough dead limbs on the tree that I do not need tools to make a decent shelter either. Of course mine are set up differently, being as big as they are, but I really love blown over rootballs for shelters, they are a great natural windbreak.
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I have a few camp spots that I have set up under blown over trees. In my area, I'm fortunate enough to have VERY large rootballs come up, sometimes standing up to 7 foot in the air. Make for great shelters. Often there is enough dead limbs on the tree that I do not need tools to make a decent shelter either. Of course mine are set up differently, being as big as they are, but I really love blown over rootballs for shelters, they are a great natural windbreak.
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Maximiwiz
Did you somehow secure the tree from going up again or is there a way to know that it won't happen? 2-3 years ago an elderly man in sweden got caught in one that sprang up again while mushroom picking. He was stuck there for a couple of days, surviving on the moisture from the moss surrounding him before he was found. And I've always been taught to stay clear from fallen trees just because of that possibility. :)
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Did you somehow secure the tree from going up again or is there a way to know that it won't happen? 2-3 years ago an elderly man in sweden got caught in one that sprang up again while mushroom picking. He was stuck there for a couple of days, surviving on the moisture from the moss surrounding him before he was found. And I've always been taught to stay clear from fallen trees just because of that possibility. :)
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Harry Biikini
Sorry mate, but this is not a good idea The roots on these fallen trees are under great tension. They are known to break loose ferociously when disturbed. Nature reserves in Scandinavia have signs around telling children not to play and jump on them. stating risk of explosion. Ask your local lumberjacks and they'll confirm. I guess you could however build this on the crown end of the tree. Stay safe
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Sorry mate, but this is not a good idea The roots on these fallen trees are under great tension. They are known to break loose ferociously when disturbed. Nature reserves in Scandinavia have signs around telling children not to play and jump on them. stating risk of explosion. Ask your local lumberjacks and they'll confirm. I guess you could however build this on the crown end of the tree. Stay safe
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Barbel Man
Love this shelter. Blends into surroundings so well You wouldn't know it was there unless you were close. To make it even more camoflage U could pile even more Moss n leaves on sides so thetes a more gradual slope n it just looked like a natural hummock. and maybe grow brambles combined with some dead branches over the top ( if there's enough sunlight for brambles) or ferns if shadyer.
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Love this shelter. Blends into surroundings so well You wouldn't know it was there unless you were close. To make it even more camoflage U could pile even more Moss n leaves on sides so thetes a more gradual slope n it just looked like a natural hummock. and maybe grow brambles combined with some dead branches over the top ( if there's enough sunlight for brambles) or ferns if shadyer.
reply
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