Wilderness Skills

Monday, 9 April 2012

Sleeping bags are good but there are some benefits of using a blanket:

sleeping bags get wet like blanket and sleeping bags cant be dried by the fire

if fire camping to keep warm use blanket

if non fire use sleeping bag

blanket if covered in waterproof cover cold be put on outside of pack posse need a backpack with wooden frame, could build.

blanket doesn't tear either so good in debri shelter

blanket could sew us side so create a sort of sleeping bag
much more resilient when camping next to fire
sleeping bag would melt
blanket just gets a bit charred
could sew up side? or just roll round me and also put a silver blanket under or onto of it

if using fire or derby shelter use blanket
if tent or no fire/sharp bits use sleeping bag

Cheap insulated shirt

I remember reading this method in an old mountain man book; Take two old shirts one larger than the other and sew one inside the other, leaving holes in the outer shirt pockets. These holes give you the ability to pack insulation in between the shirts providing insulation. I would recommended packing with dry grass or fluffy seed heads which can be used as tinder when needed, you could also feathers.
You can easily pack more in if the weather is getting colder or remove and use to light your fire when the weather gets warmer.
Its advantage over other insulated jackets is that you can get rid of the insulation or add to it on the trail.

You don't have to wait until a survival situation to use natural materials. Save some money by sewing two shirts, pants, socks, hats, or blankets together and filling them with cattail fluff, grasses, feathers, or even hair. Try to use only dry materials and replace them each year.