Survival Shelters | Using a lightweight tarp as a survival tent

One of the best shelters to keep in your survival kit is a lightweight tarp made of waterproof ripstop nylon impregnated with silicone and using it as a survival tent. When sifting through outdoor literature, and tarps for sale online one may find a wide array of info and elaborate tarp configurations to protect yourself in case of emergency or simple to use as a minimalist shelter for backpacking, hunting, trekking, horseback riding, mountaineering or fishing in backcountry wilderness areas. 

Survival Shelter Myths and Misconceptions

It's a common assumption that once faced with a true, real-world survival situation one may have plenty of time to spend planning, gathering materials and erecting a survival shelter. The truth is you will most likely be faced with the survival need to shelter yourself in a situation that requires urgent action. Imagine the possibilities. Weather may overcome you, you may fall in a river, find yourself in an unexpected severe storm while at high elevations and need to get to lower elevation and shelter yourself as soon as possible. When this happens the best survival tent is an Endure Instant Shelter.

What is the next most ideal way to shelter yourself if you find yourself in a survival situation? 

As stated above the best way to instantly shelter yourself is the Endure Instant Survival Shelter. There are many different arrangements a lightweight tarp can be set up as a survival tent which is covered later on. First, let us talk about what exactly makes a good survival tarp. The first thing to consider is the size. Eight by ten foot is plenty of room to provide adequate shelter. 8'x10' is ideal for those who want to be conscious of weight and want enhanced utility as when the 8'x10' Endure Survival Waterproof Tarp is combined with true Parachute Cord.

What is the easiest way to maximize the usage of my 8'x10' Endure Survival Waterproof Tarp?

There are many ways to erect your Endure Survival Waterproof  8'x10' Tarp. You may use one of the many styles however the simplest yet most effective technique we have tested is the lean-to configuration:

1. Find two sturdy trees or strong anchor points (rock, outcropping etc.) at least 15 feet apart. Wrap the parachute cord around tree using a timber hitch (wrap cord around tree using a lasso effect, then wrap the tag end back around the lasso multiple times (at least 3 or 4 times) and pull tight).
2. Now attach line to tarp by passing a loop of line through the grommet, pass a stick through the loop and pull it tight. You want to get as close to the anchor as possible. Working your way across the tarp each time you see a grommet put a stick through it and pull tight. It's important to keep it tight as you move to each grommet to ensure you are maximizing your tarp's reach. 
3. Tie off on opposite anchor tree with a couple half hitches
4. Tie bottom corners of the tarp to ground anchors on each side (rock, strong stick dug into ground or piece of shrubbery). When making pegs, select wood about the diameter of one and one-half to two inches in diameter and twice as long as is needed. Using a saw make a forty-five degree cut at the mid-point of the stick. In this way, one cut produces two pegs which are sharp enough to drive into the ground using a stone, hard log or mallet.   Double up the cord, pass a loop through then pass tag ends back through loop (its a good idea to do this step at home and leave the bottom tie's attached to the tarp to maximize your setup time) and then around your ground peg using a knot you already know as if you are tying your shoe.)

When planning a location to set up your temporary survival shelter using your 8'x10' Endure Survival Waterproof Tarp there are a few things you may want to consider: 

Orient the shelter so that the lower edge points into prevailing weather, however, if a fire is to be used to heat the lean-to, the front of shelter should be parallel to the prevailing wind. Using this configuration will allow the smoke from your fire to be carried away from your shelter. 

Survival tents, shelters, lightweight tarps, bivys, and any shelter that can be constructed in the outdoors is a must-have when it comes to survival. Remember, the 4 pillars of practical, real-world survival are Fire, Shelter, Hydrations and Signal. As a shelter, lightweight tarps, survival tents, are all great options. The first thing to consider is what will the situation be like when you realize you need shelter. Thanks to popular literature a lot of people assume that the elaborate shelters you see constructed in popular media simply aren't practical. Do you think you will really have time gather huge pieces of perfectly shaped wood and construct a shelter in the short time you will have to do so? Yes, we agree these shelters are interesting to practice with, sort of like playing with legos as a kid, the outdoors is filled with many materials to build a survival shelter with.

Finding natural shelters is something outdoor literature also makes it seem much more accessible than one may seem. The assumption is that one may not need a shelter if they can just crawl into a cave, crevice or outcropping. Sure those places may be a good replacement for the best survival tents, however, there may not be one around you for miles. If it's getting late and you are lost and forced to stay outside you must protect yourself immediately. The need for shelter is most often a time-sensitive matter. It is wise to ensure you are able to protect yourself as soon as possible by carrying a shelter that can protect you fast. 

If you are looking for tarps for sale there are a few things to consider: 

Weight: Choosing a tarp that is waterproof yet lightweight will be key in ensuring you will be willing to carry it as a piece of your survival kit so even if you are only going on a day trip a lightweight tarp can be super hand if you find yourself lost and in need of shelter for an inconvenient night out. 

Size: When choosing the size of your tarp, weight is obviously affected. It's also important to consider how much ground cover you will need. The smallest size we recommend to use for an adequate survival shelter is 8 foot by 10 foot. 

Color: When choosing the color of your tarp it's wise to understand the implications if you are in a survival situation. If search and rescue is looking for you it's very helpful to make sure you stand out. Royal blue is the most effective color to be seen from far distances against natural backgrounds. Even better than safety or hunter's orange as orange can tend to blend into some of the natural backgrounds.

Material: When choosing what material to use for your survival shelter it's a good idea to consider the single most useful purpose of your survival tarp. There is nothing in the natural environment that will build you a 100% waterproof shelter. It's important for your survival shelter to be made of 100% waterproof material so you can be sure you will be protected from the elements. Rip-stop nylon impregnated with silicone is a great option for a sturdy waterproof coating while maintaining a lightweight. 

Endure Survival 8'X10 Waterproof Tarp is Royal Blue, 13 oz. and made of silicone impregnated rip-stop nylon.