Mors Kochanski style Bender/SuperShelter

[Neumo]

I came accross this site, while browsing a thread over on BB, which shows some interesting shelter arrangements made by Mors, which I though I would post up in case others found it interesting. I have seen his Super Sheltere done as a emergancy lean to tyype shelter in front of a fire, but these ones are more like ornate benders with raised beds. They look like a lot of fun, so must give it a go some time. Here is the link:

http://www.mungosaysbah.com/2008/10/my-tarp-igloo-several-super-shelters.html

The BB thread was asking about fire resistant clear PVC sheet, which is now available apparently, which would be ideal for this sort of thing (if it was light enough)

 

[Ahjno]

Another good post on this topic is on the site from our American friends:

http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24466

 

[Neumo]

I like these a lot & would be easy to make in the woods without using too many resources, then quick to dismantle & spread away afterwards.

Makes mental note to order a 3x3M bot of clear tarp....

 

[Dougster]

Mors made one of these with us on the course a few years ago. I must actually get around to making one soon.

With a space blanket uder insulation at the back and a think decorators sheet at the front they should be very efficient.

 

[bikething]

Having used a super-shelter on one of Mors' winter courses I can say they work very well... just don't make your fire too big...

We overdid the fire on the first night and measured temperatures of -17 outside, and about 35 degrees inside!!!! Never thought I'd be lying on top of my sleeping bag in my underpants when it was that cold outside

There wasn't any insulation as such over the top - the space blanket is there to reflect radiant heat down onto the side of you away from the fire.. The plastic sheet needs to cover the whole shelter and reach down at least as far as the sleeping platform on all sides. It works like a greenhouse - warm air rises into the plastic 'bubble' and can't escape. That's why it's important to have as few leaks as possible - We were told a hole the size of a pencil would seriously reduce the shelters efficiency

The plastic sheet I used was a heavy duty decorating sheet from B&Q

 

[Dougster]

Having used a super-shelter on one of Mors' winter courses I can say they work very well... just don't make your fire too big...

We overdid the fire on the first night and measured temperatures of -17 outside, and about 35 degrees inside!!!! Never thought I'd be lying on top of my sleeping bag in my underpants when it was that cold outside

There wasn't any insulation as such over the top - the space blanket is there to reflect radiant heat down onto the side of you away from the fire.. The plastic sheet needs to cover the whole shelter and reach down at least as far as the sleeping platform on all sides. It works like a greenhouse - warm air rises into the plastic 'bubble' and can't escape. That's why it's important to have as few leaks as possible - We were told a hole the size of a pencil would seriously reduce the shelters efficiency

The plastic sheet I used was a heavy duty decorating sheet from B&Q

Cheers for that, I wonder what it would be like in UK weather?

 

[Neumo]

The plastic sheet I used was a heavy duty decorating sheet from B&Q

Thank for that. I know the sheets in question, which are cheap & light so will have to give this a go me thinks

 

[bikething]

Cheers for that, I wonder what it would be like in UK weather?

Blimmin hot I should think (unless you have a small fire far away!)

Of the 4 of us who used them (4 shelters in a square around 1 fire to conserve fuel), 2 of us were stood outside the square in our t-shirts waiting for the fire to die down for an hour

btw, the roof of the shelter was made of 3 layers - space blanket, then parachute fabric, then the plastic 'dome'. The parachute fabric helps protect the plastic sheet from punctures, but also absorbs any condensation that forms to stop it dripping on your sleeping bag