Skillist Podcast EP 2 Debris Huts (AND WHY THEY SUCK)

[@wildsurvivalskills]

Great video guys, I agree that by the time someone admits its time to build a shelter its likely not enough time to build a proper debris hut. At that point though, most beginners/intermediates cannot get a bow drill going either. I think its a last resort and if it helps even a little on that first night its something. The second day, if you get that far, is the day to put in the time to make the debris hut correctly. Maybe the title should be "the best of all the bad options".

[@Pillarthebluesky]

Great chat about staying warm. Love being warm and cozy myself.

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

Thanks for tuning in.

[@kaim.2161]

A series on bows,Arrows and all that good stuff please!!!!

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

In the works! Thanks for listening.

[@AndresMorantes-Villalobos]

I loved the coverage on this topic! Nice work to both of you 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

Thanks for listening!

[@sessary]

Brad, i think an experiment with reflector walls is in order... Measure the heat at a number of dustances (simultaneously) and demonstrate the principle(s) you're talking about. Cool stuff to do. 😊

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverse-square_law kzbin.info/www/bejne/bIW8f5yDrZ2ng6M Its pretty proven physics at this point. A wall to block wind makes way more sense to me! Convection heat loss is a real concern. It would be a hard experiment to account for wind etc. At some point its just semantics as a wall that makes you warmer from blocking the wind vs one that reflects heat is still making you warmer either way... These days with two kids to mind I'm gonna come right out and say there is no way Ill have time for an experiment like that but if you do one Id love to hear about it.

[@ljj1369]

This is great! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the best methods for water filtration and purification that are easy to keep on hand.

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

Important topic, we are talking about including it in a Survival Priorities episode. Thanks for listening!

[@caleblamont5788]

Rake up a pile of leaves to keep yourself warm on the first night. Bury your gear under the leaves to keep it dry. Then on the second day decide if you want to put in the extra work to make it a debris hut, or keep walking.

[@sessary]

I get your point, especially in the case of a beginner. BUT... knowing how and why to build a debris hut teaches you certain principles -- namely, dead air space creates insulation. That knowledge, you can use without having to build the whole thing. Case in point ... two of my camp counselors got caught out in the woods at dusk. Not having time enough to build a whole debris hut, they piled leaves up as much as they could and slept in that. While it wasn't rhe perfect survival shelter, they did stay fairly warm and survive. I'm glad i know how to build one and have slept in one in freezing conditions, learning how to tweak it in the process. I wouldn't trade that knowledge for anything.

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

I agree, and that's why I teach them to students. But I've also been in enough situations where there is an inch of ice on the ground and only conifer debris and its just not a realistic solution. Where I live many people a year die from exposure and most of the cases I read about debris shelter would not have saved them.

[@jaschojaschoirgendwieso181]

So what would be the best full survival shelter in the tropics if its not the debris hut?

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

@caribbeanearthskills You want to shed some light on this one?

[@caribbeanearthskills5865]

I rely on an a-frame. Its the easiest to run the rain off and because of that you can use a lot of different materials, although my preference is palm leaves. I also always get myself off the ground, at least with a pile of saplings and then grasses, but if I have time, a platform.

[@jaschojaschoirgendwieso181]

Thanks for your answer. And what do you use for Insulation?

[@caribbeanearthskills5865]

I generally use grasses, although I've also used royal palm leaf sheath. There are numerous other palm sheaths that are similar but smaller and I'd make a mat with them if there was no royal palm.

[@jaschojaschoirgendwieso181]

I will use your tips when i am back to the Bolivian Jungle! I tried the Debris Hut there once and as you said already, too many ants😂

[@sessary]

If you don't think debris huts are a great emergency "oh shit" device, what is?

[@ROOTSSchoolVT]

I think that if you are taking your life into your hands by traveling in a region and season where hypothermia is likely if you get lost or hurt that you should carry what you need to carry to keep from freezing to death. If you didnt and you have to make a shelter then doing anything you can to mitigate heat loss should be your goal, starting with whatever is the most bang for your buck depending on the circumstances. Insulate yourself from the ground, block the wind, block precipitation, add insulation to your clothing and if you have the time construct a shelter. Being miserable by a fire or in a wet pile of leaves might me all you have time for... My argument is really for being prepared and knowing options that will work when you cant build a debris shelter due to conditions or time, as opposed to just seeing a drawing of a shelter in a book or a video about one, or even building one once under controlled conditions, and then basing your real life survival on it.

[@crashjetto]

You look like kirk cousins

[@caribbeanearthskills5865]

go steelers?

[@wildsurvivalskills]

@@caribbeanearthskills5865 Falcons, but close

[@caribbeanearthskills5865]

@@wildsurvivalskills I know