Build your own Bivouac Shelter

Building your own bivouac shelter might not be the ideal solution to keeping you warm and dry on a cold wet night in the outdoors but with a little effort and knowledge it is possible to construct an adequate makeshift shelter which may help to keep you dry and keep out some of the wind and cold.

Bear in mind that although these instructions may appear simple, they are in no way easy to carry out and alot of trial and error will be involved until you eventually are skilled enough to make an effective shelter. Anybody that would inform you otherwise has not tried this themselves.

• First you are going to need a piece of waterproof tarpaulin or bivouac, and a groundsheet
• Find a flat piece of ground where there are 2 trees about 3 metres apart with a space clear of obstacles
• Make some pegs from a branch which is roughly the thickness of your middle finger, these pegs should be about 1 foot long
• Sharpen one end of the peg so it will easily penetrate the ground
• Now cut a notch in the other end of the peg so as you can secure ropes to them
• Place the tarpaulin or bivouac between your chosen trees and tie each end at chest height the tree at either side
• Make sure the sheet is tied tight and is taut between the trees and then pull down the guy ropes and knock them tightly into the ground attaching the pegs you made. Do this with all four corners of your shelter and then lay your groundsheet underneath.

However, if you are serious about outdoor adventure it is highly recommended that you purchase a fully protective, professional bivi bag.