posted by admin on Apr 7

Top 5 Myths of Survival

When it comes to outdoor survival there are a number of common misapprehensions and myths that are passed on which could result in less than desirable consequences, many of which i took at face value until either being informed of otherwise or reading sound advice as to their pitfalls.  Here are 5 of the most prominent myths for your benefit.

1. High Ground is always Warmer

Many would be adventures will tell you in no uncertain terms, that when setting up camp for the night and perhaps finding a place to bed down in your bivi bag or whatever form of shelter you may have opted for, you should attempt to find some high ground as this will be warmer. They may also tell you to avoid any low lying areas and valleys reasoning that cold air will settle here. Technically speaking on the pure basis of science this can be seen as good accurate advice and it does have some advantage, such as flood protection. However, put this into practice and it is more than likely that you wont thank them for it. The main reason behind this is that we are not factoring in the inevitable wind chill factor that may plague you during the night.

Lower ground is generally much more shelterd from the wind and will make a considerable difference in terms of the body heat you will lose and thus your chances of survival. Also consider that you may be making a fire to keep warm. When making a fire a higher ground will inevitably be problematic if the the wind picks up. This will not only cause any heat you have generated, to be quickly blown away with any positive effects nullified, but the fire may also be difficult to get going and once you do get it started it will burn more fuel and at a much faster rate.

So the next time you hear this ‘myth’ keep this advice in mind.

2. Build Shelter From Dead Materials

This one is simple and easy. You may have been told that it is best to build a shelter exclusively from dead material, ie; leaves and branches. However, take into consideration that you will most likely be using a fire to cook and help keep warm. This could result in your shelter catching fire and have disastrous consequences.

3. Snow Is Always Safe Drinking Water

You may have been led to believe that snow is always safe to be used as drinking water. However, as much as this would be great news if it was in fact true, you must be careful when in a situation where you may have limited supplies of water and this is your only option. For example, fresh snow may be covering animal tracks, which in turn could mean that it may be polluted by animal droppings. Also in some countries pollution from the air may also contaminate any snow that has fallen. So in order to be safe make sure you boil any snow before consuming it. Also remember that in a survival situation eating snow will lower your body temperature and cause your body to use energy to break it down to use in liquid form. So if possible always melt and boil it first.

4. Boiling Water

This myth is banded about everywhere you look with everyone having their own opinion, mostly from armchair survival experts. Some will tell you to boil water for 5 minutes before it’s safe, others 15 minutes and some even longer, leaving you to wonder whether, after this amount of time, would there be any water left to drink?. What is the truth of the matter though? Well the simple fact is that once water reaches boiling temperature it is safe to drink. It does not matter what altitude you are camped at this is always the case.  When water reaches boiling point at 100 °C it is safe, as all pathogens are killed. If you don’t have a thermometer then measure the temperature by waiting until you have a rolling boil. This is hot enough to ensure that it is safe to drink. So don’t waste fuel, time or any water with overkill.

5. Drinking Alcohol Will Help Keep You Warm

This is another myth which dates back a long time and although you may have experienced this first hand during a cold night out on the beer, or as I’ve often heard it referred to, ‘the beer jacket’, it merely gives us a false sense of warmth. As you consume alcohol blood vessels in your skin open up and the rising of blood to the surface gives a temporary feeling of warmth due to the fact that alot of our heat sensing nerves are near the skin. This feeling is temporary though, and will actually allow the cold to penetrate your body as heat is radiated away from the body at a much faster rate causing your brain and vital organs to shut down at a much faster rate.

posted by admin on Apr 6

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.

posted by admin on Mar 29

Goretex Bivi Bag

Goretex was originally developed to be used in space back in the 1970′s, however, it’s usage has transcended into the mainstream modern day market due to its remarkable properties allowing not only a waterproof and windproof material but also a material which is highly breathable and which has led to the introduction of goretex bivi bags.

Advances in goretex

Advances have led to the use of the triple layer Goretex bivi bag to enhance performance and increase its durability, however it is important to take care of your Goretex bivi bag as a build up of dirt and sweat can lead to a blocking of the pores that make it a breathable material. So remember to keep it clean and always follow the instructions that come with it, for a gore-tex which combines the use of Goretex with other fabrics such as wool, only dry clean your goretex bivi bag. If you find that it is leaking then check the best course of action is to phone the manufacturer of your apparel who will provide you with the best course of action to take depending on your situation.

Bivi Bag

posted by admin on Mar 21

What Exactly is a Bivi Bag

Traditionally bivi bags were simple and lightweight fabric coverings to be pulled over a sleeping bag to ensure they were waterproof, however, there are various types and qualities which are used effectively today by professional climbers and mountaineers, soldiers and the elite special forces through to the weekend hikers and minimalist backpackers.

Typically they are are small and lightweight making an easy addition to to a Bergen or backpack, as opposed to the extra weight and space required when carrying a tent. However, many of the less serious campers and hikers will gladly accept the extra weight of a tent as an exchange for the increased level of comfort it may provide. But for the more serious mountaineer a bivi is an absolutely essential part of their kit which can be life saving and used to provide a simple but highly effective emergency shelter in dangerous situations. Especially for those in the armed forces a bivi is a lightweight minimalist piece of kit which can be used to a soldiers advantage and potentially be life saving.

In their earlier forms bivi’s did though have a some flaws not least in the fabric which was used which did not breathe well and would often leave its occupant wet as moisture was unable to escape.

More recently advances in technology have eased this problem significantly, with the introduction of Gore-Tex fabric making for a breathable yet highly waterproof material which allows for moisture from the body to escape yet keeping the the elements out.

Another problem faced was the fact that the bivi could not be fully zipped up due to carbon dioxide build up caused again by fabric which was not breathable, this in turn allowed for an escape of heat and and loss of fully effective insulation.

With the introduction of Gore-Tex Exchange Lite fabric this problem has again been counteracted and an exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen is now possible allowing for the bivi to be fully zipped up and provide optimised insulation.

Bivi Bags in Modern Times

Most recently bivi bags have been adapted to form a bivi shelter which has become increasingly popular with many including those keen on fishing.  Cross between a small tent and a bivi bag this still manages to remain lightweight and compact, however allows for extra room and head space with the introduction of hoops or poles around the head and feet. This can provide advantageous conditions for storing kit and ensures increased flexibility allowing the adventurer to read or write with ease inside their shelter. Also with the shelter held taut this acts as further protection form any moisture which may accrue from seeping into the bedding.