20 Bushcraft Tips: Heavy Rain & Wet Weather Conditions

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  • Опубліковано 24 кві 2023
  • Here are 20 bushcraft and survival tips for heavy rain and wet weather conditions. It rains on average 159 days of the year here in the UK, so I've honed my wet weather fire lighting skills and adapted a lot of my bushcraft kit to prepare for wet weather conditions. This video features quick deployment shelter setups and fire lighting tips to help you light a fire in the rain.
    More Wilderness Survival Tips and Bushcraft Skills: • WILDERNESS SURVIVAL TI...
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 915

  • @TAOutdoors
    @TAOutdoors  Рік тому +106

    Hope you enjoy this one folks! Watch more Bushcraft vids here: ua-cam.com/play/PLxnadpeGdTxAJy5_f_-6cjrAnuWRwUf8M.html

    • @Scumfrog74
      @Scumfrog74 Рік тому +5

      Love the channel and I am curious can you use your oiled canvas tarps for a ground sheet or does water come through eventually? I would like to make a ground sheet the size of my bed roll if that would work. Thanks.

    • @finbarscanlonwolf
      @finbarscanlonwolf Рік тому +7

      During the first lock down, my daughter and I made a small fire from scratch. To do some sausages, & smores. So she could get her fire badge for brownies. She was the only one that got one. She was so happy. All thanks to your videos. Thanks Mike.

    • @teenermeener971
      @teenermeener971 Рік тому +1

      Why did you have that puddle building on the tarp at the end of the video?

    • @TAOutdoors
      @TAOutdoors  Рік тому +3

      @@finbarscanlonwolf That is awesome to hear!!! Please say well done to her from me!

    • @TAOutdoors
      @TAOutdoors  Рік тому

      @Looney Bin A month or so and they will be live on the site. Sign up to the email newsletter on my site and I will notify there first.

  • @joecitizen6405
    @joecitizen6405 11 місяців тому +35

    I really appreciate that you did it in the actual weather conditions , instead of just explaining it while the weather was nice.

  • @ConnieHirsch
    @ConnieHirsch Рік тому +493

    I'd add that it's good to angle the tarp against the prevailing wind, so the smoke and rain won't blow in on you, and also to check the trees around you for big deadish branches because if the wind is going to blow hard, that's when they're most likely to come down.

    • @emmitmeyer1368
      @emmitmeyer1368 Рік тому +40

      Here in the US, Those large dead branches and trees are called "widowmakers".

    • @davidcarothers3311
      @davidcarothers3311 Рік тому +45

      @@emmitmeyer1368 Yes. True! I was killed by one on Oct. 14, 2019!

    • @J87169
      @J87169 Рік тому +2

      @@davidcarothers3311 what're you talking aboot

    • @8626John
      @8626John Рік тому +13

      @@davidcarothers3311 a ghost post!

    • @whynottalklikeapirat
      @whynottalklikeapirat Рік тому +5

      @@davidcarothers3311 I know the feeling

  • @SlayerRiley
    @SlayerRiley Рік тому +147

    Dutch bushcrafters, fellow victims of the miserable south North Sea climate, appreciate this, thanks :)

    • @edwardfletcher7790
      @edwardfletcher7790 Рік тому +4

      Aussie bushcrafters heading into the southern winter appreciate it too 😆

    • @maggiealena
      @maggiealena Рік тому +3

      I agree. I was in US Navy y'all get a lot of rain there. Reminds me of Seattle, Washington USA. Though sometime in my State in Texas it seems we live in the rain sometimes for weeks before we see the sun. Of course than th sun come out and it don't rain for months. Damned if you do damned if you don't😂

    • @briholt100
      @briholt100 Рік тому +3

      I'll add us folks over in the Pacific Northwest...wetly appreciated.

    • @SlayerRiley
      @SlayerRiley 10 місяців тому

      @@maggiealena Aw shucks, Maggie, thanks that's interesting. I'll be doggone if I don't visit Texas before my time's up yeehaw! Such an interesting area with beautiful landscapes and starry skies

    • @fraukeschmidt8364
      @fraukeschmidt8364 4 дні тому

      North West Germans, too.

  • @JohnFisk-OHS-78
    @JohnFisk-OHS-78 11 місяців тому +55

    One more minor tip to building a fire in wet conditions - if the fire is smoking, give it a bit more time and/or oxygen. Once you get a clean, nearly smokeless flame, it's ready for a bit more fuel. Smoke will let you know that a fire is "struggling" a bit.
    Thanks for a fantastic and really helpful video. Love the 3x3 m tarp idea. That's just brilliant.
    Cheers!
    J

    • @Feribrat99
      @Feribrat99 5 місяців тому +1

      Yes I agree, so many folks, not this one so much, try to smother the fire with too much too soon. You have to give it a second or two to bite on the newest additions and then add it in. I also see so many building the fire from all directions at once, they need to choose a shape and keep it and then they can spread it out.
      I am a blacksmith, fire is my stock in trade, LOL.

  • @cricket700612
    @cricket700612 Рік тому +14

    EXCELLENT presentation, perfect English, and no crazy background music!!!!

  • @dummatube
    @dummatube 11 місяців тому +7

    There is nothing more satisfying than the rain on a tarp, a warming fire and the self confidence gained from being able to cope with anything that nature throws at you!

  • @canuckgarages
    @canuckgarages Рік тому +121

    Honestly one of the most helpful and useful tips and tricks videos I’ve seen. Most helpful for me was how you packed the tarp for a quick deploy and how you kept the firewood.

  • @Trondro
    @Trondro Рік тому +29

    Bro literally today i finished watching your playlist with these tips and now a new video, i'm really happy thank you !

  • @fearthehoneybadger
    @fearthehoneybadger Рік тому +885

    Someone said that the British created the empire in order to get away from all that rain.

    • @user-zc5jz6bh2r
      @user-zc5jz6bh2r Рік тому +9

      Arguable

    • @Lou-sn4xo
      @Lou-sn4xo Рік тому

      ​@@user-zc5jz6bh2r it's a joke, nerd.

    • @Goulmy86
      @Goulmy86 Рік тому +98

      The other rumour is: their food and their women

    • @TheRealSteveEllis
      @TheRealSteveEllis Рік тому +26

      It’s very true, oh and the taxes

    • @joeydr1497
      @joeydr1497 Рік тому +21

      Heyy, it’s not that bad. You just have to learn to swim.

  • @martinbansey719
    @martinbansey719 6 місяців тому +8

    Not quite as rainy here in Brisbane but a universal tip is to not add too much fuel to the fire in the early stages. Important to have enough wood gathered to get the fire to a stage where it doesn't need to be constantly fed.
    Next time we go camping I'll make a featherstick with the boys and see if we can get it going just using the rod.

  • @johnhickie1107
    @johnhickie1107 6 місяців тому +2

    Rode my bike in the Highlands of Scotland last year. One truly miserable day (3 degrees C and horizontal rain) I chose a pine plantation as a likely place to set up camp. At home in Canada, pines tend to grow in nice sandy soil. Big surprise! Pine plantations in Scotland are bogs - just like this one! Too tired to ride on, it took me quite some time to find a relatively dry bit of ground. Thankfully I stayed nice and dry in my wee tent (no exaggeration, it was tiny). On the rest of my ride, if I found a nice place to pitch my tent in the late afternoon - I didn't ride any further; learned my lesson. Oddly enough this little video brought back some great memories.

  • @jamesbrownmiller808
    @jamesbrownmiller808 Рік тому +10

    Approximately 60 years ago I was in the Boy Scout program. One of my Scoutmaster showed me a little trick to facilitate starting a fire in wet weather. That little trick is a short piece of candle about 2 inches long.
    Take the fire wood ( such as a teepee style lay out leaving an opening into the center for a place to put a burning candle). The candle stays lite while drying out the wet/damp wood.

  • @wayfarerchris.4116
    @wayfarerchris.4116 10 місяців тому +3

    Finally a no nonsense very informative wet weather shelter setup and fire making video using one knife and a wooden baton, a tarp and a bit of paracord. Well done you👍
    Tired of watching videos of people setting up camp with so many different bits of kit they couldn't possibly have carried it all into camp.
    Great video,
    thanks for sharing 👍.

  • @bobpetrovski8677
    @bobpetrovski8677 Рік тому +12

    Well done. I really liked the quick shelter setup. Very efficient, and comfortable. I live in a temperate rainforest n coastal SW Washington, USA (where the Columbia River enters the Pacific.). Over my years I’m well familiar with the challenges of lighting a fire under damp, wet, sometimes snowy conditions. I’ve found getting a beach warming fire going with beachcombed wood and a cold wind blowing some of the most challenging. As you so capably demonstrated, success lies in the preparations. Thanks for another great clip. Be well. Safe journeys. Happy trails!

  • @michaelparks5669
    @michaelparks5669 7 днів тому

    Wow the begining of this videi he explains the difference of wet, and green wood vs. dry usable.wood. Here inthe US we call the dry wood "squaw" wood. because the native Americans used it from up on thetrees thus it is dry!. GOOD JOB!!. This was the first time I have seen some one who knew what to do . As a former scout master I used to teach this. My scouts and I used to have a contest who could start a fire the fastest. Thumbs up!

  • @TheWizardOfTheFens
    @TheWizardOfTheFens 5 місяців тому +1

    Brilliant video! Great to see someone actually doing in adverse conditions rather than just telling!

  • @fortifiedphoenix1118
    @fortifiedphoenix1118 11 місяців тому +4

    As someone who grew up in the kind of bush alaska, these videos just feel very familiar and comfortable while providing great information. I appreciate content like this and love to listen to it while I go about my day

  • @hognigylfason1167
    @hognigylfason1167 Рік тому +14

    I'm amazed at how good this video is, so many small tips that you normally don't think about, and you always explain why you do things the way you do. GREAT video!!!

  • @TheTopD
    @TheTopD 4 місяці тому

    I remember when TA Outdoors started. I was going through some horrible times, It was then I watched some of his videos, and they gave me confidence to go outside again. Once in the woods, I felt out of place, second time felt secure, third time, i had a camp with a hot meal. Thank you 🫡

  • @mikenedos
    @mikenedos 11 місяців тому +2

    My best friend and i do an annual 65 mile canoe trip. We take our time and cover the distance in 6-days. The first year was picture perfect conditions, warm days and cool nights. The second however, it rained everyday and poured at night. We had fire 🔥 every morning and every night using these same methods. We didn’t have any birch bark, but we did have plenty of fat wood. 👍 we had good rain gear and it was probably the best year we’ve ever had for fishing on that trip.

  • @MrJakedog104
    @MrJakedog104 Рік тому +35

    This is a great video! Tons of useful tips. Although I will say "Heavy Rain" has a completely different meaning here in the Southeast US

    • @ewengillies9826
      @ewengillies9826 Рік тому +2

      And in Australia. Bushyboy Oz.

    • @DietWarlord
      @DietWarlord Рік тому +8

      That's what I was thinking. East Coast Canada here and "heavy rain" basically means anything without a ceiling above is now a lake lol.

    • @chrishamilton2527
      @chrishamilton2527 Рік тому +7

      Even from the UK I would not call that heavy rain. It is little heavier than drizzle.

    • @ResoluteGryphon
      @ResoluteGryphon Рік тому +4

      Rain doesn't show up well on camera so the downfall might be heavier than it appears. In movies, they have to use massive sprinkler arrays just to get the rain to be visible at all.

    • @chrishamilton2527
      @chrishamilton2527 Рік тому +4

      @@ResoluteGryphon I was judging more by the noise and the sight of the rain on the stream.

  • @gillessprecher4674
    @gillessprecher4674 8 місяців тому +4

    The amount of precious knowledge you give us is just incredible. Every explanation is clear and well filmed. Great job! First time watching your channel, instant sub! Thanks a lot !

  • @LucasPetersson
    @LucasPetersson Рік тому +1

    BEST video ever about starting a fire! Congratulations!

  • @eyewala
    @eyewala Рік тому

    What a gem of a human you are. What a precise way of teaching advising and making a compact video. Bravo. Well-done

  • @metatechhd
    @metatechhd Рік тому +3

    🌧☔🏔 Your insight into the relationship between temperature drops and rain or hail is fascinating! It's intriguing to learn about the varying levels of rainfall in different regions, like the maritime PNW. The historical context of the Lewis and Clark expedition's experience with constant rain showcases the unique weather patterns of the area. Your love for the rain and its effects on the environment and solitude is inspiring. It's interesting to consider how living in a wetter climate may limit encounters with certain dangerous animals. Exploring bushcraft tips for heavy rain and wet weather conditions would be valuable in such environments.

  • @jonathaneinsig2574
    @jonathaneinsig2574 Рік тому +3

    This was great man! Seriously one of the best videos I've seen out there of the basic theory of fire preparation and getting started with wet wood.

  • @justalurkr
    @justalurkr Рік тому

    Thank you for shedding light on the incredible lengths bushcrafters go to in preparing their firewood.

  • @chriskinghorn3181
    @chriskinghorn3181 Рік тому +1

    I just love watching the art of fire lightning, from collecting resources to the actual chill out time!

  • @Thorforce7
    @Thorforce7 Рік тому +53

    Great vid! Couple of things I learned the other day. 1. If you allow some gaps at the bottom of the tarp you can have the fire under the tarp (depending on the height of the tarp of course) the gap makes sure the smoke from the fire doesn't go everywhere into the space understanding the tarp. 2. A big industry plastic bag will do the tiny waxed tarp job as well and much cheaper.

    • @FlatlandMando
      @FlatlandMando Рік тому +7

      although much more rare these days, I like the use & re- use of a waxed cloth. Seems much more woodsmanlike too, that's just me

    • @salahad-din4114
      @salahad-din4114 Рік тому +3

      Spot on!
      One thing taught in the military is leave a small gap as it stops the kite effect when the wind picks up. We used our ponchos as a tarp and always worth having. One large double hook bungee cord from the hood to a branch, where there are eye holes at the corners put a bungee with the ball attacked through those holes and peg down. That was for quick set up, the peg and small bungee allows you to have the gap and more flexible with the elastic giving movement. A tarp can be set up when the weather eases. I left the army years ago but both are always in my pack along with cotton wool balls sodium permanganate and small bottle of glycerine which causes a flame when added to the SP. Fire rods can get wet as well

    • @harrymills2770
      @harrymills2770 11 місяців тому +1

      @@salahad-din4114 Yes. Even in pretty high wind, there's a boundary layer next to the ground that's pretty still. I've never noticed rain wanting to blow under a tarp that had a 6-inch gap under it.

    • @harrymills2770
      @harrymills2770 11 місяців тому +4

      Waxed cotton won't melt a hole if a spark touches it.

  • @ronb2008
    @ronb2008 Рік тому +8

    This really is one of the most wholesome and informative channels on UA-cam. Bravo Mike!!

  • @RJ-ql6ff
    @RJ-ql6ff 3 місяці тому

    I love bushcraft videos. They always end happy and warm with a good fire going.

  • @psyekl
    @psyekl Рік тому +4

    An excellent video with some good advice. I've camped beneath many rainstorms using just a tarp!

  • @carrier6517
    @carrier6517 Рік тому +9

    Great video especially for up and coming bushcrafters. I found this information so beneficial, thank you from Adelaide, Australia as rain is rain no matter where you live on this planet.

  • @TraveltheRedRoad
    @TraveltheRedRoad 11 місяців тому

    Thanks for that tip at the end about letting the flame rise above the previous wood pile, I’ve always had a problem with smothering the flame. This was a simple remedy

  • @eriktaylor5704
    @eriktaylor5704 Рік тому +1

    Great video. Love the deployable tarp. “Snappy makes fire happy,” is the rhyme I use when teaching scouts how to prep a fire.

  • @erwandubois7766
    @erwandubois7766 Рік тому +3

    Great video and Great tips!
    I live in Labrador Canada, and I always use a raft or plateforme when creating fires. In winter, with snow/ice on the ground the raft or plateforme will help greatly to reduce moisture and help the heat to be reflected towards the top of the fire.
    I had a survival teacher told be to keep some of that bark in a ziplock bag on myself to reduce the « contamination » by moisture from my own sweat when I travel in wet environments for long distances.
    Keep up the great work!

  • @wolf1066
    @wolf1066 Рік тому +9

    Where we used to camp - Kaimai Range, North Island NZ - there would invariably be piles of dead trees or shrubs at the corners of the river so there were always dry dead branches well above ground/water level that could be snapped off for fire lighting. If it was actually raining, the water on those upper branches was generally only on the surface so it wouldn't take much for them to dry off and catch fire.

  • @venjo639
    @venjo639 Рік тому

    It’s so beautiful in the forest when it’s raining. And there is so much water which you can filter and use for drinking and cooking, so nice!
    With the right equipment it’s the best experience ever!

  • @slaymandell6011
    @slaymandell6011 5 місяців тому +1

    I've watched a bunch of videos but I like that you explained everything so it was easy to understand plus the closeups of the how. Good content. Thanks

  • @michellezevenaar
    @michellezevenaar Рік тому +30

    I love that the tarp is so small and lite! This looks like a great idea for parents going on a walk with kids too. Creating a small shelter fast if fantastic! Even going to a park this could be useful.

    • @sprintershepherd4359
      @sprintershepherd4359 Рік тому +2

      yep they are great to have on hand . keep the ridgeline attached with prussic loops for quick deployment . that plough nose setup he used is the quickest and you only need one anchor point . if you have two trees you can quickly set up an A frame or diamond frame tarp setup if you need more room, and its not to windy . Those DD tarps are well worth the money very durable and totally waterproof without being to heavy or bulky
      I always take mine bushwalking and kayaking . they are great for shade too

    • @The_Not_So_Great_Cornholio
      @The_Not_So_Great_Cornholio 9 місяців тому

      Conversely you could just go back to the car and go home.

    • @michellezevenaar
      @michellezevenaar 9 місяців тому

      @BK-gq8ij so we bike everywhere with the kids, we live in the Netherlands not the US. Biking 20 minutes through the rain to go home isn't fun. Besides in the summer it only rains for 10 to 20 minutes if it's a summer storm. I'd rather just stay dry then continue having fun with the kids at the park.
      It's also been a few months so we do take a 3×3 thin tarp with us and set it up for shade most of the time at the park. We set up a line between 2 trees or a sign and a tree or what ever we can find to make a simpleshelter. We put a pick nick blanket underneath too. Then the kids have a shade area to snack or rest. We haven't been in a rain situation yet though because this summer was cold and wet so the days it rained we raining all day so we stayed home.

  • @michaeldc951
    @michaeldc951 7 місяців тому +1

    This is awesome. Just moved to Tennessee where it constantly rains from california where it never does. Been struggling lighting fires while camping because everything is wet. Gonna try some of these tips

  • @timetoreason181
    @timetoreason181 Рік тому +2

    This is the First Time I came across your videos. You are an excellent educator/teacher in bushcrafting. Simple and straightforward information and instructions in a very clear voice with the use of less expensive basic equipment. Greetings from the land Down Under, Sydney. Subbed.
    I do go out in the bush often, and use cheap but reasonably made equipment and materials We do not have much rain but always prepared as much as you are as there is no network connections unless you use sat phones. I do the same way in lighting fires and looking for kindle, but you explain well! Cheers

  • @ExploreVancouverIsland
    @ExploreVancouverIsland 8 місяців тому +9

    Awesome content, man. I live on Vancouver Island, Canada and we get like 200+ days of rain a year, easily. This is super useful information to me, I would love to see more rainy/storm/oceanside camping tips and tricks. Trying to get in touch with the primitive survivalist inside me. Have most of my gear and can't wait to get the fook out there with my trusty dogs and mother nature. Liked and subbed!

  • @daven.7685
    @daven.7685 Рік тому +4

    Excellent presentation! Instructive and memorable.

  • @BBQDad463
    @BBQDad463 Рік тому

    Thank you for this video. You offer excellent guidance for anyone who has to light a fire in wet conditions.
    Again, thank you for this video.

  • @dgurnick
    @dgurnick Рік тому +2

    Great video. And perfect way to describe managing the fire early on. Well done, sir.

  • @offgridrecon
    @offgridrecon Рік тому +5

    Perfect timing with this video. We’ve had tons of rain here in Oregon 🇺🇸. Love your content! 👍🏻❤️

  • @James-gf9jl
    @James-gf9jl Рік тому +4

    One trick I was taught to better direct your "blow" to get the fire going is to piinch your thumb and forefinger on both hands together. Then bring the tips together to form a diamond shaped hole. Hold against your mouth and blow towards the heart of the fire. You get a far stronger, and better directed, jet of air.

  • @FidoHouse
    @FidoHouse Рік тому +1

    So many practical tips, and so calming to watch and learn. Thank you!

  • @pobo6113
    @pobo6113 Рік тому

    I love your tip for stuffing your tarp in a pocket. I definitely will give you that edge for setting up in the rain.

  • @randybugger3006
    @randybugger3006 Рік тому +11

    That sudden drop in temperature is a very clear sign of incoming rain or hail, especially in the spring. Here in the maritime PNW we get between 30 and 115 inches of rain a year, depending on the local topography and location. When the Lewis and Clark expedition arrived on the west coast of America they were both astonished and depressed by the fact that it rained for nearly their entire time in the area. I love it, both for the green it brings and for the solitude it provides those who can tolerate it. Whenever I visit further inland where it is drier, I am uncomfortable and irritable. Another excellent feature of living someplace so wet is that it seems to limit the number of dangerous animals, particularly insects, spiders and snakes. Yes, we have bears and mountain lions and wolves, but encounters with them are infrequent and usually very manageable. If the UK is as wet as we are here, i think i could be happy there.

    • @salahad-din4114
      @salahad-din4114 Рік тому +1

      Do you ever find you can smell it in the air when it's due to rain.
      We are in the Scottish highlands, always seem to get a change of air and the smell when rain is due.
      I do live it when it's warm and we get that torrential rain. Not sure why but I prefer that to the light misty rain that gets you down to the skin

    • @cjwallace6703
      @cjwallace6703 7 місяців тому

      I've always wanted to visit the PNW United States ever since I discovered that the Native Americans of that region were the only natives who built fixed, permanent shelters, and yet they had no need to cultivate crops or keep livestock.

  • @TerjeMathisen
    @TerjeMathisen Рік тому +4

    Lifelong Scout here: Very nicely done! In my own experience the worst possible condition is heavy sleet that just sticks to everything and just stays there while melting.

    • @harrymills2770
      @harrymills2770 11 місяців тому +2

      If it piles up, it makes treacherous footing. All around worst conditions.

  • @veronicaeriksson7464
    @veronicaeriksson7464 Рік тому

    Absolutley the best movie about outdoor living. Your are so good at explaining. You are a great teacher!

  • @garygruber1452
    @garygruber1452 Рік тому +1

    Well done. I learned many of these tips as a Boy Scout many, many years ago, but your presentation and knowledge of your surroundings is excellent.

  • @12stepsbeyondtheeventhorizon
    @12stepsbeyondtheeventhorizon Рік тому +12

    Such an enjoyable episode. In my experience, most tarp shelters work well, but sometimes the wind changes and it can start blowing water under your tarp which can be very unpleasant in some designs.

    • @neovo903
      @neovo903 Рік тому

      That's why I thought it was quite unusual that he attached the tarp so far up the tree

    • @ItsMySpaceship
      @ItsMySpaceship Рік тому +1

      @@neovo903 Yeah while it rain a decent amount in this video, there really is not much wind.

    • @slinkerdeer
      @slinkerdeer Рік тому

      Being in thick forest means you aint gonna get a lot of or even any wind

  • @WillN2Go1
    @WillN2Go1 10 місяців тому +3

    Terrific video. Very impressive that you did all this in rain. (I loathe videos where someone sits looking at the camera and just talks about it, but never does it.) A couple of months ago I was in the Philippines doing a hike with some Filipino army rangers (who train American soldiers in jungle survival). They demonstrated making a fire using bamboo. The first thing I noticed is the length of dry bamboo they carried was unlike almost all the bamboo in the forest which was either green or rotting. Second as they set up their friction they shaved a small pile of 'dust' or feathers from the surface of the bamboo. Then he compressed this pile. This increases the fuel to oxygen ratio. An important step. While teaching science I tried fire starting with sticks and a pump drill. The very first time I got a short lived ember. Then it was months all I got was smoke. These rangers could've turned any of that into fire. Compressing the fine shavings was the trick. They started blowing on what didn't look like embers to me, just smoke, but it caught.
    It looked like you use the met hod I use for staking my rain fly. Twisting the stake into a loop and pushing it into the ground. No tying, no adjusting. Rainflies have one advantage over tents in weather, they're all triangles. Tents are generally 'bubbles' to get more room. But this bubble will move around a lot in wind. My DIY rainfly in a storm with blowing wind in Connemara barely moved. So my method like yours, is super efficient. Strings attached to the fly at some grosgrain (nylon ribbon) loops. Nothing stronger. But all set up so if I don't need to stretch out a guy line I can just insert the stake in the loop, twist it around to secure it, then push it into the ground. Those heavy duty reinforced corners on your piece of waxed canvas are overkill. I used silnylon and 1" (25 mm) grosgrain. If I sewed 6" (15cm) reinforcing strips to the sil nylon on either side of the loop it would never tear or pull away.
    Another plus for a rain fly -- there's no 'floor' so there are always 360° of emergency exits -- I cook inside my rainfly. My Jetboil sits on the ground, not on my ground cloth.
    And rainflys are better in rain. They shed water. Tents are like my Goretex jacket. Terrific, especially when it might rain. If it IS raining, I want to have on a rubber or cheap plastic rain jacket and sleep in my rain fly.
    I live in California - very flammable - so when I camp (just over nighters mostly) I never make a fire, don't even bring my stove. I'll try to remember to bring matches, just in case. I'll drink cold instant coffee, usually don't even bring food. But I'm usually not out for more than a day. The only lesson from me is,: a campfire is not a requirement. A good night's sleep and not feeling miserable (wet and shivering) when you hike out are the key goals.

  • @paulharding1621
    @paulharding1621 Рік тому +1

    Great explanation of using a feather stick for fire lighting technique, thanks.

  • @tomchristensen8619
    @tomchristensen8619 6 місяців тому +1

    OK, I have quite a bit of outdoor experience (mostly in dry sunny areas, and certainly not in wet soggy areas), yet I still learned something new today. Thank you!
    New subscriber now!

  • @italianlifestyle7911
    @italianlifestyle7911 Рік тому +3

    Awesome skills🌄

  • @shermer75
    @shermer75 11 місяців тому +13

    I'd love to see a video about coping with the wind! I often find this harder to deal with than the rain. It flattens my tarp, and the noise from tarp flapping away stops me from sleeping! I'm always convinced it's about to cave in or blow away

    • @harrymills2770
      @harrymills2770 11 місяців тому

      Set up low.

    • @michaelarmer256
      @michaelarmer256 9 місяців тому +1

      wind sheild using dead bits of trees and bushes anything close by even a 2 foot sheild would make a huge difference

  • @hickmanmade
    @hickmanmade Рік тому

    What a nice episode. Amazing how comfy a tarp can look at times! Thanks for the top tips.

  • @user-gp4hn8om6y
    @user-gp4hn8om6y 9 місяців тому +1

    Very good video,good tip regarding not putting to much wood on too early.mistake I've made too often.Thankyou.

  • @davidhenriksen5947
    @davidhenriksen5947 Рік тому +3

    Would love to see your next steps for preparing the ground of your shelter for extended stay and sleeping with the ground being that satuated. I would imagine failing to secure a good base would be a direct path to hypothermia and things like pneumonia in a survival situation. Would also love to see you recommended KIT/load out for a survival situation in bad weather

    • @agentbarron3945
      @agentbarron3945 Рік тому +1

      a good sleeping mat is an absolute must for any situation. keeps you off the ground and provides a ton of insulation, makes even sub-zero f somewhat bearable as long as you have a good enough bag. Even hammock camping, if its cold out then youre completely surrounded with cold and its pressed together so the insulation is worse, but putting a pad in there helps it a ton

  • @DaveRyan
    @DaveRyan Рік тому +5

    Great video. I would love to have only 159 days of rain, I have 202 days of rain in Ireland.

    • @peternickerson2911
      @peternickerson2911 Рік тому +3

      I envy you, here in Mexico I only get 40 days of rain. And it's hot. Like really hot. And there are no natural trees anywhere in site

    • @DaveRyan
      @DaveRyan Рік тому +4

      @@peternickerson2911 ok, that's like hell to me. I'm not made for heat and would melt. I will keep the rain and soggy ground.

    • @peternickerson2911
      @peternickerson2911 Рік тому +2

      @@DaveRyan It's not terrible if you have good AC. And we have a big garden we water every day like crazy. But if you poke your head inside the garden you can almost imagine that your in a forest and everything is green and beautiful. I'm only joking. I love it here. People are amazing but it is pretty hot

  • @ricmartinez2590
    @ricmartinez2590 Рік тому

    I've seen all kinds of tarp shelter setups but not like this one. This is probably the simplest I've come across. Very good video!

  • @orakeljoe9611
    @orakeljoe9611 9 місяців тому

    I like to watch outdoor videos or bushcraft videos from time to time. What strikes me again and again is the degree of ridiculousness that is already being practiced in this field. For example, knives are presented and subjected to tests, tons of gimmicks, tools and other rubbish. When you're in a situation where you really have to survive in the woods, you're lucky to even have a knife. The peak is then the so-called survival videos in which steak and vegetables are then fried, chopped on a thick oak board with some strange cleaver... as if you were carrying something like that with you. In a word, a lot of this is just bullshit. I can only express my personal opinion but THIS video is one of the few videos that is really 100% bullshit free. No constant chatter, no strange product placements but tight, informative and very good. Thanks for that!

  • @user-wd1vd9du2q
    @user-wd1vd9du2q 8 місяців тому

    Absolutely great video sir! I am a city man but I love being out n the bush setting up shelters and enjoying nature!

  • @nicholashayes3716
    @nicholashayes3716 2 місяці тому

    As others have said, great to see it done for real in the rain. Like the quick tarp set up, going to try that out soon. Just like to agree that it is important to have enough of all sizes of fuel before you light your fire. Thanks for sharing.

  • @lukecho3171
    @lukecho3171 2 місяці тому

    Thanks. preparing the firewood and keeping it dry before the rain starts is key

  • @magoolew5131
    @magoolew5131 9 місяців тому

    That was a good video of how to start a fir in wet weather. I learned a lot. I never thought about the waxed canvas to protect the tinder or the fire until it got going. I just usually hunch over the fore with my coat extended.

  • @chrisaldridge3117
    @chrisaldridge3117 7 місяців тому

    Really handy stuff! Thanks

  • @paulzimmerman3895
    @paulzimmerman3895 Рік тому

    Excellent techniques shown here. Good stuff. Thanks again for the adventure in the rain.

  • @steveocal1
    @steveocal1 5 місяців тому +1

    Well done. Very informative and detailed. The most complete video I’ve seen on the subject. Thanks.

  • @BraxxJuventa
    @BraxxJuventa Рік тому

    Thanks for the tips and filming Mike! 👍😁👍😁

  • @Klepzeiker1984
    @Klepzeiker1984 Рік тому

    Beeing al alone in nature, living of what nature give's you. Its a dream❤

  • @benwilkinson4013
    @benwilkinson4013 Рік тому +1

    Nice used to keep a army bivi tarp with a mylar blanket taped to the inside for such occasions, between that and a poncho I got to stay dry more often than not. Adding a small square of tarp to the day bag now , top tip thanks 💪

  • @timothyeldridge6822
    @timothyeldridge6822 9 місяців тому

    Thank you for this video! I enjoyed it!

  • @timbuktu8069
    @timbuktu8069 8 місяців тому

    I found this very comforting.

  • @JackNewell-xf8yy
    @JackNewell-xf8yy Рік тому

    These tips are great. I can always depend on you and your knowledge. Thanks for the info.

  • @toaster3822
    @toaster3822 4 місяці тому

    Really apprecieate the video. Was unsure of what the best emergency shelter is in rain, and this is honestly the best methods ive seen so far. Keep it up!

  • @mangofire
    @mangofire 9 місяців тому

    That was a superb demonstration

  • @omecronrodneydheel349
    @omecronrodneydheel349 Рік тому +6

    Thanks for the great video, sir. I enjoyed it very much, as usual.

  • @christophergallagher531
    @christophergallagher531 Місяць тому

    Nice video presentation.
    This kind of knowledge should not be allowed to die.
    I like the way you make use of the pocket deploying the tarp.
    I, as an old timer, would advise you to take care of you hands.
    Snapping twiggs will take it's tole.
    In the early '60s boy scouts we made Swedish torches camping in boggy areas.
    One nice feature, of them, is their mobility.
    One will burn, even if the base is submurged.
    It mitigates wire in a kit.
    Any cordage will do.
    Thanks.

  • @vssjim4311
    @vssjim4311 Рік тому

    Always loved big George... a real legend

  • @davidhenriksen5947
    @davidhenriksen5947 Рік тому

    the special featherstick technique is one of the best 'i have ever seen!

  • @Section8_704
    @Section8_704 Рік тому

    Great vid Mike. Hope you and the family are fine. Long time watcher from North Carolina, USA. Vanlife and bushcraft always. 🏕️

  • @garypowell2016
    @garypowell2016 11 місяців тому

    Well Done - I know how hard it is just to get a fire going in the dry. Some really good tips. Thanks.

  • @jonathanbennison9220
    @jonathanbennison9220 3 місяці тому

    Awesome video.
    Thx.
    I'd add a poncho, if only because we always had rain gear to pull over ourselves and gear... And I learned to appreciate the instant dry cover, while setting up larger shelter, and working outside the shelter,
    Ie, gathering wood for a fire, if a storm catches you off guard... 9:18

  • @mikepreston9861
    @mikepreston9861 10 місяців тому

    Oh very good. Clear, right length, excellent demonstration of technique.

  • @mikeemmons1079
    @mikeemmons1079 Рік тому

    This sort of weather is one of the reasons I have a camp pack ready to go. Mind healing sleep.

  • @dougmaceachern5568
    @dougmaceachern5568 5 місяців тому

    This is one of the best fire lighting videos I have seen. Thanks, I will look forward to watching your other content .

  • @Dwightpower88
    @Dwightpower88 Рік тому

    Great video. It's the basics, but the basics are what keep you alive

  • @petesmitt
    @petesmitt Рік тому

    Did enough of setting up hoochies in wet weather out bush in the Australian Army.. home comforts for me.

  • @DrChazKL0T
    @DrChazKL0T 7 місяців тому +1

    I love to watch your videos. You are a. Great teacher and I appreciate your knowledge base.

  • @KatJackson2
    @KatJackson2 8 місяців тому

    Awesome, thank you!

  • @jlinnlinn4241
    @jlinnlinn4241 2 місяці тому

    Excellent video. Glad i do somthings rigjt. Most important....make sure you have a tarp, water and a few snacks are really all you need till weather breaks.

  • @danielc7877
    @danielc7877 9 місяців тому

    Brilliant, many thanks!

  • @CampfireKodiak
    @CampfireKodiak Рік тому

    Now that's dedication! I can certainly relate to your weather. It's raining here too.

  • @Jaden48108
    @Jaden48108 7 місяців тому

    Plow point is the way to go for a quick and easy shelter. You have a nice channel.