Middle Earth Ranger Forum

leloop my freind i think im gonna have to coppy youre shelter set up. i love my diamond fly but in truth unless i carry a large pack of some kind its too bulky to carry along. especially for a ranger wanting to pack light and move over hard terrain. ( i already copied youre tinder box and fire bag )

I am not going to say this is how it is done, but I am 64 years of age, and this is how I do it and have been doing it for a long time now.
I only ever carry one blanket, but it is 100% pure wool. If finances are such that you can only afford a second hand blanket, and the nap is pore, sew two together. This will however no doubt add to the weight. I used a Whitney blanket for years that had places where it was thread bare. I stitched pieces of bear skin over it.

I do not undress at night, I keep my clothes on. But if they are damp from perspiration or rain or other, dry them before the fire and then put them on again. Wear damp clothing and you will freeze.
Rolled up in my blanket I carry a wool shirt, a Monmouth cap, and a wool weskit. These I put on at night over my other underclothing (underclothing is shirt & weskit/waistcoat. Bear in mind that early shirts were long, almost to the knees or longer. They served as nightshirts in the home also. If it is very cold, then I wear/carry a half-blanket. This is worn over the shoulders and secured in front with a clasp. A sharpened wooden pin will serve.

I make a bed of sticks to get me up off the ground. This helps in two ways, one I am not on the cold or wet ground, two if water comes through the shelter it will pass under me. If there is bracken about or similar, I will place a bed of this on top of the sticks, if not I make do with the sticks.

I dig a small fire pit in front of my shelter within reach of my bed. I place reflector rocks at the back and sides of the fire to reflect warmth into my lean-to shelter. I make a pile of firewood within reach so I can stoke the fire without leaving my bed. I place dry kindling under cover at the back of my lean-to shelter in case the fire should die in the night. Make sure you have a GOOD flint,steel and tinderbox set up in a water resistant fire bag.

If it helps, take a look at my video "Making Camp" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUHU1WgLjbA

If I can help with any information on fire or whatever, just ask.
Regards, Keith.


Me wearing my half-blanket.

Something I learned in all my years camping with the boy scouts was that the hard, flat ground is just plain uncomfortable on my back. In Mirimaran's thread http://ranger.budgetauthenticity.org/fo ... =fur+trade he links to an American fur-trade reenactment forum that has many great woodcraft/fur trade period ideas. On the subject of sleeping on the ground, they say to dig shoulder and hip holes in the ground beneath where you will sleep, at just the right positions to allow your should and hips to rest in them as you sleep. This allows your spine remain straight as you sleep, instead of bent, and thus prevents the back pain associated with sleeping on the ground. I remember seeing this same practice in an old version of the boy scout handbook too; perhaps this could work for some of us who find the bare ground too painful on the ole' back.

That's cool if you sleep on your side. I have done that especially on the beach when cruise camping but I sleep on my back now so I have to make different holes...ok I didn't say butt hole so no cracks...not that kinda crack...oh just forget it!

I find that with a bed of sticks & or bracken that I can force a shape in this bedding to suit the way I am lying. You simply have to resign your domestic comforts when camping in primitive style. Once you accept that this is how it was, & still is, then you will adjust to the primitive conditions & be as comfortable as you can be. If I am tired enough, I can sleep pretty much anywhere.
Regards, Keith.

Ringulf wrote:That's cool if you sleep on your side. I have done that especially on the beach when cruise camping but I sleep on my back now so I have to make different holes...ok I didn't say butt hole so no cracks...not that kinda crack...oh just forget it!

Just say "no" to crack!

kaelln wrote:

Ringulf wrote:That's cool if you sleep on your side. I have done that especially on the beach when cruise camping but I sleep on my back now so I have to make different holes...ok I didn't say butt hole so no cracks...not that kinda crack...oh just forget it!

Just say "no" to crack!

Crack kills!



For the vegitarians among us (I could not stand to use a human model to make this joke)

That is some excellent info, Keith! Thank you for the pictures also.

Aaron wrote:That is some excellent info, Keith! Thank you for the pictures also.

You are welcome Aaron. I hope you all work something out to suit yourselves.
Keith.

I found an old drape in our basement that is an olive green color and use it as a ground cloth. Its thick and soft to the touch, but its not very heavy. It isnt 100% water proof but it gets the job done. I also have an olive green tarp I carry which is also light and IS waterproof. The tarp keeps the dew and the rain out, while the drape keeps the ground off of you. For a blanket, I use my heavy wool cloak, I just unhook my makeshift clasp and toss it over me.

First of all I must say it is good to get a notification from this site again. I always enjoy reading your posts & you are a great bunch to interact with.

On normal treks where I am not planning on staying in a permanent shelter, I use my oilcloth for a shelter, & sticks for a bed. I gather a whole bunch of sticks & lay then down for a bed. Then I lay my blanket on the bed of sticks, lay on it, & pull the rest of the blanket over me.
It is not only important to keep your body up off the cold ground as people have already stated, but it is also important to be high enough off the ground that possible flowing waters from rainfall will not soak your bedding & get your gear wet. Using a pile of sticks, the water is able to flow under you & out of your shelter.
Here are a couple of videos you might find interesting if you have the time to watch them.
Sincere regards to all.
Keith.

Peter~ I like your idea for using the painter's drop cloth....what oz. canvas did you use?