Hobbit hole...

I realise this is going ot sound very suitable to my name and maybe a little silly but please humour me....

Has anyone tried a type of buried shelter?
Say, you dig out a 'fox hole' size pit, assemble your camp and then cover most of it over wth earth/branches etc...

My thinking is for a few reasons:

• Added insulation for the evenings
• You gain a bit of camouflage
• Your camp in lower into the ground so more protected from wind picking up

I wouldn't have thought the base of the camp would be your typical canvas tent but the idea does interest me.
Thoughts...

 

Is this the kind of stuff you are talking about? If so you will find more information on Survival Networks that would give you more information.

The only thing that I have ever used is a snow hut/shelter in the winter.

 

I haven't used canvas for sometime now - I look for durable new materials that are light and easily transported (usually via canoe). Could you tell me more about your canvas - I'm interested.



I'm not much for Hobbit Holes - I like a solid base camp tent. This is my three season Alaknak.

I have used a bivy when in the interior - but don't really like those either because I feel like I'm sleeping in a coffin.
If you have one of these you could cover it over and not be seen.

 

That's it. OK Hobbit, do you have fur on feet also?

 

@campforums on no, no, no - If you are thinking what I think you are thinking - I very much agree. I'm thinking that you are not a supporter of survival sites. Neither am I actually - they are scary to say the least.

 

Not to slam your idea but this type of shelter is for desert survival because you don't have to worry about rain entering and the cooler ground prevents your brain from melting in the sun. Either way it's not for me, I dislike bugs and small critters.
Though it does have a function in the woods, if you dig deep enough you can use it as a cold storage for food (and I mean dig deep).

If you want to practice making a shelter in a less evasive manor, try making a teepee. 3 decent sized logs, some cordage and a tarp (the tarp takes patience to fold over but you will see it will kind of naturally flow and fit around the teepee). Then put the logs back where you found them when you are done.

 

@Faust for some reason I though your body heat would be well trapped and eventually get cosy, you're probably right

@killeroy154 The amount fo barefoot walking I do, I'm suprised they're not lines with fur or at least black from all the dirt

@campforums I would love my permanent house to be like the ones you find in the shire! A place that offered that as holiday accomodation would be quids in

@Northern Dancer those images look great. Might chuck some waterproof material in there somewhere as it's always bound to rain. I like how they don't stick out too obviously, I'm very much into trying to fit with with my surroundings

 

@Hobbit - all the tents that I own (accept for a few) do not need a rain shelter. I do have special tarps for kitchen shelters on trips and I have an enclosed kitchen shelter for base camp that I put on an extra rain cover.

 

Sorry, I meant the images of the dug out shelters.
Your tent look like it could float and keep you dry, it is very nice!

 

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Nothin like the printed word to confuse people!

 

I always thought an underground structure would be ideal. Cool during the day and warm at night. I have always heard that when people were coming to north America, a couple of hundred years ago or so, some would live in caves untill they had a cabin buildt. Build a fire and they are quite cozy.

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Something like this? [Joking]

 

How long would it take to pitch and strike that camp

A bit of a side note: my building at work has earth and grass on it's roof, meant to be ideal for insulation and greener for the environment.
It looks really nice too.

@killeroy154 now camping in a cave is a good idea! we have a lot round here near the sea which may not be so safe, plenty of mines around here too but access is a little difficult.

 

...it's rather remarkable the current trends not only in house construction but also in the design of tents and shelters. On the other threads we have some good examples of this. I sometimes thought as I lay in my extraordinary modern synthetic sleeping bag protected by space age tent material how our pioneers ever survived the rigorous of true wilderness. We think a handful of skeets are annoying when they often went through blizzards of the same.

THANK FOR YOUR GREAT CONTRIBUTION TO CAMPING BABBLE - keep it coming.

One of the great things that I enjoy about Camping Babble is the variety of experiences that people have outside my neck of the woods.

 

We only do that improvised shelter on the ground for war games but not really for serious shelter purposes. The first issue is the infestation of insect and next is the dirt that may have contaminants that can irritate the skin. What we usually do is to dig a foxhole and cover it with small branches of trees as the main camouflage. It's fun to play the war games with those improvised shelter although it takes a lot of time and effort.