SITE SELECTION
Look up, look down and look around. Avoid dead limbs, drainage channels, exposed ridges and other obvious hazards before setting camp.
Shelter is more than a roof. A good system manages wind, rain, ground moisture and heat loss while fitting the trip you are actually taking.
Look up, look down and look around. Avoid dead limbs, drainage channels, exposed ridges and other obvious hazards before setting camp.
Orient doors and tarp openings with wind and rain in mind. Give yourself enough coverage for changing conditions.
A shelter blocks weather; insulation helps manage heat loss. Ground pads, underquilts and appropriate sleep systems matter.
Fast, enclosed protection with bug and weather coverage. Learn ventilation and staking before a storm teaches you.
Light and versatile, but skill matters. Practice a few dependable pitches and know where water will drain.
A compact emergency bivy or similar backup can buy protection when the planned shelter fails or the trip changes.
Gear helps, but familiarity matters more. Practice this skill when conditions are easy so you aren't trying to learn it for the first time when conditions aren't.
Choosing a low spot that collects water.
Ignoring overhead hazards.
Pitching for calm weather when wind is coming.
Forgetting insulation beneath you.
Taking an unfamiliar shelter into bad weather.
Leaving no margin for changing conditions.
Set up your shelter at home or a local campsite, then change one condition: tighten it for wind, add rain coverage, or practice setting it up in low light.
Learn the skill. Practice it safely. Then take it outside.
STAY WYLD.