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In a survival situation, the tools you have with you can be the difference between life and death. If you’re stranded in harsh conditions, a protective shelter will be right at the top of your needs. Whether you are an outdoor adventurer, a prepper, or simply equipping your emergency preparedness kit, the best survival shelter is a must-have item. It protects against the elements keeping you warm, dry, and alive until further help arrives.
The best thing about wilderness shelters is that they’re lightweight and pack up small. An emergency shelter will easily fit in a car glove box, hiking pack, bugout bag, or disaster kit, and it’s convenient to carry one on all of your outdoor adventures. In this article, we’ll look at the 10 best survival shelters, and explain how to select the right one for your needs and how to build an effective shelter if you’re ever stranded and need one. Â
Go Time Gear Life Tent Emergency Survival Shelter
- What Makes This Survival Shelter Tent Stand Out
- Extra thick material keeps out rain, wind, and snow
- Thermal lining reflects 90% of your body heat back
- Includes paracord drawstring and 120-decibel whistle
- Heavy-duty 28um material is tear and puncture-resistant
- Bright orange color helps rescuers spot you
- Ultralight and compact packed size – easy to stow or carry
Material: 28um Mylar
Size: 8 x 5 feet
Packed Size: 5.25 x 3.25 inches
Weight: 8.7 ounces
Don’t Die in The Woods World’s Toughest Emergency Survival Shelter
- What Makes This Survival Shelter Tent Stand Out
- Exceptionally tough Mylar can withstand rugged wilderness conditions
- Waterproof and thermal protection - reflects up to 90% of body heat
- Reinforced taped seams for leak-proof and durable performance
- 425lb strength paracord is included in the package
- The company donates a percentage of profits to conservation efforts
Material: HeatFlex Mylar
Size: 8 x 5 feet
Weight: 8.5 ounces
Survival Frog Tact Bivvy 2.0 Ultralight Survival Shelter
- What Makes This Survival Shelter Tent Stand Out
- Ultralight survival emergency shelter – weighs in at 4.8 ounces
- Works as a bivvy sack shelter or a sleeping bag liner
- Thermal bivy shelter reflects and conserves 90% of your body heat
- Windproof and waterproof protection from the elements
- Reinforced seams enhance strength and durability
- Equipped with an emergency whistle and para-tinder paracord
- Two color options – high-visibility orange and blending tactical green
Material: Polyester Film
Size: 7 x 3 feet
Packed Size: 3 x 4 inches
Weight: 4.8 ounces
Delmera Emergency Survival Shelter
- What Makes This Survival Shelter Tent Stand Out
- Made of one of the toughest Mylar fabrics designed by NASA
- Comes with 20 feet of paracord rope and an emergency whistle
- Windproof and waterproof Mylar keeps out rain, wind, and snow
- Winter survival shelter reflects 90% of your body heat
- Rugged fabric and reinforced seams make it a reusable shelter
Material: Mylar
Size: 8 x 5 feet
Weight: 10 ounces
Aqua Quest Defender Tarp Heavy-Duty Bushcraft Survival Shelter
- What Makes This Survival Shelter Tent Stand Out
- Heavy-duty bushcraft ruggedness, ideal for extreme situations
- Excellent waterproof protection - 20,000mm HH rating
- Rugged 70D material, heat taped seams and reinforced stitching
- Four sizes to choose from depending on your needs
- Handy features - 4 corner pockets, 2 lantern loops
- Ultra-durable construction backed by a lifetime warranty
Material: 70D Nylon with TPU and DWR Coatings
Sizes: 10×7, 10×10, 13×10, 15×15 feet
Packed Size: 7 x 7 x 5 to 15 x 8 x 7 inches
Weight: 2.4 to 7.2 pound
Sharp Emergency Thermal Survival Shelter
- What Makes This Survival Shelter Tent Stand Out
- Windproof and waterproof material provides all-weather protection
- Thermal material reflects and conserves 90% of your body heat
- Very affordably priced without skimping on the quality
- Lightweight and compact, easy to carry on the trails
Material: Mylar
Size: 8 x 5 inches
Packed Size: 8.9 x 6.2 inches
Weight: 5.6 ounces
Grizzly Gear Emergency Mylar Thermal Survival Shelter
- What Makes This Survival Shelter Tent Stand Out
- Made of NASA-designed Mylar insulation fabric
- Waterproof and windproof protection from the elements
- Winter survival shelter reflects 90% of your body heat
- Multi-use survival gear - sleeping bag, water collector, signaling device
Material: Mylar
Size: 8 x 3 feet
Weight: 5.6 ounces
SE ET3683 Emergency Outdoor Tube Survival Shelter
- What Makes This Survival Shelter Tent Stand Out
- Comes with 4 steel tent pegs for a more secure grounding
- Thicker material offers superior protection and durability
- The closed back end keeps out the wind and cold
- Aluminum-coated material protects from heat loss
- Bright color makes you easier to spot by rescue teams
Material: Aluminum
Size: 82 x 36 inches
Packed Size: 12 x 13 inches
Weight: 1.6 pounds
TEBRION Emergency 2-Adult Mylar Thermal Survival Shelter
- What Makes This Survival Shelter Tent Stand Out
- Made of a polyester film coated with aluminum
- Weatherproof exterior blocks all harsh elements
- Interior reflects 90% of your body heat to keep you warm
- Includes 2 emergency blankets and a free eBook on survival
- Versatile survival item also works as a sleeping bag liner
Size: 8 feet x 5 feet
Weight: 9.6 ounces
Material: Mylar
Coghlan’s Tube Tent Survival Shelter
- What Makes This Survival Shelter Tent Stand Out
- Fire retardant survival shelter made of polyethylene
- Windproof and waterproof protection against wind, cold, and rain
- Lightweight and compact shelter for camping, disaster kit, or bug out bag
- Versatile tube tent can be used as a groundsheet or tarp
Material: 2.5 mil Polyethylene
Size: 8 x 5 feet
Weight: 12.3 ounces
How To Choose A Survival Shelter – Buying Guide
Material
When choosing the best emergency shelter, the most important thing to consider is the material. If you plan to go hiking or backpacking in the wilderness or will be camping in the winter, you shouldn’t settle for anything less than Mylar. Aluminum-based materials are the middle level, while polyethylene is the lightest type of fabric survival shelters are made of.
Protection
Rain and moisture are your biggest enemy when stranded in harsh conditions. For this reason, a waterproof survival shelter is a must-have, and all of the outdoor survival shelters on this list are waterproof. The best emergency shelters for winter also have a thermal lining capable of reflecting and preserving 90% of your body heat.
Durability
As you can predict, some of the more expensive emergency shelters are also more durable. Polyethylene is the least durable material, and Mylar is the most resilient and durable. Other factors to pay attention to when assessing durability include the toughness of the seams and the reviews other users have left.
FAQs
Q: How Do I Make Sure I Get The Protection I Need?
The best way to get the insulation and weather protection you need is to use a waterproof emergency outdoor shelter. An A-frame shelter with the ceiling at a 45Âş angle provides reliable rain protection. To keep out wind, be sure to position the entrances of your outdoor shelter at 90° to the prevailing wind. When sheltering in cold conditions, an outdoor emergency shelter with a thermal interior that will preserve your body heat is ideal.  Â
Q: How Do I Store And Use My Survival Shelter?
All of the best wilderness shelters come packed in a stuff sack you can use to store and carry them around in. While you’re not camping, you can keep your wilderness shelter in a storage closet or shed.
Using your outdoor shelter for survival is fairly straightforward. Simply run a rope through the middle of the shelter and tie each end to trees or rocks. Additionally, the best wilderness survival shelters are versatile survival items with a variety of uses from survival shelters to water collectors.
Q: How Do You Build A Waterproof Shelter?
Building a waterproof shelter starts with selecting the right location to set up the shelter. Avoid low lying areas where water is likely to pool and open areas where gusts of wind can drive rain into your survival tent. The best way to ensure your shelter will be waterproof is to create an A-frame shelter with the ceiling at a 45º angle. This will promote the shedding of rain. Also, be sure to position the entrances at 90° to the prevailing wind. If you don’t have a waterproof survival shelter, tarp, or sheet with you, you can pile the ceiling with three inches of leaves.
Q: How Do You Heat A Survival Shelter?
While the easiest way to warm your shelter would be to build a fire inside the shelter, this can be a hazard if your shelter is made of flammable materials and doesn’t have an outlet for smoke. A safe way to heat your tent using a campfire is to build the fire outside the shelter and then create a fire screen to direct the heat to the entrance of your shelter. You can also light a fire outside, heat some rocks for an hour, dig a hole inside the shelter, and bury the hot rocks. This will keep your shelter warm for hours.
Q: How Do You Build A Shelter?
To build an A-frame survival shelter or space blanket survival shelter, you will need a survival shelter, tarp, or plastic sheet and rope. To build the shelter, lay the shelter/tarp/sheet flat on the ground then run the rope through the middle. Tie each end of the rope to trees, rocks, or any sturdy object that’s 3-4 feet off the ground. Alternatively, you can tie the rope between two trees or rocks and drape your survival shelter, tarp, or sheet over the rope. To secure the shelter, weight the edges or corners with rocks or logs.Â
Globo Surf Overview
If stranded in a harsh environment, you can’t survive three hours without a shelter to keep you dry and warm. This is how important a survival shelter is in an emergency. With our reviews and guide to selecting and building an emergency shelter, we hope that we managed to empower you with the knowledge you need to choose the best survival tent for your needs.
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Have you been camping or hiking during winter or extreme conditions, requiring the use of a wilderness shelter? Do you just take one along on any camping trip or do you actually use one on a regular basis? Which a-frame shelter have you tried out so far and where do you plan to take it next? Share your thoughts and experiences with our other readers below! We’re always happy to hear from you.