Recently I realized that I’m not fully prepared for a specific SHTF scenario – leaving my home, or sheltering extra people. I have bug out plans, but they hinge around going to other permanent locations – we are lacking a good back-up plan to become mobile.
I have a tent and some camping supplies but what if we could have a shelter that’s a more sturdy?
There are many different options for shelters, and no one shelter is perfect for every situation and every climate.
As a prepper, it’s important to have different options based on your needs at any given time. For an extreme majority of us our homes are our primary shelters, where we live our everyday lives and feel the safest.
However, in a SHTF scenario there are many factors that would require that you abandon your home and take shelter somewhere else.
There are two major reasons you would have to abandon your home in a hurry.
1. Your home becomes inhabitable.
In the event of a major disaster your home could become damaged beyond repair or even completely destroyed. In that instance you’ll need a plan, and somewhere else to go. If you don’t have your own back-up shelter plan and there is nowhere to turn to then you’ll be in a really tight spot.
2. You’re forced out of it unwillingly.
A lot of people have a bug out plan incase their area becomes too dangerous to stay in their homes. In the instance of mass social chaos people will be looking for supplies and homes to raid. Some people will just want to cause mischief because it’s their chance to do some seriously screwed up stuff with a low likelihood of getting caught.
What’s a good solution?
The simplest solution is to have a backup plan prepared ahead of time. I have a few locations that I’ve mapped out for me and my family members incase we have to bug out to secondary, or even tertiary locations.
Not only will you need the location but you’ll need a shelter and supplies. You could build different structures and have them pre-stocked but you can never be sure if you could even make it to one of those locations. If you have a set up like that it’s great, but you would be misguided to rely on it solely.
The best option if you have to leave your home is a portable and sturdy shelter. If you’re bugging out on foot then a small lightweight tent is your best choice. We have carts with large wheels we can pull supplies in if we ever have to leave on foot.
However since we plan on using a vehicle to bug out we also want a sturdier portable structure.
After looking at army tents, canvas tents and a host of other portable structures, this product seemed like a great fit for a preppers needs. And a good fit for the pocketbook!
A gentleman who lives close to me has a large shelter like this because he needed a way to store his hay – the small square bales. He also wanted to keep his tractor covered to protect his investment. However he didn’t know how long he wanted to keep his current property and didn’t want the expense of building and not be able to take it with him.
Plus these are considered temporary structures and don’t add expense to your property taxes. Well at least not where I live.
What are the advantages?
- These temporary structures are not as expensive as some other options. You could have one that would fit a few people and supplies for a few hundred dollars! Military and purpose made tents can easily be 2-5 times that price!
- They’re built to handle the elements year round. There are options for these temporary structures that are built to handle snow load as well. With UV protectant coating and strong material they could last through years of harsh abuse.
- A temporary structure like these are easy to assemble and can be taken down and put back up as many times as you need to. This makes them easy to move from place to place.
- Some people may see this as an issue but I think it’s actually an advantage over a regular tent. These temporary buildings don’t have floors attached. You can use plywood over pallets for an easy, quick elevated floor or just throw down a tarp. Attached floors tend to gather up a lot of debris and dirt.
- With quick patch repair kits you can fix rips, holes and leaks very easily. Just a little all-weather cement and a piece of rubberized fabric could handle patches as well.
As with all things, no matter how good something is, it’s always got a few disadvantages.
What are the disadvantages?
- Fabric can be torn and doesn’t protect well from intruders. If you need major security from marauders and evildoers then you’d better find something sturdier like abandoned barns and buildings.
- People report their buildings blowing away in heavy winds. It appears these people did not secure their temporary building properly. Screw in anchors with ratchet straps have proven to hold my neighbors building in up to 70 MPH winds.
- Since these are basically a tent – they don’t provide much insulation from the cold. If you have extreme cold weather you’ll need to take extra measures to stay warm.
- They aren’t permanent structures so they don’t offer the protection that a permanent structure will. My plan is to use one for temporary and portable shelter and it fit’s that bill well.
I’ll never leave my home! Why would I want one?
Even if you plan on never leaving your home, there may be the time you need a quick structure. If your home is damaged do you want to be stuck out in the elements?
Also most modern homes aren’t built to be comfortable in the heat of the summer without air-conditioning. If SHTF and there isn’t enough power to run the A/C you may want a covered and sheltered spot outside where you can take advantage of natural shade and the breeze.
Back in the day many people slept outside at night even if they had a house because it would be to hot. I still know people without A/C that have screened in porches that they’ll sleep on during the heat of summer nights.
My last compelling argument as to why you should consider having temporary shelters is that if shit does hit the proverbial fan you’ll have extra storage, and extra places to stash guests that you can’t turn away.
I don’t want people I don’t know in my home no matter how nice they seem to be. Good people are capable of horrible things in bad situations.
And if your home is a possible bug out location for friends and family you could find yourself crowded in a hurry.
I wrote a lot more about these portable shelters than anticipated so if you’ve anything to add jump below to the comments and let your voice be heard!
Also don’t forget to like PrepCabin on Facebook. Up and to the right…
Come back often and see what’s going on!