Once in a while I get email from readers pointing out things that they think I might find useful or that I might want to be aware of. Interestingly, many times its something that I just recently became aware of myself. Rarely, I get multiple emails from different people all pointing me to the same thing. That just happened this week. The item brought to my attention:
An interesting product, to be sure. If someone were looking for, literally, just a ‘lifeboat’ sort of thing to hide in the middle of nowhere, this might fit that need. It appears to be constructed of rigid foam. This would seem to suggest that the insulative qualities of this thing would be rather high. When you’re hiding from something in the dead of winter, that could be pretty important. What I find a bit of a turn off is that…it appears to be constructed of rigid foam. While there is some utility and handiness in terms of insulation and lightweight portability, I am not keen on trusting my safety to what is essentially a large beer cooler.
I suppose that you could build a ‘doghouse’-type structure to slide this thing into in order to afford it some protection from the elements and things like falling branches, but I’d still have some concerns about durability. However, the more I think about it, the notion of ‘sleeving’ this thing within some hard, protective shell has some interesting appeal.
However…the idea thats presented here in the video has some value and is worth consideration. That idea being that a small, easily hidden four-walls-and-a-roof that can keep you warm and sheltered. This might be a very good ‘turnkey’ option for someone who doesnt want to go through the expense and hassle of building something.
Additionally, once you get past the shelter itself, some of the things shown in the video, used in conjunction with the shelter, are very interesting and worth me following up on. Most notably the heat system.
I want to thank the several people who sent me a link to this. Although I don’t think its something that exactly fills my needs, it does send me thinking in a different direction than I was before…which is useful.
The idea of sleeving the shelter is a good one. It allows you to increase storage space between the shelter and sleeve material. It also adds a “dead air space ” for further insulation value. Also it allows you to pick the material and colour for the sleeve, offering reduced visibility at both short and long range. It also allows for an irregular shape to be used for the outside sleeve further breaking up the outline and making it more difficult to pick out in various seasons. TTFN
Why the heck did that guy not do the work at home, where he has power and resources, then push the whole thing into place? (because it’s more interesting background for the video)
That little critique aside, those are some interesting systems, and a big cooler isn’t a bad idea in a cold climate. You could take the idea, laminate something stronger than spray on bedliner to the foam panels, and do a mini version of SIP construction. You end up with stressed skin panels, which are very strong for the weight. That reduces the weight you’re packing in, and you can set it up at home first, or build the whole thing and move it like he did.
A pop up canopy or a lean to structure along side it would give you a place to cook, or work standing up…
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My idea was that because it is only 200 lbs and can be hauled up on the back of a truck or a light trailer, you could use it as your local base while you are setting up the beta site. I didn’t think it would be good as a permanent shelter, but as a place to camp until you get your permanent setup finished, it seemed like a good idea.
Your idea of a “roof” over it gave me another idea… once you get your permanent shelter built and up and running, you could take this to a wooded or more isolated area on the beta site and with a cover that helps conceal it, use it as a fall back to the fallback. Maybe even a quarantine area to put a guest in while you work things out. Seems like a useful, if expensive, item.
Oh, it definitely has some utility as a temporary shelter or a hidden ‘last ditch’ sort of thing. I just worry about its longevity and resilience being left unattended in a wilderness environment for long periods of time. BUt, the more I roll the idea around in my head, the more I start coming around.
As to longevity and resilience, several years ago my brother gave me a HUGE styrofoam box nearly 3x3x3. It was a dense, strong styrofoam that I’d say was 3″ thick, maybe 4. At any rate, it sat right outside my garage for at least 4-5 years, being used as a table for my electric smoker. After that time, my wife ordered me to demolish it, although it still looked fine. You would not believe how hard it was to demolish that box. I used limb saws, a hatchet and a wood handsaw among other tools. That thick styrofoam truly was some stout stuff, so even with just the spray-on coating, I bet it would hold up for a long, long time. Just change your use of it as things develop at the site.
A neighbor used foam insulation as sheathing over studs on one wall of his cabin, without siding over it. That’s where the bear came in. Maybe the spray on coating helps, I dunno.
I’m not sure I see the attraction of building a structure around it … once you have built the surrounding structure … just insulate that and skip the insert. Maybe I’m missing something.
For a really bare bones 5×8 foot insta-shelter, make a door for one of these:
https://north40.com/hampels-large-happy-hut-61
Putting that, or something like that, inside of a Quonset hut type structure (which comes in pieces but needs a solid foundation to anchor it) or a 20 ft shipping container might be worth thinking about. I have been watching videos of “sand batteries”….a metal drum, a solar panel and a heating element, then some means of pulling the heat out of the sand…a fan, tubing, run water thru it for hot water, lots of possibilities. If I can find the time and some of the materials, I might experiment with this. Keep thinking & keep planning!
An interesting idea, but I’m with the others: for serious use I’d need to add to it and at that point why not start with something bigger and stronger?
For example, I put 3/4 inch foam panels in the shipping container I use for a shop. That lowered the temperature in summer substantially and in the winter a small space heater keeps it above freezing in all weather. A small wood stove would do even better, and the container is designed for security. You couldn’t get a 40 footer in, and maybe not a 20, but a 10 footer you could move on your own with a doable amount of work.
I didn’t see any mention of price, but I’ve never seen a cheap new camper so I assume it costs a bit before he adds upgrades to it; at that point it’d be worth considering roomier options.
As an outside cage for that unit, cattle panels, steel T-posts and welded connections (Speed Brace ?)could build a ‘hard shell’ for that unit.. You’ll need space to allow windows and doors to function. Not sure if bear and/or tweeker proof though. But would definitely slow them down.
That rigid insulated tent appears to be pretty nice.
here a weird idea, how about using ferro concrete to coat the outside of it ?
you could even place in a bunch of rocks like to blend it like .
that would be the way I would go. make a platform of say 8 inch concrete blocks
to place it on first. and then add ferro concrete to the outside until it sort of blended in with the rocks around it. that way only if you knew what to look for or where it was that you be able to find it. make a small cave like doorway or something. have a few solar panels you could set up if needed to keep the power up. storing food and water might be a problem though.
as well as a place to cook/ go to the bathroom
anyway, seems like a neat idea