Shelters

TYPES OF SHELTERS

PONCHO TENT

5-16. This tent (Figure 5-2) provides a low silhouette. It also protects you from the elements on two sides. It has, however, less usable space and observation area than a lean-to, decreasing your reaction time to enemy detection. To make this tent, you need a poncho, two 1.5- to 2.5-meter (5- to 8-foot) ropes, six sharpened sticks about 30 centimeters (1 foot) long, and two trees 2 to 3 meters (7 to 10 feet) apart.

Figure 5-2. Poncho Tent Using Overhanging Branch

Figure 5-2. Poncho Tent Using Overhanging Branch

5-17. To make the tent, you should—

Tie off the poncho hood in the same way as the poncho lean-to.
Tie a 1.5- to 2.5-meter (5- to 8-foot) rope to the center grommet on each side of the poncho.
Tie the other ends of these ropes at about knee height to two trees 2 to 3 meters (7 to 10 feet) apart and stretch the poncho tight.
Draw one side of the poncho tight and secure it to the ground pushing sharpened sticks through the grommets.
Follow the same procedure on the other side.

5-18. If you need a center support, use the same methods as for the poncho lean-to. Another center support is an A-frame set outside but over the center of the tent (Figure 5-3). Use two 90- to 120-centimeter-long (12- to 16-foot-long) sticks, one with a forked end, to form the A-frame. Tie the hood's drawstring to the A-frame to support the center of the tent.

Figure 5-3. Poncho Tent With A-Frame

Survival index

All text and images from the U.S. Army Field Manual 3-05.70: Survival.
Appearance of these materials here does not constitute or represent endorsement by mongabay.com.
ProbablyHelpful.com is not responsible for inaccurate or outdated information provided by the U.S. Army Field Manual 3-05.70.