Shelter kit, sleeping.

[TACAIR]

While doing my semi-annual mid-winter maintenance on this 'system' I took a few images to share.

This is a 'Shelter sleep system" which is designed to be used in a shelter - a public shelter, post disaster. Last Nov 2018, Anchorage was hit with a 7.2 earthquake in our back yard, in a manner of speaking. Had my primary residence been declared off-limits (and the secondary and ...) and I was forced to go to a public shelter to stay warm...I'd have this.

Local public shelters can be organized - can be. These shelters would normally have cots, blankets and water. In case I had to use a local school building (secondary for the Muni) I would not have said cots, blanket etc. As a ham, I've participated in a few 'shelter' exercises, so understand what might be provided under the best of circumstances. However, I'd much rather be a disappointed pessimist than a horrified (and cold) optimist, so I have and carry my own swag.

This system gives me a 'ground cloth', cover, insulated/reflecting pad, a layer of fleece and a wool blanket (hospital sized) change of clothes, underthings and a basic hygiene kit. Should I be fortunate enough to have a cot, then the ground cloth will provide a way to keep chill air out from under said cot....




Old version - 22 inches rolled with carry handle.




ground cloth, cover and wool blanket. The ground cloth is a shelter half, the cover is a Cover, Bag, Sleeping, poplin (AKA fart sack of days gone by)




cover and Reflctrix insulating pad




Now with 1 yd of fleece in place




here you can see the fleece in double folded for 4 layers- 2 under/over or 4 under/over.




Full up system with foldback (~22 inches)




Now rolled to just 17 Inches wide




and about 1/3 'thicker' than the original roll.

This stays in the vehicle full time. 2x a year the soft parts are run thru the dryer to ensure they are...well, dry.
I sleep on my side mostly, so this gives me a lot of flexibility. My clothing is seasonally appropriate and my coat would serve as a pillow.

I've updated since the photo session -
The Cover, bag was replaced with a no-name nylon (not quite a bivy bag/more of a) sleeping bag cover. The 'bottom' is coated, much like a USGI poncho. Added a second heavy wool blanket + original fleece cover. Added a change of clothes, drawers & a set of PJ trouswers & fleece shirt.

The other upgrade part is a 'survival tarp' (aluminized heavy mylar? w/brass grommets) inside of the and wrapped in a double ended shelter half.

**
This set up is driven from experience. Few people have had the "opportunity" to sleep on the (hard cement) floor of a public shelter - typically a school of some sort.

My first experience with this was, oddly, in 1979 while AD USAF and we crashed at a school in Moses Lake, WA. Later, for another week, we stayed in a semi-abandoned building at the former Larson AFB, outside of Moses Lake. While many settled in on the concrete floors, I was lucky enough to know the wooden stage deck or the top of an office desk would be 'less' cold. It was after this I started carrying my own (insulated) swag. This was part of a (very badly planned and executed) military exercise hosted by SAC.... I learned a lot of other things as well.

Need a kit?  Roll your own, much cheaper!

[TACAIR]

Weight?

The blankets alone weight n at 5kg, not counting all the other stuff. This is for lugging from Das Auto to a shelter/building. Not for crossing the high Sierras on foot.... Why I call it a Shelter Sleep System.

For several summers I had a gig as a cook/security dude at a girls camp (teens) in rural AK. I used this as a primary sleep system in a covered but otherwise unheated shelter. The cot was a bonus to my way of thinking.

This is much more than the classic Bag, Sleeping, Wool type 27-B-317 and less than a Navy Model 1935 Canvas Bedroll Bedding Roll - simply because the USGI versions are priced to stupid levels and the current commercial replacements are even more expensive. So, I rolled my own here.

Yes, I have a MSS w/bivy and a nice down bag - and I don't want to leave either of these on the floorboards of Das Auto. Looks like junk=less likely to get boosted....
I call this the "BMW Effect" as in someone will Break My Windows.  

BTW - wool blankets are not cheap - consider fleece blankets or at least so-called throws - tow of those are at least as warm as a wool blanket.  They weigh much less and dry quickly.
Use around a campfire is no Bueno.  
These fleece throws or blankets are sometimes called "mink blankets."  Check closer before buying,. a single bed width is plenty for your roll.  Sold everyplace from WallyWorld to Home Depot.  Shop around, prices can vary wildly.

[TACAIR]

Just completed the winter change over and added a upgrade.

The Cover, bag was replaced with a no-name nylon (not quite a bivy bag/more of a) sleeping bag cover. The 'bottom' is coated, much like a USGI poncho. Added a second heavy wool blanket + original fleece cover. Added a change of drawers & a set of PJ trousers.

The other upgrade part is a 'survival tarp' (aluminized heavy mylar? w/brass grommets) inside of the bivy and wrapped in a double ended shelter half.

Now a considerably larger roll, but still fits on the floorboard behind the front seat. Now have 4 x 1 QT Fuji bottles for water (ice really)

I did this upgrade because of a 4.2 earthquake in the north end of town recently.  First major quake on 'this side' of the Kink arm of the Cook inlet. Couldn't take the chance on this not being a precursor shaker....

Chow, SVEA 123, cook set and all that 'normal' load is still squared away and on board Das Auto, so good that way. Did add 3 x MREs to a 'door load' bag that stays in the house. Lethally cold weather is just about done here - for now.

[Ever (Zombiepreparation)]

Awesome information

[TACAIR]

Thank you for the kind words.  I'm pleased you found it useful.

[Uomo Senza Nome]

Interesting. Ive been wondering what to go with for an RV in case of no heat.

[NT2C]

I was wondering what a "Sheter Kit, sleeping" was.  My brain kept alternating between a spelling error in "shelter" or how to catch 40 winks in an outhouse.   

[TACAIR]

Fixed, thanls!

[Ever (Zombiepreparation)]

I was wondering what a "Sheter Kit, sleeping" was.  My brain kept alternating between a spelling error in "shelter" or how to catch 40 winks in an outhouse.   

ROFLOL

[NT2C]

I was wondering what a "Sheter Kit, sleeping" was.  My brain kept alternating between a spelling error in "shelter" or how to catch 40 winks in an outhouse.   

ROFLOL

Both of which I have actually done.