Which of the choices for a BOL/Shelter would be best?

A lot of people think that they need a mountain cabin or fort to run to for a SHTF and having a place like that to go to is a good thing .. but would a travel trailer/RV be as good or better?

They both can sleep several people and can both be a comfortable home.
it really boils down to 2 things...do you think you will need to move your BOL or not?

I ask this because of the mobility of it and the shelter that it provides.
In a perfect world you could have both and have them in different locations and be able to go from one to the other.

A mountain cabin is where it is, and a travel trailer is mobile...if you needed to move your BOL, with the trailer you could haul more of your stored items with you, if you have to bug out from your bug out....
I say that because if you had to bug out once, there is a good chance you might need to do it again..

SHTF for me is not a storm, flood or anything like that....it would be an economic collapse, war in the country your living in, or martial law...those types of events are the SHTF events that I am refering to.

What do you all think should be the first to get, if you wanted to have both?

I would think an RV / Mobile camper, would be a great shelter to take with you. Depending on the situation of course, Economic instabilty YES, Enviromental problems that may cause severe weather or worse NO. Still a Mobile camper is an excelent item to have in emergencies. Ive actually been looking at buying a Camper to just have for camping excursions and Hunting. I would say yes it is a great item to own and use in the case of having to Bug out, the only problem I have is that I dont really think you'd be able to move it once you got to your location, Depending on the amount of fuel. We all saw how fast the gas ran out in the Northeast after the Hurricane. So its going to depend on, if you can move it and still have enough Gas and energy to sustain your bug out location

A travel trailer is not very incognito. Even the smallest ones are still bright white (with maybe a bonus mural on the side ).

In a really bad situation, it might make you less agile on the road as well.

On top of that, you'll still need a location to park it.

Best invest in a bunch of flat black spray paint.

reply to post by saltdog


I just saw this today and thought it was pretty cool.
Its not my thing but it might be an option for you if you can afford gas.
A house on wheels.

I have one idea already to go. And another that I have come up with that will need some work as I am a bit busy.

The first idea is one tha tI made for actual camping. It's a 110 Land rover Defender that has the ability to be made into a king size bed in the back when the middle seats are bent forward.
I have made 3 wooden cupboards that are 24"W x 14"D x 12"H (2 cans high) that house two weeks worth of food for four people. and saucepans etc. The bottom is the equivalent of the boot.
And two small c/b on each of the foam cushions, on the back benches, that are 12"W x 12"D x 14"H that house a wash basin and my hygiene products, and in the other are my drinks c/b.
Then there is one more c/b that becomes the bottom c/b of the 3, when I take them out when we are camping and the boot one stays inside the LR. I have taken this system to the Alps on a touring holiday and it goes everywhere and the advantage is it is extremely capable when off roading. It all gets tied down with extra seatbelts.

The second system is something i would love to have the time to make.
I want to make a YURT with bamboo canes and tarps. It would be really cheap to make and it would be transportable and very insulated and wind resistant.
Basically you get a load of bamboos and make a 3-4 lattice fences that can actually be in the garden which are tied with either cable ties or metal rings. These go in a circle. (This needs to be worked out using a formula that I believe may still be online.) One rope at the top to stop them falling down.

You need a door frame and a door that cna be transported yet be locked. (Still working on a cheap and foldable and novice DIY idea -any ideas anyone?)
You need bamboo poles to hold up the roof, connecting to the floor bamboos with either nails or cable ties in holes in both bamboos that are beiing connected. The middle could be a adult cycle tyre with spokes cut in half.

Then I was thinking of using silver foiled bubble wrap used in insulation, all over the walls and roof. Using duct tape to connect the insulation sheets. You could use wool army blankets inside instead.

Now you need tarps (this needs to be a in a formula which I haven't worked out yet.) at least 6ft tall and 2 or 3 tarps for the walls. Then either one huge tarp for the top with a hole in the middle or some small ones tied in with cable ties.

And then you need two ropes or straps for the outside, either truck rachet straps or blue nylon ropes; two ropes/straps to tie to both sides of the door frame, around the bamboo panels and the tarps.

Then I was going to think of a system to catch the water run off from the roof, to collect it in a box? (Haven't done that yet.)

You can tie down the whole structure with more straps in case it goes over 50mph, as real yurt can cope with 80-100mph I read.

Both of these would be my choice of a BOL and the tarp can be made of a forest camo type.


I wish I could get these Yurts made up for victims of Sandy and other catastrophes. 20ft diameter Yurts can house alot of people.