Tarp
Tarps can be used as lightweight shelters and emergency shelters. Light in weight, compact, and easy to set up in a variety of situations, tarp shelters can be an excellent choice for hikers and backpackers.
Tarps can also double as groundcloths or even raingear or windbreakers in a pinch. A good general survival tarp is the widely used 5 x 7 foot survival blanket.
Silshelter
Modern tarp shelters can be very creative. Shown here is the Silshelter by Integral Design. The SilShelter is billed as a two man tarp that works well when used with a bivy bag.
Nine feet long by five feet wide by 3-1/2 feet high in the front, the Silshelter weighs without stakes and poles just 3/4 pound and packs into a 4 inch by eight inch sack. Integral Designs states this is a two person shelter, but that would be pushing it - plenty of space as a one person shelter, not really enough for two.
The Silshelter is made of siliconized nylon and can be used as a vestibule on many tents. The front of the SilShelter has two flaps that can be closed to the elements if need be.
For the survivor, this is an excellent choice.
See Survival Topics article: Portable Shelter Types
