Shelters for extended bug-out, SHTF, TEOTW

[AStone]

Since Katrina, I've participated in a gazillion threads on preparedness, bug-out bags & kits, vehicles, bikes; which guns/ammo would you want; I see there are also threads on food (haven't made it there yet, but hope to soon).

Watching the poor people (refugees, evacuees, whatever one calls them) get ported around from state to state after the crisis made me realize the importance of shelter, where "shelter" is not (in my definition) a hotel/motel, a superdome or a mission.

I'd like to think that if disaster hit my little city, destroying much of its structure, including my own studio (out here, more likely an earthquake, not a hurricane, or some other human-caused SHTF/TEOTW crisis), that I could have a comfortable, weather-worthy shelter to live in for a while - months or longer if necessary, whether it be in the side yard or in a national forest 40 miles from here.

I envision pulling my rig - well equiped with food, stove, weapons, rain gear, lanterns, first aid, sleeping gear...you know, all that BOB gear I've been collecting for years - into the USFS or BLM lands east or west of town. Lots of abandoned forest service roads out there, with healing clearcuts. Lots of deer, squirrel, turkey, other birds. If I go east, there are trout/salmon streams.

But I wonder about shelter for an extended period.

Now, admittedly I'm not your typical American. I don't live in a large house, but a small warehouse-style (even if aesthetically pretty cool) studio. I don't have kids. My life style is such that I don't need many amenities for happiness. (Happiness is a warm gun, to play on the "guns in songs" thread.)

Still, if I had kids, or even a partner, I'd like to envision a shelter that could be heavy weather-resistant (read rain, snow, wind, cold), comfortable, and large enough to allow decent living for an extended period. That does NOT translate into "backpacking tent" (which do have their place; I own 3 Himilaya-worthy pack tents).

For some, the solution is a camper on a pick-up. For others, it's an RV. (Been there, done that. Had a 34' travel trailer. Too refined for my taste. No thanks.)

For me, it translates into something with which I could augment my 24' fifth-wheel cargo trailer outfitted with propane cook stove in a 4' mobile kitchen box, food, sleeping gear, backpacks, climbing gear, and other BOB goodies, to extend the living and sleeping space, especially in case I have company (like for instance, the woman of my dreams, wearing a 9 mm and carrying her shotgun on the way out of town ).

I have lived in my trailer on camp retreats with students, but would rather have a tent, yurt or dome in addition to that for sleeping space, since we usually keep the cooking gear, fuel etc in the trailer.

So, I'm looking at large tents (e.g., Baker's tent, wall tent), yurts or geodesic domes (in the 12'-16' size range). All of those have relatively tall ceilings, and enough space for an intimate party of two (or more) to make it for a month or more without severe cabin fever.

Here are some preliminary finds.

Tents

I've found several sources of tents online. I'm particularly fond of Baker's tents because I could pitch a 10'-16'er beside my cargo trailer, and even attach the canopy to the roof rack for stability in wind. The trailer could be on the windward side deflecting wind. It'd be like an extra room, with the canopy forming sort of a covered patio between them.

But my concern about larger tents like wall tents is that I think they were designed mainly for drier areas. I live in the western regions of the Pacific NW, near the ocean. It rains a LOT here already, and with impending climate change, local modelers are projecting increasingly heavy rains in coming years. My sense is that such a tent of canvas would get soggy quickly in the rainy season (usually Oct - April around here).

Of course, there are some larger expedition mountain tents that are relatively water proof that shed wind, but they aren't as large as a wall tent.

Tipi's could work, but I have the same issue: what about wet? And all that vertical space just seems to be overkill, even if the steep pitch may help shed precipitation.

A portable wood stove would help, but I'm still not sure about the wet factor.

Domes

I've found a couple of sites selling domes. In fact, one is in a nearby town. Domes are cool. The are spacious, and nearly bombprooof when it comes to extreme weather. They shed high winds due to their hemispherical shape (unlike wall tents which provide a large rectangular surface to wind).

There are two problems with domes: 1) they are difficult to put up. Anything larger than a 12' will take 2-3 people 4-6 hours. The amount of work multiplies exponentially with the size. 2) Expense: even a 16' will cost between $3000 & $4000. They're great for more permanent installations (e.g., 'cabin on the lake' or even a home for the adventurous), but I'm not sure in this case.

Yurts

Likewise, I've found a couple of sources for yurts. They tend to be less expensive, and shed winds almost as good as domes. They're not as simple to erect as tents, but less time consuming than domes. (In case the SHTF in your SHTF camp, best to be able to move quickly.)

Here are two:

http://www.yurts.com/

http://www.yurts-r-us.com/index.htm

... but both tend to be a little more ... 'foofy', too refined, too permanent looking. I'm looking for something more mobile & utilitarian.
_______

So, why am I writing all this here?

I'm looking stories about experiences, shelter success (or failure) stories, suggestions, ideas, & sources, of course. There are lots of outdoor oriented folks on this list, with a healthy number of survivalists from far-flung places in big outback places like ID & AK.

I'm not interested in information about RV's and expensive, self-contained bug-out vehicles. That's another thread.

I'm more interested in tents, yurts, domes & related mobile shelter technologies but sophisticated and cool enough for a THR extended camp retreat, complete with nearby make-shift shooting range.

OK, folks: let'r rip. Let's see what turns up.

Nem

 

[Devonai]

You need more than a mil-spec poncho and four bungee cords???

I have a cabin 100 miles NW of here that I plan on using for TEOTWAWKI, but if for some reason I thought I couldn't get there I'd order myself a GI surplus GP Medium, or general-purpose tent. Last I checked you could get a full GP Medium with all stakes and accessories for around $500.

 

[JamisJockey]

You completely skipped canvas wall tents. Big and heavy, and spendy, but with the addition of a wood stove and an extra window or two you have a true 4-season shelter. My buddy has one, just got back from elk hunting.
20* outside, 80* inside with two windows unzipped.

Edit: I re-read your post. You didn't skip wall tents buy only did a touch-and-go on them. I'd lean towards a wall tent for a family shelter. Having a smaller family sized dome tent would be an option if you have go it on foot. As a bonus, you could use the dome as a storage shed if you take both with you via vehicle.

Reading you post, I think a Wall tent would be perfect. You could probably get rid of the trailer with one, since it would provide you with a decent amount of living space. Add a stove and you're set.
Cabela's is selling them together as a package. There is a local company here, Kirkham's (AAA Wall Tents) that customizes them. I've seen thier product, and its damn good.
If you've got the space (like a pickup bed), get a cabin-style frame. With the tent framed and guy-wired out, you're going to withstand all kinds of icky weather.

 

[clt46910]

Years back...we had a large canvas wall tent we used for deer camp. It was called a shepherds tent.

It was fairly large with metal plate in the roof for a small wood stove the heated it. We would sleep six guys in it comfortablity on cots. Stayed nice and warm. These make a great semi-permanent type shelter.

 

[Preacherman]

I've slept in wall tents in mountainous terrain, in sub-zero temperatures. With an internal wood stove, they're amazingly warm and comfortable (although anyone entering or leaving, letting the cold air in, is likely to attract some highly interesting language, which I can't reproduce on a family-friendly forum like this... ).

The biggest problem with wall tents appears to be erecting them with a limited supply of manpower. I've found that military-type wall tents really need half-a-dozen people to put up with any sort of speed and relative ease. However, the Kirkham's wall tents referred to above have a different, cabin-style internal frame: I suspect this would make it relatively easy for one or two people to erect the tent.

Once they're up, wall tents can resist fairly strong winds, particularly if they're sited next to something like a ridge or treeline that can help as a wind break. Again, the internal-frame cabin-style structure should be even stronger than the traditional post-and-guy method. They also offer a very large internal volume, and can store lots of stuff or allow many people to sleep inside them (most I've seen was 24 guys in a large military wall tent - there wasn't much space to move around, but everyone could stretch out on a mattress or camp cot without hitting the guy next to him).

As for long-term use, I suspect that a lot of problems could be solved by adding a weatherproof flysheet to the tent. Canvas can and will deteriorate slowly if directly exposed to rain, snow, mud, etc.: but a polypropylene sheet over the tent, suitably fastened, will protect it from much of that contact, and should make it suitable for many months of continuous use. Another VERY important point for long-term use: as a minimum, have a heavy-duty tarpaulin for use as a floor. Wooden duck-boards are even better. The floor of the tent will get wet/dusty/whatever, depending on your climate, and it's no good having an effective tent erected above a swamp two feet deep!

(How do I know this, you ask? Trust me. I know this. )

 

[Polishrifleman]

With the family growing from wife to wife and kids I upgraded from 2 and 3 person backpacking tents (size depended on where we were going and for how long) to a 6 person behemoth for car camping. It fits an inflatable queen matress, and backpacking self inflatables on either side for the boys plus clothes. The big bonus is it has a huge vestibule area (no floor) to keep bikes, coolers, bbq, etc.. out of the rain etc..

This is a tent that you actually set up the rain fly first (fully encompassing, no windows just air vents) and then hang the tent internally with hooks and gromets. I can not vouch for the snow and say that under a heavy load it would collapse. As preacherman stated heavy duty TARPS are a must and can be used for a multitude of projects. Your heat source would have to be something vented out the vestibule which is totally doable but would need to be carfully done due to the petroleum make up of the tent materials.

I live in the PNW too and would not hesitate to get a good 3 season tent, especially on the West side of the mountains. There are too many good places to go and hole up below the snow line, a lot of cover to keep most of the wind off, and solid fish and game.

My tent brand is a BobKatz (they don't seem to make them anymore) out of Vancouver Canada.

On another note, I would like to experiment with teepee's one day. If they could keep the plains Indians alive through that weather and be protable it might be worth looking into.

 

[RiverwinoIA]

if you have a big tarp, some paracord, a shovel, and a saw you can make a pretty sturdy lean-to type structure by using a tree and some logs. I made a small one earlier this fall while doing my first attempt at overnighting in the woods with only my pack. It worked well, but since it was warm out i didnt need to seal it good or build a fire in it. id imagine that would be easy to do though, especially if you were spending an extended period of time in it (give you lots of time to work on it)
i built mine after reading Bradford Angiers book on wilderness survival, just to see if i would find it "liveable".


the thing i liked about the shanty-style shelter is that its against a big tree, in the woods, made of logs, and a green tarp. therefore, its alot less noticeable than a big tent in a clearing or a trailer parked off the side of the road. attention is probably the last thing you want when you have to actually bug out.

couple of obvious pointers
-dont build it on low ground (rain will flow in)
-dont build it against a really tall tree (lightening, wind may blow it down)
-dig a hole under the tree/into the roots. lay a board across some exposed roots, then cover it with dirt. that hole will be the "secret storage space" (ammo, food, extra guns etc). just in case someone rifles through your shanty while your out.
-try to locate your shelter near a river, but off the floodplain. Rivers provide water, food (fish and mammals), fertile soil to grow in, a path to explore with (if you get lost follow the river back home). Dont build it so it can be seen from the riverbottom though, as other people will use the river too.

 

[AStone]

Good ideas so far.

I'm sure others will post suggestions about tarp tents, using ponchos, etc for shelter. OK, I can and have done that, too. I know how to make small shelters. Used them exclusively sans tent on backpacking expeditions for years. They work great in a pinch.

But in this thread, I'm more interested in larger, more comfortable, stand-up-and-move-around-inside shelters suitable for longer durations (a month or more) in really inclement weather. Smaller tarp shelters and backpacking tents don't work so well for that.

JJ, those AAA wall tents look really primo. Nice web site also, including an option to price out a custom tent with all the options you want. For example, I can get a custom 10 X 12 with treated 'duck' canvas (extra water resistance); flap-covered door; vinyl floor with stove cut out; triangular window in the rear for ventilation; roll up side walls; a rain fly (good idea, P'man); & internal, free-standing, cabin-style frame (another great idea) for around $1300. Not bad at all.

Still hoping to hear from some about yurts & domes, also.

You could probably get rid of the trailer with one, since it would provide you with a decent amount of living space.

Regardless of what I get, I won't be replacing the trailer with it, just augmenting the camp with extra space. The trailer is a custom-built cargo by Pace American. It has several uses in my business, including carrying a sound system & serving as a stage and/or sound booth for music festivals. We also sometimes serve as a kitchen for musicians and stage hands.

It doubles as a kitchen, library & gear hauler for camp retreats for students and faculty (see image below; mobile kitchen cabinet with stove on wheels in right rear), and - in a SHTF scenario - will hopefully be a key ingredient in a bug-out strategy should it come to that. It stays mostly loaded and ready to go, parked in my studio.

But it isn't large enough to serve as a bedroom for more than a couple, three max. Plus for a month or more, cabin fever would set in for even two. Adding a tent would allow much more sleeping, lounging & 'living room/den' space, and make the camp palatial.

Preacherman, I hear you about a floor and not pitching a tent in a swamp. Reminds me of my first trip out west (from Memphis) in my early 20's. We were greenhorns then. We stopped in Zion National Park, set up a "family-style" camping light-weight wall tent (this was pre-backpacking days) in the last space available in the camp ground.

We soon learned why it was the last tent space. A heavy August thunderstorm dumped about 1" of rain in less than an hour, flooding our end of the camp ground several inches deep in red muddy water. Fortunately the tent had a floor, but the water got in anyway. We slept in the VW bus that night.

Nem

 

[NMshooter]

I have worked out of GP Med and Large tents before, and set them up too.

Had a lot of help, especially for the large.

I guess it makes a difference when you have a couple dozen motivated folks used to following orders when pitching a big tent.

Even without a heater a tent provides cover from the wind, that makes a big difference, and the interior will warm up with people inside.

For some things you really need a shelter of some sort, just to keep the wind and rain off.

We also had shelters built out of standard cargo pallet sized aluminium panels that were just like sheet metal buildings. They were still standing after five years in an unforgiving environment (Saudi Arabia). Perhaps something like that might be available. You would need a flatbed trailer to carry the pieces and a number of people to set it up, but you would have a portable building essentially like a permanent building.

Just how many people do you envision with you?

 

[JamisJockey]

Dude, your trailer has some decent ameneties, you might look at a cook tent. Its like a wall tent, but not fully walled in, usually. Or, make sure to get roll up sides (or at least one side) on your wall tent.

Re: Milspec CP tents (these are the little command post tents). They are black holes. What I mean is that they allow very little natural light into them.
GP tents are really fking big. I mean like 15x30 or something obscene. CP tents are often used for officer quarters, while the GP tents are usually used for enlisted quarters.

 

[JamisJockey]

Oh, yea.
My buddy has a 12x14. He has the cabin frame. He has put it up several times by himself, takes about 30 minutes once you get used to it, another 15 or so to run guylines.

 

[AStone]

For some things you really need a shelter of some sort, just to keep the wind and rain off.

So true. Over years of backpacking in "the high country" (mostly in NM & CO), I learned (first time, the hard way) how important it is to stay dry and keep the wind off your skin when it's cold. (Can you spell 'hypothermia'?)

Shelters like tents, yurts & domes are large scale rain gear and wind protection, not to mention insulators as you point out.

Water absorbs approximately 20X as much heat as air, which means when you're wet, you're going to lose approximately 20X as much heat as when you're dry.

Likewise, even if you are insulated with down, fleece or wool, wind can penetrate those layers and steal your heat without a layer to stop it.

We also had shelters built out of standard cargo pallet sized aluminium panels that were just like sheet metal buildings. They were still standing after five years in an unforgiving environment (Saudi Arabia). Perhaps something like that might be available. You would need a flatbed trailer to carry the pieces and a number of people to set it up, but you would have a portable building essentially like a permanent building.

What a cool idea. More than I want to deal with right now, but I can envision some future-primitive, nomadic madmax cultures in which such modular shelter could be common, assuming they can find enough petrol (or horses, or oxen) to cart them around.

Just how many people do you envision with you?

Hmm. I suspect that's in part beyond my control. Depends on the circumstances.

But I hope at least a few of them will be THR'ers.

Speaking of, we should throw a THR party sometime...

We could play some songs with gun references.

Nem

 

[AStone]

Oh, yea.
My buddy has a 12x14. He has the cabin frame. He has put it up several times by himself, takes about 30 minutes once you get used to it, another 15 or so to run guylines.

Wow. Now that's a set up time I can live with.

Check on the roll up walls. Especially in summer. And why go to the outdoors then build an indoors that permanently excludes the outdoors, if you catch my drift.

Thanks for the nod on the trailer. Yeah, she's a work-in-progress. She is why my studio is a warehouse with a 12X12 bay door: got to have it inside for more work.

That trailer is the second draft of the mobile transport component of my profeesional project. First draft was a 6X10 trailer. I hope the third draft is a full-sized semi pulled by a Kenworth tractor, assuming diesel is still available and is less than $10/gal.

(When I bought my current PowerStroke diesel to pull that trailer, diesel was the cheapest of the four flavors of fuel @ < $1/gal. Now it's the most expensive @ $3.16/gal. Glad I live in a bike friendly town. I only fill up once every two months or so.)

Nem

 

[rwc]

Nem,
I knew some folks on San Juan Is. with a yurt. It was set up for year round living, but may give you some ideas.
Their yurt was about 30' in diameter and was divided in two with a 4' wide gravel path running through the middle from the door to the other side of the yurt where a wood stove was positioned. On either side of the gravel path they had built raised platforms (crescent shaped). One side was the kitchen/dining area with a sink (fed by 5 gal. tapped containers), a propane refridgerator, counters, shelves, storage, etc. The other side was bisected by a free standing wardrobe that separated the "bedroom" from a small sitting area with a futon/couch. They had a couple framed windows and a skylight/vent at the apex of the roof. It was hinged and could be lifted with a rod.

Have fun.

rwc

 

[Bob F.]

Check out teepees! Pretty amazing.

 

[JamisJockey]

Check out teepees! Pretty amazing.

And you have to tote around 15'ish poles.

 

[NMshooter]

Nematocyst, whatever else you do if you really want a large shelter you should get a GP medium or large kit, the full tent with poles, ropes, stakes, etc. surplus, throw it in the garage or the trailer after inspecting and cleaning it and forget about it.

Tents are expensive, this may be a bit more affordable.

Also look at www.actiongear.com they have a few listings for some smaller shelters that might be of interest.

And remember you can have easily portable or nice to live in during bad weather but not both...

 

[Jeff White]

I wouldn't recommend just throwing a military tent in the garage or trailer and forgetting about it. They need preventative maintenance just like so much other equipment. If you have a lot of humidity or moisture you'll get mildew and rot. A few years down the road, you'll unpack your tent when you really need it and find it unserviceable.

You should also now that even a GP small is a two man operation to set up. Probably need four people for a GP large. They are heavy and bulky too.

Jeff

 

[AStone]

Jeff, I tend to agree. Any gear requires maintenance & care. However, knowing NMShooter from other threads, I doubt he'd disagree.

Check out teepees! Pretty amazing.

Bob, while I tend to agree with JJ about those 15' poles, I do have a 24' trailer with a roof rack where said poles could be carried.

However, I'm curious: what is it about tipis that makes them so worthwhile? Speaking from ignorance, cause i've never lived in one, it seems that all that top space in the top of the cone would be hard to heat, not very useful use of fabric, etc.

Maybe I'm missing something though.

Your perspective welcome, along with a suggestion of a source.
____

RWC, nice image you built of your friends yurt. Sounds cool, even if a 30'er is a bit large for me, something about yurts appeal. If it's good enough for Siberian nomads living in permanently frozen tundra over several thousand years, it's got to be good technology. (I saw a PBS program about the yurts with double walls - a yurt inside a yurt - within which one can sleep under a blanket with -50*F outside and only a candle. Awesome.)

Still also hoping that persons with knowledge of small yurts and geodesic domes will drop in.

Nem

 

[hso]

Stove to heat your retreat.
http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/pro...RODUCT&iMainCat=671&iSubCat=737&iProductID=63

 

[NMshooter]

The Pacific NW does contain a rather large rain forest...

Perhaps I should have said "hang up in your garage", but I think you know what I meant.

And the old trick with the fuel can made into a heater is not a very good idea, hso shows something much better.

Jeff White, are you familiar with a geodesic dome shaped tent that was in use (issued, at least in the USAF) in the early '90s? I used one once and it was a really nice family sized tent, not too hard to put up and lightweight. Cannot remember the manufacturer.

 

[chaim]

Since Katrina I've also been thinking about shelter possibilities since we now see that even outside the massive, society collapse type SHTF situations you may need long term shelter. Living in a tent for a week or two isn't enough, and you won't have the money for a hotel (unless you are rich).

My thoughts were that it can't cost a fortune (I'm not rich) and needs to be useful outside the SHTF situation since that still isn't that likely.

My initial thoughts are along the lines of a camp trailer- gives extra storage space, a comfortable place to live, isn't insanely expensive, and is nice fun recreation under normal circumstances. However, that is still not cheap and requires a vehicle that can pull it (though a pop-up can be handled by most mid-sized and larger cars).

So, for now (I don't have a ton of money) I've been kind of thinking along your lines and it looks to me that Cabela's has some decent looking options (tents that can be used for normal camping, but heavier duty, more weather resistant than a regular camping tent). http://www.cabelas.com/

I like the looks of the "XWT Extreme Weather Tent" ( http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...arentType=index&parentId=cat550002&id=0024840 ) for most needs. Definately good except for the coldest days. Resistant to the elements and wind and lots of room for a dome type tent. The only problem I see is no apparent allowance for wood burning camping stove so in colder climates, or dead winter in much of the US, it could be a problem.

The "Deluxe Alaknak™ II Tent" ( http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...arentType=index&parentId=cat550002&id=0005884 ) also looks very interesting. Basically a synthetic fiber wall tent so it should have more moisture resistance in rainy climates and (possibly more important) it should be much lighter and thus easier to set up and maneuver. I'm sure the material is probably pretty heavy duty, however I suspect it wouldn't be as good as a wall tent for long term use. Otherwise it should have most to all of the advantages of the canvas wall tents.

The "Big Horn™ II Tent" also looks interesting, but pretty expensive ($600 without the stove, $650 with the stove).

Also the modular wall tent seems to be synthetic fiber as well, and allow you to use one tent in different potential configurations for decent flexibility.

Of course, something still tells me that their standard canvas wall tent might just be the best long term option for any long term that includes winter. Get that and add the "Cook shack" and you now have two rooms, and more apparent flexibility. They also offer a "blend" with the duck canvas top and lighter sythetic walls to cut weight but adds price.

Hmm...Not to hyjack Nematocyst's thread, but of the Cabela's options, which looks best, especially for someone who may want the ability to set up alone?

 

[clt46910]

Personally, I like the wall tent with a frame. Used them before and like them. The Alaknak would be a close second. Never used one before but looks like it would be comfortable over an extented period. I would use a separate cooking fly/tent reqardless which one I had. I found it just makes a more comfortable and safer camp to keep the cooking away from the sleeping areas.

 

[AStone]

Hmm...Not to hyjack Nematocyst's thread, but of the Cabela's options, which looks best, especially for someone who may want the ability to set up alone?

Chaim, that's not hijacking at all. As long as we're discussing larger tents, yurts & domes, maybe with stove, maybe associated with a trailer or vehicle of some kind (camper, travois, ATV...), then I'm happy as a clam.

CLT46910, I see you're relatively new; welcome to THR. Excellent point about keeping the cooking stuff out of the sleeping area. Another reason to do that: bears.

Chaim, you brought a couple of great options to the table. Nice job. I've bookmarked both for more consideration once I get some time. (Extremely busy with a work project right now, but THR is such a pleasant and useful distraction.)

I personally can't answer your question about which one would be easier to put up alone, because I've not seen the frame of either one of them yet. My gut level sense is neither one would be fun to put up alone, especially in a stiff wind, but could be doable if you'd practiced it at home first. (Ever watch someone at a campground that had obviously just left JackMart with a spiffy new camping tent, but has never put it up before? Great sitcom material.)

The Alaknak appears to me to be something like a more traditional wall tent - those vertical side walls give that away - but the waterproof material appeals to me living in the Pac NW, & the extra peaked roof would be great for shedding precipitation. My greatest concern - and it's merely a question, cause i've got no data - would be durability. I know from experience that if tents, especially those in the lighter weight synthetic fabrics, aren't sown and designed very well, they can be less durable than heavier wall tents (assuming reasonable maintenance).

The XWT looks very appealing too, aside from the lack of stove option. But it would undoubtedly shed winds much better than a wall tent. If I'm going to be in a windy area, especially high sustained winds, give me a dome any day. (That's part of the reason I want to look at yurts & geodesic domes: their wind shedding potential exceeds wall tents by a considerable margin. And, with a yurt at least, stoves are an option).

The XWT looks very similar in design (though not size) to some smaller backpacking tents. My Moss Olympic comes to mind. (Can't find a picture of it; appears that Moss has been bought by MSR... but that's another story.) My olympic is an 8 lb, 3 person dome tent with internal frame & a separate rainfly that is just bombproof. I've weathered horrific storms in it above the tree line in CO & NM. It also has a large vestibule, like the XWT. It's downside for SHTF extended use is size & height: you can sit up right in it, but forget about standing unless you're a 6 year old.

The XWT was no doubt influenced and/or motivated by that. I can't tell exactly what the roof height is for the XWT, though. Cabela's doesn't list it.

I can't stress the importance of stability in wind enough, especially for anyone living west of the Mississippi. Those of you in the east, with lots of woods & hedgerows just can't know what it's like.

One might expect that in Oregon, there are lots of trees. Yes, in the western 1/3 of the state, that's true: rainforests. But in the eastern 2/3, it's great basin desert: big open country. Same in the states east of here. I don't even want to think of setting up a wall tent on an open plain in winter out there. Sure, if it's guyed out really well, it'll work. Or if you can find a windbreak. But the problem with windbreaks is, what if you get hit by a "backdoor" front: one coming in from the east with your windbreak on the west of you. (Been there, done that; unpleasant experience.)

So for out there, I want a shelter than eats wind for lunch and dinner then cries for more. Again, I utter the words: yurt & dome.

The yurt evolved on the great plains of Mongolia and related lands. They are round, and shed wind very well while still having a tall roof. They just don't seem to be very popular here, at least in more portable versions.

Here's a cool example that I just found. It appears they don't sell them here anymore, and I can't speak to water resistance/proofness. That'll take some more research. But you can get an idea about them. Don't they look cozy? Check out the thickness of the walls. And I'll bet it'll stand up to winds that will take a wall tent down.

Hmmm...do I see a business opportunity there...?

Edit: check this out.

 

[DelayedReaction]

My situation is dissimilar to yours, in that I'm a single young man who would probably end up going solo. Since I live in the middle of the MD/DC/VA suburbian hellhole, the chances of me getting out anywhere via car are practically nonexistant. To me that means a portable system that can in my pack.

There's a company that makes a product called a "Hennessy Hammock" (http://www.hennessyhammock.com/) which has received extremely good reviews. It's a covered hammock that's suitable for a variety of seasonal camping (you can get an insulated bottom layer for cold weather operations), and is lightweight and easy to set up. Although not necessarily an idealized structure, for someone who intends to be constantly moving it should function well.