By: Blonde Two
Storm shelter, bothy bag, mountain shelter, group shelter…
All of these names refer to the same, very useful and often necessary, piece of walking kit.
A group shelter is just that, it is a single skin nylon shelter (think tent flysheet) that you can fit your group into if:
a) They are getting cold and wet.
b) One of them is injured.
c) They are annoying (in this case, you would stay on the outside).
We Blondes have used group shelters many times, in many different (and some emergency) situations and never cease to be surprised by how quickly they can warm up a group of chilly people (some of this warmth comes from giggling whilst everybody tries to organise their limbs into a rather constricted space). You can scientifically test the efficaciousness of a group shelter, all you need is:
a) A cold, wet moor (plenty of those to choose from)
b) Six grumpy, staring at the floor, shuffling teenagers (plenty of those around too!)
c) Some food (you will have to bring your own)
d) About ten minutes.
What you need to do is take the six grumpy teenagers and instruct them on the gentle art of getting into the storm shelter. GRAB-UP-DOWN-SIT! Once they are inside (never enter a shelter with a grumpy teenager, bring your own) chuck in some food and sit back and listen. Three things will happen:
a) The volume and number of voices will rise in direct correlation to the internal temperature of the shelter.
b) They will forget that you are there and you will pick up lots of ‘don’t tell the adults’ bits of conversation.
c) When they emerge the grumpy teenagers will have been replaced by smily, ready-to-go ones.
So a storm shelter is well worth the investment (they aren’t that cheap). You can get different sizes and we would recommend orange (by far the best colour to spot from a distance). Blonde One and I had a bit of fun checking one out at Cotswold Outdoor in Exeter the other day. We had even more fun trying to get it neatly back into the bag!!
PS If you or someone in your group is carrying a tent outer (or indeed if you own a cape), you can use this in exactly the same way; but it won’t have the exciting window or the mysterious sticking-up bits!
An astute post, and nice to see experience describing the advantages of the bothy-bag for all to consider. Although likely to be known by walking group leaders (all should surely have one), I believe this is a much underestimated bit of kit and almost forgotten in the minds of the solo what-kit-do-I-buy-next traveller. I’d rather have one of these in my pack that the so-called survival-bag, which I think much less useful. The effects of being in a bothy-bag can be magical upon a group but there is considerable scope for that magic to be enjoyed by the solitary bimbler too. I have used my Terra Nova Bothy 2 many many times since purchase over 15 years ago, almost always alone, but the improvement on morale for one is no less than that enjoyed by shared use. On a wet or windy day the ability anywhere to take shelter that soon warms up and offers a cosy space for a meal-break, map-read, blister dressing or general reorganisation is a cheering wonder. In any situation of concern the advantages are magnified. I agree the cost of smaller models is something for one or two people to consider, but seems less onerous where the advantages that larger models offer 6-8 people or more are taken into account. My two-man model costs £35 from Cotswold Outdoor these days (still worth it) but I see Sports Direct are currently advertising a similar TN product at £18. Again from Cotswold, a 4-man bothy-bag from another manufacturer is also £35 and 8-10 man version £60 so larger group shelters are comparatively economic. There are several manufacturers and perhaps readers of your blog might find products from the lesser-known http://www.summitgear.co.uk/ of interest? I have no connection with the company.
Thanks Rich. We would definitely recommend a bothy-bag to all of our readers and it is interesting to hear how useful they are on solo outings.
[…] One and I have extolled the virtues of bothy bags (storm shelters/group shelter/KISU) to you before. In the hills, whether you have an emergency or […]