Here is a topic for you ...

Well - the quick answer is - GO HOME. There is NO situation where I would live with a group of people in the middle of a city and sleep in a tent. I would simply remove myself from a situation that would be untolerable and dangerous (you mentioned gangs and thugs) to me personally.

I am of the opinion that staying in a large city when the SHTF is a bad idea - but that kinda colors my opinion 🙂

I was more wondering what would they use to actually stay in the tents. More what kind of winter equipment? And they can't use open flames to heat their food, so I think they'd need to get some rations, maybe some of the self heating kinds.

I'm not sure it's gonna make a difference...many Canadian cities have already evicted the protesters and many more are considering it. In Montreal, I believe they received a sizeable donation and have used some of the money for camp stoves & heaters etc...I also read a report somewhere that Montreal protesters were gathering wood in the form of pallets, etc...in order to build more permanent structures for the winter...IMHO, I hope the city evicts them before this happens. I really don't think that any of these people really knows what they want...or what exactly they are protesting.

I also heard the Montreal protesters received two arctic winter army tents. I've seen some pretty nice ones, with stoves specifically designed for those tents.

What do you want to know about living in a Tent in the Winter?
I have done so in the past on more than one occasion, and will do so again soon.

How long have you stayed in the tent?

Lived in Tents,
all told total time or per occurrence?

From Artic Warefare and Artic Survival, pre military including Cadets, military training in the Prairies and Northern Ontario, post military in BC and Mid level Ontario, quite a bit of time. Now to be fare some of the time in the military was in Tents, in Underground Shelters, in Vehicles and in some shell scrapes, under ground sheets and in Bivi Bags, all told, about 2.5 yrs total under tents or ground sheets. Longest stretch was aprox 4 months, though there were some times in Vehicles and trenches as well.

Least comfortable was the time in the hammock and time on the side of the Mountain in the Peranies/Peraneese (sp) Mountain Range in France. In France I had a new sleeping mat and it was slippery, although warm if you stayed on it all night! The Hammock was the get in and it wraps around you type, not the type with the wooden rod top and bottom that keeps the mesh away from your face and makes it easier when you have to get up quickly to pee in the middle of the night 0_o

Thinking on it some more, the total might be about 2 yrs higher as I forgot to add in Winter Camping and Spring, Summer and Fall camping both during my time in the Military and Pre Military and post military. Really not 100% sure, but from 3.5-6yrs total?? Now when in the Military, there is a lot of activity under Canvas as well, from Command Post vehicles with Canvas tents/coverings to the Mess Hall and Recreation Facilities under Canvas in the long Military Canvas Shelters.

That also includes the times that I made Debris Hut / Wickup and other related survival shelters, during the summer and winter months.

I have also lived full time in a School Bus Converted into Camper / storage with 100+ birds, 1 cat and 2 dogs! DO NOT ASK ABOUT THAT.... SECOND EX WIFE!!!!!!

Now living full time in my Truck Camper since the early spring, late winter time.

Last month I picked up a Canvas Tent, 4 season tent with an internal and external frame structure, that is similar to the Prospectors Tents. This Tent I will take up to the property in th winter time on the back of a Ski Do trailer. This tent will be winterized by the addition of a aluminium internal framework to give it a bit more structure, along with the addition of Durofoam insulation and a Parachute/Silk liner to keep heat in and the liner to trap more heat in the space. The windows will have 2 layers of Optix sheeting, inside and out for lighting and keeping the heat in and cold out.

So to sum it up a bit of time, out of the traditional sticks and bricks houses.

If I found myself homeless and living in a tent city with a bunch of strangers I would carry all my personal effects on me, so that if I had to jump and run I wouldn't have to repack and scramble for assorted bags, maybe just one that I could sling from shoulder to hip.

I'd dress in layers, thermal underwear or tights, first. One or two pair of pants/jeans. Flannel shirt, wool sweater, multi-pocketed vest (like a fisherman's vest. got one), large overcoat with more pockets. Cotton socks, then wool socks, mukluks (felt liner, warmest boots I ever had while in Edmonton), a tie-on hat (I like those ones with the ear flaps), wool scarf, leather work mitts big enough for liner gloves. (make sure the mitts are pinned to your cuffs. lol.) Rain poncho, and/or wool blanket. Wool will keep you warm even if it gets wet.

I'd have lots of pockets for the small flat stuff (id and money!), use carry bag for bulky stuff like another water bottle, more of what I put in the pockets: snacks, 1st aid, vitamins, reading book & a crossword book, journal, toiletries, extra underwear, sewing kit, tools, s/s camp cup, whatever... twist ties and bubblegum.

It's important to keep your clothes clean, the ones next to your body for continued warmth, the outer ones for appearances, so I'd spend an inordinate amount of time in laundromats. Practically grew up in them, so I know the key to survival: hoovering. lol. Never leave your clothes alone, get a cloth and wipe down the appliances, and counters, act like you belong there, and that you have standards.

As I have some hand-sewing skills I would create interior pockets in the overcoat for storing long things such a weapon of some type: pry bar, screw driver...

I have been fortunate in my life that being tall and rather severe looking (particularly when under stress) that people tend to leave me alone. Well, having said that when I was younger (and still emitting hormones. lol.) I did have a few weird guys trying to chat me up, but glaring and not responding drives people away. lol. It's only been in my middle age that women have started chatting to me, must be that motherly aura I have... no.

Well, I gotta run, laundry's done.
Good topic.

Have a back up location such as a bus stop or train station with some cloths, cash etc. Or have a vehicle that nobody knows about, store it there.

I am thinking about the Occupy movement, I read where it said homeless, if you can afford to go and get a small van even, your not homeless, turn it into a Home, shelter.

Good post vanislemom, that is the type of information that I wanted to show in this thread. Because if there is a natural disaster, there will be time between you leaving your house, and getting out to the country. (of course, if you already have an escape property, then you're okay, but not everyone does).

And living in a van, down by a river has worked for others 🙂 (anyone catch the reference?)

And living in a van, down by a river has worked for others 🙂 (anyone catch the reference?)

Do you mean the survivalist blog? Yes he did that and several thousand others as well do that every day. I live in my Bug out Vehicle everyday at the back of an old farm and love it! Much better than the sticks and bricks that I used to dwell in. This place also feels like home in more ways than one.

What do you want to know about living in a Tent in the Winter?
I have done so in the past on more than one occasion, and will do so again soon.

I hear ya WildernessReturn. 17 years with the Patricia's meant a lot of time under canvas. Any experienced field soldier who's switched on is a valuable resource for those who want to learn about living on the ground.