Poncho tent shelter

This type of shelter is usually a little better than the lean–to. It also protects you from the elements on two sides. It has, however, less usable space and observation area than a lean-to, what may be a significant drawback in some situations. To make this tent, you need a poncho, two 1.5 to 2.5–metre ropes, six sharpened sticks about 30 centimetres long, and two trees 2 to 3 metres apart.

To make a tent shelter, follow the steps:

• Attach the rope to the center of the cloth on each side – the easiest way will be to make wholes on each side of the cloth. To easily find its center fold the cloth in half; line of folding is the center. If the cloth is too delicate to be tight through wholes, you will simply have to grab handfuls of the cloth on each side and tie small knots on these 'ears'. You will then attach ropes to the knots.
• Tie the other ends of these ropes at about knee height to two trees 2 to 3 metres apart and stretch the cloth tight – be careful not to rip it.
• Draw both sides of the cloth tight and secure them to the ground like in a lean–to described above.

You will almost certainly have to support it in the center. Best way to do that is to build an A–frame inside the tent. Use two long enough sticks, one with a forked end, to form the frame and place it in the middle of the tent. When lying in the tent, you will have one stick from each side of yourself. If you push them a little into the ground they will protect the shelter from your sudden movements.