Primitive Technology: Round Hut Shelter

Building a Permanent and Spacious Jungle Shelter with Clay Walls and a Palm Frond Roof

Shelter is always one of the top priorities in a survival situation, and if you don't have manmade protection against the elements, you'll need to improvise. A simple lean-to shelter provides a good short-term solution, but if you're going to be off the grid for an extended period, it's worthwhile to invest more time into a structure that's more spacious and durable.

In his latest YouTube video, the host of Primitive Technology builds a round hut shelter from naturally-occurring materials in his surrounding rainforest environment. The A-frame shelter he previously built had been damaged by heavy rainfall and moths, so he starts from scratch with a larger cylindrical shelter and conical roof.

According to the video description, this round hut shelter consists of 12 wooden posts and an incredible 700 palm fronds split in half. The walls are constructed from Loya cane, a jungle vine, which is woven between the posts and covered in clay from the soil. A drainage ditch is also dug around the exterior of the shelter, providing a gutter for rain that runs off the thatched roof.

Check out the video below and keep this technique in mind if you find yourself in need of a long-term survival shelter.


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Patrick McCarthy: Patrick McCarthy is the Editor of RECOIL OFFGRID. He currently resides in Arizona, and enjoys hiking, camping, shooting, and snapping photos along the way. You can follow his latest projects on Instagram at @pmccarthy10.