How to best use the snow shelter?

[Forksnoken]

I have played The long dark for a couple of years on and off, almost exclusively survival mode, and I have never really gotten the hang of the snow shelter. Under what circumstances and how do you guys use it? If i get lost in a whiteout I find that it is not nearly enough to keep me warm, and while sleeping outdoors I find it easier to just bunk down with the bedroll wherever. 

I play on Stalker mode.

[MrWolf]

The snow shelter gives about 15 degrees of warmth bonus so as you said, it's not usually enough in a blizzard or in early morning cold temps.  There are some good uses, though:

• Cabin Fever:  If you don't have a cave nearby, you can build a snow shelter next to a cabin or building where you can be warm enough to sleep.  Spend as much time in the snow shelter as possible, sleep some in the first part of the night when it's not too cold yet, then go into the building to sleep the rest of the way.  This will help avoid cabin fever when the risk appears, or just in general.
   
• Hunting/Hiding:  Generally it seems you're safe from predators and moose in a snow shelter, but I don't trust it completely.  I've been yanked out of a snow shelter to brawl with a wolf, and I've had wolves walk right past without knowing I'm there.  Your stance might make a difference - if you'r standing when you enter the snow shelter, you're technically still standing inside.  Same with crouching.  You'll notice the difference with a bow if you're not at archery level 5.  If you're standing when you enter the snow shelter, you can shoot the bow while inside it.  If you crouch before you enter, you won't be able to shoot the bow (if not at level 5).
   
• Increasing hours spent outdoors:  This is more of a personal thing, but I like to try and keep my hours spent outdoors higher than my hours spent indoors.  Unfortunately, I've found that passing time or sleeping in the back of a warm cave (cave without a loading screen) counts as hours spent indoors.  If I'm going to spend more than a day or two at a certain area, I build a snow shelter and use it to warm up or spend time during the day, then sleep in it until it becomes too cold and go inside for the early morning hours.

[Forksnoken]

The fact that you can shoot a bow from the shelter and not be attacked by predators seems interesting. Although its scary if its not 100%.  Is it only the bow that works or do revolvers and rifles work also?

[Serenity]

I don't use them much, but they nice in some situations.

Marsh Ridge in FM is also a good example. You can build a snow shelter in the shallow cave for extra warmth and build a fire that you can reach from inside. Then your fire doesn't need to be super hot all the time. For sleeping you can head into the indoor cave close by

[MrWolf]

44 minutes ago, Forksnoken said:

The fact that you can shoot a bow from the shelter and not be attacked by predators seems interesting. Although its scary if its not 100%.  Is it only the bow that works or do revolvers and rifles work also?

I haven't used a gun in a long time, but I believe you can shoot anything from within a snow shelter that you could shoot when you're not in the shelter.  You'll obviously be limited in angle/direction by the size of the opening.

[ManicManiac]

@Forksnoken

Honestly... for me (that is to say - in my opinion), the show shelter is not and was never meant to be a permanent or long-term shelter.  I think that's why it decayed so quickly and that once ruined you couldn't even interact with it any more (but a lot of folks fussed about it - so that changed).  I think show shelters are only really useful as an "emergency last resort, to try to keep from dying of exposure" kind of thing.  I say that because there are caves all over the place... and as long as a player is paying attention to their surroundings they are almost never very far from shelter.

The only time I can think of a show shelter being useful would be if we got lost in blizzard and we found a hollowed out tree.  Since it seems in most cases if there's a blizzard going on I don't know that the snow shelter would get you above freezing on it's own.  That's why I mention the hollowed out tree.  Under this incredibly specific set of circumstances the snow shelter is very useful.

Specifically, I mean you build a fire in the hollowed out tree, get the temperature up, then build a snow shelter in the radius of the heat.  Then once the blizzard passes... break it all down and head out.

 

I know some folks like to use them as a permanent encampment... and if one is vigilant about gathering sticks and repairing it, then it can be.  However, I think that's a bit limiting because if you are ever gone for 4 days... it'll likely be ruined when you get back, and even under in best case scenario if you break it down you will lose at least three cloth every time you do so.  I think it's always more adventurous to find a cave or use another permanent structure for shelter.

 

[Addendum]
Interesting, I didn't know about the hunting thing... that feels like kind of cheap tactic to me.  Don't get me wrong that's an interesting feature and use of the shelter... but not one I would ever use.  I just can't justify to myself wasting three cloth to make what would effectively be used as a hunter's blind. 

Edited May 25, 2020 by ManicManiac

[odium]

i personally dont find much use for them at all.  it is very expensive to use them every time CF warning comes up, cloth is too precious on loper to be burning it up to sleep outside.  fishing huts and caves are much better, seeing as all three require fire in the coldest weather.  i have seen some decent setups with mostly wind proof fires set in front of the snow shelter but i still cant justify the resources.  nonetheless i do carry 5 cloth at all times just in case i absolutely need to throw one up.  im constantly grabbing sticks so im never much more than 5-10 sticks from the 15.  

[Dr. S.]

The only time I ever used a snow shelter was an interloper run where I didn't find a bedroll until about day 25. 

[odizzido]

You can sleep in a snow shelter without a bed roll?

[odium]

56 minutes ago, odizzido said:

You can sleep in a snow shelter without a bed roll?

i do believe you can yes, albeit rather cold, you would likely need a fire

[odizzido]

At least it's an option and the more the better. I've always felt very limited in where we can sleep. 

[GarlicPops]

To be completely honest with you, I think snow shelters should only be used in ABSOLUTE emergencies, since, as other people already mentioned, you are going to end up spending at least 3 cloth to make one.

It doesn't seem like much but cloth is one of the limiting factors for long term survival and every piece of cloth you waste on snow shelters is less cloth to repair your top tier clothing in the far future.

I personally only bring materials for a snow shelter in dangerous regions like TM, PV, HRV or FM where getting caught in a blizzard can mean death.

When it comes to Cabin Fever I don't believe using snow shelters is a good option to deal with it, most regions have cars and caves you can sleep in and spending a day or two cooking food or boiling water outdoors is normally enough to fend it off.

In a nutshell, snow shelters should only be used in absolute emergencies, while it is better to lose 3 cloth than dying they are way too expensive for my tastes and shouldn't be used in any other situation, specially on Loper.

[Gun Tech.]

MrWolf wrote a good post, +1. I used to never use them, didn't see the point. But this year I started using them and found quite a few uses for them.

You can duck in them temporarily while killing a Timberwolf pack or a moose, and it will give you a few seconds of breathing room in complete safety before they come back for more, so that you can observe and pop out to get a hit.

It's pretty hard to find the right spot, but they can be used to prolong fireless outdoor Workbench crafting sessions.

In CH and DP which have no outdoor caves, they can be used to cook with a low-temp fire, letting you ward off cabin fever by getting cold slower, and this is the general use if you need multiple cooking spots + outdoor fire bonus and the nearby indoor location doesn't have that.

Another general use is to place one mid-way between two indoor locations. In BI, which can be excruciatingly cold and windy even with the best crafted clothing, you might have to, to not run out of warm-up bonuses just from a hunting trip checking the moose spots.

An important note is that you are NOT safe from bears in a snow shelter.

You can light a fire in front of the snow shelter where you can do cooking without leaving it, if the ground is flat or leaning towards the opening. When exiting, you won't step in the fire and get burns. The game will place you on top of the snow shelter to avoid this.

Edited May 27, 2020 by Gun Tech.

[ajb1978]

If you know all the maps backwards and forwards to the extent that you would feel comfortable navigating FM in the middle of a raging blizzard at night, snow shelters really have nothing to offer that you can't get elsewhere.  You're never so far from anything that a snow shelter is absolutely necessary.  They might save your bacon if you are completely turned around and hopeless though. Although I would personally choose to spend those 45 minutes out in a blizzard reaching a cave or something, than building a snow shelter that by itself probably won't even be enough.  Even if you have absolutely no idea where you are, just pick a direction and walk in a straight line.  Even in HRV you're never far from shelter.

[Ice Hole]

One of the best Snow Shelters I have used on interloper.  Starting in DP can be daunting.  The closest bed is at Misanthropes.  You can take a chance in a car but the wind usually changes and takes out the fire. 

Just outside the mine entrance.

From this spot I can usually make it to the Fishing Cabins easily.  The fire can be blown out but it is rare.  If I find the hack saw in DP and the Heavy Hammer in CH then this shelter serves double duty.  Grab all the cattails and head right back to the Riken to pound out a knife and arrowheads.

Edited May 27, 2020 by Ice Hole

[Dan_]

Yep, I echo the opinions on this very thread. Snow shelters are not really useful unless you're completely turned around and desperate. It's always better to try and keep moving and find a cave or shelter with the 45 minutes it takes to build one. The cloth cost really isn't a factor if you beachcomb, you can find those back easily.

I like the view from inside the snow shelter, so I usually go camping with it. 🤣 I know, it's silly but you can get to a corner of the map somewhere and plop a snow shelter down, then hunt and survive in that area. It's really fun.  I wish we could craft a teepee. 

[Hotzn]

The snow shelter used to be a necessity on Interloper in earlier versions of the game to achieve certain things. For example, to start in TWM and go straight to the summit without a bedroll. I don't know if in today's version that's still a necessity, since a number of provisional beds have been added to the game later.

[MrWolf]

I'm spending quality Interloper time in Desolation Point right now.  I recently forged my tools and arrowheads and killed the bear and two wolves that hang out near Hibernia.  Next I'll get the light house wolves so I can start curing the hides for the wolf skin coat.  Since I'll be here for a little while, I made a snow shelter that I sleep in as much as I can and generally hang out in if I'm doing things around Hibernia.  The snow shelter isn't required for survival, but one of the things I do in my Interloper runs is try to keep outdoor hours higher than indoor hours and sleeping all or most of the night in the snow shelter really helps with that (and I never get a risk of cabin fever).  When an early morning blizzard comes along and it's too cold to stay in the shelter, I go inside the building to sleep a bit more, craft things, break down crates, or do other things while I warm up.

I built the rock cache just outside the opening of the snow shelter thinking I'd have easier access to a lot of things that way, but it doesn't seem to work.  I can see the label of the rock cache from within the shelter, but clicking doesn't do anything.  Bummer.

Edited May 28, 2020 by MrWolf

[Guest jeffpeng]

Except for combatting cabin fever snow shelters really have quite limited general use. There are, however, a few tricks you can pull off with them on Interloper, maybe the most interesting being to Rush the TWM Summit on Day 2. I also used them quite extensively in one-region-challenges in TWM and FM.

[Derek0311]

A proper snow shelter will maintain a temperature just about from 0C regardless of the outside temperature being -40C.  I’d much rather sleep in a snow cave (which requires no cloth or stick, but I’ll get back to my point) then a tent when winter camping.  Without pissing off TLD overlords ( I know, an impossible task), why should the warmth bonus be tied to a 15C bonus?  It seems strange to me to want a realistic survival game that is difficult but defer to punishment if realism makes it easier.  Maybe we could have a survival game were you’re dropped into the ocean 20 miles off the coast of Hawaii and you have to figure out the rest?  I can’t think of a harder survival scenario while also being true to life.  I guess my real question is, what is the community love affair with punishment over realism?

[UpUpAway95]

If your bedroll gets ruined in an attack, it scraps for 10 cloth... which can give you a shelter and some bandages and a little bit to make repairs to clothing (which you can do safely inside your shelter).

One time, I fell into the ice in FM in a fog.  The wind wasn't an issue at the time and carrying on for any distance was unthinkable.  That shelter and adjacent fire literally saved my life by allowing me ot dry off, sleep and recharge a bit, and wait for the fog to clear before continuing on my journey.

Sometimes, in places like FM and HRV... and now Ash Canyon, stumbling onto one of the abandoned camps (with a snow shelter) can be a godsend... particularly if you don't yet have a bedroll (eg. you started in that zone).  If not totally ruined, they can be repaired with just sticks (Hint:  It's worth repairing them even if you don't plan on using them right away, because sometimes they can save your life as you explore the zone.

In short, they aren't something I use regularly... but when I've needed one, I've been sure glad they were available in the game.

[UpUpAway95]

13 hours ago, Derek0311 said:

  I guess my real question is, what is the community love affair with punishment over realism?

Because enough people already have trouble separating a game (fantasy) from reality.  The last thing the devs want is a bunch of people thinking that playing TLD qualifies them to go out into the Canadian wilderness wearing only a T-shirt, jeans and dress shoes in the dead of winter and survive.   Short answer - it's a game and, therefore, about developing strategies on a digital platform to make the game itself engaging.

[Valuable Hunting Knife]

As someone who is still out of my depth on interloper, I've used the snow shelter when I've been unable to find a bedroll as a way of setting up camp early in the ravine, allowing me to cure a few hides etc., live off bunnies and birch before a crafting run to the dam, so I at least have some decent boots/ gloves and some tea and cattail rations before the run to a forge.

[Bean]

On Interloper the first issue can be to find a bed.  If you’re unlucky enough to spawn in HRV, this is absolutely critical. You can’t survive without a bed roll.  Sometimes there is one of those on that map somewhere but the chances of you finding it before dying isn’t great.  What you can find are sticks, and you can also find cloth and clothing items.  Getting five might be a problem but it’s possible if you enter an ice cave to buy yourself more time.  I’ve built snow shelters to camp out at the base of a cliff im too tired to climb and spent the night in peaceZ..  I’ve also found snow shelters as a newly spawned survivor which sheltered my naked butt at a critical time.  Yes, if you sleep (which adds 5 C) you can survive even a blizzard (on stalker) with only 3C in clothing.  
 

to correct a previous poster, Desolation Point has a couple of beds, some in the whale processing cannery and some in the Riken.  

[UpUpAway95]

18 hours ago, Bean said:

to correct a previous poster, Desolation Point has a couple of beds, some in the whale processing cannery and some in the Riken.  

I think he was actually talking about the connector zone between Desolation Point and Coastal Highway.  It is a fair hike through that connector once you leave the safety of the DP lighthouse.  I believe there is no bed in the basement of the one burned homestead house in that connector zone; and I believe on loper, all the small houses near the Coastal Highway exit can also be burned down... making the closest bed for that journey at Misanthropes.

Edited December 14, 2020 by UpUpAway95