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A basha or hootch is a specially constructed waterproof sheet designed to be used as part of a shelter or bivouac. DesignThe material used is lightweight (compared to a groundsheet for example) but generally completely waterproof and almost always rectangular. Eyelets or loops of cord are present at the corners and along the edges of the sheet, and may also be present along the centre line and at other places. On some designs there are poppers present along the edges of the sheet, allowing several to be attached together. UseA basha is designed to be used in the topmost part of a shelter, placed over the rest, to keep out precipitation and possibly wind. It can be used as part of a bivouac with a groundsheet and possibly other materials, it can be used to provide roofing over a hammock, or as a rain shelter over a cooking or storage area. It is not designed to be used as a groundsheet (to be placed on the ground), as a basha is generally much more expensive due to it's specialised design, and may be less rugged. With cordage of some sort, it may be suspended between two trees using the attached loops (this is one of their main purposes). However, this is by no means the only way of securing it; it can be used with poles to make a tent like structure (walking or trekking poles tend to work reasonably well) or in a very wide variety of other ways; it's versatility is one of it's main features. Pros and ConsPossibly the best feature of a basha is it's versatility. It can be used in a wide variety of situations and in many ways. It's ease of use is another feature. Though a tent for example would be far easier to erect as a sleeping shelter, it would be almost useless to keep rain off someone chopping wood, whereas a basha could be used with reasonable ease in both cases. It is this reasonable level of convenience for a wide range of tasks that makes the basha useful. That having been said, where specialised equipment is available, using a basha will generally be more difficult to use and less effective; for example bivouacking with a basha instead of using a tent will usually be less comfortable and more time consuming. Though designed to be lightweight, taking everything required to ensure the basha can be used will often make it heavier than the alternative, for example, with poles and a groundsheet it may be heavier than a tent. It really comes into its own when it can be used alongside natural materials (using sticks or trees and supports for example), saving weight on having to carry artificial alternatives. |