What failed the first time you tried natural tinder in wet conditions? What corrected it?

I think I fell upon this site in December. At some point, January had a bow drill fire challenge. Better late than never lol

Objective: Develop deliberate environmental awareness and decision discipline.Core Skill: Decision dominance before movement. Training Primer (Post This at the Start of the Week) The OODA Loop was developed by Colonel John Boyd as a decision-cycle model: - Observe – Gather data. - Orient – Interpret the data through experience and context. - Decide – Choose a course of action. - Act – Execute. - Repeat. Most people skip Observe and rush to Act. This week is about slowing down your reaction cycle and strengthening perception. CRAWL PHASE: Controlled Awareness Development Task: Spend 20 uninterrupted minutes outdoors. No phone. No music. No multitasking. You must identify and document: 1. High ground (relative, not absolute) 2. Water flow direction 3. Wind indicators 4. Likely animal travel corridors 5. One hazard feature (deadfall, unstable slope, exposure risk, etc.) Additional Required Observations: - Sun position and approximate time of day - Noise layers (natural vs man-made) - Ground moisture condition - 3 micro-terrain features (small depressions, subtle rises, drainage cuts) Deliverable: Post a written After-Action Note (AAN) in Skool: - What did you initially miss? - What changed after 10 minutes? - What surprised you? Standard: You should notice at least 3 things you did not see in the first 2 minutes. If not — you were not observing deeply enough. WALK PHASE Applied OODA During Movement Task: Conduct a 1-mile terrain walk without headphones or digital navigation. Every 200–300 meters, you must consciously cycle OODA. At Each OODA Cycle: Observe: - Terrain ahead - Terrain behind - Terrain above (canopy / skyline) - Sound shift - Light shift Orient: - If weather changes, where is shelter? - If injured here, what’s your exfil plan? - If darkness fell now, what changes? Decide: - Adjust route? - Increase/decrease pace? - Shift position on trail? Act: - Execute that decision immediately.

Battery dies at 1700. Overcast. Mixed hardwood forest. You have 90 minutes of daylight. What are your first three priorities — in order — and why?

Crawl → Walk → Run Shelter Deployment With and Without Natural Anchors Objective: Develop shelter deployment skills using both natural anchor points (trees) and self-supported / free-standing methods. Emphasis on adaptability, wind discipline, and rapid site assessment. TRAINING FOCUS - Anchor-based vs free-standing geometry - Ridgeline vs center-pole concepts - Stake angles and tension mechanics - Wind direction management - Deployment speed under pressure - Resource improvisation CRAWL PHASE — Anchored A-Frame + Free-Standing Plow Point PART 1 — Anchored A-Frame Conditions - 2 trees - Standard ridgeline setup - No time limit - Calm weather Standard - Tight ridgeline - Symmetrical pitch - Low weather profile (no high picnic mode) - 45° stake angles Submission:Front + side photo + ridgeline detail PART 2 — Free-Standing Plow Point (No Trees) Now remove the crutch. Conditions - No trees or vertical supports - You may use: - Must rely entirely on stakes + tension Standard - One elevated center point - All other points staked - Wind-facing side low - Fabric tensioned evenly Key Teaching Point:Free-standing requires understanding force vectors — the tarp is now a tension structure, not a suspended structure. Submission: - Full view - Center pole detail - Stake angle detail AAR:Which was easier to tension? Why? WALK PHASE — Three Configurations (Including One Fully Free-Standing) Task Deploy three configurations: Required: 1. Anchored A-Frame 2. Lean-To (anchored) 3. Fully free-standing configuration Approved free-standing options: - Plow point with center pole - Modified pyramid - Tarp tent with two trekking poles - Flying diamond (ground anchored only) Conditions - Reset tarp each time - No pre-tied ridge system - Evaluate wind direction before pitching - Must be functional weather shelter Standard - Stable in moderate wind - Tight tension lines - No excessive sag - Realistic survival pitch (low and weather-oriented)