Tarp shelters are one of those skills where watching someone actually do it beats reading about it, so we’ve rounded up the most-watched YouTube videos on the subject. This list is ranked by real YouTube view count, from a mega-viral winter camping film with over 26 million views down to solid demonstrations with well over a million.
Across these ten videos you’ll find a mix of quick field tricks, step-by-step tutorials, multi-setup overviews, and long immersive bushcraft camping trips. Whether you want a two-minute answer or a half-hour deep-dive by the fire, there’s something here for you.
1. Making a Simple Survival Shelter CRAZY Warm! Winter Bushcraft Camping & Cooking
Outdoor Boys · 26.6M views · 27:50 · 2022
The runaway most-watched video on this list by a huge margin, this Outdoor Boys film is a full winter bushcraft camping trip built around making a simple shelter surprisingly warm. At nearly 28 minutes with cooking and overnight footage, it suits viewers who want an entertaining, immersive watch rather than a quick tutorial.
2. How to Tie Truckers Hitch Survival Knots — Tarp Shelter
The Prepared · 3.8M views · 6:29 · 2017
A short, focused tutorial from The Prepared in which survival expert Jessie Krebs demonstrates knot work for rigging a tarp between two trees. At just over six minutes, it's ideal if you want a clean, instructional video without the camping-trip extras.
3. How To Setup A Tarp Using No Knots – "Quick Trick"
IntenseAngler · 3.3M views · 1:40 · 2015
The fastest answer on the list: a sub-two-minute 'Quick Trick' episode from IntenseAngler showing a knot-free way to attach a tarp to a ridgeline. Perfect for viewers who want one simple technique they can absorb in a single viewing.
4. Building a Warm Shelter to Survive HEAVY SNOW: 3 Day Winter Camping
TRUE NORTH · 2.6M views · 34:05 · 2024
A long-form winter camping film from TRUE NORTH documenting three days in heavy snow with a warm bushcraft shelter as the centerpiece. At 34 minutes, this one is for viewers who enjoy the full trip experience – shelter, weather, and camp life – rather than a tight how-to.
5. Fully Enclosed Tarp Configuration • Camping Solo in Rain + Cook Steak on Fire
WildBeare · 2.4M views · 11:01 · 2023
WildBeare demonstrates a fully enclosed tarp configuration during a solo rainy campout, complete with fire-cooked steak. At 11 minutes it hits a middle ground: enough detail to study the setup, wrapped in an atmospheric rain-camping video.
6. 15 Shelters with a Tarp | Camping & Bushcraft
TA Outdoors · 2.1M views · 19:52 · 2020
TA Outdoors runs through 15 different tarp shelter configurations in a single video, touching on tarps, ridgelines, and guy lines along the way. At just under 20 minutes, this is the best pick on the list if you want to survey lots of options before committing to one.
7. 5 Tarp Shelter Setups for Bushcraft and Camping in the Woods
TA Outdoors · 1.9M views · 19:03 · 2017
An earlier TA Outdoors video and a close sibling to the one above, this is a step-by-step tutorial covering five tarp setups aimed at bushcraft and camping beginners. At 19 minutes with a methodical pace, it suits someone learning from scratch.
8. The Tarps I use for Bushcraft and Wild Camping. My Top Five Tarp Shelter Set-ups.
Simon, a bloke in the woods · 1.8M views · 24:35 · 2021
Simon, a bloke in the woods, takes a small collection of tarps into the pine forest and walks through his top five setups, explaining what he uses and why. At nearly 25 minutes with a gear-review flavor, it's a good fit for viewers still deciding what tarp to buy.
9. Make A Tent With Floor From A Tarp
Far North Bushcraft And Survival · 1.4M views · 11:19 · 2014
Lonnie of Far North Bushcraft And Survival demonstrates a tarp configuration that folds into a fully enclosed tent with a door and a floor. An 11-minute, no-frills demonstration from 2014 that has held a big audience for a decade – good for viewers wanting one specific, practical setup.
10. Tarp Wall Tent Camping
Steve Wallis · 1.4M views · 22:50 · 2021
Steve Wallis takes a DIY approach, taping together tarps and ratchet straps with the help of 'Crazy Neighbor' to build a makeshift wall tent, then camps in it through a rainy night. At nearly 23 minutes, it's part build, part camping trip, and suits viewers who like humor and experimentation with their instruction.
Ranked by YouTube view count as of November 3, 2026. View counts move around, so the order here reflects the day this list was compiled. All videos belong to their respective creators – watching them here plays them directly from YouTube, so views and any ad revenue still go to the channel.
