These Belgian shelter-halves are a brilliant vintage choice for the outdoors gentleman: a multi-purpose magic item that works as a rain poncho on the move and a shelter when you stop for a break or the night.

In ye olden days, soldiers were often issued with half a tent each and when the time came, they would pair up to assemble their tent and crawl into it to escape the hard world.

The Belgian Shelter Half

These Belgian Zeltbahns are traditionally shaped and the camo pattern is from the '50s, originally designed for the Para Commandos. While the pattern doesn't look that special standing next to it, its white "offprints" together with interlocking areas of color create a 3D-effect from any reasonable distance, fooling your eyes and breaking the form. Having gone through small refinements in the '70s and in 1999, the Jigsaw pattern is in service even today.

The set would normally comprise of the shelter half, a carrying bag that doubles as a hood, a multi-piece pole, and some pegs and guylines. Available now are only the shelter fabrics themselves.

Use as a rain poncho, lavvu, or tent

The shape is different from rectangular models, as it's a convex polygon. This allows your shelter to have ends to enclose you better and shield you from exposure. The fabric has openings for the arms and a drawstring to tighten the loosely buttoned "tube" above your shoulders.

You will need two shelter halves as well as two poles, two guylines, and eight stakes to pitch a tent. The poles should be about one meter (40") each so if you have NVA poles, six pieces in total will do the trick. After tightening the guylines, simply stake the corners into the ground and finally the ends.

Choose shorter poles for a single shelter, you'll still need six stakes and two guylines. Even this variation has some decent length to it, and the long side, as well as the ends, reach the ground.

Technical specifications

The fabric is heavy and dense tent canvas, most likely some synthetic with cotton. These have been waterproof by default, at least when the fibers swell a bit and the shelter is taut. You may want to treat it with some wax to be sure.

Evil Belgian Surplus

These have been used and smell awful, you may also be treated to some authentic Belgian mud. The buttonholes are definitely broken in, some grommets or buttons may be missing. By no means are these a lost cause: wash, air, and prepare for some small repairs, and you have a perfectly serviceable European invisibility cloak in your hands!

Please note, these are sold as single fabrics (e.g. a half of full) and do not come with any accessories.