Finally got my OPSEC poncho out in the woods for a checkout.
Purpose of this exercise was to see if I could really survive with the survival gear I regularly carry (in the Kifaru Scout ruck in the pictures). Temp 15-20 deg F., light snow falling, 4-6 inches of snow already on the ground.
Executive summary -- I made it through the night.
Set up the poncho as a windbreak as specified in Jasper's "6 Ways In, 12 Ways Out" (boy am I really glad I read that book before trying this). Got a fire going, slept on top of the space blankets (one is an AMK Bivy sack) in my clothes (mostly second-hand wool outdoor gear from thrift shops).
Not the best night's sleep I ever got, but I did feel rested enough to spend most of the next day hiking around, and I could have done more if I'd had to.
This is working for me. There really isn't anything much larger that you can throw in a small ruck (the Kifaru Scout is around 1300 c.i., and I have a bunch of other stuff jammed in there), let alone in a cargo pocket.
It's like a camera (or a knife or a gun). Got one with more features at home? Yeah, I do too. I got this one with me right now.
What do you got? :-) P.H. Minneapolis, MN
