I absolutely agree with you about wearing camouflage clothing. I want to see wild life. The deer wear camouflage and can't be seen until they move. I move through the forest so quiet they don't know I'm there and I don't break ferns, etc. Stealth is how I operate. Also, my tent is camouflage and all my gear is earth tones. I want to disappear in the forest, especially these days with 2 footed predators out there more than ever. Every other week for the past 3 years, I stealth wild camped where no-one else goes to practice my bug out skills. My BOB has no electronics, except for headlamp and flashlight. Tech adds weight and I'd rather carry that weight in food and water. I am already mentally in the 1800's, so when something happens to put us back there, I'm comfortable with it. I actually prefer it! At first, I carried a NOAA weather radio, but I became do sensitive to the change in pressure and other cues that I can feel when a storm is approaching. I generally get about 5-10 minutes notice to put things put away and take cover. I carry a compass, but I've learned to navigate without it, if need be. Now I understand what it means "skills weigh less". :) I prefer carved oak stakes I make myself over titanium/aluminum takes in very rocky forest soil because they stay in better.

You put forward a couple of new and useful ideas in the video, John. No need to apologise! I noticed a couple of things that could have made you more comfortable, though. First, there was a ton of leaf litter on the forest floor. Next time, gather a large pile of it into a browse bed and stake down your ground cloth on top of the pile. Make it about four inches thick. Your body will compress it, but it will insulate you from the ground and help to soften up those uneven spots you talked about. You can throw a large plastic trash bag into your kit to make gathering the leaf litter easier. Second, try using your water bladder as a pillow! Thanks again. Good to see you out there doing this stuff!

Wilderness Innovation: The BEST Poncho, poncho liner out there. Why the bushcraft community does not know by now, is just crazy. Course, it did take the community a decade to drop the Bahco and go with the Silky. I guess it will take a KZfaqr with a million subscribers to start the trend.

Informative and beneficial video

Good video John; thanks for sharing your knowledge about this speedy setup.

Watching the recce, I kept waiting for you to kick up a copperhead. I could tell the skeeters were at you…like the night of the blanket walking skunk! 🛌🦨🤣

Better quality than you thought when the editing was done! I do not like ponchos because condensation while hiking nullifies their value. I would do the same as you did...but using a tarp. You point out what others have ignored: the poncho/tarp should be fastened so that any rain runs off outside the backlog. A secure low shelter beats no shelter at all in bad weather. Similarly, a fella with a saw and some extra time could section one of the nearby fallen trees to make a quick, low wall along the windward side of the tarp. Next comes the fire and its reflector, set so the wind takes the smoke across the open 'front' of the shelter. Comfort on a camp can be relative, and simple improvements make a 'larger than life' difference. THANKS for taking us along!

A ridge line between two trees and a lean-to configuration is very quick as well. Interesting poncho you have. It looks really long.

Video was fine lots of info toremember. Good set up too

I think your video was fine. You look so tired. Thanks for sharing, God bless

Dont be hard on yourself, i think you did a good job....when you overwhelm yourself with something you enjoy it can become a job.... don't bite off more than you can chew 👍👍

Did you have a pillow Brother John? Seems to be a sensible setup. You did all 3 videos in one day and I watched all 3 in one day! Good job to us both. Blessings.

No need whatsoever to apologise as your demo was well explained and easy to follow. I like to check out the way others set them up in different situations, and that is one I've never used before, but will do if the situation to do so crops up. Personally I use two USGI ponchos for backpacking, one as a waterproof and fair weather shelter, get the other one out to make a fully enclosed shelter studded together (one half of the studs/snaps are a door) for foul and cold weather, and I use a thin German army fold up sit/kneel/sleep mat, for ground insulation, and a lightweight air bed on top for comfort. The sleep mat and poncho are always in my backpack on a long day hike in case of emergency.

any video is better than no video. still learned more so thank you

The log reminded me of Predator when Arnold is under luring beast😂😂😂😂 In permissive sitches I use the inflatable KLMIT Static V Realtree Xtra inside my bag. Total life changer!!! Zzz like a baby……I switched to Repel all natural DEET free Eucalyptus spray years ago and never been bitten. It’s like kryptonite. Great video brother. D😎🇺🇸

You are right about muted colors, in my neck of the woods during early summer olive green is better than most camo patterns.

YES honey I don't wear pink when I go in the woods... why?? Umm it's like your make-up babe, I like to blend in and look pretty like the Trees and the bushes.. ok?.... ok.. LOL. Nice go-no-go on the ponchos multi-use John!. I have to say for years now my use of hammocks has increased a lot and I can concur with you on the No See-Ums I would even go as far as to suggest getting one of those netted face/head hoods they work Great and aren't very much at all (worth the peace & quiet), especially at night when you don't want to hear them going for your ears & nose, etc.. anyway. Sorry to see you not having a gewd day out in the wild, especially when you don't get that many.. But I would love to see the turkey footage, u know how to send it lol... Give my love to the fam, ttyl.. Kyle

Camouflage helps spotting wildlife for sure. :)) God bless you.

I don't know, I could see going through all that if you were on the march and got caught in the rain or in a true emergency situation where you simply had no other choice or deliberately going out to practice your emergency poncho shelter skills. But to carry all that out on a trip as an intentionally planned shelter I'd rather just carry my tiny little $15 one person Arrowhead tent that I saturated with silicone dissolved in mineral spirits and let dry with a added flap over the only weak point in the tent's design the door where the two corners at the bottom of it leaks so now it's a completely bombproof shelter! I've had this thing out in the most ferocious Storms imaginable for multiple days and haven't had a drop of water leak in plus it has such good ventilation adjustments depending on how far you tie the side flaps of the rain fly out it's amazing. Don't get me wrong, it's good to keep up on your emergency poncho shelter skills and all that but where I live when I do get a chance to get out on one of the rare days that's cold enough to actually enjoy camping here in the heat south I'm going for the enjoyment and comfort style camping setup! And mentioning the heat south, if you are brave enough to go out camping here in the spring summer or fall your going to be sweating and slapping mosquitoes and bugs so sheltering under a open poncho isn't really a viable choice, even the USS Alabama battle ship that's docked in the marsh here has screen doors! Hahaha😂 My Arrowhead tent is bug free and waterproof in warm weather and wind resistant warm and snug in the cold weather so it just makes such a good shelter setup to have a tiny little tent, sleeping bag, and comfortable self inflating sleeping mat to cover all your shelter and sleeping comfort needs with minimal trouble and fuss! Of course getting into flooded wet swampy conditions in the summer time now we're talking about hammocks with a mosquito net, but that's a whole other story...

Summer and winter in one week? Sounds like my AO. This coming weekend, although a popular camping time, there is about a 50% or better chance of snow traditionally. Being tired and setting shelter is good practice!

Great video! How did you score a multicam Swagman Roll? I didn't think they were available in the US. Is the OpSec poncho as good as the GI poncho? Thanks, Dan

Great video, Brother ! You kept mentioning an "OpSec" poncho...where can we get one ? Thank you in advance for any reply. Keep up the great work !!!

Great Video,,,!!! One quick question,,,, I’ve seen Shawn Kelly and yourself use the accordion type thermarest ground pads. I’ve used the thermarest self inflating pad for around 30 years. They even roll up smaller then the accordion type. They keep the cold out and are excellent for my back,,, have You ever tried one,,??? Have you started selling your patches yet,,,??? God’s Blessings to You,,, Joshua

Hi. Where did you find a multicam swagman roll? Thank you for the tips

Hello , I would like to know what kind of sleep pad is as I like the way that it fits inside the roll. Happy trails

In cold or wet or windy weather you could have ran the poncho the long side against the tree and blocked it underneath the tree with debris. Have fun stay safe.

Oh dear

Mate, Australia here, what (please) is that “swagman roll”.

👍

Do you eve worry about snakes, predators (coyotes) or other nocturnal creatures coming into your shelter area with that type of hooch-setup?!

We didn’t see your dinner buddy?

Always assume it’s going to rain and keep groundsheet under cover, changing it during an unexpected downpour in the dark is no fun at all…

Why drape it over the log? You lose so much coverage. Rain would just roll round the log anyway so no worries there. A lot of time and effort and coverage wasted.

Turkey are not color blind and they have no sense of smell

First time watching any of your work. A few red flags right off the bat, whats up with the tacti-cool gear? In a combat situation, meh, maybe… even at that a greyman look is better suited as the choice of true professionals. Tacti-cool tends to make you a target (i mean, larp all you want, just dont leave your property unless youre actively attempting to put people on edge) Next, “your secret place” thats some stuff my kid said back in middle school. What finally made me turn your video off was the threading of the 550 the long way after tying on the stick; even worse, you snapped the stick short enough that the sharp ends will stab and rip holes in your poncho in the wind when there are two apropriate methods: 1- longer sticks so the ends are far enough off the tarp so not to stab into the fabric. 2- take your knife and round of those ends… so they dont stab and rip your fabric. Again, first time seeing your work, red flags screaming “poser” all over the place. Skill up or do a better job teaching those skills. As youre currently teaching, there will be failures in the field. And in the wrong set of circumstances, thats a life in danger by hypothermia.