There is nothing worse than getting doused by an unexpected rain shower. Whether your vehicle breaks down unexpectedly or you are out on the hiking and backpacking trails when rain strikes, having an emergency poncho on hand can help you stay comfortable and even save your life by defending against hypothermia. There is no need to pay for an expensive ready-packed poncho that may flap around and get you wet instead of protecting against the rain. You can make your own emergency poncho, which packs down smaller than anything you would buy in a store and is completely waterproof, with nothing more than a large plastic garbage bag and some scissors.
Instructions
1. Open the garbage bag completely, then lay it out flat. Smooth out any wrinkles.
2. Fold the bag once lengthwise, so that the two bottom corners and the two top corners come together. Carefully crease the bag so that the fold running down the middle of the bag is tidy and even.
3. Trim the folded corner off the bottom side of the bag, so that when you unfold it there will be a hole in the center bottom of the bag. How much of the corner you trim off depends on the size of your head. Start with cutting off about 3 inches of the bag, then expand as necessary once you try the bag on.
4. Unfold the bag and lay it flat again, with the hole you made facing up.
5. Make two vertical slits, one in each side seam of the bag. Each slit should measure about 6 inches long. These are the arm holes.
6. Try your poncho on and expand the size of the arm or head holes if necessary. Make sure that you are wearing your typical outdoor gear when you try it on, because that is what you are likely to have on when the poncho needs to go on in a hurry.
7. Slit up the sides of the poncho from its bottom--which used to be the top of the garbage bag--if necessary, to make moving easier. Tall people may not need to do this, but shorter people probably will. You can also trim away several inches from the bottom of the bag if you would like it to be shorter.
8. Fold your poncho up and tuck it in your vehicle's glove box or in your day pack so that it is always available when you need it.
Tags: about inches, emergency poncho, your poncho, your vehicle