PONCHOS

A poncho is an incredibly lightweight piece of gear that can address many different needs in your kit, such as:

- Emergency shelter
- Hammock
- Tarp
- Solar still cover
- Litter
- Ground sheets
- Protection from the rain... Obviously

Tents are cumbersome, you won't be bringing one. It's just unreasonable in a survival situation. Invest in a good poncho and you'll be better off - it's a functional tent in your pocket!

Rain jackets (preferably Goretex) still function way better for keeping you dry in the rain, but you can't use them in as many different ways.

Multicam as opposed to woodland camo. Woodland is too dark for most environments in the US.

Recommendations

Basic, common, does the job just fine: USGI Poncho

Cheap, super light, but no camo: Silnylon Poncho

If you are going into the woods often and need to get a lot of use out of it, then the canvas Soviet type ponchos are much tougher and can be repaired more readily. Their downside is weight.

Here's a nice, affordable German one.