Desert Camping In A Storm, With Haversack Only! 

Like this very much, still a large amount of the population that do not realize thunderstorms do happen in the desert.

Not a fail, James. Powerful lessons learned. You just learned lessons that are taught in the hardest military survival schools. You were prepared and used the water that was given to you. Huge score! You even made time to eat a hot meal, that is a huge morale booster. Remember that you can use the poncho to protect yourself as you walk/march to a target location and that moving will help keep you warm. This was no fail, my friend. Build on this. You did great. I would never have touched that carpet but you made it work for you. Amazing.

The biggest failure is not even trying. Kudos to you for actually going out there and giving it a shot. Especially recording it all for our entertainment. Keep up the good work.

Did you have fun, learn something and didn’t die? Then it’s not a fail.

This is exactly why I watch your channel. I camp, but I'm not an adventurous person. For most of my life, I have been saying, "I can't do that." You are teaching all of us how to say, "Yes, I can do that." Thank you!

Im not going to lie, I love your camping trips. I laughed so hard when you missed the water going in the canteen.

We always seem to learn the most from our fails. You did push your boundaries, no need in staying to the point of it being dangerous. I think I change my pack around after every experiment. Thanks for sharing another great video, keep them coming.

definitely not a fail bro! You learned a lot, taught everyone some lessons to boot! Chin up and be as proud as we are grateful for your contributions!

Definitely not a fail by any means. U made the attempt & it may not have had the desired outcome, u still went out there, learned/had fun. Really enjoyed it sir, thanks for sharing 😎

20:33 Ranger stations to gas stations all over the wilderness regions of America are full of bulletin board pictures of those who failed to exercise a humble heart & take weather seriously. You absolutely did the right thing brother 👊🏼💥Live to venture another day

That tarp configuration is the best to colect water in the center of it. You could put a taller stick into the hood to make it higer, or hang it in a branch. That was a miracle to survive the hypothermia

As someone that lives in the AZ desert I can relate. What would be considered minimalist gear in the woods just doesn't work the same in the open desert where there is no trees to break up the wind and rain, nor to act as anchor points for shelter. I've seen poncho's get ripped to shreds from high winds and the accompanying sand and dirt that gets thrown around in it.

That bedding looked very uncomfortable. I'm glad you chose not to tuff it out, it would have been a very uncomfortable night. I would have used an A-frame tarp shelter, better for shedding off water and you can use one of the corners to drip the rain water directly into a container. I hope your camera and equipment survived! Thanks again for sharing another great video! 👍

LOVE that opening thunder and wind shot. And Cuervo’s music is so good. Awesome. You gotta tie up that poncho hood and get a stick to prop up your poncho.

A few tips, young Friend: 1)When getting rid of the water from the hood of your poncho, direct that water into your canteen cup. 2)When trying to get the water off the flat of your poncho, instead of lifting the poncho from the rear, push down with one finger at the edge while holding your cup directly under your finger. 3)Get yourself one of the new light weight tarps with tie outs. Much more versatile, can be used in a multiple of configurations and settings. Keep the poncho also. You coulda been under the tarp and wrapped in the poncho for emergency. The new tarps weigh very little these days. I find, for myself, I really like a 10'x12' in camo, super useful. 4) Consider one of the heavy duty survival blankets for such circumstances as you were in. I like the ones that are green or camo on one side for stealth reasons. With a tarp & blanket, with poncho, all of the storm would not have mattered. God bless. Happy campin'!!

This was a great video. I think it was great to learn along with you. Yes, a different tarp might have helped but maybe different configurations with that tarp would have worked as well. The other thing I learned on this video was time management, looking back it might have been better to ditch the noodles and use that time to bombproof the shelter then just munch on the clif bar and jerky before bed. Please make more of these videos as they are really valuable, especially since you’re honest and show us the wins and the fails.

I've watched a lot of these type of videos. Your style, pace, and just general personality makes this so much more enjoyable. Great work, great taste in ambient music.

Flip that poncho over. Put the hood to the outside. String up the shelter slanted into the wind so rain wont blow in on you. You can put your cup at the base of the poncho to catch water. That's just a few suggestions from a feller that's slept under tarps, ponchos, & even garbage bags! Keep trying, you'll figure out what works best for you.

Great video! I appreciate that you didn't stay and try to tough it out. Knowing when to leave is important. My tip would have been to bring trekking poles-I bring them almost everywhere. You could have used one for the center of the poncho to give you some headroom and prevent the hood from filling with water. Cheers, Dave.

You called it a FAIL , but I ENJOYED it , jut the same! Thank You JAMES, for another GREAT VIDEO!!!

I'm glad that you gave it a go. You know your limits and gave us a look at what could happen if you're not properly prepared.

What a great example of how being unprepared or even 'under' prepared will beat you! Without the overcast and rain I doubt James would have considered staying the night with no water. That's the reality of the desert. There are a minimum of bush craft skills that apply to the desert - no freakin' trees, very little wood and what are you going to tie a 'ridgeline' to? This is a really good video even though it wasn't what James had in mind! 👍

As many have said, definitely not a fail. It's a great learning experience. Watching your videos makes me always want to go on an adventure!

Great video! And like everyone is saying, if you learn something from it, then it is not a fail. You also showed us that it is OK to know when to call a training mission due to safety which hail and lightening causes a big safety concern. One thing we used to do in the Army when using a poncho for a shelter was to tie the hood closed so it wouldn't leak (there are a lot of videos on how to do this). Once again, great video, keep on keepin' it real...Thanks.

A man should know his limits, and make sure not to break himself or his equipment when he doesn't have to. Good video, and great use of resources.

I’ll reiterate what others have said the only failure is not trying. And like Shawn Kelly of Corp. Corner always says “if it ain’t rainin you ain’t trainin” lol Great video as always

Loved this. When it's all going wrong: "Well, I'm able to gather a good amount of water." 😂 Stay safe and great video.

Good learning experience. Battling the elements is always tough. Nice job, you gained nads of steel on this one.

Great learning experience. I imagine someone has said this in the comments. But you can tie off the hood on the poncho. The bed probably should of been folded in half. And you can use sticks to form a ridge line with rope. Which would cause a better slope for water rain off. Or you could of wore the poncho. And just had a candle to keep you warm. One of those eco lanterns for safety. And maybe in the EDC haversack, maybe an emergency bivy.

You should do a video on tarp shelters. I don't think the one you had up was effective for the rain amounts. Great video and stay safe.

Honestly,i really enjoyed this one even though you consider it a fail. Not every camping trip is gonna be all roses and sunshine. In fact for me the not-according-to-plan ones are the most fun ones,as long as your life isn't in danger. But of course,your life and safety is more important so good decision on calling it quits before the hail comes.

You should always carry a shelter with you doesn't matter if it's a 8 ft by 8 ft piece of visqueen is you can fold it up and do a small compact print and your haversack you got shelter

Stay humble, stay safe. Love the experience though! Nothing beats desert thunderstorms, so beautiful! I'd love to see more emergency tarp experiments too.

That was a brutal one, man! Recently did a catch and cook (inspired by you guys) and a storm rolled in out of nowhere and all i had was my poncho as well. It was covering my hammock, but was too small to completely cover it so i had to ditch the hammock and drop the shelter down. Video doesn't do it justice. I've been in other storms and they can be downright scary at times. Always learn something out of it though. Hit it again next time, bro. I've been wanting to do a haversack only video. Hopefully i don't get the same weather as you got 😂. Still a good video, man! Thanks for keeping it real and sharing it! 👍

You did good with what you had. You had a hot meal, water, and a shelter. Thanks for sharing 😊

I have spent a lot of time in the desert. Anything you can walk away from is not a fail. Great video!

Enjoyed the video James. I appreciate your resourcefulness with what the circumstances gave you. Hey at the end you had a double rainbow 🌈 🌈 😊

Not a fail. You learned, lived and bailed for safety when it got outside your envelope.

Being smart enough too know when too call it, is a survival skill👍

I agree with your decision to bail when you did, but you may want to explore a plow point tarp set up and the hood of the poncho should be on the outside and weighted down or tired up to keep the water out. I really enjoyed this video and would like to see another one like it.

In the words of a Great Singer " You got to know when to hold em , You got to know when to fold em ..)

Live and learn to fail or succeed another day, you earned your centavos out there my friend.

Great challenge for yourself! Even when the trips don't go as planned, you still get tons of experience for the next time! Great video!

Man you did great...dont call it a fail. It is always good to make a decision and to stay safe. No need to push the boundaries. Cheers from Bali and keep up the great adventures

Badass, you’re inspiring me to at least try camping in my backyard…thanks my man. Btw, love the production, music and message.

One lesson from this is to check the weather forecast, and be prepared for the general conditions of the season you are in. Even with a haversack, you can pack the right gear for the climate you expect to be in.

Thanks for putting yourself out there and being honest about your trip. Still provides learning opportunities and figuring out what works is important. Usually with a poncho shelter i sinch and tie the hood in a knot to try to prevent leaks

The world is not a perfect place.the ability to do the best you can with what you have counts for a lot

I loved the rainbow that God gave the video show perfect touch. I love your videos. I learn a lot

Desert conditions are no joke! It's definitely one of the most (if not the most) challenging environments to survive in. When the weather rolls in, with temperature swings and no natural shelters to hunker into or build, it can be awful! I've had to abandon camp too because of my high desert environment misbehaving. I built my shelter too big, high, and drafty, so when the wind kicked up and the sun went down, it was freezing cold and too late to reconstruct! Have you ever considered packing just a silnylon tarp instead of a poncho? I rarely use a poncho myself, and while I totally see it's got versatility, it's never very effective as an actual shelter when the weather hits. One time in the snow, I was using my poncho to protect my campfire and wound up using some cordage to tie up the hood really tightly to keep the snow from dropping through. Would pinning one side of the poncho to the ground with some heavy rocks to protect against the wind be a more efficient shelter? Just some thoughts as I was watching the situation from my cozy desk. These challenges you've been putting yourself through have been so inspiring! I have to try to get out there and test myself (and my kit) soon! Good luck with future adventures, James!

Don't feel bad, your experience pointed out all the needed points to camp safety, albeit comfortably.The hood of the poncho was a great collection center for rain.If you can design cut down a milk (1/2 gallon ,soft juice or soda bottle [tape edges no cut poncho] maybe it catch enough rain to fill your plastic canteen? Your work was slick, steady and flawless.Nice video

You are an HONEST MAN! You know your limits!

Great adventure. I think there is nothing wrong in quit in this situation. Good decision 👍

Great way to end my week! "Now go outside and get your boots dirty!"

Great video, love your desert shows. You did great so be proud. Look forward to your next try.

A great attempt at dining al fresco James! Yes, the haversack contents left you woefully unprepared for those conditions, but it made for a great video!

I'm glad he did this vidja, it was a great example of how hard it can be to get through things on minimalist pack, although I know the fox could have tufted out, lol 👍💪💪

I suppose one lesson learned - a flat strung tarp isn't great in rain. Need to prop it up with something to assist with shedding water, and at the same time create containers to collect said water. Cool video.

JF,...DEFINITELY A WIN. You demonstrated in minutes, what some people dont experience in years. Tarp? Did its job, as much as it could. Bedding was a good attempt and I'm sure would have worked better on a 2nd or 3rd try. Water collection potential of the tarp Well demonstrated. Simply push down with one finger near where your collection container is. Natural funnel. As always, loved the music! The reality of this was that is wasnt real...you could leave. Knowing that changes the mindset, in ALL OF US. If you HAD TO STAY, your head would be operating differently. Each small sucess builds on another. Even failure can be rationalized in levels of "not that bad." Good one JF!!! Rock on!!🤘👍🤜🤛

You never disappoint brother roughing it out, you are a good dude thanks for doing this for all of us. Idk how you did it man haha I know I couldn’t

nice to see someone has enough sense to call it when it gets too bad when its just a u tube video . good job and this was by no means a fail.

Thanks fir this awesome content. Pushing yourself is the only way to grow in this hobby i would have rolled the poncho head sleeve to stop rain.

I enjoyed the video very much! Every time anyone goes out you are learning and getting better. Now let’s all go out and get our boots dirty 👍

Brother, put a large Ultralight tarp in your haversack. They’re only about $100 but they’ll save your life. I use a 10x12 sil nylon tarp with some 550 cord and a few titanium stakes here in Central Texas. Not so much for thunderstorms but when I need a break (I’m 65 and disabled) from hiking I set it up for shade. And always put some slant into your tarp setup so it sheds water rather than collects it. Put your container under either a runoff from your poncho to collect more water than you get from just putting your canteen cup out to collect rain. I just had to laugh about some of that stuff. I taught survival in the Army back in the 80’s. One thing You must always remember is that if you survived and learned something that you can apply or avoid in the future your trip was a success. I admire you for getting outdoors and making memories.

Great vid! You did the right thing to keep the tarp low to the ground and sit tight under there.

A reminder: Aliens cross that exact same area carrying a gallon jug of water, a box of matches or a butane lighter, a couple of cans of sardines and not much else. They sleep on the bare ground and make a minimal shelter from sticks. They would consider you a king ....

This is genius! I never knew that if im ever lost in the desert, and im cold and wet and about to die….ill just go home! Duh. Ill also humble myself and say i cant handle it and just leave. Dont know why i never thought of this 🤦‍♂️

Seriously great video! Too many people on youtube would have either not posted the video at all or edited it to come out the hero. You deserve credit for the effort and honesty. Living in Alamogordo NM I can attest to the strength of the storms in the desert (and lord help us the WIND) if you haven't been through one, its nothing you would expect. Discretion is definitely the better form of valor in that situation. Keep up the great work!

A Nobel effort! A couple contractor bags and a hiking stick to prop your ridge line on would have made a way more comfy shelter.

He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day.

You did a lot of things right! Especially making the IMPORTANT DECISION TO MAKE A MOVE TO SAFETY ! Several years ago probably 1983-84 an unfortunate young man got caught on a day hike in Big Bend NP. He was wet from rain, wind was blowing and the temperature was near 60 degrees F. They found his body huddled under an overhang. Once you have lost your CORE BODY TEMPERATURE, I understand that you cannot control your body to rescue yourself! This episode is a GREAT LESSON FOR ALL OF US. The desert can be brutal ! You might have survived in a good Bivy Bag. Spare dry clothes Could help if you were able to wrap up in your Poncho. A Dakota Hole fire Might have provided enough heat near a shelter but the wind without a windbreak probably would have carried it away. So REDUNDANCY AND AN OUTER RAIN PROOF COAT MIGHT SAVE SOMEONE! Perhaps Me in that situation! Thanks for TELLING THE TRUTH. This is HOW WE LEARN.

Army Trick. Pull the hood to the Top and tie it off with the draw string to keep water from getting through. Put a small stone on top of the Poncho where you want the water to accumulate next to the edge then put your cup under it to catch the water. this will help you collect water if you need another hand.

Ain't no shame. A man's got to know his limits. I'd have been out before I touched that nasty nasty carpet! Thank you, guys!

I'm proud of your cander and honesty !

It wasn't a fail . You survived . It was a sucess .

I think I would have secured the side facing the rain to the ground. That would have heilped to keep you warmer and dryer. You could also use some of the scavenged wood to make a center pole. Tie your bandana around the top to protect your poncho and stick the pole into the hood, then chinch it closed. This would allow you to lower the sides more to contain heat.

This was really cool to watch. You are quite resourceful

Born West Texan & currently a resident of Lubbock, TX. Man its been storming crazy here. Makes for some beautiful nights. Speaking of night, I was expecting some night footage. Maybe next time : )

Respect to you. I got a lot from the video. Thanks for putting in the time.

A trip like this one. It makes one appreciate your gear even more. Awesome video 👏

Beautiful rainbow behind you, love your honesty!

You definitely need something to sleep in, something to sleep under, and something to sleep on.

Good one. Next time roll the hood portion to the outside n tie it off. That should keep you rain proof. I'd put a Lifestraw in the haversack too to use to drink n filter the water. God bless.

Awesome effort mate, not fail at all, good test of gear and theory. A proper tarp or maybe even a ridgeline with the poncho I reckon would have got you through. Cheers for still filming and getting a great vid out👍👍

Have you thought about utilizing a Mexican Poncho on your camping adventures? You’re in the desert so it can offer protection from the sun and help keep you warm at night. In this case, you could have used it for bedding instead of the old carpet.

I agree with what everyone has said, not a fail either for you or your watchers, as they will learn from what you experienced and think what they would do differently. You were prepared with what you needed in a "survival" situation. That is what this was about, you would have survived. You had time to cook a meal, had a Cliff Bar for later, had water collection and a shelter (Shelter, water, and food). What "could" you have done differently? If you had more cordage, maybe tie up the hood on shelter and lift it up at a higher point? Lower one corner of shelter then the three other sides and collect that water in your cup? gather more of that rug to put on top of that box spring (That was a bonus). Good example of looking for resources around you. That was not a fail!

It's not a fail if you push yourself to new limits and learn from the experience. That's what the whole thing is about. Not to mention the old adage, 'If it's not raining we're not training.' Sometimes to think outside the box, you have to get outside the box, to adapt and overcome. That you did. With that it was a huge success. It may not be the outcome you wanted but it was a success.

With the poncho hood, what I would do when in the military is tie the hood off "gooseneck" style to stop leakage. Of course you don't get the water collection that way but you can place your canteen and canteen cup to capture the run off.

I used to do a lot of camping with a poncho as my shelter. Military ponchos work better for this. You can fix them to the ground with makeshift pegs, dig a little drainage ditch and you're good to go. Adding a little shovel to your kit would really upgrade it. Obviously you can use it to dig but you can also chop firewood, clear brushes and use it as a pan.

Greetings from NM. Great video. Excellent test of a kit and your daypack. I would love to see something of a follow up video to this one. What, if any, changes you would make to your haversack kit following this experiment? Thanks for being one of the rare people working in the southwest.

Some very good achievements! I think if you had dropped your tarp down some so it wouldn’t have been whipping in the wind that would have helped, plus using cordage to tie the hood up would help with the whipping and keep u a lot more dryer by not having all that water come in it! Great job buddy! You lasted longer than I probably would have in that lighting!

Well I've been in the same type situations just as bad as that but I committed to myself not no one else and I rode it out. That is what the commitment is about. You took the challenge personally I would have continued the challenge but as I always say to anybody you do you and I'll do me. You did a good job especially scrounging that stuff up that was pretty cool. My suggestion is rethink your EDC and go beyond. Just think if you were caught out there for real you would have had to ride that storm out for sure no matter what. All in all good job do it again

It was a setup Bro. Not fail in my book . Except the part where you couldn’t catch the water off your tarp . Lol

Enjoyed this video, not a fail, a adventure

Shiiiiiiiii mad respect to you 👍🏼👍🏼 If James had a hard time, imagine us city rats lol. Awesome video nonetheless

Hell yeah bro! Good stuff! I was off roading in Santa Teresa yesterday and I got caught in a massive dust storm that eventually turned into a rain storm. I just high tailed it before I ended up stranded.

Fun fact: More people die in the desert from drowning than they do from dehydration. Ground is so dry and hard, floodwaters can easily travel dozens of miles or more - many campers and hikers are caught off guard by it and succumb to it while sleeping etc. I know, who knew?

Cool video can’t believe you used that old carpet nicely done

Good job worth using what you could find to keep you up off of the ground. I have used ponchos to make shelter that was diamond configuration and angled up then pegged down. The rain rolls off better, but i was not dealing with the wind you had going on. Good on you all the same. F.A.I.L, it is a First Attempt In Learning. Never be a fraid to fail

Great job! Time for some coffee and real shelter