I've always liked the versatility of heavy-duty garbage bags - I have used it as a raingear, emergency waterproofing, to sit on, to cover things and to many other tasks. I have some in my car, in my backpack when hiking, on the boat when sailing. Today I tried to put in into a pocket-size PSK - and after an hour of folding and squizing air it still occupied 3/4 of a container. Then I came up the idea of making a pocket emergency shelter. I put the garbage bag into a small zip-lock bag. I also took a small matchbox (ordinary matches - but it's just a backup for my normal firestarting), put a small scalpel, paperclip and some pins inside, wrapped the box with duct tape and then with a few meters of thin cordage. And - here it is. The ultimate pocket shelter for 25 cents . The package fits easilly into the jeans rear pocket and weighs next to nothing.<br><br>I've also made another package - just a bag, cordage and duct tape in a slightly larger zip-lock bag for non-emergency uses (it would be difficult to pack my the emergency version back - I managed to pack it very tightly, also I wanted something that doesn't look as "survival gear" too much). I'm going to test that one as soon as I go outside of the developed area (I would rather not to test a garbage bag shelter in a city...). In the emergency, I could use the unused sealed one - or both.<br><br>Maybe it's not much, but I feel better prepared with this - and I made it virtually for free! During cold/wet/windy weather, I would feel safier with it then with a typical PSK. Do you have any comments or sugestions? Any ways to improve it? (I think about adding some aluminium foil to the emergency pack - to use as a heat reflector)

Why the paper clips?<br><br>I carry my garbage bags in sandwhich/quart size ziplocks. I throw in a pack of matches, a bandanna, and a piece of folded alumninum foil. You could add a 4x4 guaze pad and put several wraps of duct tape around the ziplock.

> Why the paper clips?<br><br>I like them. In their original shape, they are useful to, well, clip things together. Unfolded, they can be used to punch holes, as a hook to pull something out, etc. As I live/learn/work in a places with lots of paperclips, I got used to them as multi-purpose items. Perhaps safety pins could do the same plus some more - I don't know, I carry both.