Counting down the uses of the Survivor poncho and how this is a candidate as the ultimate Survivor must-have on any island.

Before leaving for Thailand, everyone in the production staff has been provided with materials and gear that are essential to our island living. The most unflattering of those was that dark moss green, thick vinyl thingy which we later found out was a poncho, our rain gear.



But the poncho was tested immediately on Day 1 when it rained on the first reward challenge and again on the first immunity challenge. That thick poncho was the savior of the day.

As days went on, we found more innovative uses for the Survivor poncho.

#9: As a tarps or tents.

At Tarutao, we have been provided with tents for when we set up during shoots.

However, at times, an extension of our tents with tarps (i.e. the poncho) won’t hurt.



#8: Seat cover for the our stretch limos.

Our main mode of land transportation are trucks (our stretch limos).

When it’s raining or when when the truck is the big yellow dump truck with the (oily or dirty) floor, it helps to have something dry to sit on.

It would be lucky if there were garbage bags all the time. In the event that there aren’t any, then ponchos would be our unlucky seat covers.

#7: Pillow.



#6: My examining area.

Since clinics don’t exist on the beaches of remote islands, my examining area would be any dry, flat, clean surface... and a poncho on top of it.

#5: Hammock

Until this very day, we do not know yet who among God’s creatures in Tarutao is this highly flexible dude.



#4: Table cloth.



#3: For...uh... I dunno what these are.





#2: Beach towel.

Pre-poncho era:



Poncho era:



And the #1 innovative use for the Survivor Poncho: Portalet!



Note: We still observe proper hygiene and wash our portalets...er, ponchos. And we don’t use “portalets” for our table cloths, pillows, and examining sheets on the same day.

Survivor would not have been as rich and exciting as it has become without the ultimate Survivor gear – the versatile poncho.

Special shout-outs go to: Ms Nessa Valdellon, Brian Gelli, Laila Hernandez and Louie Barrios for their poncho pix; and to Trix, Ella, Lynses and Noena for their contributions.