Mark,
It sounds like your primary concern is safety during an off airport landing. I'll address that in a moment but also need to join in with Tom and Dan, the T-18 is not a "Tiger" at all. I'm guilty of continuing the nickname as we all know the name of the current newsletter. Personally I feel the airplane is nearing the 50 year mark and if people haven't realized it's just a name (purely out of convienience as it starts with "T") by now then o-well. The thorp is anything but a tiger, as both Dan and Tom point out, the plane is a dream to fly.
Now on to the off airport issue. I rebuilt a Thorp now owned by Eric Smithhenry up in IL, that airplane was very light (813 lbs), and still stalled at 60. Thats a function of the original airfoil, there's a speed at which it just plain doesn't fly anymore. My point here is that airplane flies like a cub, and due to its low weight it's inertia iis very low, especially on rollout. It is easily landed in 1000 ft (approach in that airplane is flown at 80) and once the power is pulled off the airplane pretty much stops on a dime. Once you get out of 150's, 172's, Cherokees and most other trainer type aircraft you get a lot heavier and thus regardless of stall speed you're still a heavy brick rolling through a field, down a street etc (off airport). I'd much rather be in a lightweight T-18 then spam can weighing nearly twice as much. Once the wheels hit the ground its all to a large degree about weight, the lighter it is the sooner it stops. I'll argue that a 1000 lb T-18 that stalls at 60 and a 1500 lb spam can that stalls at 50 are in the same category once you plant the tires on the ground, heck the Thorp might even stop quicker.
I'd definely seek out a ride in one, you'll see what we mean.
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I've tried to maximize my chances of a successful egress by incorporating all of the above (not the baggage door !)