Going poncho?

[JohnM]

I've always walked with a traditional jacket setup. Graduated from heavy longer goretex to lighter Event-style fabrics in shorter cuts.

But I'm considering trying a poncho instead. Having a look at the zpacks version, it's heavyweight (for cuben fibre), drawcord at the waist to prevent it blowing all over the shop, and big enough to cover the pack as well as my bum.

My thinking is that it'll keep both me and my pack dry, and have good enough airflow to not cause too many condensation issues. One item to keep both body and pack dry, and can also double as a groundsheet for mealtimes on damp ground, and also use it in the vestibule to reduce condensation in the tent. Under 200g.

Most of my walking is done in the Vic Alps. Anyone successfully used a poncho in these conditions? I like the idea of such a multi-purpose piece of kit, but primarily it still needs to do a good job of keeping me dry up there.

[wayno]

watch out in rain with strong wind, the rain can get under it.
outdoor research do jackets where you can unzip the entire side of the jacket and down the arm to the elbow to open it right up in warmer weather. doesnt cover the pack though...

[cams]

Not sure about using it in the alps. Up here in qld I've had good results with a golite poncho tarp. Definitely breathes well in the humidity. But the silnylon still gets very clammy.

I think cuben would be better because it has a bit of body and may not stick to your skin as much. May look like the garbage monster though.

[JohnM]

Cheers guys. I've got pit-zips in one of my current jackets, and they absolutely help. Especially handy for running on winter mornings with horizontal rain.

I don't care about how I look (well I do, but not really on the trail and especially not when it's raining. All bets are off then). But yeah, cuben fibre is the cheapest-looking expensive material I've ever seen. $2 shop vibe for sure.

I figured a poncho would best work in high rain/low wind environments, but the design of this z-packs one includes shock-cord at the waist, so theoretically it may stop it billowing out like a sail in the wind.

Just wondered if anyone's actually successfully used one in the Oz Alps. Maybe I might have to bite the bullet and do a little trailblazing. It'll be an expensive flop if it doesn't really work though.

[Moondog55]

Need not be expensive.
Aussie Disposals have some old Dutch ponchos for about #$30- each.#
Very well made and lightweight and a huge hood, they even have a waist draw-cord to reduce flapping.
you could not make one for the cost and if you don't like it you can recover some of the outlay by selling it on.

[JohnM]

Cheers moondog,

I'll check that out. It rains a lot in Holland, so you'd reckon they'd do the poncho well.

[Moondog55]

IMG_3092.JPG (256.93 KiB) Viewed 2909 times

I got a couple for mucking about in fixed camps, good enough for my needs and light enough to stash in my daypack. I had to cut one down for a repair job and used the left over to extend the back of the other for an emergency shelter
picture of it in use on a day walk where the rain really threatened but never happened

[mtrain]

nice lightweight knife you have there?

[Moondog55]

I know the khukri is a little small but the big one takes up too much room on my belt.

[John Sheridan]

I am going Poncho with the Gatewood Cape tarp tent, it's a kind of a pussy tarp, but I am not comfortable just under a tarp, I reallllly want to keep dry and bug free

I also wanted light and the Gatwewood cape provides that, with just enough room for one person, to make it perfect it would be made out of Cuban Firbre.

Cheers.