If I'm going to be active, I can often strip down to just underwear and a T-shirt with rain jacket and pants.you're going to get wet, but they're going to serve as wind protection and once you stop, you dry off and put on insulation.įor active shit, "waterproof and breathable" is a myth. I still prefer a dedicated rain jacket and pants (or gaiters useful to keep water flowing into your shoes/boots. Ponchos are best for static rain protection and that's about it. For slow stalking and glassing, it's about perfect and is perfectly designed for it's purpose. It's an excellent static poncho, but will build up condensation if you do much more than fart. I own one and appreciate it for what it is. You want a custom poncho shelter system? One of the best is Wilderness Innovations as you can use it for a poncho, trap, even a hammock well made and a ton of camo-fabric options if that's important. While it's pretty niche, it serves as a rain jacket and pack cover with good ventilation side zips. While ponchos do have better airflow than rain jackets and pants, if you're doing anything "active" you're going to likely wet-out from the inside as much as you would from whatever precipitation you're dealing with.įor rainy, cold weather backpacking, the best I've used is The Packa. What do you want it for? Using it with a pack, want it for a shelter, or sitting at a ball game in the bleachers? Original ECOTAT TMP (now the Freedom Shelter directly from Wiggy's) I'm more of a small tarp guy most of the time (Dyneema fabric) for minimalist carry, but I still value the poncho concept and I own a few: On more than one occasion, my wife and I would just put it up as a rain tarp and wait out a bad thunderstorm eating lunch. It has long pit zips and you can actually take the long jacket part off and wear loose or stuff inside the pack cover part when you overheat.įor multipurpose, the regular poncho is hard to beat. This is why I like "the Packa" for backpacking, as it's a combination of jacket and pack cover (creates a good seal so rain can't come down your back. You backpack long enough in those conditions and you pretty much just wear damp clothes every day unless you get some sun and breeze in the afternoon and can dry out. Light wool socks help pull moisture away from the skin pretty well and they'll dry pretty decently however, even if damp, they do a decent job of keeping moisture from building up on your feet and hot feet drive the moisture out. I have short gaiters, but rotate my socks frequently. My only concern is about my feet rain and sweat drain down your legs. This is where your layered clothes need to be able to dry quickly. The value is more as a wind shell as once you stop, even if it's 70 degrees in the shade with a breeze, you'll cool off pretty quick. You're going to get wet with out without a rain poncho/jacket. We do a lot of our backpacking in the Southeast, during the summer: hot and humid with frequent thundershowers. Calf high gaiters will keep your boots and below the knee dry, or you can wear rain pants, but those will trap heat in the groin area. With a pack, it isn't going to be covered by a jacket, and if you use a pack cover, the pack straps are going to trap heat and cut off airflow. So how is wearing a tighter fitting, closed rain suit going to fare any better? I have a rain jacket and when moving, basically end up wearing it like a poncho anyway (completely unzipped, open, and hanging by the hood, on top of head. You perspire due to the build-up of condensation and an unpleasant experience. My experience in an extremely humid environment ponchos are ineffective. Something like this and there are others offering these. The silicone nylon material will get you a poncho around half the weight and pack size of a USGI poncho and the silicone water proofing is impregnated in to the material so no peeling or stickiness like urethane coatings. Get it made in silicone impregnated nylon(silnylon), then seal the seams with GE clear silicone II while stretching the poncho taut. Longer length is best for a pack with a way to shorten it when not using a pack and also improves performance as a shelter. Some backpacking ones are on the narrow side which start you out with the poncho hitting mid forearm which also means it won't work as well for a shelter. On the poncho, USGI width is a good starting point. I like softshell items when moving around. Choose material based on how much you sweat. If not(&/or in addition to the poncho) start looking in to jacket(large enough for insulating layers, pit zips/able to vent heat, functional hood) and pants(side zips, large enough to put on/take off with boots on which should cover cold weather clothes too). Assuming you are wanting a multi purpose item for hiking/backpacking?
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