[Cdt-l] "Ohhhh, Poncho!" Re: Cdt-l Digest, Vol 18, Issue 10

[Todd DeLuca]

Hi,

I am also considering a poncho on the CDT this year and I am hoping
all the poncho wearers and former poncho wearers can help me answer
some questions.

Do you have any experience, good or bad, with the poncho covering hip
and shoulder strap pouches?  This seems like a little mentioned
benefit.

Do you wear rain pants with your poncho?  Wind pants?  Skirt?
Anything?  (Not counting hike naked day, naturally.)

What kind of poncho do/did you wear, and what would you recommend?  I
currently have an Equinox Poncho/Tarp that I have not used enough to
know its merits, though I'm working on fixing that deficit.

Why would you NOT use a poncho as a pack cover?  It seems like the
perfect pack cover.  But then again my regular pack cover seemed
perfect on my Osprey until I used it on my Vapor Trail, only to have
my bag get soaked.

Does anyone use a poncho just as a poncho, and carry a separate
shelter, or is everyone motivated by the immense weight savings of
combining shelter and raingear?

Any answers to these burning questions would be much appreciated.

Personally my wife and I plan on carrying a separate shelter, possibly
a Six Moon Designs Refuge.  The poncho looks like it would save weight
over a rain jacket, pack cover, and rain pants, with the added benefit
of being a pack cover that actually works (though I'm beginning to
wonder...) and covering shoulder and hip strap pouches.

Yours,
Reason
http://heyluca.com


On Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 2:36 PM, Jeffrey Olson <jolson at olc.edu> wrote:
> My take is the opposite.  I much prefer a poncho as I sweat a lot, it
> breathes, and I actually stay drier that way.  I don't get wet from rain
> when I wear a rain jacket - I get wet from sweat.  As to blowing, flapping,
> etc., You get used to tucking and using the belt, etc.  I would never use a
> poncho to cover my pack.
>
> And, the best part, is it actually keeps the rain off from the bottom of my
> waist, which having a long waist, is an issue.  My closest brush with
> hypothermia came from wearing a rain jacket that did not do a good job
> covering my waist, and water leeched up my polypro and 3 oz wind shirt!!
>
> Go well...
>
> Jeff...
>
> Tom McGinnis wrote:
>
> I would like to hear more comments about ponchos compared
> to rain jackets and pants as I have no experience with them.
> Zelda
>
>
> ### "Ohhhh, Sisco!"
>
> ### It seems most appropriate to say "Ponchos blow!" on the CDT, as the wind
> will just play parachute with you.
>
> My boys and I hiked a bit with Sly in '07, traversing ~250 miles between the
> Wind River range and some other stuff, and we had at least a spot of rain
> every day. We were trying out silnylon ponchos as dual-use rainwear and
> shelter, and though removing ties from them every morning was a pain and
> time magnet, it seemed that wearing the things during precip was actually
> worse. The only time you caught the breeze was when you were trying to pass
> it over your head, it was ALWAYS slimy and gooey, they DO absorb water to a
> degree, and so gain weight so you're constantly trying to dry them out, you
> STILL have to pack a wind garment for insulation help and for when in camp,
> ... ... it was just a failure as a gear choice, a time magnet, a big pain in
> the ass. You don't want to use a poncho in the CDT unless you're up for all
> of that, along with the steady flapflapflap all around you when you're
> actually wearing the thing. And you can't trust 'em to cover your
>  pack, so pack extra for wind and for pack ANYWAY.
>
> Use a fly and a jacket and a rain cover, and simplify your life.
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