Rain shell or poncho?

[GPSGuided]

The rain is finally back and have an overnighter scheduled this weekend. An opportunity to test out my S2S poncho?

Having bought my S2S poncho a while back, never had the opportunity to use it (fanciful thoughts of adapting it for rain as well as a tarp shelter). With this overnighter coming up, I'm thinking of using the poncho for the walk but wondered how people find the use of poncho vs regular rain jacket with pack cover on rainy walks? Any tips? My sense is that ponchos are fine for trail walks when there's not much wind, could also be better on humid days. When there are climbs, it'd become more of a tripping risk. Thoughts? Just interested in your thoughts before I try it out.

[Mark F]

As you speculate ponchos are good for walking along fire trails and tracks - even mild climbs are ok - especially in warm or humid conditions. The pack stays properly dry compared to pack covers which can collect water and don't keep the back of the pack dry.

The other thing I like about them is being able to sit down at lunchtime, slide the pack off under the poncho and eat in dry splendour in pouring rain. For strong winds the use of a length of cord as a belt stops lots of the flapping.

[GPSGuided]

Will remember to have a length of paracord there, good reminder. Fanciful idea of using the poncho on the walk and then build a tarp cover for extra dry space on this potentially wet trip, thereby justifying its carriage. But there's a bit of climb and some off track. Ummm...

[Franco]

Next time it rains hard where you are, go outside (without rain gear) and set the poncho up as a tarp.
That might give you a good idea on how you will cope in that situation.

[GPSGuided]

The S2S poncho is obviously not a large tarp, just a small one but good enough for sit down meal preparations. That'd make a difference than stuck in the tent on a rainy day.

[Franco]

It would depend on the tent..
I rather be stuck inside my tent

than inside the S2S (I have that poncho/tarp)

[GPSGuided]

Ummm... But you don't have an inner tent set up with all your clean sleeping gears laid out. I'd also love to have a dedicated tarp(tent) like that too but it's not to be. Or are you suggesting one should invest in a large cuben tarp just for the purpose? Nice luxury on rainy days.

[Franco]

"But you don't have an inner tent set up with all your clean sleeping gears laid out."
not in that photo, they are already inside my backpack, I'm having breakfast waiting for the rain to stop (it did..)
There is still enough room in that one (the Notch) for me to have the inner up and my pack in the vestibule open or not depending on the weather and cook if I need to .

(my shots are buried somewhere)
The four door panels open independently.
I did play with tarps and mids before getting a Tarptent and after using heavier standard tents.
In the end I thought that the basic Tarptent design is a good compromise , not all that light but offering good protection/space/versatility.

A mate hiked for a while with the S2S poncho, only used it once or twice as a shelter then gave it up but of course it does work for some.
This is how I used that poncho a few times :

[Tortoise]

As you speculate ponchos are good for walking along fire trails and tracks - even mild climbs are ok - especially in warm or humid conditions. The pack stays properly dry compared to pack covers which can collect water and don't keep the back of the pack dry.

The other thing I like about them is being able to sit down at lunchtime, slide the pack off under the poncho and eat in dry splendour in pouring rain. For strong winds the use of a length of cord as a belt stops lots of the flapping.

I'd pick and choose where I'd do that. My only experience of seeing someone using a poncho was on the Lakes Circuit in the Snowies. Very exposed, obviously. I guess it depends on how strong the wind is, and whether you have some protection from vegetation. We found:

Poncho + strong wind = parachute tied under the chin.

Poncho + strong wind + cord around waist = partially subdued parachute in face.

No protection whatsoever from the rain from the waist down. Unfortunately the said person was in our party, having assured us that he had a 'good quality rain jacket with a hood'. Led to a rather dangerous situation.

But clearly lots of people have had more positive experiences with ponchos. (Wouldn't want to try one out in scrub though, either.) I can imagine that having much less sweat trapped in the rain gear would be very nice.

[Violet_Femme]

I have the Gatewood Cape purchased from another member here and took it with me to the Overland Track recently.

I found it was good used with my pack on but too long for me when not wearing my pack (I am 149cm tall)
It kept the rain off most of me except around my ankles and my elbows down and shielded me somewhat from the wind as well- you should wear it with a cap or hat and I think it was designed to be used that way.

I definitely would not use it in scrub- I'd be too worried about ripping the material but also, for me, my mobility felt a bit limited with it on. I've packed some cord to wrap around me next time in high winds as I was dubbed the 'spinnaker' during the walk due to the enormous amount of flap-flap-flapping from the wind when it whipped around me on the plateaus.

[simonm]

Not strictly a poncho but I have a Packa. It has its pro's and cons but I do like it. I have used it on the Overland Track and Walls of Jerusalem in reasonably strong winds and driving rain and it worked well. Accessing your pack with it on during breaks etc can be humorous to watch.

http://www.thepacka.com/

[GPSGuided]

That Packa is VERY different!, no wonder you liked it.

Thanks Franco for the reminder of using the tarp to extend the vestibule, almost forgotten about that arrangement. Will certainly bear that in mind and very practical. Not sure how it'll fit over my MomentDW though.

Poncho in the wind, can't be pleasant. I recall that the Gatewood has a draw cord of sort at the bottom, there to reduce its length. Didn't pull up enough?

[Violet_Femme]

@GPSGuided
The Gatewood has some guy line loops which double up as loops to hook up the folded corners of the tarp to prevent trip hazards but I guess I'm a little shorter than the average person (sigh). I still like it though and its size for me means it is a reasonably comfortable tarp.

[GPSGuided]

Got it. As a matter of fact, I have been tempted by the Gatewood too. Nice buy. In the meantime, the latest weather forecast shows that the rain will no longer hang around over the weekend...