Ponchos?

[happybonzo]

Any recommendations for Ponchos?

I still have a Gas Cape thingy and, yes, it is very strong and well made but it is heavy

Any suggestions for a light weight Poncho that is reasonably well made and preferably Green or similar in colour. If it is made of ripstop nylon then so much the better

[OakAshandThorn]

Mine is a Mil-tec, bough it from CamoOutdoors in Ireland. At the time, they only had ACU pattern available, but I picked one up anyway. Compared to the surplus military ponchos, it is much lighter. Later on I bought a Swiss Army poncho, and that was a beast in bulk and weight...it weighed more than my DD 3x3! But it wasn't a completely wasted purchase. I cut it up into pieces and stitched together a pair of gaiters for me and Jim (bikebum75), and I still have leftover material.

The Mil-tec is ripstop nylon, and now it comes in flecktarn :D.

[FishyFolk]

Not sure what mine is, but it packs down pretty small and weighs very little. Goty it on ebay, and comes in US woodland camo pattern, and was delivered with a little bag to keep it in. and I never use it. The wetaher here is so uncertain that if I am not allready wearing gore tex when I go out, it certainly stays in the pack. Could probably use one as a tarp to sit under during stops, but I am too lazy to set one up, and if it gest so bad I would need one, I go home... he he

[Silkhi]

I bought a cheap one from ebay and I have found it too small for a truly useful tarp and I have never had to wear it as a poncho as I haven't needed to. Plus okay I would be worried about what I looked like! I have had a few more ideas around its use lately though, more like a micro tarp covering my upper area with a bivi - just to provide a bit of dry space to store stuff and well to use like a porch.

[ian c]

How about upgrading from your gas cape (37 patt poncho) to a 58 pattern poncho with a hood in middle of it, it was used for many years by the British Army it is bigger than the 37 pattern and about half the weight, also it is green in colour and made out of nylon.

[AdanClinton]

Poncho is heavy ,it covers your backpack. I would like to bring a waterproof jacket and trousers rather than poncho.

[jacob karhu]

Mine is a Mil-tec

I have the same one, good product.

Use it for 4 years and still fine. I added some string to make a tarp at night.

[David_JAFO]

hello,
Poncho's :) our NBCUK & BCUSA friend/member Susanne has made an entry review on YouTube of the Polish Infantry poncho. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxk-3EyAIBU I have used the Polish NATO issue in past years on exercise to great effect & can recommend such. Thanks Susanne as always for the informative YouTube presentation. I can also recommend the other NATO poncho's I've used including US Woodland & the German Flektarn & O.G patterns.
Regards
David

[Jon D]

I was just coming on here to ask this very same question. After something that packs small and will act as a tarp too. The replies have given me something to go on, thanks all.

[Magicdave]

I had a poncho a number of years ago. I was wearing it in a downpour (just a day trip) and started to think how I would go setting it up as a tarp if I was out overnight. From then I decided it wasn't a viable option as multi-use rainwear and tarp. Was I missing anything, is there a good way to go about this?

[FishyFolk]

I had a poncho a number of years ago. I was wearing it in a downpour (just a day trip) and started to think how I would go setting it up as a tarp if I was out overnight. From then I decided it wasn't a viable option as multi-use rainwear and tarp. Was I missing anything, is there a good way to go about this?

There is a way but it ain't cheap.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxGGavcczWU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxGGavcczWU

[Magicdave]

There is a way but it ain't cheap.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxGGavcczWU

Wow, that looks fantastic. Thanks for the link.

[FishyFolk]

Those are standard issie in the Norwegian army, and also used by mountain rescue and other SAR teams in Norway. They are so common now that it is recomended kit on any
venture into the wild here.

Last winter there was a a dog sled race for youth in the mountains in the south. They where surpriced by a blizzard, and one of the participants, a 14 year old girl did not make it back...she survived by going into the Jerven, and was able to wait out the storm. Conditions where so hard that the rescue crue sent out on snowscooters to get her down from the hills (They knew her location from GPS tracking) had to give up reaching her and had to go to ground in their Jerven bags too...they all came trough with no injuries. Yes it's definately worth having. But I paid 250£ for mine, 10 years ago.

That has been with me to Iraq, Sudan, Eritrea and Sri Lanka as my sleeping bag and sun tarp :-)

[Chubbs]

The one I bought from TW Hammocks last year is a great bit of kit. Its made from ripstop nylon and can be also used as a tarp. Green in colour and folds down to nothing. Think I paid £17.00 for it at the time. I have just checked their site and none are in stock. That doesn't mean that he hasn't got any though. Might be worth sending an email to them if you are interested.