poncho advise needed

T

TimeConstant

Joined
Oct 15, 2005
Messages
48
I'm looking for a bright colored rip stop nylon poncho with grommets for use as a tarp. The best poncho i've found so far is the us army's but I would like to find something that isn't camo. All the stores locally only have cheapie vinyl ponchoes.
 
What I did was got a green poncho from the hunting section at Wal-Mart then I purchase some grommets and the little grommet tool - also from Wal-Mart - and did it myself, works well. :D

It's very small and light you just have to be careful not to rip it. :thumbup:

It is a little cheap but it does work so you can always give it a try, it'll cost less that $10.00.
 
I have one, that is essiantially the Army version, but black. Ill see if I can find it.
 
The closest thing I've seen to a brightly colored ripstop poncho with grommets is a hooded Sprtsman's blanket. Not ripstop, and not a poncho, but it does have a hood and pocketed corners so you can sort of wrap it around yourself for protection from the elements, and it has grommets so it can be rigged as a small but effective shelter.

http://beprepared.com/product.asp?pn=CW P250

I remember running into the hooded Sportsman's blanket in local stores, but I haven't seen them around for at least the last year or so.
 
Just buy a rainsuit and then a separate tarp. My lifetime experiences especially in the army were that if you wear a poncho, you WILL get wet! Remember your goal is to stay dry!
 
I'm with puukko on that.No matter how light I'm packing for a trip, I always have my 'armor,' meaning my shell. If $$ is tight for a decent shell jacket, check out the used Gore-Tex ECWCS shells at armygear.net. you can pick up a 'B' quality piece (functional, but maybe faded colors) for $29.98.

http://www.armygear.net/ag/store/se...&tf=prod_group&sf=category&se=Gore-Tex Parkas

Of course, that's the woodland camo pattern, and probably doesn't fit into TimeConstant's plan. I was more or less pointing out a source for a decent rain shell.
 
Thanks a lot. I'll have to look into the golite and integral designs a lot further. My current rain gear is pretty top notch but this is more or less to throw into my hiking bag for the off chance it rains or I want to set up some shade for a picnic.
 
TimeConstant said:
Thanks a lot. I'll have to look into the golite and integral designs a lot further. My current rain gear is pretty top notch but this is more or less to throw into my hiking bag for the off chance it rains or I want to set up some shade for a picnic.
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I carry garage sale Eddie Bauer poncho for a day hiking backup. It doesn't have grommet holes, but a pebble captured in the cloth with the guy line will take care of that. Even if you end up spending a night under a tree, you can wrap a poncho around you and keep the rain and wind off.

If you team up a poncho shelter with one of the Adventure Medical bivvies, you really have a survival combo: rain gear, shelter, and sleeping bag-- you need some insulation layers for better sleeping. Put some evergreen boughs or grass on the ground, add bivy, string up your poncho and you have a 19oz home away from home :thumbup: This sort of rig will fit in my hydration pack dayhiking PSK. There are ultralight hikers who walk whole continents with a poncho shelter teamed with a bivy bag.
 
Check out the Ultralight poncho at Campmor, costs less than intregal design and golite, the extra long is about 5x7 feet, I've had one about four years now, great piece of gear, great price, and only 8 ounces. And it's a pretty bright blue.
 
hnschwartz said:
Check out the Ultralight poncho at Campmor, costs less than intregal design and golite, the extra long is about 5x7 feet, I've had one about four years now, great piece of gear, great price, and only 8 ounces. And it's a pretty bright blue.
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Those are the same as Equinox and a good buy. I forgot about that one.
 
I've used an Integral for years now. Great ponch/tarp combo.
 
Geez, I forgot to mention my primary shelter and poncho-style raingear, the Six Moon Designs Gatewood Cape. It looks a little weird, but it works! You get rain gear and a 35 square foot floorless tent that weighs 11 ounces. All you need is a stick (I use a trekking pole) and five pegs. It is FAR better than a tarp and gives 360 degree protection from wind and rain. IHMO, it is a perfect bit of survival gear. It is light enough to be used day hiking or hunting emergency backup shelter.
 
A Canadian outdoors' retailer, called Mountain Equipment Coop (mec.ca) sells two ponchos: one a proprietary design, and one made by Integral Designs (A Canadian company known for making some really 'bomb-proof' mountain-climbing gear). The proprietary one has grommets, while the other one has nylon loops. The proprietary one is currently on sale for $47.50 Cdn (down from almost $70 Cdn) according to its website.

MEC is a cooperative, so you have to pay a one-time $5 Cdn membership fee to join, but there gear is really first rate: I've been a member since the late '80s and can swear by the quality--and generally good prices--of their gear.
 
Lawlor69 said:
A
MEC is a cooperative, so you have to pay a one-time $5 Cdn membership fee to join, but there gear is really first rate: I've been a member since the late '80s and can swear by the quality--and generally good prices--of their gear.
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:thumbup: :thumbup: on MEC. The Vancouver MEC store is on my must see list whenever we visit. The MEC branded gear works great.
 
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