Rain gear: poncho's vs. jackets/pants

peripatew

peripatew

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Jul 31, 2007
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Several months ago, I got a ultralight tarp and bivy sac. I still haven't used them as much as I would like too, but I continue trying to learn more about shelter and protective gear. I'm curious what most of us wear for rain gear and why you chose one over the other? What are your pro's and con's of each type of system?

I've no experience with poncho's, but with some of them being able to be a tarp, I'm thinking about trying one out.

So, what and why?
 
i have a decent poncho with corner grommets that is a bit small for a real tarp, but i like to carry the poncho as a backup type thing when rain and sleeping out aren't really on the agenda. it is a good backup though. i want to get a larger poncho tarp so that i can use it for more of a shelter and so that it will cover me better when worn as a poncho.

the problem with a poncho is that they only really work when you are wearing waterproof pants too. otherwise everything under the line of the poncho gets soaked. the nice thing about a poncho is that it lets you breath so that you don't get soaked from your sweat.

another consideration with a poncho that doubles as a tarp is that when its raining you will have to choose between your rain gear and your shelter...

i have a cheap tyvek rainsuit that i like alot too though...it's lightweight and offers excellent protection. it doesn't really breath, but it does a pretty good job of keeping me dry.

if it is raining this weekend when i go out, i will probably be wearing my tyvek rain pants and my poncho, because it gives me the best versatility and coverage while still allowing alot of breathability.
 
I just got 145 feet of tyvek for my cabin, I am hoping there's enough left for a tarp and ground sheet, and from what Siguy says, maybe I can get a pair of tyvek pants made? I have to look into this.
 
Liam Ryan said:
I just got 145 feet of tyvek for my cabin, I am hoping there's enough left for a tarp and ground sheet, and from what Siguy says, maybe I can get a pair of tyvek pants made? I have to look into this.
Click to expand...

If you're wanting to make some pants, checkout backpackinglight.com. My dad just got me a year membership, and their articles are fantastic. They have a TON about making your own gear (MYOG). I was just looking at a 5 series article set on making a bunch of stuff out of silnylon. Here is one of those articles that is on the free side: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi...make_your_own_gear_5_yards_to_sul_part_2.html
 
I prefer good quality (such as Helly-Hansen) foul weather gear over a poncho any day of the week.
 
A poncho and Waterproof pants would work, but I do prefer a coat style water proof coat. then a waterproof pair of pants.
 
I use both.

If I know it's going to rain I suit up with a jacket and pants set.

If it's clear or has a slight chance of rain I bring my GI poncho (it always comes with me). It's a great rain cover, pack cover, ground cloth, shelter, sun shade, etc. It gets used a lot.

Both protect in the rain pretty well, jacket and pants are better but I have no problem with the poncho either.

In terms of choosing between rain gear and poncho, that is true, but it sets up so quickly that I can make camp and put the poncho up last and only be in the rain for a few minutes.

You can sit or kneel and cover every inch of your body if you're hunting or just waiting for a storm to pass.
 
Another advantage of a poncho is that one will cover both you and your pack. Some can also be used with a liner for a sleeping bag. They make a better shelter than you think especialy the military poncho's which can be snapped together to form a larger shelter. I like ponchos due to the fact that they serve more than one purpose. Thus making it worth the weight to carry one. Even if you use a rainsuit as well.
 
One thing with the rain gear - you won't soak from the outside in. You'll soak from the inside out.

One issue with ponchos: you won't soak from the inside out. You'll soak from the outside in!

I will say this: I wore just a poncho (and clothes thank you very much) on a 30 km hike one day in POURING rain and DRIVING wind, and it wasn't as lousy as you might think. My torso was fairly dry. My legs were soaked. My pack was pretty dry.

If I'd been in rain gear, I would have been soaked head to toe from sweat. My pack wouldn't have been protected at all (although most packs have raincovers these days, I guess.)

My solution: a waterproof jacket with huge ventilation, and accepting that I am going to get a little wet from sweat and my legs will get wet from rain. I usually wear wool dress pants in the bush, so getting them wet is not so bad.
 
I use a poncho and rain pants if it gets bad... My poncho or a tarp is all I use for shelter as well. If it's raining and I'm around camp my stuff goes into a contractor bag..when I'm ready I just stinp up the poncho again and roll out my gear it only takes a minute.
 
I used GI ponchos for years, but I was very grateful when they issued us the rubber jacket and pants. I was a lot more dry with them when it rained. Then the GoreTex models came out and they were even better because they breathed and they had zippered vents under the arms.

I my experience, I think rain suits are better than ponchos. With the poncho, I always had water dripping into my boots and my pants were always wet. The wind would make it flap around. When you had to get on the ground your weren't protected from wet and mud as good as a rain suit. Ponchos were hot and made me sweat. Granted, a rain suit can do that too, but the better ones will breathe and be vented. Venting a poncho (i.e., opening it up) just gets you wet.

That being said, having a poncho along is a handy thing to have. They are pretty versatile as others have noted. But if your main concern is what is a good thing to keep you dry, get a rain suit.
 
I have a few jackets and rain pants, but I usually stick with an Arc'Teryx Beta LT jacket and Marmot Precip full zip pants. Both are breathable materials and have great ventilation, so wetting out is not too much of a problem. I was thinking about getting the Beta LT pants as well, but I just can't plunk down that much cash again. Some times I just stick with a pair of OR GoreTex Paclite gaiters on the bottom if the rain is not too bad or is not cold enough for the Precip pants.

I used a poncho instead of jacket and pants back in the day, but I greatly prefer the jacket and pants combo these days. I don't like how ponchos can snag on everything you pass, and I go on some relatively unused trails sometimes, or even just avoid trails altogether. Also, with tighter fitting breathable materials, the positive pressure between you and the jacket can help push out body moisture. I like the versatility of a poncho for shelter, tarp, etc., but not when I am moving.
 
Generally, if I expect rain, I take raingear. Actually, all my jackets are either nylon or goretex shells. I never take just a fleece or something else that isn't acceptable as outerwear in the rain or wet snow.

If I'm traveling with light gear, I may take just a poncho, but generally I like to have two which gives me one for a ground cloth, one for shelter, and the ground cloth can be taken with me for wear. I have on long deployments to the field carried three ponchos.

It is true that you must breakdown your shelter but if you setup your hooch with bungies, that isn't a big deal. However, all those trips to the restroom tree in the middle of the night are far less convenient if you don't have separate rain gear.
 
Lots of good points here. I will just add a couple more thoughts/considerations:

A well-designed rain jacket with lots of ventilation is still going to trap a lot of heat when you are wearing a pack over it. Having a poncho over yourself and your pack will save you a lot of sweat.

That said, because of a poncho's design, the looser it fits- the better it ventilates- but the more it snags on brush. Your terrain may affect your choices.

I was introduced to the joy of gaiters by an old buddy and find them useful for keeping all kinds of stuff- including moisture- off of my lower legs. Wearing them with a good rain jacket will keep everything but the thighs of your pants dry, and you might notice that this particular part seems pretty easy to dry out because of the closer fit to your body and the heat you generate walking.

I think the best strategy is: Take along options (a poncho and jacket, etc.) to try to stay dry, but expect to get wet and have a plan to deal with that inevitability.
 
I'd be the first to agree that hiking in rain gear isn't too appealing, but hiking is only one of many activities we do outdoors. I make my rain gear choices based on working in bad weather, and using that criteria a poncho comes up short.
 
I have always been a poncho guy! It is so much more versatile than any other option there is. A long one will also protect your pack, you can make a hastey shelter with it, you can air it out for less heat and condensation inside, etc., etc.....

Sometimes you need to wear gaiters with the poncho to keep your lower legs dry.
 
many good ideas here. I also prefer a full rain suit if I know it is going to be wet but havent had much luck with goretex stuff. Still sweat to death.
My extra long poncho (also covers the pack) back is what I take if water is possible but not certain. I have had good luck with a pair of matching chaps.
They go on easy (very baggy) and tie to the belt. THis solves the problem of wet lower body while being better vented and you can still access your pockets etc. Got them at Campmor I think. Naturally they are some extra weight and bulk but not much-wish I could think of some extra nonrain novel uses for them. any ideas? tye foot openings for stuff sac?
 
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