Good, bad, and ugly

whi3115999

Member since  Feb 21, 2012

Posted on February 21, 2012

I've used this several times... most recently on a three day trip in GSMNP with rain/snow.

THE GOOD
o Very lightweight.
o Multipurpose.
o Should be excellent as a tarp / emergency shelter. I've set it up several times and several different ways for practice, but I haven't actually used it as a shelter yet.
o Works OK as a poncho, with some caveats. (See notes below.)

THE BAD
o The hood tends to come down too far on my forehead, partially blocking my vision. If I add a ballcap underneath or my Tilly hat (or headlamp when night hiking) on top, I can compensate, but that defeats the purpose.
o I received a color I like, but it seems like this is sold in such a way that stores are not able to offer a choice of colors. Either offer it in only one color and take your lumps, or offer the buyer a choice.
o As others have noted, this should have a built-in silnylon waist strap for cinching the whole thing up higher when hiking with little or no pack and/or very windy conditions.

THE UGLY
o The snaps are extremely weak and pop open with the slightest tug. While hiking I have often found the poncho entirely unsnapped on one or both sides. Sil nylon is pretty strong, so surely better snaps would work... better? Seriously, this is a major flaw. I'll probably add high quality velcro between the snaps to compensate, but then I'll lose some of the venting.
o I'm not sure why the stuff sack is designed as it is. Do I really want a choice of whether to stuff it into the smaller or larger volume?

This has a lot of potential and I love the idea, but it needs more finesse.