Trooper, I don't see how your tent can leak if it's buttoned together properly. Did you perhaps pitch it inside out? In that case, rain will come through the arm holes. When you pitch it as a tent, it goes the opposite way that it does when you wear it as a poncho. The extra flap of material that goes across your shoulders should be on the inside, and that also gives you loops to hang candle lanterns from.
Yesterday I pitched both Hungarian and Polish versions of these. I'd previously camped in the former once and the latter quite a lot, but thought a side-by-side comparison would be fun. A loop of baling twine was tied through each grommet along the bottom edges so that I could use large pegs cut from saplings, and pound them in with an axe. I don't think the small wire stakes would have held well enough, even if I could have gotten them into the frozen ground. I also like being able to just cut the twine and leave the pegs behind.
Both tents are inconspicuous in the woods, so much so that I went off for a hike and then had some difficulty finding them again. Good for "stealth" camping and preventing vandalism and theft, but be sure to note landmarks before you go wandering.
The night was windy with sleet and snow.
The Hungarian palatka is made of a heavier, more waterproof and less breathable canvas than the Polish. Moisture condenses in it like it does in a nylon tent. The seams and arm holes button together with only a simple overlap, so snow blows in there as well as at the top where the pole fits through grommets. And if a button breaks off (one did), a gap opens up. The buttons are pressed-on metal rather than sewn-on plastic, so they're not easily replaced.
If you're going to pitch just one palatka as a minimal, open-front shelter, the Hungarian is more convenient than the Polish because of the grommet at the peak. When worn as a rain cape, it seems tight around the shoulders no matter how I button the take-ups, and that same grommet is annoying and has to be folded under on top of your head so it doesn't flop in your face. The metal buttons click against your rifle if you're hunting. As a tent, the Hungarian palatka is okay for storing gear and firewood, but not very comfortable for sleeping in.
The Polish one is much better designed and made. Quieter and more breathable material. Quieter, more comfortable and easily replaceable buttons. There's a triple layer of fabric where edges button together. No precipitation comes through the arm holes, the seams, or the tops. When worn as rain gear, the shoulder and hood drawstrings are infinitely adjustable. There's no grommet on top of your head.
When I struck the tents, the ice clung to both, making them heavy and difficult to fold, but less so to the Polish. They're hanging in my shower now, melting. Fortunately I was using a sled to haul gear, so weight and bulk were not critical. (Well, not to me, anyway, the dog was pulling it.)
If you're looking for an ultra-light or roomy tent, you won't be happy with these. But they are versatile, rugged, inconspicuous, inexpensive and easy to pitch. They shed wind well because of their pyramidal shape. The small volume means just your body heat and a candle lantern will warm them up considerably. I think the Polish palatka is a good tent, better than the Hungarian and Russian palatkas, better than the German zeltbahn and its copies, better than the US shelter half and its copies. And it's even better as a rain cape than as a tent.
