Poncho shelters

[tombear]

For me it is that unlike a tent you can wear it as well as sleep under it and I'm a lot happier cooking under it than in a diddy little tent. I must admit I do like being able to see all around me, especially in winter when you don't need a net.

Each to their own!

:-{D)

Tom

 

[Retired Member southey]

Yup it's the view for me, and the breeze across my face, set it right for the conditions and it's the best nights sleep i have, I always feel slightly claustraphobic in tents now.

 

[Wayland]

I go outdoors to be outdoors.

Tents seem to go against that idea for me.

Even when I'm using my big re-enactment tent, i often sleep with the door flaps wide open.

The poncho thing is about sharing the weight and bulk of two items, a weatherproof and a shelter which are rarely used at the same time.

seems a sensible compromise to me.

 

[General Lee Speaking]

Anyone got experience with the GoLite Poncho Tarp? Only 210g! Would it be possible to fasten two together for a bigger shelter?

 

[Pierr]

I have one of the newer GoLite Poncho. The fabric is of course very thin and feels fragile. More so than 1.1 silnylon. By comparison, my tarp that is 3m by 2.5m weights 370 grams and is significantly stronger.
Also the seams at the loops used for attachment points need reinforcement.

Overall I would not use it as primary rain layer AND primary shelter. It would be too easy to make a rip in it while walking with the poncho. I consider it a backup to my tarp and as an option to close/enlarge my tarp.

An alternative set up would be to use a stronger poncho for normal use and use the golite to extend it in tarp mode. But that would not be really lighter than my current tarp + the golite.

 

[LennyMac]

Right, here are a couple of photos of my poncho set- ups. The first two are my standard 'triangular tube'. The second two are the result of the end- of- day desperation of having no suitable place to pitch up while passing through Croyde in North Devon. I just decided to use the rock formation right on the beach- the waterline was about 25 ft away.

 

[Pierr]

Try cutting the URL like "http://s885.photobucket.com/albums/ac56/LennyMac1/Poncho1.jpg"

 

[LennyMac]

Pierr! You did it! Nice one.

So I just use the url address as normal?- it seems like you just removed the

 

[Pierr]

No, you keep the IMG tags. But instead of taking the URL of the webpage, you take the URL of the image:
http://s885.photobucket.com/albums/ac56/LennyMac1/CroydeBeach2.jpg rather than http://s885.photobucket.com/albums/ac56/LennyMac1/?action=view&current=CroydeBeach2.jpg but still between the IMG tags. I removed the "?action=view&current="

 

[lostplanet]

Before I got my Issue basha I'd use a Dutch issue ponch with bungees. Tie up the hood to stop leaks, bungee to nearby trees about 2 feet off the ground and the run a cord to a branch above to create a mini teepee. If sleeping alone you can lay on the diaganol for a little extra cover but bivi bag stops all that anyway. I tried the same with paracord but the poncho gave in and ripped the eyelets out. I use a basha now but still carry a poncho used as downpour protection(instead of wet gear goretex etc) or a ground sheet if needed.
Also on exercise while in an arbour area we would try guestimate the wind direction and bungee the front end opposite 2 foot off ground to trees and the other end 1 foot, again with hood tied up but no cord above and cover the poncho with as much loose foliage as we could get in a bin bag. we had 2 under there without bivibags and old down sleeping bags, slept well not because of comfort but from near exhaustion after a 'Negligent Discharge' had us running about like lunatics most of the evening!

Next time I take a wander down the woods i'll take a picture of that setup but it's pretty straight forward.

 

[Asa Samuel]

If it wasn't almost certain that it will rain around here then I probably would use a poncho but I much prefer wearing jacket and trouser waterproofs when it's raining and I like the flexibility of being able to get up in the middle of the night when it's raining without having to take my shelter down!

 

[topknot]

One more way of using two poncho's

Cheers Topknot.

 

[General Lee Speaking]

My latest thinking is to use a poncho both as a groundsheet and rainwear (obviously). This would potentially take the place of a waterproof jacket, waterproof trousers, rucksack cover and my current lightweight groundsheet and give me a decent weight saving. Having no experience with a poncho I'm a bit nervous about ditching my current wet weather gear in favour of a poncho (supplemented with gaiters below the knees is my thinking) and whether it it going to be very good in colder weather and how windproof it would be. Are they still up to the job? I'd also be walking a fair bit in wet weather so are they easy to move in? I'm looking at the Mil-Com ones if anyone has any experience with them.

 

[Extreme Pilgrim]

The old, issue poncho (with head fitting) was, in my experience put to one side as soon as guys passed through training as senior soldiers informed the new guys that olive Aussie poncho (tarp) would be a good investment. This knowledge was picked from lessons learned in Belize and Brunei and put into use worldwide. The poncho were nearly always used with bungees instead of cord (except in by some units in jungle areas) because it was felt that they would make erecting the shelter in the dark easier after 'stand to' and vice verse for the take down. These shelters were often used over a 1' deep (approx) furrow in the ground which was constructed to provide troops protection from direct and in-direct ordnance.

 

[Globetrotter.uk]

I managed to get out and set up the Alpha tent using 2 shock poles and my poncho

 

[Globetrotter.uk]

and a shelter using my basha poles part of Gift it on.

 

[gsfgaz]

Some great set ups there guys ... u cannie beat the poncho's or basha's

 

[ged]

If I tour on my sportier motorcycle I sometimes use just a polythene sheet, pegged to the ground and tied to the bike with bits of string, a bit like Wayland's setup with a poncho and a wall. Total weight less than 100 grammes. Excluding the bike.

 

[jonquirk]

I was walking the Ridgeway on Friday in pouring rain and was looking for a spot to wild camp. I came to a viewpoint in woods with a 2m wide wooden bench. I secured the long side of my tarp (Alpkit Rig 7) to the legs at the back of the bench and tied the other side to trees to the side and in front of the bench as high as I could reach. I had sloping roof to shelter under and protection from rain driving onto the bench from behind. With my goundsheet on the bench I blew up my Neo Air and sat down to cook with my Bushbuddy on the ground at my feet. After dinner I retired into my bivvy bag. Quite possibly one of my best wild camps and no way possible with a tent!

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

Hi some more photos/examples/types if you want ideas:

I like this design, 2 sides of shelter and a ground sheet "MoD shelter sheet"(Basha)

This is a good design if you need all-round vision, but has little protection from the sides, so not good in wind. (each corner is supported by a stick) quite difficult to make quickly.

a cosy nook! the MoD basha, in a triangle shape is almost total protection(tree is one wall) and room to lie down.

a single hoop basha design, (on this thread I startedhttp://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56960&highlight=) can be made with natrual materials and requires no cordage! it's total protection from wind/rain, but it will be sweaty!

comparative sizes (note the trees as a measurement) MoD basha:

British Army 58" poncho:

German Army poncho:

MoD Basha, 2 mini poles, enough space for...3-4?

MoD Basha, 2 micro poles "tent" design:

MoD Basha/US army poncho comparison:

...And of course you can use them to be Blatant!
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50147&highlight=blatant