I still dont get it. Dont get me wrong, i rate the fabric, got a smock and some half ventile trousers, but im totally aware of its limitations, in that before long, wet will come through it, and that when wet, it goes all stiff, and the breathability kinda goes to waste on an already airy poncho? so i dont see how that makes good poncho fabric? If its all about not melting next to fire, wouldnt wax cotton cost a quarter the price?
I'm a great fan of ventile as it makes supremely comfortable clothing when rain is light or intermittent. But I can't help feeling it is a poor choice of fabric for a poncho:
-Ponchos have good ventilation, so you don't need a breathable fabric for one.
-when used as a basha in wet weather, the next morning (if it rains) it will be heavy and stiff, difficult to pack up, difficult to dry on the move unless you wear it.
- If it freezes you have effectively a 6 ft by 4ft piece of rigid cardboard! Try packing that up!
- The real advantage of ventile is that unlike most waterproofs, it is so breathable it's comfy to wear even when you don't need it for rain protection, when it acts as a good windproof. But is anyone going to wear a poncho when its windy and not raining? Its really not practical and flappy in those conditions.
- You would have to melt unrepairable holes in maybe 10 nylon ponchos before a ventile one looks cheaper?
-It's not fully waterproof, which I would have thought is fairly essential if it's to be used as a basha while you sleep. By the time the sleeping bag is wet enough to wake you up, you could be heading for trouble.
Then again, I have never used a ventile poncho, and maybe I am missing the point. but like Saddletramp, I just don't see the advantage in one.