Poncho or not?
I'm planning several hikes of durations between 3 and 8 days in the Spanish and French Pyrenees this summer, and am new to the lightweight game, so I would appreciate some advice.
The hikes are up to the glaciers and surrounding high mountains above 2500 meters, and will be above the tree line. I tend to follow the trail to the peak section and then wander about looking for vantage points to take photographs, so I'm often off the trail.
I'm used to putting on a Ventile rain shirt (which functions well as a wind shirt too) and usually hike in ventile pants (Snowsled) or shorts.
If the weather really sets in, I stop and set up the shelter (now a Shangri-La 3), and wait it out.
Now I've been looking at ponchos to do double duty. As I'm back into tarps after many years in double wall tents, I am thinking of a PU coated rip stop nylon poncho made by Exped. I can use this as a ground sheet under the tarp as well as rain gear and pack cover. It weighs 550 grams.
I have a Golite poncho tarp which is all I use as rain wear and shelter for lower mid summer hikes in the pre Pyrenees and coastal mountains but wouldn't want to use this as a ground sheet.
I also have a bivy, a Ti Goat Ptarmigan, which I haven't tried yet. Do I need a ground sheet with this? I'm thinking no, with a bit of care.
If I ditch the poncho idea, I can carry my ground sheet (ID Silnylon 140g) and use it as a pack cover in a pinch while I find a site to pitch the tarp. I have also always used a pack cover before my lightweight conversion.
Do I really need the poncho, pack cover and ground sheet, or should I just use the bivy and forget about the rest?
I'm thinking I can even use the bivy as a liner in the pack to keep stuff dry.
Any thoughts welcome as I'm trying to keep things simple.
cheers, fred
