Integral Designs Sil Poncho

[Glenn Roberts]

The rating shown here is my guess for the poncho used as a 5×8 tarp. I don’t really use mine that way, preferring to carry a separate tarp. However, from the looks of it, it would be as good as any other poncho in a tarp application.

This rates a “5” as raingear, however – I’ve posted that review under the category: Clothing/Raingear.

[joseph daluz]

As raingear: good coverage, hood could use a pull cord to pull back, but when worn with a billed hat, the hood works perfectly
As shelter: quite adequate coverage when used as lean-to with bivy. I mainly use it as ground sheet with a CatTarp and find it to be quite durable, a dozen nights out and not one obvious puncture or tear.
As packcover: I think it works better than the silnylon cover i’ve been using since there’s no gap between the pack and my back, eventually I figured out that I could remove the backpack without removing the poncho, and that’s cool!

[Antonio Abad]

I would have easily given this piece of gear a 5 if it was available in a larger option. As a poncho, it certainly delivers. The drawcords help minimize any flapping at the expense of air circulation/breathability. My issue is with using this piece of gear as a shelter, especially under inclement conditions after a long day of hiking. It just didn’t seem possible for me to convert it from poncho/pack cover to shelter without getting soaked in the process. That’s the biggest reason why I’ve switched back to a jacket/tarp combo. The weight savings of combining these two ideas was just not worth what I felt I was giving up: less aggravation in setting up the shelter and more comfort in inclement weather situations. At the end of the day I want to crash with as little fuss as possible (or reasonable given a commitment to lieghtweight backpacking). The 5×8 size also resulted in a less than desirable footprint for me, even when paired with a bivy. I just prefer a little more coverage.

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