effectiveness of Frogg Toggs Emergency Poncho

Hi, rhz

I've used this poncho on a couple of trips so far. Here's my thoughts:

Pros:
Cheap
Light weight
Packs small
Breathes good
Makes a nice ground cloth

Cons:
Absorbs a lot of water
Fragile
Sleeves are shorter than normal sized poncho
No draw string on hood

I made a few slight modifications to it. I added a grommet at all four corners to add some weight to help keep it from blowing around in the wind while wearing it, and to stake it while using it as a ground cloth. I also used a bit of string as a belt to keep it from blowing around. I stopped using it a few trips ago when a thorn tore a huge hole in the back. It tapes up fine, but I figured the added weight from taping it up so many times would outweigh the benefits at some point. Right now I use a MYOG polycro poncho that I sized a bit bigger.

Hi Joshua,

Thanks for your response. I assume when you say that it absorbs a lot of water, you don't mean that it leaks, right? As for using it as a ground cloth, you didn't find that it punctures easily from stones/twigs?

A polycro poncho sounds interesting. Does it breathe? Also, how did you attach a hood?

Thanks again

rhz

I have the emergency and the regular frogg toggs poncho's. The emergency one CAN fit over my overnighter bag, which is a Sea to Summit 20L silnylon pack, but i am a smaller sized person (5' 7" and medium build). It won't fit over my golite pack. Yes, i sometimes use a windshirt in conjunction with it, but only if it's cool enough as i overheat somewhat easily. It works well in that situation.

I don't find that it absorbs much water at all. Here's the thing, first it's non woven, 2nd it's made out of polypropylene, which is the most hydrophobic fiber out there that is commonly used for clothing/attire. If it was a stronger fiber, it would be awesome for everything from tents, tarps, and anything rain oriented. But it happens to be one of the weakest synthetic fibers unfortunately. I have wondered if they could put it through a similar process that polyethelene goes through to become dyneema or spectra fiber, but i have no idea if that would change anything and even if it did then it would become prohibitively expensive to use in large amounts like the former are.

Breathability: I don't find that the material itself actually breathes–at least not compared to the regular Frogg Toggs poncho. With the latter, i can draw air through during a suck test fairly easily. I can't draw any air through the emergency poncho that i can remember (i will check and update if i'm wrong about this). However, with a poncho this is not a huge concern as you're getting plenty breathability via that design.

Yes, it's rather fragile. I carry some Tyvek tape with me in case of punctures and the like. I find this tape works very well in a combo of being light weight, great adhesion, and surprisingly strong for the weight.

It's meant as a backup really. It can be used for other than that, but it's not ideal because of the size and fragility. I don't mind using it as my primary since i often use a rather small pack and don't do a lot of "bushwacking".

Hi Justin,

Thanks for your response. When you use it in conjunction with a windshirt, do you put the windshirt on over the poncho or vice-versa? I don't get the impression the poncho can withstand the abrasion due to the shoulder straps and hip belt of a pack. Has this been your experience/impression?

Thanks again,

rhz

Emergency poncho is just that….for emergency. There is no durability effect there.

Emergency poncho is just that….for emergency. There is no durability effect there.

Yes, but it doesn't hurt to know just how it might perform in an emergency in order to figure out if you can rely on it.

Hi, rhz

No, it doesn't leak. The fibrous side of the material traps water. I can wring out quite a bit if that side gets wet. No punctures from twigs, the trips I was on were mostly dirt, not too many stones.

No, the polycro doesn't breath at all, but there is plenty of ventilation in the poncho design. I attached the hood with the two sided tape that came with the kit.

Hi Rafi,

I wear the windshirt beneath the poncho. Again, i often use a very small pack and am a smaller sized person so i can fit the emergency poncho over my small pack at least. You're probably right though, it most likely wouldn't stand abrasion from shoulder straps and hip belt very well. Since i haven't used it that way, i can't say for sure though.