setting up Golite poncho tarp

I agree with not having a lot of wiggle room.

But thats not what having a 5 x 8 is for.

It's basically for fast and light trips where you will not be screwed if it starts to rain.

One of the lightest rain jackets i've found is the Marmot Essence, its 6-7 ounces and costs $150.

The golite can be bought for 58.99 shipped, and doubles as an emergency shelter, plus a pack and leg cover.

I'm 6 feet tall and fit comfortably under the Gatewood Cape, but with a few caveats:
– I'm a side sleeper with legs bent
– I pitch the GC as high as possible given the expected conditions
– I use the additional tie-out above my head with my trekking pole for more space
– The bottom foot of my MLD quilt is eVent in case it does get splashed

You can often find Gatewood Capes for sale on Gear Swap – you could probably buy one and sell it for the same price if you find you don't like it.

One other thought…If you have a breathable rain jacket you could zip it up and put the foot end of your sleeping bag/quilt in it if you're worried about it getting wet. I did that one dark and stormy night with a different quilt.

I loved the concept, design, everything about it but I found that it doesn't work very well for short people. To keep it long enough in shelter mode for 'regular' sized campers, it is longer than practical for us vertically-challenged folks. I am 5'4" and sold mine as it didn't work at all for me as a cape.
A great product, just not great for short folk, I guess.

P.P.

Between reading your Subject and your post I wondered how the GC wouldn't work for someone short…"What – is there too much space inside?". It never occurred to me that the cape would be too long to hike in when it was raining. Thanks for the post.

What really struck me as odd is that I should have known that. I've got a friend who's 5'6" and he borrowed the GC for a trip while it was raining. He was only comfortable hiking in it after we put a belt around his waist and bloused the cape over it about 3 inches to shorten it by half a foot.

It also depends on how big and high your pack is. If you carry a very large pack with a tall top, it might be short in the back for some tall people.
Or, if you have a short and small pack, it could be too long in the back for some people.

I think the elastic belt idea works well for when it's too long. It can be gathered up in the elastic belt cord.
Also, an elastic belt can keep most any poncho under better control during windy conditions.
These are things each user can tailor for their own particular needs, as any "one size fits all" product often needs.