Hex Quad Poncho Tarp

[Ryan C]

I am working on a design for a type of MYOG poncho tarp that I have not been able to find anywhere in the market. I would love to get some feedback on the concept.

I call it a “Hex Quad” because it will be hex shaped (coming to points at fingertips), quad length (mid thigh), and be quad function.
1) vented full-coverage rain & pack cover,
2) sit-out-storm shelter (tarp or over knees)
3) cook/camp shelter
4) potential head cover over bivy

Goals:
Take benefits of poncho, fix key problems with most ponchos (arm coverage, flappy/snaggy), avoid problems of trying to use poncho as primary shelter, have multi function of camp/cook/sit-out-the-storm tarp, fix hood leak problems in tarp mode, more ventilation control around neck and front of chest, better cord connection and tarp setup (without hard bulky hardware), better brim & hood tiebacks.

Comparisons:
Better ventilation, simpler build, and more functions than Parcho, Packa, or Mountain Poncho. Definitely better than supposedly waterproof and breathable jacket under pack straps and then trying to keep pack dry separately.

Key assumptions:
1. Poncho is best backpacking rain top because of ventilation, covering pack, pack straps not on top of rain gear, lighter and simpler, not as dependent on short-lived fabric performance.
2. Biggest problems with ponchos are not long enough to cover arms but too long and flappy/snaggy around legs.
3. Ponchos don’t make great sleeping shelters.
• Primary shelter and rain gear is a bad place for dual function – too often need both functions at same time and transition is problematic and time consuming.
• Tarp-sized ponchos are too big to work well as a poncho.
• Poncho-sized tarps are too small and just have too many sacrifices as primary shelter. Existing designs also tend to have leak problems around hood despite not providing enough ventilation around the neck.
4. If have dedicated UL sleeping shelter, it is nice to have more open area to cook and sit around camp/fire. Good to have that area away from sleeping area for multiple reasons. Dual function here works much better than trying to have one piece of gear serve as both primary shelter and primary rain wear.
5. A short poncho/tarp is part of system – small pack, rain chaps or kilt or pants, water-resistant wind jacket (for limited protection when poncho being used as tarp), UL dedicated sleep shelter, shoe covers

Major Intended Features
• Hex shape to provide full arm coverage and better camp tarp configurations
• Comes to just below mid thigh (for better ventilation and less drag/catch/flap than longer tarps) with rear length to cover small pack and allow enough length to sit on poncho to keep butt dry. Also just right size to sit under with knees up and have full coverage.
• Adjustable wrap around at hips (back-to-front and front-to-sides) for tighter fit than traditional poncho while still maintaining ventilation
• Head opening is a curved T-shaped slit with hood becoming a taut storm flap and the leg of the T closed with waterproof zipper that becomes a 1/3 zip in poncho mode and a support under hood in tarp mode.
• Cat cut edges for taut pitch and better poncho drape. Large cats on sides (especially front). Small cats on ends.

Anyway, those are the big ideas behind the concept I am working on. I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!

[Lester Moore]

Good MYOG planning Ryan – keep us all posted on your progress. This winter/fall I’m planning a similar project, but instead of having the poncho/parka do double duty as a tarp, I’m planning for it to be a bathtub floor or partial bivy or a wind block for use under a shaped tarp. Still unsure about design, but making a scale model out of construction paper is a good way to sort out many of the details before making one.

[Doug Coe]

Fascinating. Who’d’ve thunk it? I’d love to see what it ends up looking like.

[Gunnar H]

I am also experimenting because I can´t find the poncho I want on the market, but what I need is somewhat different. Some experiences I have made may (or may not) apply for your project as well.

• It may sound dumb, but make sure that you can take it on by yourself in a sudden rainstorm It´s actually not an uncommon problems with ponchos and in an unforgiving environment it can get critical. It may not be a problem for you since your design probably are wider than what I use (and if you don´t need to be self-sufficient for a fortnight, you may have a smaller pack and that helps.) One thing that helps a lot is if you can attack the poncho to the pack at the neck and maybe further down as well. This solution doesn´t restrict ventilation as the Packa solution does, but it still lets you have the poncho available on your pack.
• In my experience, it is amazing how much more ventilation you get for every inch you make it shorter.
• If you´re not planning  o use rain pants, the possibility to hold it down with a strap between the legs could save your butt if you need to keep on moving in wind and rain.

Some other things are on your list already

Good luck with your project!

[Steve M]

Ryan, It sounds like what you are proposing is a modified Gatewood Cape:

https://www.sixmoondesigns.com/products/gatewood-cape

This is still my favorite one person shelter/’poncho’.   My only suggestion to SMD is that they also offer a  slightly larger version (side panels~ 3″-5″ longer) for taller folks.

Good luck with your project!

[Adam Kilpatrick]

Great thinking Ryan! I too have pondered about making different ponchos. One thought I had was a diamond shaped poncho…basically a square worn as a diamond with the hood in the centre. As a partial shelter it could be set up as a flying diamond over a WPB bivy. A hex would probably work much better though.

I’m thinking of playing with kilts soon, starting with scrap fabric. I have chafing issues (big quads), hiking in a kilt reduces seems in there for me. I was thinking a very light non DWR kilt to keep the sun off and wind, and then having a second rain kilt, made from 1.4oz WPB. This kilt would double as an extra panel for a Bivy…I would build a bivy with a WPB foot (of about 24 inches length, then DWR sides with a mesh centre for breathability. The WPB Kilt would clip on with camsnaps for when the weather is bad. A short poncho would work well with the rain kilt, and work as a “dog tarp” to go with the Bivy

[Ryan C]

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions!  I have started building a prototype out of Tyvek.  I will post some photos and updates as the project progresses.

[Adam Kilpatrick]

Not a bad way to try it out. What are your length and width (at arms, and at feet) dimensions?

:-)

[Ryan C]

I have been experimenting on the size.  As mentioned originally, this is intended to be a short poncho only coming down to mid thigh “Quad” length.  Not sure I have settled on the correct dimensions yet, but here is what I have so far:

I am 5′-7.5″.  I usually have a 20 to 36 liter pack.

The front panel is currently 39.5″ long and 36″ wide at bottom.  The back panel is 42.5″ long and 48″ wide at bottom.  From tip to tip along the ridge/arm line is 70.5″.

I am discovering that I need to move the arm/ridge line a bit farther forward, which will make it go across the hood, so I may need to do some rethink on my intended hood configuration to make sure it doesn’t sag and leak in tarp mode.

 

 

 

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