Rain Cape/Shawl

[Patrick W]

Two conditions made the idea of a rain cape interesting to me.  I live in the Appalachian Mtns, so rain in all seasons.  The other, I sweat a lot.  When it is warm, I just let it rain on me.  But for shoulder seasons and winter I am thinking of something new.  On a recent day hike, it started raining.  I put on my silnyl kilt and looked for my jacket, but I had forgotten it.  So, I wrapped the kilt around my neck, over my pack and shoulders.  I was pretty pleased with how dry I stayed, as well as the amount of temperature regulating air I was getting.

So, I took and old frog togs poncho and cut it up.  I kept the hood, shortened it to waist length in the front, left it long enough to cover my pack in the rear.  Closed the sides and made a full length opening in the front, closable with velcro.  It isn’t very trim, so I’m still working on it.  I’m also thinking about a front closure that will allow more control of air flow.  My goal is to wear it with the kilt, thus having rain protection and a lot of air flow control.

I’m wondering if anyone else has worked on something like this?  I’d love to share ideas.

[Stumphges]

Photo?

[Jerry Adams]

I tried making a cape.  One problem is it gets blown around by the wind.  If you close it up, then you can’t use your arms.

Sort of along those lines is a packa.  Sort of a cape that goes over your pack, but it has arms.

Sometimes I’ll use my jacket in cape mode – take arms out of sleeves and leave the front unzipped.  Lots of air flow underneath.

My WPB rain jacket is cut large – lots of room inside for air flow.  If I’m at risk of sweating inside I’ll leave the front unzipped.

Another possibility is an umbrella – the ultimate in air flow

[Iago Vazquez]

Someone made a cape that could also be incorporated into the shelter system. As a hammock or tarp camper perhaps an end closure or door? I think it was Hennessy Hammocks that made it, but a quick search didn’t turn up anything…

[Mark W]

I vote for the Packa — when my umbrella doesn’t work well enough (i.e., wind).  I also like the DIY approach you’re taking, Patrick.

[JCH]

Another request for photos as you develop this.  The basic idea is sound, but as always the devil is in the details. You may just be the one to crack it.

[Patrick W]

Glad there is some interest.  I’ll enlist my wife to help with some pics ASAP.

[Patrick W]

For the pics, I am wearing a rain kilt and loaded 30L pack.  I am now reminded that an important performance criterium which I didn’t mention earlier is to don and remove the cape without removing my pack (just as I can do with the kilt).  I use trekking poles, and as can be seen in the pics, my forearms are not protected from rain.  Since the goal is to have rain protection in the 35F to 60F temperatures, I think the exposed forearms will be ok.  In a pinch I can pull my arms up under the cape.  So, happy to hear any ideas!

 

My intention now is to:

– Remove some of the material covering the pack.  I’m satisfied to simply protect the top of the pack, as the pack has a pack liner to protect my gear.

– Tailor in the shoulders.  A good bit of extra material there.

 

 

[John S.]

Vick Hines used to just wrap a tarp around him. https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/4871/#post-1368506

Marcus from the old bpl days cut down an equinox poncho in front and narrowed the shoulders some. Another guy on here had a cool concept more similar to your closing the sides. Integral designs used to make a rain cape (silcoat cape) that I always wanted but never seemed to pull the plug and buy one.

Yeah, it does get talked about from time to time.

[Roger Caffin]

I have MYOG my own long poncho – see https://backpackinglight.com/myog_mntn_poncho/
I have often wondered about a short poncho and either rain trousers or a rain skirt. Any info about field use? Does the bottom edge blow up at all?

an important performance criterium which I didn’t mention earlier is to don and remove the cape without removing my pack
Absolutely! That is why we went into ponchos instead of jackets. We got so tired of the pack off, jacket on/off, pack back on cycle in the mountains.

Cheers

[Geoffrey Lehmann]

Looks like they are no longer in business, but I have an Integral Designs Silcoat Cape that I like a lot.  Here is a description and photo:  https://www.gearx.com/integral-designs-silcoat-cape

I sweat heavily as well and appreciate the ventilation.  I found the rain protection quite good.  I was inspired to find a rain cape by Horace Kephart’s recommendation, so one should suit you well in the Appalachians.

geoff

[Patrick W]

Geoff, thanks for that link.  I’ll steal the idea to incorporate a drawstring in the rear hem to tighten up against the pack.

Roger, I’ve used my prototype with a rain kilt in rain a few times.  I’m happy with the results.  I’ve able to stay dry from the rain, and control my temp with good air flow.

Once I have the prototype finalized, my plan is to cut it up to create a pattern and then make the final cape from a silnyl.  It will be lighter and more compressible.

[Roger Caffin]

The drawstring under the pack is a good idea.
Also a good idea is to put two ‘ties’ at the shoulder level to attach to your pack straps. That way you can undo the front and throw the cape back over your pack when the sun comes out. That lets you dry off a bit.

Mind you, not long after this it was bucketing down again – but! – we did not need to stop to put the ponchos back over us.
(FYI: a very muddy French farm track – really muddy!)

Cheers

[Dustin V]

The Silcoat Cape looks a lot like a cycling cape, most of which have a strap for the waist and finger-loops. This reminds me that I nabbed a cape from Ikea a couple of years ago for ~$8 and stuffed into a handlebar bag and forgot about. I’ll pull that thing out and see how it fits over a pack.

[Patrick W]

Well, I finished the rain cape today.  Made of some silnyl I bought a couple of years ago on sale.  I incorporated the shock cord at the rear to hug the bottom of the backpack.  Also added a sewn in stuff sack for quick trail storage.  The hood turned out too big.  I’ll test it in rain before I alter it, but I expect to trim it a bit.

I made a short video and posted it on YT.  Sorry to go off site, but I wasn’t able to upload the video here.

Glad to hear inputs.

Patrick

[Dave @ Oware]

I like a rain cape. I attach mine with a tie behind the neck to attach to the grab loop. Then the front can be thrown back like mentioned when the rain stops. Just covering the elbows is my favorite length so far.

[Roger Caffin]

Is the hood really too big?
Or is it just the right size to go over a wide-brimmed hat?

I find having a large hood over my large hat keeps the hood off the back of my neck – which is much better than having cold wet silnylon stick to my neck in the rain!

Cheers

[Author]

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