What material is ideal for poncho?

I had been recently also searching for a fabrics for a poncho – after the one I made from very light silnylon failed badly after just about a week of use. The silnylon was rated 1500 mm hydrostatic head and was waterproof when new.

RBTR’s silpoly PU400 seems to be the best fabrics available now – according to tests here at BPL (https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/105800/#comments) it stays fully waterproof after simulated wear cycle. I already have the fabrics and in my quick test it performed equally well – it stays waterproof after lots of crumpling and other abuse. I compared that to a quality silnylon which is perfectly waterproof when new or lightly used and it did not survive well.

Cuben would be more expensive alternative. Here, I’d go with the one with thicker mylar layers (the 1 oz version) which, according to the tests, also remains reasonably waterproof after some use.

Cheers!!

Read this first.

https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/strength-of-93-oz-membrane-silpoly-vs-1-24-oz-silnylon/

The RBTR comparison chart is really helpful.  I’m probably going to try to MYOG a poncho tarp this summer – still debating between something like a parcho with sleeves, a Gatewood Cape clone, or a simple hoodless cape.  Cuben’s out of the question due to price.  I think I’m going to go with 20D 1.1 oz Silpoly PU4000 (1.4 oz finished).  If it was just a tarp, maybe the 15D 0.93 oz membrane Silpoly would be worth it, but not for a poncho tarp.

Gatewood Cape uses 30D silnylon.  Packa (not designed as a tarp) comes in 10D, 20D (standard), and 30D silnylon. Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil NanoTarp-Poncho uses 15D.

It’s getting confusing to know which material to order……I think I’ll just shoot for one and make the thing and see how it goes lol

To maximize waterproofness over the age of the poncho, with the exception of going cuben, I think your best bet is silpoly with PU4000 treatment.  So you have 2 options at RBTR:

Ultralight 15D – membrane silpoly PU4000 – 1.07 finished oz/sqyd

http://ripstopbytheroll.com/products/membrane-silpoly-pu4000

Light 20D – 1.1 oz silpoly PU4000 – 1.4 finished oz/sqyd

http://ripstopbytheroll.com/products/1-1-oz-silpoly-pu4000

In addition to Sea to Summit, Exped uses 15D on their UL ponchos and emergency bivies. I’m sure others do as well.

RBTR doesn’t sell the super-ultra-light 10D nylon with waterproof treatment.  Not sure if another vendor does.

For what is worth……  I have just ordered the 20D 1.1oz silpoly PU4000 for my next tarp-poncho project.  Although 30% heavier than the 15D membrane silpoly PU4000, the total weight penalty is not too big since you use very little material. (in my case 3+ yards).  I assume it will be used more on tarp mode than poncho mode, so for me is good to have slightly better tear strength.

I made a hoodless tarp-poncho prototype of silnylon to see if the tarp-poncho would work for me. (I never used a tarp this small)  I really like it but the lower aged HH and the fact that silnylon gets heavier when wet made me give silpoly a try.

I really like the coverage it provides in Half-Pyramid pitch with a removable curtain in front.  My plan is to have two curtains.  One for rain (waterproof fabric) and one for bug season (Noseeum mesh).

Edit:  Pictures added of Hoodless tarp-poncho prototype w/ Removable Curtain

It was a very windy day, great for testing a tarp :-).

Awesome “prototype,” Mario!  Looks like a finished, sellable silnylon version to me.  What’s its final weight?  Any pics wearing it as a hoodless poncho?

Given Hoosier’s problems with reinforcing the tie-outs on the 15D membrane silpoly, I agree 20D is the best call.  I would only go with 15D (or even 10D if you can find it) if you’re planning to use it solely as a poncho and maybe an emergency bivy like the Exped Bivybag Uno and Duo.

Thanks Ryan.  The tarp-poncho weights 6.7oz and the curtain (also made of 1.1 silnylon) weights 1.7 oz  (I havent done the noseeum curtain yet, but it should be about less than half the weight of the silnylon one based on the materials specs)

I’m still tinkering on how to wear it in poncho mode.  But this is how it looks so far.  (I think is a bit long, I still have to test in in a rainy / windy hike).

If needed I may add some plastic snaps on the long sides of the tarp which would work 1) To close sleeves in poncho mode, 2) raise bottom in poncho mode & 3) serve as attachment points for the curtain.

What are the overall dimensions? It does seem a bit long.

I use MLD poncho/tarp which is approximately 9×5′. I found the size about right when used in the shelter mode, very spartan of course but enough to protect.

I have a Cuben poncho. Water proof and doses snag on branches like nylon.

Monkey, my poncho-tarp is 114″ x 56″.  (as a reference I’m 5’9″ tall).  I agree 9′-9’6″ is a bare minimum in tarp mode.  The curtain makes also a big diference in coverage with a small weight penalty.

Nick.  Cuben sounds great.  After I test the tarp-poncho concept in the field  I may do one out of cuben  (Its too expensive of a material to try things out).

Just for laughs…… the curtain looks perfect as a head cover to complement the hoodless poncho ….. a la babushka!

;)

To Nick or anyone else that did a cuben MYOG poncho, what was your cost in materials and final weight?

For the RBTR prices on silpoly, it seems you can MYOG one, and modify for your specific parameters, with some cost and weight savings compared to what’s available on the market (and there’s almost nothing available in silpoly as opposed to silnylon).

But for RBTR cuben prices (and the extra skills needed to “sew” cuben), it seems like your best bet is just to buy one like ZPacks or MLD at $175 and 5-5.1 oz.

Monkey, actually that is a great idea. I would imagine it would work really well over a wide brim hat.  Thank for the suggestion.

After the researching and researching I bumped into the Sea2Summit ponch/tarp/underlay garment. It is VERY light at claimed 230g (8ounces) so ended up just buying that instead. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Sea-To-Summit-Ultra-Sil-Waterproof-Tarp-Shelter-Pack-cover-Poncho-/360954813907?hash=item540a955dd3:g:mhYAAOSwdGxXIrXu

Ta for all your info though, much appreciated :-)