Make Your Own Gear: Silnylon Mountain Poncho

Hi Lynn

> When it's raining cats and dogs, what is the series of procedures to take your pack off while remaining dry?

Ah well, this can be tricky if you forget. If I have the little safety straps tied to the load-adjuster straps on my pack (normal), I have to unclip them first. If I don't, the poncho stays with the pack. Normally I would get Sue to do the unclipping for me: it only takes a few seconds. Then I make sure the velcro strap under the pack is not done up, or at least is out of the way.

Once both of those things are done, I just carefully slip the shoulder straps off my shoulders and lower the pack to the ground. Very easy.

Mind you, with a light pack I don't always bother dropping my pack at every stop. Sometimes I just stand there; other times I sit down with the pack still on.

Having taken the pack out from under the poncho, it can now get wet. But my packs are made of waterproof X-Pac fabric so that isn't really a problem.

Cheers

Hi Lynn

> Ahhh, in search of that ever-illusive perfect rainwear!
I think that does summarise it perfectly!

I don't HAVE to protect my pack or Sue's pack from rain, but I choose to do so for two reasons. The first is that seam-sealing on heavy fabric (my pack) is never perfect; the second is because the poly-cotton canvas used on Sue's pack can absorb water and get significantly heavier.

Yes, the Packa design seems to focus on attaching the Packa to the pack first and foremost. Removing the pack and retaining the Packa on yourself is difficult. I didn't want that problem.

The origin of my design was the frequent afternoon showers on the GR10 in the Pyrenees. Every time a shower started we would stop, take off our packs, get out our parkas, put them on, pick up the pack, etc. But when the shower stopped we had to repeat all that in reverse because otherwise we got too hot and sweaty. So fast deployment over me while still walking was basic. But almost as important was not losing my rainwear when taking my pack off.

I remember pitching camp one time just below a col (GR10) as the rain and wind got going – without a parka. (I was being tough and didn't realise how bad the weather was getting.) I was shaking and hypothermic by the time I got in the tent. And I remembered seeing all these French walkers with their ponchos having far less trouble. (They don't wear parkas in France when walking.) That was the background.

My pack is reasonably water-repellant anyhow. Sue carries a light small silnylon pack-cover as well for her pack on serious trips – it's really light as it only has to protect her pack briefly. Then her pack goes in the tent.

Cheers

In the UK , the chain/webstore http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/hiking-ponchos section has an breathable poncho with arms: the Quechua FORCLAZ 1500 AIR CAPE. The hood could be improved, and might want full front opening…, but looks like a head start over complete MYOG.

The Decathlon store mentioned actually seems to have a "Forclaz 900 cape Flower" poncho with front zip: so just the hood to fix

Hi Timothy

Scaling the drawing will be perfect. It is accurate.

Mind you, getting an exact copy is not all that important, just as long as it fits around your head and face and mates onto the opening in the main body. Making up a dummy with bits of an old sheet and small pins is always a smart move.

Cheers

Done. Just have to seam seal and hope for a rainy weekend.

Nice pattern Roger — thank you for posting it.

I found cutting the pattern was easier with a knife and cutting board.

Kamsnaps worked well.

Results

191 grams.

Dave,

No pictures? Don't be camera shy now.

Did you lay it out by hand on the fabric?

Tim

I have been following the thread about (RSBTR )SilPoly on a different thread and it causes me to consider this project. I made one of Roger’s ponchos from a piece of 1.0 cuben and a piece of 1.9 cuben that was left over from a different project. While it works well and it’s light enough for me, I do not like the plastic bag sound and feel. I am considering making another one from one of the new fabrics and wanted opinions from the experts. http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/98106/index.html MEMBRANE silpoly CG-PU2000 Thickness = .038mm Small sample areal density = 1.10 oz/yd2 New Hydrostatic Head = >3,514mm H2O Aged Hydrostatic Head (5,400 wet-flex cycles) = >3,514mm H2O Membrane Silpoly Thickness = .036mm Small sample areal density = .92 oz/yd2 New Hydrostatic Head = 633mm H2O Aged Hydrostatic Head (5,400 wet flex cycles) = 492.09mm H2O 1.1oz SP 2nd Gen Thickness = .049mm Small sample areal density = 1.21 oz/yd2 New Hydrostatic Head = >3,514mm H2O Aged Hydrostatic Head (5,400 wet flex cycles) = 492.09mm H2O Or the fabrics from this thread: “The Optimal non-Cuben Tent Fly Material “ (http://tinyurl.com/pglyu9j) 6. – "1.1 oz Silpoly 2d Gen PU4000- Olive Drab," that Ripstop by the Roll has been selling. They spec it as 1.4 oz/sq/yd including the coat, and 4000mm HH. I tested initial HH >3515 mm H2O, aged HH >3514mm H2O, thickness .047mm, and areal density 1.40oz/yd2. The comment linked here makes me pause and wonder how to evaluate the strength to weight along with durability of these fabrics. “A new Silnylon available – 1.05oz/yd” http://tinyurl.com/psbuo9q “A. Membrane SilPoly (PU2000, 1.03 oz/yd^2, 15D plain-weave) B. 1.1oz SilPoly (PU4000, 1.4 oz/yd^2, 20Dx20D) C. 1.1oz SilPoly (1.24 oz/yd^2, 20Dx50D) First, I poked a small hole in each fabric using my seam ripper. I was unable to get the hole to propagate or the fabric to tear in all 3 fabrics. It seems pinholes do not matter here Next, I cut a small slit in each fabric, about 1/2'' long, using a pair of scissors. Fabric A tore without much effort. Fabric B was better than Fabric A, but still tore. And Fabric C did not tear at all, but you could see some deformation of the fabric. This is surprising to me since Fabric B seems to be the most substantial and puncture-resistant of all 3 fabrics. Keep in mind this is all subjective though.” My questions arise based upon my plan to step off on the AT Spring of 2016. I grew up in Western North Carolina and suspect there will be plenty of opportunities to snag and tear a poncho. I used some of the PU-4000 as a floor on a tent I am building now & it’s an interesting material. What do you experts suggest?

It seem the top decathlon cape may need not modifications at all:

it already has side pit zips and a better hood and full front zip: https://www.decathlon.co.uk/forclaz-75l-l-xl-rain-cape-rd-id_8302454.html

ThePacka in silnylon: Medium, 9.5 ox, US$122
Personally, if I had to buy a poncho, that is what I would buy.

Cheers