Post Hike Review: The Poncho Tarp - SUL excellence
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- Опубліковано 8 лис 2018
- I know that you've been kept up at night wondering, "will a poncho tarp work for me on my hike next season?" This comprehensive review of the functionality and features of the poncho tarp will set your mind at ease with clips of long term, on-trail use of the equipment, the ambient sounds of rushing creek water, and the soothing yet informative rambling of SongBird himself.
(I feel better already - does anyone read these things?)
Other resources linked at bottom.
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If you are interested in any of the equipment covered/shown in this video, you can check them out below: (Please note that as of 11/18/18 I no longer have affiliate links due to low sales, and links will be straight links for the foreseeable future).
[Channel] Post Hike Equipment Roundup - • Equipment Reviews Afte...
[Channel] Post Hike Wearable Quilt Review - ua-cam.com/users/edit?o=U&vide...
[Channel] Last trip I took - • Hammock camping fishin...
[Link] Slightly larger, Sea to Summit Poncho Tarp (UL Ultra-Sil Version) - amzn.to/2RI3lmA
[Link] My Pack - amzn.to/2DuZQNi
[Link] My Seat-Pad - amzn.to/2DbHbFl
[Link] - My Hat! (the red one is nice) - amzn.to/2z0nSvP
[Link] MyTrailCo poncho-tarp (virtually identical to mine, from the creators of GOLite) - mytrailco.com/collections/ten... - NOTICE: may be sold out/back ordered
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THANK You so much for your continued support of the channel! It has been so awesome watching the channel grow with each new video. Ya'll have gotten us to over 100 subscribers. It's been so great getting all your discussion-generating comments and all of your support!
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For these and more hiking/backpacking/outdoor gear tips you can check out my book (available in print and ebook format on amazon) - www.amazon.com/dp/1980642419
If you like these videos, maybe you've learned something that you didn't know before, and you'd like to support the channel directly you absolutely can do that here - www.venmo.com/SongBirdUltralight
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Other Content:
Good tarp pitching resource "papahiker" - • tarp shelter how to: c...
littlelifehappy.com - my website
My current SUL gear list - lighterpack.com/r/1swtlg
Intro Music sourced from the UA-cam Audio Library.
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Edit/Update Note: -11/18/18 - updated to reflect changes in affiliate-status (lost affiliate links)
Hey man. Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to make this video and all of your UL hiking videos. This one was really long, but I'm glad I took the time to watch it as this was one of the most informative videos ever. This is a topic that I have seriously been contemplating for myself lately. I totally dig all your UL backpacking content, and I find your experience and insite to be invaluable. Sorry to hear at the end you are going through such a busy stressful stretch of life right now. Hearing that makes me appreciate your efforts on this channel that much more, so I for one appreciate it more than I can tell you. Just want you to know that your work here is not in vain as it really helps me out. I watch many backpacking UA-cam channels, but yours is easily one of my absolute favorite.
Sean Spence you are a super duper nice person. Thank you for writing me, I needed a little pick-me-up!
So glad that the content is helpful. Hope you have an excellent day my friend.
Happy Thanksgiving! Again I want to personally thank you for all your valuable knowledge and insite that you share based on your experience.
I have noticed some of the main pieces from your Ultimate Dream wishlist are on sale now or about to go on sale for Black Friday fall sales. Some of the pieces I already own, but I am seriously considering purchasing some more of those same pieces that you describe from your dream setup. You and I think a lot alike when it comes to ultralight backpacking gear. You have way more on trail experience than I do. I value your opinions, and I have some specific detailed questions regarding some of the gear from your dream list and how to use them. It is difficult for me to type out the questions here, and I feel like I have already written a book with this message. Lol Is there another way like email or text or phone number for me to communicate with you? I don't currently use Facebook. I understand if you don't want to post your personal info on here. One of my email addresses you can reach me at is spences@hotmail.com
Sean Spence hey man. Thanks again for the nice compliments. I appreciate your viewership. My email for the channel is songbirdultralight@gmail.com anyone can email me no worries.
You can email me directly, but there’s never a problem with long UA-cam comments/ questions either.
Happy thanksgiving!
Sean Spence I agree. This was very informative
I cannot believe you kept my attention for 53 minutes talking about poncho tarps, great job! This has sealed the deal for me and I am going to pick one up. I camp with a tarp and gore-tex bivy, mostly in the mountains in fall, and my gore-tex jacket and pants mainly sit in my pack day after day even though I am usually in wet snow conditions. I am thinking this poncho tarp will pair up great with my soft shell jacket/pants and down jacket.
This is the kind of comment that makes my day :) Thank you so much for letting me know that the video was helpful and kept your attention.
Where wet conditions are coupled with colder weather my poncho keeps everything dry and makes me feel safe.
I hope you enjoy your new piece of equipment!
Thank you for your nice comment and support of the channel :)
Jesus Christ man. You just solved multiple issues I've been dealing with. Just picked up a bushcraft outfitters MEST poncho and have been using for my go to tarp. It works great. I'm the size of an elephant, so I was worried the space wouldn't be big enough. It's perfect. Only used once in rain since i live in AZ, but you're totally right, it keeps pack dry and allows for a bunch of air movement underneath. Perfect. Watched this again bc I was looking for a bivy set up. Thanks!
this is one of the most informative videos on backpacking i've seen yet. You answered some questions i didn't even know to ask. I've been searching for a wind/rain jacket for my up coming thru-hike and decided to look into ponchos because jackets seem to be a hit or miss with most people. half way through this vid I snagged a poncho tarp.
vogle Soal
Thank you for your super nice comment. I may have to frame it!
I’m very glad you found the video helpful. :)
Very best of luck on your hike. Have fun. When do you start?
Found this by accident. Off the hook. Great job!
Lisa Ray thank you kindly. Thanks for watching and commenting.
You nailed all the points I was curious about before switching to poncho. Fantastic video. Thank you for taking the time to share.
Mark Cotner
Thank you for your very nice comment/ feedback!
I’m glad the video hit all those points :)
Happy hiking.
Great video. I’ve come to the same conclusions over years. Your video is a great way to help my friends understand.
First rate. Thanks
Very useful and enjoyable, superb effort and high quality.... Many Thanks.
Syd Smith
Thank you very much Syd for your nice comment. :)
A true hiking nerd, this video could probably be condensed into a series on coping with wet weather, at least 5 videos or something XD
Awesome info!
Thanks so much for posting!!!
Very inspirational and educational-well done!
I carry a e-poncho for times I need to venture out if my trail Co it setup. Great video! Thx.
incredible man... hiked the AT last year and looking for a big upgrade for my rain system (frogg togg, does the job but sucks in heavy rain) and my shelter system, which im in the process of converting to tarp... this will shed a LOT of weight from my system, and be more effective I hope... thank you SO MUCH! used to watch tarp poncho vids and think, thats crazy... now I'm searching poncho tarp setup vids xD much love man
Thx from Belgium!!!
Makes total sense.
Excellent, excellent, video. I make my own stuff & really appreciate the way youve shared your sound knowledge, based on experience.
neil work
Thank you very much for your feedback!
Hello from London! Many thanks for making and sharing this video. Today, I bought a cheap poncho tarp from Amazon for £11.99. I've never EVER used a poncho tarp and want to have a play around with one for a shelter and rain protection. Feeling a bit more inspired after listening to your experiences. Hope the studying has been going well and thanks again - Ben aka Londoner Outdoors :-)
Hello and thank you Londoner Outdoors.
I am glad you watched!
Mine is similarly cheap & currently listed for under USD$ 17 (discontinued), you definitely don't need to break the bank with a poncho tarp.
I'll be interested to see how you like the new equipment :)
Cheers - SB
Thx!
OneWind has that poncho for $38. And they sell insulated ponchos quilts as well 👍
Valued info .
Gore-tex shoes are great. Once you get them wet from sweat or water, it takes a week to dry em.
I'm sorry for thru-hiking this system looks very interesting to me but what do you do in the rain if you're taking off your rain gear to set up your shelter
I've been using a MyTrail poncho tarp (picture in my avatar) as my rain gear for a while now and have been happy with it. Been wanting to try it as a shelter on some future trips. Do you find the bivy is a requirement with it, or would it be possible to get by without one or use a bug bivy?
Matthew Growney
Hey Matthew. It really depends on where you are going to be and when, but ultimately I think the bivy is a requirement for a small tarp shelter.
If you don’t have to worry about ticks and mosquitoes, then you might not need a bivy at all with a larger tarp, but I like to know nothing can crawl into my quilt with me at night.
If you are going to be somewhere that gets very little rain you may not need the extra rain protection a bivy affords the small poncho tarp shelter system.
The usefulness of the bivy will offset (possibly even negate) its additional weight vs a ground sheet: it will add some warmth to your sleep system (potentially allowing use of a lighter quilt); it will keep your gear drier and cleaner (dry is warm and clean is functional and light); and it will protect more delicate equipment (lighter stuff) like inflatable sleeping pads and low-denier sleeping bags/quilts from snags and punctures.
Wind: A water resistant bivy is like a wind breaker/ wind shirt for a sleeping bag. I find it much easier to sleep in windy conditions with the bivy cutting down on how much I get buffeted by the wind (also keeps me warmer so the wind doesn’t carry away too much body heat).
Cheers man. Hope that helps.
Thank you for commenting and supporting the channel!
Edit: here’s the bivy I finished the AT with - ua-cam.com/video/HarGjkDM3Mc/v-deo.html
:)
I got the heavier Sea to summit poncho on ebay used. I think it's the 60 d not the 15d. Nice but I wish it had stronger snaps. The slightest pull and they come loose. Made a shelter out of it with a trekking pole. Have a Lux minipeak when hiking with the kids. I just use it floorless with some plastic on the ground.
i was thinking about burning my sea to summit 70D nylon tarp/poncho but you changed my mind to give it a second chance
Thanks for sharing the review, I have a question about the poncho setup, is it better in half pyramid than A frame under high wind?
Thank you for watching.
In nasty wind/rainy weather I usually do the half-pyramid (cave) for the best, 3-sided protection.
I think the more dome-like shape you get with the cave when you lift out the hood on the back wall is a lot stronger and offers better wind-blocking features than the a-frame.
With the cave, I’ll have 6 stakes/anchor points down (with an option to add another in the middle of bottom edge of the back wall to pin it down more) and 4 of the stakes are pinning the tarp directly to the dirt.
The walls of an a-frame can be staked directly into the dirt for great 2-sided protection, but then:
- you have more than one open end (vs cave’s one open side)
- crawling in around your support poles/trekking poles is a pain
-vertical interior space/ headroom is reduced without remedy if pitching lower (unless you pitch one end higher and sacrifice some coverage I guess)
- if you situate the shelter perpendicular to the wind ( A
Very good video. I liked it so much I just subscribed to your channel. What are the measurements of the poncho tarp? Thank you very much for sharing this video. God bless you.
Every rain jacket turns me into a sweat factory. I too have spent money on useless to me jackets. Thanks you!!!
The one thing I’m not sure about is the open air sleep system because of bugs. They love me. However a plexamid zpacks tent is 14 ounces. That helps
Travis Kammeyer
I feel your pain!
The bugs would be a problem using the open air shelter. I always pair the tarp with a bivy sack. Bug free!
Oh that makes more sense! Ok I can dig that! Man I love your videos and I’m stoked to get down to atleast a 9 lb base. Hopefully less!
Travis Kammeyer
Thanks a lot man for your nice comments about the channel.
If you haven’t checked it out yet, the reddit.com Ultralight sub is a fantastic resource.
You can even crowd source a gear list shakedown there lol!
Really good people on that sub :)
I bought a poncho too. It's a Huncho poncho which is 55" x 86". That is 16" shorter than yours and the same width. I'm 6'1". I think I have to get a tarp and a ground sheet instead of using the poncho as a shelter. As I think about all of this... I'd want to wear the poncho while getting the ridge line and "roof" up while it's raining.
That poncho does sound like it would be a too small for you to use as a shelter.
There are times you would get some rain exposure setting up.
When I go out with other shelter setups I still bring the poncho as it is my most effective rain gear.
Have fun picking out your kit and thanks for your comment :)
FYI I looked up Sea to summit Silnylon poncho tarp and it says it is 2” longer and wider, 1 oz more and $110 more! Their nylon version is same size but for some reason 7 oz heavier! I will still to my Trail Co poncho for $50! Love mine.
Heidi Boraski
yeah the golite/mytrailCo cut of poncho is just great. The markup on the s2s doesn’t really make sense to me on such a simple piece of equipment.
Too bad for the taller people that have to get bigger ponchos :(
Thank you for digging that up!
The honest truth is I never learned how to pitch a tent particularly well even though I was out on the AT for six months. I just shelter hopped and cowboy camped whenever possible. I think I needed a rain shelter probably less than 5-10 times during the entire 6 months. The few times I did set up my tent, it always sagged or there would be some water pooling on the groundsheet, but it wasn't dangerous or anything.
It is kind of crazy to carry something as heavy and expensive as a tent considering I almost never use it. I sold the tent and the rain poncho. I think cuben has an awkward hang as a poncho - so I would just rather hike without it in the rain.
Now, I also use the bivy / tarp system. I use the tyvex like SOL Emergency Lite bivy as a water resistant cover for my sleeping quilt and a zpacks pocket tarp. It's a bit idiot proof (good for me) because even if the tarp doesn't keep out 100% of the water, the water resistant bivy will keep the quilt completely dry. I even used the emergency bivy in a light drizzle without a tarp and it was totally fine. The horror, I know, but being lazy is worth the risk for me.
So sure, the tarp doesn't make a 100% water free area, but it doesn't need to be - just wrap your quilt in a bivy. Or, if you have a regular tarp, you can pitch it super low if water free is super important to you.
Then, when it's not raining, the bivy makes a great ground sheet. No muss, no fuss. Even if I choose to put it up even when there is no weather (doesn't sound like me, I'm too lazy) - I like the openness of a tarp compared to a tent.
I've been looking into the borah because I can't fit my sleeping pad and quilt inside the SOL Bivy, and putting my pad on the ground does worry me a bit (even though nothing bad so far). I also think a bug net would be good, but I'm one of the lucky few who bugs don't seem to bother. A huge advantage of the SOL is that it is cheap, but I'm a sucker for gear and price is not as huge factor for me anymore (yay employment!).
I may also switch out the pocket tarp for a sil nylon poncho tarp if I ever feel like I want rain gear, but I'll wait to see if I ever feel deprived if I don't have rain gear. Even then, I'll probably check out a disposable ponch first. We'll see.
Anyways, good info - was just researching the Borah and it was fun to see your video, and then too see me mentioned!
Best,
Igloo
Igloo! Hey :)
Love the honesty bit lol. I’m pretty lazy too. There’s only so many times you can set up and break down all of that crap before you give up on it.
I remember you had a pretty sweet setup. Cool to hear about your gear changes.
I’m glad I got the wider bivvy.
I can’t rock the no rain gear. I get too cold!
You planning on any other trails?
-Sb
Ive got the 70d sea to summit poncho tarp. An excellent piece of it that i have built alot my gear around. Any thought on camo coloring it? I was thinkin sharpies.
Mike Linton
(I don’t know where or how you might intend to use your kit, so I just figured I’d give you my thoughts from a long distance trip perspective).
I think you could get a pretty good camo pattern going on a brown/ darker green tarp with sharpies. I’ve thought about it here and there, but eventually decided against it.
Mainly, the rest of my equipment isn’t super stealthy:
I use orange reflective guylines so I don’t ruin my setup in the dark.
My trekking poles are white.
And my thermarest is so loud that if someone doesn’t hear me snoring they’ll probably hear me moving around in my bivy/ on my pad.
But also, I feel that successful stealth-camping is primarily dependent on site selection. If you don’t make use of small rises and other physical barriers to being observed, you’ll definitely get spotted when you’re using your light around camp or moving around before dark.
Sleeping near moving water can cover up any sound you might make at night, with the added benefit of helping you sleep through all the night sounds.
Ultimately, though, I think it comes down to distance.
If you cut off from trail and find a spot a couple of hundred feet back (where dispersed camping is allowed) the chances of a person finding you in the dark or hearing you over themselves coming down the trail are slim.
If you’re at least 3 miles from a trailhead/road crossing I’d say even less so. With that principle in mind, anything remotely earth or foliage-toned is going to do a solid job.
That’s not to say it isn’t worth it and/or cool to do, but there have only been a few times when I’ve needed to stealth camp to feel safe because I was too close to a road / trailhead and would have loved to have a camo pattern.
One particular example was sleeping in a public park in NY where I was waiting for a buddy (hikers allowed in park) where earlier in the day several people had equipment and a cellphone stolen.
I will say this about camo though:
If you’re on a longer hike and the camo poncho tarp is your primary rain-gear, you’ll probably be wearing it in towns and on the side of the road trying to get a hitch back to a trail head somewhat frequently.
If you throw being a stinky distance backpacker in with maybe a scruffy beard, uncut hair, shoes that are torn up from the trail, and some camo and/or mil-spec-looking equipment I start leaning towards thinking that maybe you’re not going to get as many easy rides into town or get treated the same by locals.
It’s probably pretty unfair, but I think it holds true that people associate certain things with “weirdo” and they will make you stand out.
So, you could be trading some ‘Grey-man’ (aka: ‘nothing to see here’ just a normal hiker vibe) for an arguably marginal increase in your overall ability to stealth camp with your setup.
For additional uses outside of backpacking/hiking, a non-camo pattern would probably be more usable day-to day, if you wanted to have it with you while traveling, and for visiting places as a tourist for similar reasons.
@@songbirdultralight7384 wow, hell of a reply. I really appreciate your insight. Some serious experience is showing with the points you make. Seeing as a somewhat have your attention, mind if i pick your brain a little?
I wouldnt consider myself an ultralight thru-hiker. Id love to hike for that duration of time but im really into self reliance. Longest hikes ive done were around 200 miles in a little under 3 weeks. The trick was no ressuplies, so i do alot of hunting/fishing to stay alive. I wasnt as concerned with covering ground as i was with food and safety.
im in TN now but i grew up around new england spent alot of time in the white mountains of new hampshire and have been all over maine, used to love hunting their old logging trails. Appalachia is my home.
My ponchotarp is a bright green which feels like a beacon when it is set it up at a vantage point for a spot n stalk. i keep tabs on people that are around me whenever im out because i hunt alot of small game and you need to know whats behind your targets. Hikers stand out because of their bright equipment- more then a few times ive heard them spook game away from trails into my direction. But personally, i like to remain unseen. a giant green orb is pretty hard to miss. I suppose im a bit antisocial- but people are pretty judgy- more then a few times ive had park rangers called on me in montana because i didnt fit the average "hiker" profile, the rangers were all really nice guys- but it does interrupt your day. there were 2 times in particular where some VERY liberal people were very offended by my appearance and a few other in my group enough to try to cause a conflict and tell us to leave like they owned the place! obviously we deescalated the situation and went on our merry way. between you and me, people bother me more then bears... bears are predictable and leave you alone, people are way more varied. The thought that goes through my head alot out there is that there are no police that can make it out there in times to do anything for you if something happened. I built my kit in such a way so that i make camp and sleep, then pack up and leave with no trace. I used to do heavyweight backpacking (especially in the winters of maine and new hampshire) for some longer hunts- but it turns out people can be pretty shitty and ive had people steal equipment from our camp because we left it un attended to hunt lighter.
My entire pack weighs 20lbs, i wear a 3lb chest rig with first aid and binos, my belt kit is 4lbs- gun 2 mags and a knife all covered in kydex. Crossbow is down to 4lbs so total base weight is exactly 31 lbs. I generally have about 32oz of water (i can triple that if i need to) and will usually bring a bit of food so i dont ever really go beyond 35 lbs, the system is custom fit to my body so it feels alot lighter then a 15lb school bag (an accomplishment im very proud of). im 5'11 and 175lbs lean so the weight is literally nothing to me- especially seeing as i used to haul an 80lb pack + rifle into the white mountains at 155lbs... god that used to be miserable hahahaha.
Poncho tarp is key for weight and pack size. I made my own underquilt and top quilt (synthetic of course) because there wasnt anything perfectly size on the market and my packsize is REALLY constrained.
Ive been thinking about thru hiking the sheltowee trace trail... id keep the same kit but adapt a few things. I made my crossbows quiver out of a stiff piece of kevlar tubing thats about 3" wide and 14" long (4oz!) mounted directly to the aluminum frame, i figure i could probably make a long skinny waterproof food bag to slide in there instead of trying to hunt my way through the trail. Seeing as i wouldn't be carrying a crossbow i could grab some trekking poles to add to the grey man of it all.
Without the poncho tarp I think id have zero chances of hitchhiking hahaha. My equipment is all custom 1050codura nylon on a aluminum frame i built from scratch... its all black. Plus im always open carrying a firearm out in the woods with an axe and a knife (thankfully not a giant rambo knife at least...they suck imo) so i doubt anyone in their right mind would pick me up. Guess id be walking- hence why im so interested in lightening up my gear (without sacrificing durability or capability) at every possible level.
That being said ive never hiked into town on a thru-hike, so idk maybe my gear is too "loud" to walk into a grocery store, perhaps i could just spend a day extra in town and get a cheap motel a couple times so i can hit town and ressuply without scaring people.
Anyways one of the things i love about the poncho tarp is concealment. Ive been out with my ar-15 a few times and in the rain you cannot even tell im armed or carrying a rifle HAHA its an awesome piece of kit. I had a few conversations with some hikers while i was out face to face and they didnt know i was so heavily armed at all.
I digress.. i was thinking perhaps i could make the poncho tarp camo on the outside, and keep it a bright "hiker friendly" color on the inside... idk though. I really want to do some of these shorter trails, but ive seen too much go wrong in my life to bring a different level of equipment... but i just dont have any experience with the hiker-hitchhiker portion and tbh "yellow-blazing" sounds horrible.
@@Trickydickysticky
No worries Mike, I love this stuff.
The self-reliance hikes sound incredibly challenging and rewarding. I did some fishing/hunting/etc on zero-mile/rest days in the woods and was always struck by just how long it can take to get your hands on any meaningful amount of food. I had a ton of fun doing catch & cooks with trout, perch, frogs, snake, and squirrel here and there.
Where in TN? I was in Chattanooga until recently.
New Hampshire was gorgeous! Out of all of them, though, I think Maine was my favorite state on the entire trail. I want to go back to visit in winter at some point.
I'd agree that people can be pretty spooky. When I sleep at night, I take comfort in the fact that bears probably only want my ramen noodles and peanut butter.
Yeah, 'when seconds count the cops are only minutes away.' I'm grateful to rangers and police for what they do but there's limits to what's possible in terms on relying on emergency responders.
I much prefer to carry everything with me and rarely leave any of my equipment unattended. One of my favorite things about my setup for the final 600 miles of the AT was that I could just bring it with me everywhere (stores, restaurants, etc). Whenever I leave my camp up for the day and go do something else I worry about my equipment, so I usually just break everything down and bag it up.
35 lbs with a complete load out is pretty damn good. What do you normally do for water filtration to get new water along the way? I prefer filters personally.
I hear what you're saying about the pack, if i'm regularly carrying 20+ lbs I want a pack that can deal with it for sure.
What kind of knife do you usually take?
Yikes, I have a 92 liter pack that I used sometimes for comfort camping with my ex and around 50 lbs I just got plain miserable lol.
Yeah the poncho tarp is a thing of simple beauty. I really don't know what could beat it. I've looked into the 'Gatewood cape' before, but it's so much heavier and has a zipper down the front (zippers have always leaked through for me).
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The Sheltowee trace trail looks very nice. We've got the Pinhotil trail here in north GA and I've been thinking about hiking that to stay in shape for a possible PCT hike.
About the food-tube, what kind of food do you normally pack out? I think you may be better served with a roll top food bag and a bear bag line just for ease of use. I like to pull my food bag out a lot and snack though.
Trekking poles are great. I won't do a long hike without them again. My legs hate me on 20+ mile days if I don't use them.
Haha there's always someone with a pickup truck that will let you ride in the back, but the wait might kill you and you might as well be walking into town. I'm just not at all a fan of pavement and skinny country roads when my feet already hurt. I take my hat off, tuck my shirt in, and smile. It usually does the trick in under an hour. :)
Honestly, if the trail has them, hostels are the way to go. The price is right (especially compared to a hotel room) and there's usually like-minded people around.
Haha, you may get followed around by loss-prevention in shops (that's always fun- stopped entirely when I cut my beard off) but I think you'll be alright. The most annoying thing is having to leave your pack at the front of the store since so many people shoplift. At least where there's a walmart you can usually throw your gear in the shopping cart without anyone batting an eye.
Ah, I think making the inside a different color would probably be more trouble than it was worth. At least mottling the outside with a camo pattern would be a snap.
If your goal is to get out to see some more of these shorter trails, you could really pare it down to your core kit and zip through them. At some level, at least when your main goal is finishing a trail, being fast and light can let you avoid a number of problems. You can hike away from people that bother you, get into town when you're almost out of food, get to the next town before the terrible storm front hits, and etc. Little known fact, my longest day 42 1/2 miles was, at least in some part, motivated by running out of cigarettes (I've quit since) since they didn't sell any in the waysides in Shenandoah NP. LOL
I still carry a knife (vs. ccw every day back home), but I've been very comfortable on my long hikes. I will say my situational awareness gets dialed up pretty damn high on limited kit, but I find that a great part of the experience to be honest.
I only really worry about my food resupplies and a good night's sleep anymore, and it's made life a lot easier.
The only time you'll really need to hitch is to get into far off trail towns to get your food resupply, you get a little hurt, or you need to get away from impending dangerous weather. Often times you'll be able to find shuttle services into town on the more popular trails, though they can run you a lot more than a taxi or throwing someone a couple bucks for gas.
Haha, yellow-blazing (skipping portions of a trail by car) has never appealed to me, but there can be some legitimate reasons for it. Sometimes people jump up the trail to meet friends or have time constraints (visa issues/etc), so they want to hike the good stuff and avoid the 'boring' sections.
The only time i've heard yellow-blazing thrown around as a bad thing is when people claim to have hiked an entire trail, but have actually skipped large sections by car and they get called a "yellow-blazer".
Sometimes people care too much about these things and feel self-conscious about their hikes. But like you said, people do get judgmental.
I met a guy that had "re-started" the AT something like 4 years in a row because he kept getting hurt. He called it "failing". I think its weird, but people can do what they like eh?
@@songbirdultralight7384 so cool, i literally just moved into Chattanooga. Eventually i wanna get the hell out of the city and live closer to the wilderness on the eastern edge of the state but im spending the rest of my 20's working on building a sustainable offgrid house on a remote property debt free. Big plans there. ill always say my pack is my first home hahaha. I spend alot of time aroumd the cumberland trail hunting some of the local WMAs.
I carry iodine tablets in my medkit (fastest way to purify water on the go, plus they are wrapped in a freezer bag so if i get seperated from my pack i have at least something)i also carry a sawyer mini squeeze, and i do believe in the weight of a full stainless steel bottle. i have a dave canterbury nesting bottle set i like using the cup aswell for making hot meals, soaps, primtives adhesives and w.e else. I try very hard to not rely on many consumables so that my equipment is more suited for longer term nomadic hunter/gatherer style survival. That being said a little redundancy is something i welcome for something as foundational as water, a stainless steel container guarentees water if my tablets run out and/or filter freezes. Ive always said the key to pulling off a lightweight setup isnt knowing where to save weight- but knowing where to spend it.
I love my becker bk16, its got quite a bit of custom work done to it. Its a thinner knife and its sized perfectly for my needs... when i was younger i was really into big thick knives like the falliniven knives and others like them that had at least a 3/16" spine for maximum durability but i find them to be duller, heavier and harder to sharpen. I would argue a 1/8th inch spine is more then enough and probably overkill for realistic knife tasks especially since i carry an axe. The axe is technically a tomahawk, easier to make handles for when they eventually break. Ive done alot of work with 10 series steel, my knife is 1095 crovan, and my axe is 1055. i find them to be well suited for their applications and being a long term knife user i worn out enough expensive diamond stones that i believe in carrying a "survival knife" that can be sharpened through primtivie means.
Ive carried all sorts of food into the woods, for example if i know im sure to get fish ill bring fresh veggies and lemons, i have a small little seasoning blend i keep in my quiver pouch that weighs a couple ounces, killer on red meat. if im not specifically going out for game ill bring some sort of protein in a packable form i really like kebabs over the fire, sausage onions and peppers can be pre cut and packked down pretty small and is one of my girls campfire favorites. I do love fatty proteins out on the trail, but if im going for a few days ill stick to more "packable" foods like rices, oat meal, freeze dried meats.. hell, ill take 2 packs of ramen if im just doing a day hike cook em down in my cup and go to town. I dont carry a fork surprisingly... never had a difficult time carving y branches for forks or eating directly off skewers. As far as soups go, i usually just cut a flatter piece of wood like a popsicle stick and drink whatever i cannot fish outa the cup. Outside of that type of stuff, usually i stick to gorp and assorted food bars. I have a large general use dump pouch that ive been known to through sandwiches chips on a nice day hikes... cannot beat jersey mikes on the trail hahaha. Thats cheating though.
Food tube is a much better name for it. Quiver is located just over my right shoulder, so i figure id put a webbing handle on it and undersize it slightly (ive learned to stitch pretty well over the years) so i can access it without takin my pack off... similar to i guess drawing an arrow- its in the works haha. I would be confined to packable foods with a setup like that, likely id pack oats, rice, pasta in the bottom and keep gorp and food bars towards the top for ease of access.
I did about a decade of gymnastics so ive never been huge into trekking poles as my balance and core strength is above average. But i really like the idea of them catching me if i trip, and ive enjoyed them on steep declines and sketchy log crossings on rainy days. I dont think i could do much more then 20 miles in a day thats seems crazy haha and you said 42... which is just equally absurd and impressive. I feel like there gotta be some sort of injury that comes from that but idk.. maybe after months and months of 20 miles days 30miles aint to bad and 40miles isnt impossible... i havent done that yet so idk. 20 is plenty for me and im in pretty good shape.
As a hunter i do quite a bit of off trail hiking and some of the inclines/declines can be ridiculously steep. I carry 3-4mm dyneema rope and a lightweight carabiner/mini figure 8 desenceder (100' of 3mm dyneema + biner/figure 8 = 8.4oz). Recently since i switched gun belts to the core essentials belt i do not wear a riggers belt so i fashioned 7ish feet of 3/4 webbing into quickie harness (havent weighed it but its like an ounce and a half maybe 2oz). I usually rapell down extremely steep inclines for safety reasons especially when its wet out... its slow but ive learned not to risk injury ill takes the declines 40-50 feet at a time and move from anchor to anchor. I have done complete hanging rappels off of large rock facings with the kit aswell to test it, but its not a very safe setup for that and you have to be pretty anal about inspecting such thin line for wear. really its just for bad declines and maybe for some unforseen emergency. I usually carry my crossbow loaded for those small game opportunities you happen upon in the woods so usually im not into trekking poles.
Self reliance is really difficult, especially without heavyweight stationary equipment. ive had some close calls. Keeping gear lightweight is in my opinion the most important discipline for a survivalist to adopt. Less calories spent, fewer injuries, longer range. I used to think that if you were just "good enough" at hunting or fishing then it didnt matter "where" you were... now im of the opinion that the "where" of hunting is about the most important aspect of it as fat as success is concerned... being able to access those areas efficiently is as important as ammo/bait.
Yeah, ive never been very trusting of other people in the woods. I have a ridgeline setup on my hammock and i hang my gun up right above my head when im sleeping... cant be too careful. Im usually loaded for bear anyways (saves weight and time for hanging food). Its peace of mind even if it is a heavier piece of kit. I can tell you it does wonders for my girlfriend. She says seeing the glowing nightsights helps her not to be so nervous sleeping in the dark scary wilderness- that alone is reason enough for me... funny story, her first time camping was with 18 year old me in the squannacook state forest in MA (excellent brook trout fishing there) it was a cold night and we were about 150 yards from the loudest fisher cat ive ever heard that damn thing screamed for like 4 hours and she didnt get a wink of sleep HAHA it almost ruined the outdoors for her so shes come a long way to say the least.
Ive got a security background so yeah bags are a big indicator for theft. I even did loss prevention when i was younger lol. I open carry quite a bit and unless you have the professional "im supposed to have this," look... it bothers people... soo its not something i would do dirty from the trail and theres no way in hell id conceal on the trail or bring an iwb holster.
Situational awareness is really the biggest thing, i will forever be a student in that. Its definitely a big part of the experience. I really advocate binoculars.. i use them for everything from hunting, looking at distant clouds for weather, seeing whos working down the trail in my direction, inspecting potentiality dangerous snakes, spiders, and hazards from a safe distance. And of course bird/game watching haha. Its not difficult to hold your cameras lense up to the eye piece and take a decent quality magnified picture. Ive spent countless hours in my binos. One of my favorite memories was watching a couple beavers work for a few hours on a dam, i was sitting up in a tree with granola bars and water having the time of my life lol.
Yeah "hike your own hike," i suppose. But everyone wants the accolades right? i can totally understand how someone who walked the whole trail wouldnt respect someone who yellowblazed too much and claimed to be a thru hiker. That being said, i cannot carry firearms in certain areas of certain states regardless if im on the trail so yellowblazing may be the only way for me to experience the majority of the AT someday.
Ive alwayd been really impressed with these 4-7lb ultralight packs and the people who average 30 miles a day consistently hiking through rough terrain... as a survialist i could be like "hey thats cheating cause they ressuply," but i find it alot more constructive and helpful to learn from their discipline and better improve my system with some of their techniques then to try to discredit their passion or devalue their experience. Im working on cutting weight down to sub 30lbs but i doubt i can go furthur then that and still maintain my personal standards of redundancy, durability, and capability... well see. Ive really enjoyed this conversation regardless.
My only quesrion about using a poncho as both your rain protection and your shelter is how do you stay dry around camp when you have your poncho swt up as a shelter? Then you have nothing to keep you dry around camp. You have to stay in your shelter the whole time. Have you found that to be an issue and if so what is your solution?
Of course its an issue for toilet visits etc. But do you really walk around camp site while it rains? Its a huge 200-300h penalty to carry two tarps.
Lots of useful information. Thanks for taking the time to make the video. Have you tried a Flying V (aka diamond?) configuration with the poncho tarp? I looked through your other tarp video and don’t recall seeing it.
Bob Preis
Thanks Bob.
I used a plow point pitch of sorts, which I think is probably equivalent to a Flying V, at least once.
I couldn’t get the foot end to work with the corners folded in since I had no soft ground to stake in to. I ended up using rocks for most of my guylines.
The tarp is a little small for it, but I used it in very windy conditions in an exposed camp on the bluff at Anthony’s nose above the bear mountain bridge on the Hudson River. With it pointed into the wind, I didn’t have the tarp flapping or collapsing on me throughout the night.
instagram.com/p/BYqHo_9g0kV/
Tarp setup article - www.littlelifehappy.com/2018/03/poncho-tarp-and-bivy-setup-pictures-how.html
I have a sea to summit. The snaps are too weak to stay fastened. Otherwise I like it. Maybe a Gatewood Cape would be better
What did you think of sea to summits ultra sil NANO poncho tarp. It’s much lighter then the regular poncho tarp
Hey Peak Bagger,
I haven’t had a chance to try it myself, but I have looked into the NANO to help find poncho tarp options for other commenters.
I’m going to steal a little bit here from another comment I wrote.
My Big Agnes poncho is still doing great so I haven't been on the hunt for a replacement.
Options that I'd strongly consider:
Sea to Summit has released a lighter version of their "Nylon Tarp / Poncho" (13.0 oz) called "The Ultra-Sil Nano Poncho" (8.1 oz - 57"x104" = 4.75ft x 8.67ft). The dimensions are slightly larger than my BA poncho tarp. (56" x 100" = 4.66ft x 8.33ft), which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's more expensive (~$100) than my bargain find BA/PT, but you might be able to find a used one on the gear forums/ reddit.
I've found S2S's fabric to be quite capable in other applications like foodbags. 15-denier is half the denier count of my BA/PT, so you may want to be a little more delicate with it.
My 30 denier has taken some serious abuse and I've yet to find any weak spots. A poncho-tarp will occasionally snag on things when you're on the move, and if you're ever going to use it as a ground sheet (not all that frequently in my case) I could see a lower denier count being a concern.
Still, though, the poncho looks promising.
I'd want to try it on to see how the hood fits, but I'd strongly consider it with a slight reservation on the price tag for such a simple piece of equipment.
As an alternative, my first thought would be to hunt down a Mytrailco (discontinued) poncho tarp (a lot like mine). You can probably find one on used gear trade/swap/sale forums on reddit/whiteblaze.net type sites. You might find a couple options for sale or be able to put up a WTB (want to buy) post.
In the higher price bracket ($100+), I've also looked into the Gatewood Cape (raingear + pyramid shelter) in the past, but it's not quite as simple and bomb-proof as a poncho tarp which kind of turns me off. I really like the idea of it except for maybe the zipper integration down the front/chest panel as a possible point of failure (no reports to this effect, just a feeling).
I looked at one at the booth during Trail-days and nearly bought it. I may get one eventually, it was pretty dang cool.
At 11 oz and serving as a full-coverage shelter + rain gear it's fairly tempting.
Thank you for watching and for your comment.
-SB
SongBird Ultralight I just bought the sea to summit tarp nano poncho because how significantly helpful your videos have become for my system. I can’t wait to try it and dial it in. Btw, If you haven’t already, sea2summit has first responder discounts, you can apply for their pro program. I did it and helped a lot with my purchases.
@@peakbagger2014
I'm glad that you found the videos helpful!
I will definitely look into the pro program, that sounds awesome.
Now, I see your channel there. Please let me know how it works out. I'll be watching for a gearlist video once you get your setup all dialed in :) haha
Thank you for your nice comment and I hope you enjoy your new tarp!
-SB
SongBird Ultralight it’s comin in the mail in a couple days and I’ll for sure make a video once I test it!
The sea to summit tarps are 15d .... great vid bro
Bobo
Thank you. That’ll be very helpful for anyone that reads the comments :)
Thank you very much for the compliment and for your support of the channel with your comment. Have a great day.
SB
There is a heavier one. Mine is 60d I think. It was cheaper but I took what I could get on ebay.
Hello brother i am trying to find perfect shelter for my bicycle world tour i am thinking savotta poncho xl for bigger shelter and durability but my height is 177 ,width 139cm, back 150cm, front 130cm is too long for me ? do you recommend this poncho? maybe ill use with my deuter 50l backpacking trips. btw your video is awesome its the longest video in internet about poncho tarps if you answer this i will be really happy greetings fron turkey .
Hello my friend.
The length of the poncho tarp is important for ease of pitching and ensuring that you get adequate coverage when it is used as a shelter.
I have not seen the Savotta Poncho before, but I will look.
I would see if you can order the M size as it states that it is produced for individuals up to 180cm.
Order it early from a source that will allow you to return/exchange and try it on :)
A size M Savotta Poncho should fit you according to the manufacturer's specifications. My Poncho Tarp hangs to my ankles in the back with no pack on. In the front it comes to just below my knees..
The back of the poncho has 3 pieces/patches of velcro that line up and allow me to take up the extra fabric. This keeps the poncho from being too long in the back if you do not have a backpack on.
(edit: There are metal snaps to shorten the rear of the Savotta poncho, disregard ->) I do not see any pictures that demonstrate whether the extra fabric of the Savotta poncho can be taken up in the back like mine.
The guyline loop attachments look well secured. As the fabric of the Savotta is a thicker 70D fabric, I believe the rivet and stitching on the guyline loops will be durable.
70D fabric should be very durable in general.
The hood looks a little big. You will want to be careful about using the hood draw-string to ensure a good seal over the hood opening when you are setting up for rain. Still, I am glad that it will work over your helmet.
As for riding in the rain, I am worried that a poncho/ rain cape may snag. Of course, there are thumb/arm loops that will keep the front of the poncho extended to your handlebars with your hands. My primary concern is the back of the poncho.
If you tuck it under you, and ride with it on top of your seat, then I worry it will snag at some point and cause you to crash or damage your poncho. If your poncho is torn badly, then your shelter is also at risk of not functioning properly for you when you need it.
When it is cold and wet on your tour, and it will be eventually, your shelter must be dependable and must be safeguarded from damage so that it can continue to protect you.
Furthermore, despite the high denier count of the fabric, I think that riding with it between you and the seat is likely to wear through the fabric over the course of an extended tour.
If you can find a method to reliably secure the back/tail end of the poncho around your waist while riding, then I think this may be a good option for you.
A short and thin bungee with a cord-lock to allow you to adjust it would make a nice belt to hold up the gathered tail-end fabric, and will be valuable for other uses when it is not raining.
You could probably find a lower denier count poncho that would weigh a little less, but I think the extra thickness of this poncho will be very nice when you need to make your own shade with your tarp.
The lower denier count fabric used in my poncho means that it does a mediocre job at providing shade. It is not quite thick enough.
This isn't as important for me as I primarily camp in the Eastern USA where it is usually heavily wooded, but on an extended tour like yours you may find that you are in need of shade from time to time.
How do you plan to pitch your tarp if you are in an area with few sticks? Usually I have an abundance or sticks, or I can use hiking/ trekking poles.
I wonder if there is a reliable method of tarp pitching that can use your bike as a structural support. Multipurpose!
Worst case, you may want to pick up a pitching pole that can break down into a small size for your racks/panniers.
It seems many cyclists are happy with a poncho:
ua-cam.com/video/o-TzDETDI2g/v-deo.html
Definitely test out your new poncho in the rain before you leave on your trip though!
Thank you for your very interesting question. I had not considered a rain poncho for cycling, but their use seems to take advantage of many of the qualities that makes a poncho so great for backpacking.
Best wishes from the US and safe journey to you. Please share a link here if you are documenting your journey online! I would be happy to follow your progress :)
Thank you for your lovely compliment and for viewing the channel.
-SB
@@songbirdultralight7384 Thank you very much for your very detailed answer, Yes I can setup the poncho with the front wheel of the bicycle or with some sticks , I will be careful when i use and i will use with some windshell i use poncho just for rain . take care brother thank you alot ✌
Akif Karaoğlu I saw this on reddit and thought about your bike trip. It is meant as a joke post but I wondered if you’d tried this out.
www.reddit.com/r/ultralight_jerk/comments/ibf8oj/those_poor_saps_who_carry_tent_poles/?
Great content!
In 2022, what Poncho Tarps do you recommend now?
The market has shifted towards more expensive poncho tarps, and in my experience, poncho tarps are harder to research than other gear types.
I did find the following tarps:
Sea to Summit (low stock levels $70-$110 depending on what you want)
Six Moon Designs - Gatewood Cape (Not a flat tarp, seems more of a tent with the bug netting) ($155 w/o bug netting)
Six Moon Designs - Deschutes Plus Ultralight Backpacking Tarp - ($200) Bigger version of the Gatewood cape
MLD PRO PONCHO - ($205 at the base cost, comes with guylines too)
Do you know of any other tarps that are worth looking into?
Thank you, and I just subbed, looking forward to seeing you hit 1000 subs soon!
Hello,
I think at these price points the Gatewood Cape becomes very tempting.
The main concern I have with the Gatewood Cape is the zipper and the seams.
Front zippers on jackets always leave me with a wet line down my chest.
If a zipperless version were possible, maybe just sliding the corner up the guy line to leave one side open, then I think the Gatewood cape would be more appealing to me.
Also, with the shape of the tent(fly) comes seams.
On my poncho tarp, the only seam is the head slot/hood. Vs with the GC there will be more seams.
That said, I think with all prices within about $50. I’d try the Gatewood cape. I checked it out at trail days in Damascus,VA and almost bought it.
The GC may allow me to use a lighter bivvy as well, with less water resistance and lower denier top fabric due to how protective a pitch it provides.
MLD poncho looks like there’s a seam down the ridge line which is unfortunate, but it looks like a nice larger tarp.
For both GC and MLD This means you may have seams on your shoulders instead of just the hood. I would worry about where the ridge line seams meet the hood seams.
With seams anyway I’d probably prefer the design of the GC.
Ultimately it would depend on the application (how long is your hike and what weather) and your other gear.
With good seam sealing it might not be a problem, but I like my current tarp for the reason that the only seam is on the hood slot.
Also, finally, 9/10 times I pitch a lean-to or improvised lean-to(one corner to the ground for a little more protection on the head end).I like the openness of the tarp.
The big drawback with the GC for me would therefore be reduced pitching options. With a tarp, you can do tons and tons of pitches and set up pretty much anywhere.
I say the fewer seams, more flexibility, and higher durability of something like the sea to summit would win out unless you like the feeling of the full enclosure offered by the GC.
Wilderness Innovation makes the best poncho. But it is way past your price range, sorry.