![]() There is not a single item in that pack (including the canvas pack) that I would consider taking along with me today.īeing but a lad then, I could not recognize the elegance and perfection of design embedded in that poncho. I carried a base weight of 35+ pounds (16 kg) – including a hatchet. My first long backpacking trip was in the summer of 1968, from Red’s Meadows to Yosemite on the JMT. Usually.Īllow me to suggest that raingear is an exception. Over the years, backpackers have made their choices and driven the gear market to ever-better functionality and value. That said, longer is better than shorter lighter is better than heavier cheaper is better than expensive well-ventilated is better than clammy reliable is better than unreliable. It can always rain longer than your gear can keep you dry. ![]() ![]() That time could be short or long, but it will not be infinite. Water will arrive at your naked skin and begin enjoying its favorite pastime of running downhill and soaking your shirt, pants, and undies.Īll you are buying when you buy raingear is time: the time before you get wet. Even light rain will find its way through every taped seam, pore, and opening – especially when paired with windy conditions. Let’s start with an unpleasant truth: if it rains long enough and hard enough, you will get wet. So why aren’t ponchos more popular? The Unpleasant Reality of Rainwear On top of that, it has far fewer breakable features (read: zippers) than traditional rain gear. The backpacking poncho gets a bad rap – even though it can function as a tarp and provides more ventilation than a rain jacket.
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