I’m not sure if anyone else out there likes these as much as I do but I’ve taken my Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Nylon poncho tarp on nearly every backpack trip for the last two years and it has really come in handy.

 

 

First off, let me tell you that I’m definitely not an ultra-lighter so that extra 8.1 ounces in my pack is less of a concern than the piece of mind I get from having it. It’s a handy piece of gear that acts as a rain jacket, pack cover and shelter at the very least.  I normally pack my Grand Trunk Nano Hammock as well so these two make a great pair. The Grand Trunk Nano Hammock only weighs 7 ounces so between this and the Sea To Summit Ultra-Sil Nylon Tarp Poncho I’m only looking at a one pound addition. I know most ultra-lighters will cringe at this additional weight, but as I said before, I’m no ultra-lighter so the piece of mind that I get with this combination is well worth the extra weight.  On the other hand, some minimalists or ultra-lighters might see this combo as a good minimal setup for warmer climate camping.  Not to mention that it also has it’s place in the day-hikers pack as an emergency shelter.

Now, in warmer climates I’ll take this valuable piece of gear instead of my rain shell because of its multi-functionality and its ability to act as a pack cover when wearing it as a rain shell.  It not only weighs less than most quality rain gear but it also eliminates the need for a pack cover which is a big plus.

Probably the biggest liability of the tarp poncho is it’s biggest advantage – it’s not a completely closed system so it lets in lots of air, whether warm or cold.  This means that it will not retain heat so if you’re out playing in the rain in temps below, say 65F under the right conditions you can get cold in a bad way.  The material is non-breathable so it really needs to not be a closed system in order to allow air to exchange from inside to outside and vice versa.  It does this very well and in my opinion, keeps me more comfortable than a breathable closed system shell.

I’ve used my tarp poncho as a pack cover, rain tarp, waterproof ground cloth, waterproof seat and just a backup piece of gear so it’s uses are endless.  In these various roles it can eliminate many pieces of gear so it easily earns it’s right in my warm weather gear lineup.  So in my experience I’ve found the Sea To Summit Ultra-Sil Nylon Poncho Tarp to be a tough, light and handy piece of gear to have in your backpack.  Whether to be used as a backup or part of an ultra-light minimalist setup.

FYI:  Sea To Summit makes a less expensive but heavier version of this poncho tarp in coated nylon.  It weighs 13.0 ounces.

Nowadays there are several other competitors that have brought out their own versions of the poncho tarp so it should be interesting to see where it leads and what kind of options this will lead to with the selection getting wider.  Some of them are bigger and lighter so definitely a lot to consider.

 

Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil NanoTarp-Poncho

Sea to Summit Nylon Tarp-Poncho

 

Here are some of the competitors of these Tarp Ponchos:

Big Agnes Poncho Tarp Special Buy

Exped BivyBag Duo

Sierra Designs Storm Poncho Men’s

Equinox Extension Ultralite Poncho

Men’s US Waterproof Ripstop Hooded Nylon Festival Poncho

Hilleberg Vivanorak Minimalist Shelter