Snugpak Patrol Poncho, Coyote Brown

Finally got a chance to try this poncho a couple weekends ago on a day hike. It started raining, and I pulled this poncho out quick and slipped it on over myself and my pack. Plenty of room! I like that the sleeves on this poncho are longer and also elastic cuffed, whereas other ponchos only have the half sleeves which still allow your forearms to get wet. The length of this poncho is great for someone my size (6'1", 230lbs) even with a full pack on. I was covered from head to just above my knees, and the expanded backside hangs just a bit lower but not in my way where I would trip on it. One recommendation though... before you take this poncho into the field, open it at home first and "prepare" it. The plastic material may not be fully "cured" yet, so it tends to stick to itself from the factory. Extra drying time before balling it up and putting it in its compression sack would probably cure that, but we as consumers can't control it. So, take this poncho out at home and go through it carefully to fully separate it apart where it has stuck together. It won't tear (don't be rough with it, of course) but still take your time. I guarantee you don't want to break this out in the field without doing this step first, or you'll spend 2 minutes trying to get it on right. Once it's prepped, it will slip on in seconds and not re-stick to itself. Folds up and then rolls up to easily fit back in the included compression sack. Best piece of lightweight rain gear I own, and if there's even a chance of rain on a backpack trip, this comes with me. Not recommended to leave in a car or hot environment during the summer. The material is relatively thin and I would expect that it would age after a couple years of heat exposure. Keep it in a climate controlled environment when not needed, and get years of use out of this poncho. A tad bit pricey for just a poncho, but the design is worth it to me.