Hiking in the wet weather can pose interesting challenges, one of them being how to stay dry. Raincoats don't always work as intended and good raincoats are often heavy making them not very good for light weight hiking but what kind of alternatives are there? Today I will be reviewing the hiking Poncho and looking at its uses to see if it is right for you when you're next out on the trail and the weather turns bad.
The weather is almost always unpredictable, one minute it can be clear and sunny, the next can be pouring with rain. To avoid getting caught in the wet weather its best to be prepared, one way to keep the wet weather off is using a poncho, hiking ponchos usually come in a small pouch that can be strapped onto your bag making very easy to carry, they also are very light unlike most high quality raincoats making them very suitable for most hikes. Even if the forecast is good, it’s still best to bring something like a poncho or raincoat with you so that you are prepared for the worst, being prepared for every scenario is especially important for hiking because the bush is always unpredictable and planning for every eventuality will make sure that everyone with you, including yourself stays safe and dry.
The Go Travel Hiking Poncho and Pouch is one of the poncho pouches that are out on the market, it's design is naturally simple including a small bag that comes with a clip to put it on your bag or belt and tighten strap to stop it from falling out of the bag. This bag comes in many different colours and includes two one size fits all ponchos, one of the ponchos comes in the bag the other is a spare replacement that can be put in there after you use the first one. This product is more for emergences than a full replacement of a raincoat but it does have its benefits that make it better than the average raincoat, being a thin plastic it folds up small taking up little room and water runs straight off unlike some raincoats that can leave wet drew on the surface adding not only the weight of the coat itself but also the water that has soaked in too.
So do you think you need one? They are great for a backup or emergencies but if you are planning on hiking in heavy rain you should always have a good water proof raincoat to wear in addition to the hiking poncho.
For this review I used the Go Travel Poncho and Pouch – Emergency Rain Wear Two Poncho Pack which costs $19.95 AUD, if you’re looking at buying an emergency poncho first make sure that you will actually need it so you’re not wasting your money. Also make sure to look at other websites and brands to find the cheapest and the best one for you so you are getting what you need, most major outdoors retailers will have their own version so it's important to see what they have got.
Written by Josh Welch
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