Gear Review: Therm-a-Rest Honcho Poncho

When you make it back to camp at the end of the day and the evening temperature is a little cool, the Therm-a-Rest Honcho Poncho is a quick way to add some comfort. Measuring 147 cm wide by 200 cm long, the shell is made from Waterproof Breathable 20D Polyester RipStop w/DWR 1000mm Hydrostatic Head / 5000 MVTR. Essentially this means that the lightweight polyester fabric can withstand light rainfall (thanks to the DWR coating) while still offering breathability. At first I thought the Honcho Poncho was purely for comfort, but its spacious size can cover both you and your backpack all while handling a fairly steady drizzle of rain. It turns out a poncho is quite versatile.

The entire garment weighs 793g/ 1 lbs 12 oz and is one-size-fits-all. The liner is made from Brushed 50D Polyester Taffeta which I found comfortable against my skin, and is filled with 37.5 Active Partical Polyester which insulated very well and always held its loft. I never had an issue with drafts permeating through the stitching like I have had on a few puffy jackets.

Unbutton the side clasps and the poncho unfolds to a handy rectangular shape. I frequently used the poncho as a light blanket on cooler nights when I didn't need a full sleeping bag. 

There is an insulated hood that has room for wearing a hat with a beak. The hood also has drawstrings to pull it closer around your face during a bitter day. 

The pouch on the front of the poncho is quite large and can store a book, headlamp and other camp accessories for winding down for the evening. Don't fill it up too full or else it unbalances the poncho and it will keep falling forward. When you wander away from the campfire warmth to go stargazing, there is a passthrough to keep your hands warm.

Unzip the kangaroo pouch and the entire poncho can easily be packed away for travel. The pouch measures roughly 22cm by 36cm by about 10cm thick (which could actually be used as a pillow in this form). You could compress it further by using compression straps on a stuff sack if you're looking to squeeze all the air out of it when space is a concern.

You might scoff at the thought of a poncho, before you realize how multifaceted it is, and how many instances you can use it. Therm-a-Rest has done an excellent job of making sure it was up to whatever you throw at it from backyard campfires to chilly camping breakfasts.