Best Survival Ponchos In 2022 For Emergency Rain Storms

Portability

Portability is a key factor in determining which survival poncho is best suited for your needs. Both outdoor recreation enthusiasts and survivalists alike know that having a portable poncho is an essential tool for outdoor recreation or survival tool kits.

There are differing opinions in regards to defining portability and this should be taken into consideration when purchasing a poncho. Because of this, it’s important to consider where you’ll be storing the poncho as well as when you’ll be using the poncho.

Water Resistance

Water Resistance is another vital factor to consider when purchasing a survival poncho. Having a defective poncho can defeat the purpose of purchasing this product. It is important to purchase a poncho that is waterproof or at the very least, water-resistant.

Given the ever-changing weather conditions we experience in our day to day lives, a chance of light to heavy rains is bound to happen on a hiking, hunting or camping expedition. In a worst-case scenario where you find yourself in need of dry shelter, you need a reliable, water-resistant poncho to come to your aid to keep you from being exposed to the elements.

Materials

A quality poncho should always be manufactured with top-grade materials. This concerns the eyelets, hood and poncho itself. You want to find a poncho made with durable materials that won’t rip overtime and is water-resistant.

An “industry standard” poncho is made of ripstop, nylon or polyester material for durability and is coated with a waterproof coating such as polyurethane. Ensure that the hood also is made of quality material as this hood serves the very purpose to block out rain.

Versatility

Having a versatile poncho is by far essential. In regards to versatility, the poncho should serve a multitude of purposes for outdoor recreation or activities. Check to see that it says multipurpose or multiuse.

Every poncho should come pre-equipped with eyelets or grommets on all ends to serve as shelter and a tarp. These eyelets should be made with steel or brass material. The best ponchos ensure a layer of thickening around the eyelets to avoid possible rips and tears.

Durability

Regardless of the type of poncho (be it military-style or a regular outdoor activity poncho), the last thing you need is to purchase a cheaply made ponchos that rips upon immediate usage. Alongside versatility, materials, and water resistance, durability is an incredibly important factor to consider.

A cheaply made poncho means that they will lack a durable design. The materials used to determine both the water-resistance and durability. Ensure your poncho of choice is made of strong material. Don’t be too quick in choosing your next poncho. Take time to access the type of material used in production to ensure that the poncho of your choosing is durable.

Expert Tips

Ripstop Fabrics

Originally created for the US military due to its high strength to low weight attribute, ripstop material or fabrics is a term you’ll see often in choosing a poncho. In short, ripstop fabrics are woven fabrics often made of nylon. They are woven using a special technique of yards interwoven in a criss-cross pattern to reinforce resistance, avoiding any chance of tearing or ripping. Ripstop fabric is very lightweight. It is used widely in the rainwear industry for its performance.

Other Ways to Use Your Poncho

There are a multitude of ways to use your poncho. Not only do they serve as raincoats, shelters, tents and tarps, when creative, their versatility is about endless. If you’re in need of “extra hands”, your poncho can serve as a sack or bag. A survival poncho can too be used to collect rainwater if you find yourself out or low on your emergency water supply. Survival ponchos too function as windbreakers, keeping away from the wind while preserving your body’s heat. On the opposite end, a poncho can also serve as a cold compress if in an environment with cold water, ice or snow, gather the cold water, ice or snow into the poncho and tightly secure it before placing it on the body. Furthermore, if you find yourself with an exposed wound while out on an expedition, a poncho can function as a wound wrap. Simply secure the poncho or a piece of the poncho around the wound. Survival ponchos too can function as extra shelter for your gear if needed to keep them exposed from a chance drizzle or downpour.

Other Factors to Consider

Breathability

This one may sound like a no-brainer, but a breathable survival poncho is another factor you may want to put into consideration. Not every poncho is made of breathable material. Materials/fabrics like ripstop nylon are known to be breathable due to their woven design, however, materials like polyester are not as breathable, they are nonabsorbent meaning your skin must do the “evaporation” process for you.

Keep in mind the type of material used for the fabric of the poncho and understand the different types of materials/fabrics. If you are perhaps a sweater person, this could be a make or break factor for you.

Value

Always purchase a high-quality, grade-A material poncho whether it is a military-style or regular outdoor poncho. You are always guaranteed to get your money’s worth when choosing quality. Cheaply made ponchos or knockoffs (be wary some online vendors try to pass off their knock-offs as the real deal) are not durable, most likely not waterproof or resistant , thus highly ineffective. They guaranteed to disintegrate at some point.

We should always keep in mind that ponchos aren’t made the same or of similar standard. Keep this in mind when purchasing your chosen poncho. It is not worth taking the risk of purchasing a cheaply made survival rain poncho with defective eyelets/grommets or weak rip prone fabrics. This defeats the purpose of having a poncho.

Effectiveness

Having an effective poncho is by far essential. In regards to effectiveness, this is defined by the quality of fabric, eyelets/grommets, type of waterproof coating as well as the hood of the poncho.

Choose a poncho that is made of high-density fabric, waterproof tested, seam-sealed with a layered thickening around its eyelets/grommets. Again, the best fabrics are ripstop nylon, taffeta or high-density polyester. The coating should have at least two layers of waterproof polyurethane or a silicone-based seam sealer. This will ensure that you’ve purchased an effective survival poncho.

Size

The size of the poncho is only an important factor to put into consideration if you happen to be smaller or larger than most adults. Normally, survival ponchos tend to be about 55 inches wide and 43 inches long. However, this does vary. Military-style ponchos can be a bit larger, about 85 inches long and 56 inches wide. This is for them to be used as a larger source of shelter.

Put this into consideration when determining which is the best poncho for your needs. Are you in need of a military-style poncho or will a regular outdoor recreation poncho suffice? Keep this in mind before making your purchase.

Bottom Line

At the end of the day, you need a survival poncho made of quality material, water-resistant, durable yet portable, versatile and breathable in order for you to get the most value out of your survival poncho.

These factors or criteria each come together to ensure that the poncho is effective. You can’t have one without the other, that said, make sure whatever poncho you intend on purchasing, checks off these important criteria.