View Full Version : Poncho Weight Mystery
Standard Ponchos seem to be 5x8. But the ones made out of silnylon are weighing in around 11oz.
4.4444 sq yd times 1.3oz silnylon should weigh 5.77 ounces.
So you add some snaps and some guy loops and a hood and brim sure but lets be generous and say that adds 2 ounces. Where are the other 3.23 ounces coming from?
What are my other lightweight alternatives or should i just make one?
bullseye
04-13-2009, 16:54
Standard Ponchos seem to be 5x8. But the ones made out of silnylon are weighing in around 11oz.
4.4444 sq yd times 1.3oz silnylon should weigh 5.77 ounces.
So you add some snaps and some guy loops and a hood and brim sure but lets be generous and say that adds 2 ounces. Where are the other 3.23 ounces coming from?
What are my other lightweight alternatives or should i just make one?
More than likely the 1.3oz weight is before coating, so that material will weigh more like 1.5-1.7oz. Also, add in the additional material for the hood and any reinforcements. 11 ounces doesn't sound out of line.
If you are going to make one and want the lightest alternative possible, try cuben fiber. Quest sells .33oz stuff that will make a ridiculously light poncho. And you don't even have to sew, just use Loctite U-09FL Hysol Urethane Adhesive to glue it all together.
Just don't rub against anything remotely rough;):D.
bullseye
04-13-2009, 17:39
it rips easily?
Both silnylon and cuben can be pulled amazingly tight when pitched as a shelter, but both are also wispy thin and not very abrasion resistant. Neither material will put up with a lot of snagging on branches or dragging up against rocks. If you're hard on gear you might want something more durable. If, on the other hand you are the type that doesn't mind paying attention their gear as a tradeoff to saving weight, go for it. I have a cuben tarp, and pack, as well as a silnylon tarp and poncho tarp and none have failed me. I don't toss my pack down at rest stops either, though.:cool:
The stuff you mentioned probably adds more than 2 oz.
And remember that 5'x8' is the finished dimensions after edges and seams have been folded over and stitched. The base material dimensions may be a few inches larger all around.
-Also 3.23 oz. is not a lot. About as much as a candy bar. Personally, I wouldn't go to a lot of trouble or spend money on something so minor.
If you tried to make one yourself and are not a good sewer and experienced with slippery silnylon, your product would probably be even heavier: Your fabric and seam tolerances would not be as tight as a commercial product and you'd probably use more thread putting it together. Not saying you shouldn't make your own gear, just that silnylon can be hard to work with without some experience and the right equipment, and know what you're getting into. That's what I found anyway.
3 oz of sil is about 4'x4' which i would consider to be a pretty decent amount. It doesnt seem like it when you say "3.23 oz is not a lot" but sil goes a long long way. good point on the seems though. i still think its a conspiracy.....jk