Too many people misunderstand how waterproofing works. No woven fabric can be made 100% waterproof indefinately. They are only waterproof because they have a coating (EG PU), a membrane (EG Goretex) or a treatment (EG Wax) to stop liquid water getting through. Any waterproof later will break down over time. Flake off, crack on fold lines or otherwise create channel and gaps for water ingress. A (D)WR water repellent coating will help water bead off and delay the wetting out process. No spray / brush on water proofing layer can make a fabric waterproof, but will make it bead water again which really helps. Even high end goretex jackets fail. They all fail eventually. Fabrics like paramó work differently. They are not 'waterproof' but their strength is they can move liquid water from the inside to the outside. Have a Google, have a read. If you want a 100% waterproof poncho - buy one made from sheet plastic - not woven!
I don't know of any poncho (or any other rain pants/jackets), tarps, tents, etc that lasts forever. And like you said Neil, over time they will all probably need resealing and rewaterproofing, especially on seams and areas where abrasions are common. So, I personally would not blame Helikon-Tex, especially a product that is over 3 years old and is used often.
Yep and if its failin after 3 years, theres not so much to really call as a fail. The polyurethane membrane slapped on fabrics always start to kind of crack and tear off, ive used higher end packs etc, and they all wear at some point, even when not used much/often, maybe even due to that.
I've used 20 year old ORC US Military Ponchos in multiple downpours and have been completely dry. There's a good reason why so many US military vets (including me) cherish the ORC Ponchos for hiking and bushcrafting and why they are so expensive on Ebay. The ORC poncho is simply the best. It is coated with a super tough/flexible waterproof layer that lasts for a very long time. Corporal's Corner has a great many videos attesting to the ORC poncho as well.
My local haunt is the open landscape of the brecon beacons and ponchos tend to be rubbish in windy wet conditions as they're open on the sides however it is handy as a lean to using hiking poles, like this the poncho is not in contact with your body thus you don't get wet. I still wear my poncho in torrential rain to cover your body and pack in one even if you have a rain coat and pack rain shell the part of your pack in contact with your back still gets soaked so it's still worth taking even with a coat and pack rain shell.
Great video Neil, I tend to reproof all my winter waterproof kit every 2-3 years cause it happens with all outdoor kit. I have one coat that I bought in Germany at it lasted just short of 20 years finally the fabric degraded so much I had to get rid of it but it handled everything I threw at it, with good management of your kit it can last a long time.
Used a pvc poncho for a five month back packing trip around Europe. Got used as a sunshade and a windbreak too. Any rips or tears were mended with duct tape. Never once leaked.
Really useful video Neil. Everything loses its coating eventually and reapplying it is something we either forget or put off until we're drenched lol. I have a MFH poncho and woobie which has been great but coming into another year of Queensland spring showers will be an interesting test for it.
1958 pattern poncho. The one I was issued with was made by Vacuum reflex, a company which makes protective clothing for the maritime industry. The other maker is B I L, Belstaff international ltd. Both are reputable companies at the cutting edge of their game and boy, was I glad I re-proofed mine, it kept me dry during a field exercise and later when I slept under it. This video is the best advice for averyone, take on board what he says.
check the seams at the hood,i used rubber sole to seam seal,i use it on tents also,its done to withstand rubbing and moving its like a liquid rubber glue
I have used Kiwi Camp Dry (both the one for high tech fabrics.... and the one for other fabrics such as for canvas, suede, leather) on various occasions, and on various items....with good success. They come in a spray can (like spray paint), and usually have enough for 2 or 3 applications (depending on the size of item you are waterproofing, and if you are doing both the inside and outside of the item or not). I have actually waterproofed a Condor softshell (Summit softshell, I think) jacket with it, 2-3 times in the over 10 years that I have had it, especially in Chicago winters, with no leaks. I used it whilst I was riding my bicycle 12 miles (each way) to and from work, for about 7 or 8 years, before switching to public transportation, where I still used it then, and still stayed dry. Sometimes, we have to do a bit of preventative maintenance to our gear, to ensure that it keeps working like it is supposed to. Such as using bees wax or some such lubrication on zippers, to keep them working properly. We fail to realize that when we put things in our packs or boxes, we are actually "storing" those items, and that those items or their coatings can break down due to time, storage environment, or proximity to other chemicals (and their vapors), as well as humidity and temperature levels. Thank you for touching base with this subject and issue. Hopefully, you have stimulated people into checking their items/systems to ensure that they work properly (or they can "fix" them) before they may need them. Keep up the great work !!!
Also noticed that with a lot of waterproof gear - even Gore-Tex and similar - if you get a bit of water inside the outer layer, e.g. if you're taking a bit of rain before you put the thing on, or some rain is getting down the back of the neck, etc. you end up wetter than you'd think when you take it off.
From what I can gather the poncho is sold as water resistant/weatherproof not waterproof. The main difference between the two terminologies is that water resistant is a fabric that has had a DWR coating applied, usually wax or silicone based that's just been sprayed on the exterior. A waterproof garment on the other hand has an actual physical barrier against rain laminated too the fabric in the form of either a membrane like GORE-Tex or a rubberized coating of some sort. Waterproof garments do still benefit from a DWR coating to make the water bead off them and stop them wetting out.
The best and warmest coat I own, is a German Parka from 1977,made of ventile cotton and lined with synthetic fleece. It’s heavy,but it’s warm and waterproof in the rain as the cotton weave closes up tighter the wetter it gets. They don’t make them like they used to… All the best.👍🏾🪵🍁🇬🇧
Remember that HOT water will tend to expand a lot of materials! Helikon tex combat trousers I find excellent, I have 3 pairs - water repellent, well made etc. You can also use a section of birch bark over your shoulders with a cut out for your head if ya wanna go full native. Fallen trees only please other wise it's classed as murder! Good video.
If you are wearing a poncho you get wet from the sweating water condensation anyway. So why dont‘t you use an umbrells and a hiking skirt. These are my favourites right now.
Not defending the poncho I have one and it's mediocre however is a power shower stronger than rain, thus forcing through the fabric, I don't know just a thought.
Wow, a few days ago I also found out that this is not a very good solution after all. In my opinion, a poncho should not breathe at all, but be waterproof, such as DD tarps. Now I'm looking for a way to impregnate, and this video was displayed to me. Besides, I often attract the topics that I deal with :D Regards!
I’m looking for a new poncho. I have no idea what the poncho or weatherproofing cost in British pounds. Would it be less expensive to just buy a new poncho every couple of years? Ponchos aren’t that expensive. Could they be considered to have a limited lifespan, just curious.
Nicwax made mine inside sticky which once researched I spray paint it. No longer sticky but now the tape at the seal is coming off. Had no luck with this item, fabsil seam sealer it is then lol.
fwiw the Rab SilPoncho is an ultralight poncho that actually _is_ waterproof BUT it's pricey and quite delicate. i use mine to and from the woods -- not into being too obviously Mil-Surp while out in public -- but once there i revert to something a little more suitable for the bush. latest addition is 1/2 a Polish lavuu which seems quite promising. been using Fabsil Gold for years and swear by it, great stuff if you can stomach the £££ and the effort.
Often youtubers just take other's reviews of gear and say the same thing without testing it. I do NOT use the Helikon-Tex poncho stuff but their haversack and alike. For ponchos I like to use the swedish army's. Then I am a swede and have done both their ordinary military service and their jäger service. Best greetings from Jägaresergeant Nyman.
I had my poncho on last night BBQing in the rain 🌧. I did get a little wet but not sure if it was me or the poncho. I had my arms in & out a lot so not sure where the inside moisture was from, time to test it 😂. I’m pretty sure it’s a polyurethane coating & not sure if I can coat it with a Silicone product.
I use nikwax or Grainger products, and regularly re-waterproof on all my coats/ponchos and bivvies , and shoulder areas always get extra coatings , great advice and love the testing booth ( not sure your wife did lol )
I got a helikon tex poncho a while ago and it was great, waterproof and worked the way its supposed to. But after a little bit when I went to unsnap it, all of the snaps started ripping out of the fabric. It is completely useless as a poncho now and I was gonna use it as a tarp for my woodpile, but if its not even waterproof what's the point of that? I was incredibly disappointed by the performance of a product recommended by so many...
Consumer criticism, consumers blindly relying on sales speech, so called ambassadors making paid/bribed reviews. Its a dense jungle to get through. In my opinion, theres a ton of kit among bushcraft community that cant stand honest comparison against its backpacking counterparts, but people seem to often go with kit that "looks a part", camo, olive drab etc, instead of choosing the that has superior hard specs. Nevertheless, i sure am happy to see videos like this, and we ought to appreciate critical views as much as ones that praise the mans ability to do maintenances like re-proofing your poncho. Its common sense, a vanishing superpower.
Most reviews are made after a few days of use, with new/fresh products only, not those used for 1-3 years. If you get something for free, the company expects a fast review of the product.
@@osmoahma Yes there is a lot of highly recommended products that are not up to standard. Wasted money on a few of them. Loads of these ponchos leak. The only ones I have found to work are either heavy military surplus ones, or the heavy rubberised ones from miltec.
I have one of these and similar ones from other brands and they all leak, even when new. Seems to be anything made from that super lightweight fabric. You are better off with a poncho with a rubber coating on the back. My miltec poncho is much heavier, has a rubberised coating on the back, and has never leaked. Even in the heaviest of downpours it has kept me dry.
I don’t like man made fibre waterproofs anyway, whether a jacket or poncho I find, unless I’m standing still, the condensation on the inside makes me as wet as if I didn’t have the “waterproof” at all!
I thought the Tex was absolute trash. Drenched through in minutes on the first use. The Dutch military poncho isn't perfect but was way better than the Helikon. And comparable in price for a super grade version.
What can you really expect from airsoft / entry level lower tie gear. Atleast in my eyes thats what it is, not somethin real battle combatants might choose to actual war, nor somethin you see used by backpacking enthusiasts. Not flaming here, just writing my own opinions. Brands make compromises between retail price, profit and manufacturing + design costs to keep up.
It's the stiching at worse , or the area around your neck, where the poncho is open to fit your head through.....not the fabric. It's not any kind of coating, that makes a naylon or poleyestre fabric waterproof, it's the fabric itself. The word "extra coating" is there to help the product sell more, pure marketing. That's all.
It may need to be re-seam sealed, ive used the old 100% silicone and mineral spirits trick. It works very well but does keep a more shiny finish, that could probably be mitigated with different brands and such. A real good poncho is hard to find these days lol, thanks for showing those that may not have known or forgot.👍
😎 For an option to your commercial product, you might like this guys home brewed solution for waterproofing -ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-z_R0gEDZhAI.html. Haven't tried it myself yet but imagine you might be able to vary the thickness of the coating by playing with the solvent ratio a little. Might give you some ideas for your home sewn projects as well. 🙂
well this is kinda obvious. isnt it?! its waterproof, but its not like a house made by concrete man. It will protect you from the rain, but you should also seek for a shelter. Get down from a tree at least, while you wear your poncho. It will be much better than just walk around...
I bought one last year and was quite pleased with it, one year later it went in the bin, really disappointed do not waste your money on this useless bit of kit.
