Tomorrow is the last day for the only Mountain House #10 can order for this year. Be there or be square. Check previous posts for a link.
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I hate getting wet, which is not to say that I dislike swimming or activities that cause me to get wet. I suppose a more accurate statement would be that I dislike getting wet unintentionally. Everyone here, I am sure, is in agreement that wet feet suck so I think we can all sympathize about not liking getting wet whether its feet or anywhere else. Additionally, when youre out in the sticks, getting wet can be a bit dangerous since all it takes is getting wet and a good breeze to start a person on the road to hypothermia.

The usual solution to these things is, unsurprisingly, rain gear. I prefer, in the words of Alton brown, ‘a multitasker’ for these situations. Military ponchos usually fit the bill. Ponchos aren’t the perfect answer since they can be a bit awkward in certain situations but they are a thousand percent more versatile than a dedicated rain jacket. (However, a rain hat is almost always a good idea…even if you have a poncho.)

The US military ponchos are, in my opinion, too lightweight and not nearly as waterproof as would be nice. They’ll do in a pinch, but there are better. And cheaper. And “better and cheaper” are fine words to gear up by. Best I’ve found has been the German rain ponchos. The earth-color is perfect for most environs, the material is definitely waterproof and not just water resistant, and the snaps along the edges allow for multiple ponchos to be used.

If you hunt around the internet for zeltbahn you’ll see the WW2 poncho that the Nazis used. Like a lot of Nazi military gear, its innovative, versatile and, given the materials available in those days, very ahead of its time. One of the biggest features of the zeltbahn was that they could be attached to an infinite number of other zeltbahns via two-sided snaps. Get a dozen guys together and they could put up a tent of these things. Post-war Germany had to distance itself from its Nazi history and that means that even smart ideas like the zeltbahn needed to be redesigned and repatterned to not look too familiar. A good example is flectar camo…compare against ‘pea pattern’ camo from the Nazis and let me know if you see any major difference. (The SS had these wonderful camo combat smocks that Id love to see recreated with modern insulating and waterproofing materials.) The zeltbahn was a great idea and it lives on, somewhat, in these more modern German military ponchos.

In addition to keeping your bod dry, ponchos also serve a few other purposes:

Wrapping up your gear to provide waterproofing or concealment
As a ground sheet
Improvised shelter
Improvised sleeping bag (when used with a liner) [although in practice this leaves much to be desired]
Flotation for gear when crossing water
Impromptu blinds or other concealment

And plenty of other uses.

So, as far as Im concerned the German surplus ponchos are tops. Theres some Swiss Alpenflage camo ones on the market now but they aren’t true ponchos since they snap up along the front and thus don’t lend themselves to other tasks as readily as the German poncho….in fact, they are more like rain capes. Also, nothing against the Swiss, that camo pattern of theirs (esp. the colors) just ain’t gonna work in my neck of the woods.

Source? Well that’s why Im bringing it up. I got the new Sportsmans Guide catalog and they’ve got them by the pair, “Used in very good shape”, for $16.97 per pair. That’s about $8.50 ea. Very much worth it. Dimensions? 3’7”x5’2” (43”x62”) Product #FX7K-119126X
Before anyone asks me, no I have no idea if the US liners fit it but it wouldn’t surprise me if they did. Check the dimensions.

Actually, a quick perusal of dimensions from a US Cavalry catalog shows huge variations in poncho liner sizes…so:your mileage may vary. Try before you buy.