Custom poncho for a weather shield/under cover

**DaleW** · 07-20-2011, 23:25

I collaborated with another forumite and got a silnylon poncho made to my specs to use as a SuperShelter clone on my Hennessy Expedition. The poncho is silnylon, and 60" x 104". It has channels in all four side. I strung the sides with 3/32" shock cord and used 1/8" across the ends. The side cords have toggles and the ends have toggles and one mitten hook. the shock cords are full length, so the hems aren't drawn in when used as a poncho, although the one in back might work well draw in a bit.

The poncho hangs just below my knees in front and almost touches the ground in back without a pack on. with my pack in place and a cord around my waist, it will cover my pack and flap less in the wind. The head opening is a slit and has a collar rather than a hood. There is a drawstring at the top of the collar, so it is more of a "gasket."I wear a Tilley or Outdoor Research hat for rain gear rather than a hood. Since the head hole s on the bottom in weather shield mode, it doesn't need to be water tight and the drawstring on the collar will take care of air any major airflow. The bare poncho is just 7oz--- more like 10oz with all the toggles and shock cord.

In weather shield mode, the end shock cords are drawn fairly tight and clipped in a circle with the mitten hook catching on the toggle on the opposite side. The circled shock cord is clipped into the stock Hennessy snap hook-- the one on a Prusik hitch on the suspension that is normally used for the tarp. That gives about 90% coverage to the ends of the hammock. The side cords are drawn in about 12" on each side and give good coverage up the sides. I'm still in fiddle mode and working to get the sides and ends drawn up for the best fit with the asymmetrical layout of the Hennessy. I'm very happy with what I have so far.

For insulation, I've been experimenting with single and doubled space blankets and I'm surprised how well they work with a cover like this. I'm also trying combinations with a 5mm EVA foam pad. I'm not expecting lower than 50F with just the space blankets. I'd like to get to 40F or below.

WV warned me about condensation issues with this setup and understand his concerns. I don't see any more opportunity for condensation with the poncho than with the Hennessy under cover, but we'll see. I'm going to give a test run tonight, with 55F and 70% humidity and a 50% chance of rain.

I'd love to try a Insultex pad with this.

I give you the UnderPoncho

**Beast 71** · 07-20-2011, 23:33

It looks pretty cool! How about a pic with it on you and over your pack.

**DaleW** · 07-21-2011, 00:32

I got it all hung and ready for testing, so I didn't want to take it all down for poncho-mode photos. It will look just like a silnylon poncho with no hood

It's a clone of the MLD poncho (head slit) and the BMW (aka BPL) hoodless poncho. The other "distinctive" features are no tie-outs installed and the hems end in diagonals so the channels don't interfere with each other. And most ponchos don't have shock cord all 'round.

I need to get some more line for the belt and some smaller toggles-- the ones I used are a little clutzy.

I'm going to take it to the woods this weekend and get *real* photos. Hopefully, I won't get CBS

I'm taking a spare CCF pad just in case.

**johnnyh88** · 07-21-2011, 09:48

Neat idea - I'm really interested in how it turns out for you. Good luck!

**DaleW** · 07-21-2011, 12:54

My first night test was okay. I found it better to reef down on the side cords a little more to get a better seal. With the Hennessy, the shock cords on the hammock need to go on a downward angle to help the outer cover seal. I had one side tied off to my porch rail and it made a gap down the side. Lowering the attachment and tightening the side shock cords on the under cover closed the gap. With a body in the hammock, the under cover is 1"-2" below the belt line on the Hennessy. That gives a better air seal and would keep wind-driven rain out of under cover. I plan on using this with a large tarp, so I'm not too worried about total weather sealing.

There was some condensation on top of the upper space blanket this morning-- a light dew really. I felt no moisture in my clothing or the hammock fabric. I slept in light fleece bottoms and a cotton tee with a light polyester fill quilt on top. I was very comfortable. It was a little cool on my lower back when I woke up, but not anywhere near cold or what I've felt when just laying in the bare hammock. Pulling some quilt under my back more than took care of that. The low was in the mid 50's, so it wasn't a cold-weather test. Humidity was around 90% when I got up.

It's interesting to think about weather testing and the differences in temperatures compared to body temp. At 60F, you can get away with just blocking air flow and if you have a full sleeping bag even the compressed fabric and insulation of a light bag will keep your backside warm down to what -- 50F? From there it seems to fall off quickly. I swear I've been more comfortable at 20F than 35F and I think that is because of cold humidity.

**DaleW** · 07-21-2011, 20:03

See my post at http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=36337 for my new brainstorm for an UQ to go with this under cover.

**PuckerFactor** · 07-21-2011, 20:10

Very cool, Dale! Looks like things are working out!

PF

**DaleW** · 07-21-2011, 21:49

Originally Posted by PuckerFactor

Very cool, Dale! Looks like things are working out!

PF

You did an excellent job on the poncho! Thanks

**DaleW** · 08-02-2011, 23:23

After a few test runs I got an idea of what I wanted for mounting and hardware.

I was able to eliminate a bunch of the toggles. I terminated the side sock cords with mitten hook rings and small toggles at the head end. There isn't as much stress on the sides as I feared. They can be adjusted while laying in the hammock.

The end drawstrings have a mitten hook on one end and a toggle on the other. The drawstring goes on top of the hammock/suspension and is held in place with a mitten hook zip-tied to the suspension, just like Hennessy does with the SuperShelter. The head end can be adjusted while in the hammock as well.

The side drawstrings were fairly effective in sealing and matching the belt line of the hammock, but I could see that hooking them to the side pull-outs on the Hennessy would work better. I sewed a mitten hook ring to the side seam clear of the internal drawstring and reinforced it on the back side with a small two-hole button. I attached it to the side pull-out with a mitten hook on a loop of shock cord. The loop is tied with a lark's head hitch.

With a sleeper in the saddle, the top of the hammock and the under cover line up well. It can be tightened further by pulling up the drawstrings. It doesn't need much.

Clearance between the hammock bottom and the under cover is adjusted by loosening the end drawstrings.

Insulation can be a space blanket, Garlington Insulators, underquilt, or the OEM Hennessy foam pad.

**DaleW** · 08-04-2011, 21:16

I got a Hennessy foam pad today and it works well with the poncho undercover. I was able to use the same side pull-out hooks. I have added whoopie slings to my Expedition and the mitten hooks I added are a little lower, so I added a toggle to the head-end shock cord on the Hennessy pad so I could adjust the length without tying knots and such. Testing tonight!

FYI, I didn't know that 2qzq makes both silnylon and breathable ripstop undercovers for the bargain price of $35. http://www.2qzqhammockhanger.com/ham...cessories.html