The Pocket Poncho Tent

I have completed my poncho tent in 1.3 oz/yd2 silnylon. It weighs a mere 185 grams – as you can see, and fits in my pocket – as the name suggests and the pictures show! In Ripstopbytheroll’s .77 ozyd2 Mountain silnylon it will weigh 109 grams. This may be the smallest tent in the world unless I make it out of .32oz/yd2 cuben fibre, in which case it will weigh about 75 grams and probably fit in my fob pocket! It requires 9 pegs (54 grams) and two guys to set it up in front of a warm fire.

I will be making the zip-in front door soon which will allow it to be shut down for storm mode (approx 50 grams), and I will be making my Bathtub Groundsheet Lounger Chair for it which will weigh under 100 grams http://www.theultralighthiker.com/bathtub-groundsheet-chair/.

This complete shelter/groundsheet/chair will then weigh approx 380 grams (but will also double as your raincoat) making it probably the lightest tent in existence. I still have a bit of work to do around the hood, hood reinforcing and some pockets to hold the pegs, a mylar poncho and maybe a couple of space blankets.

This will clearly keep me dry in the heaviest of rain:

ultralight poncho tarp tent

The mylar poncho will weigh about 25 grams but you will want one so that you can go to the toilet or put some wood on the fire when it is raining. The prototype is here: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/more-fun-with-sticky-tape-ultralight-mylar-vest/

I will think about having the tent and chair made in Asia somewhere in the not too distant future. I will also try to manufacture the Mini Decagon Tent: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/honey-i-shrank-the-tent/ and the Dyneema Moccasins: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/19-gram-dyneema-camp-shoes/ for a start; maybe more later. For example, The Deer Hunter’s Tent http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-deer-hunters-tent/ which this poncho was to be a floor for (as well as for the Mini Decagon). This is going to be a complicated (and expensive) exercise for me as I have never done anything like this before, but I am sure lots of folk are going to want to own these interesting pieces of gear, so I will give it  a try.

Fits in a pocket as I said:

ultralight pocket poncho tarp tent

Or the front one:

ultralight pocket poncho tarp tent

185 grams as you can see:

ultralight pocket poncho tarp tent

Fits in the palm of your hand – hard to believe it is a tent, isn’t it?

ultralight pocket poncho tarp tent

But here it is, much to Spot’s delight! Plenty of room for someone 6’6″ plus, and a dog!

ultralight pocket poncho tarp tent

And with room to sit up in front of a toasty winter fire. And lots of room for gear.

ultralight pocket poncho tarp tent

The prototype was here: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-poncho-tent/ & here: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/poncho-tent-update/ and this was the original which we made for my first visit to Fiordland (moose hunting) in 2000: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hole-less-ponchoshelter/

I have now figured out how to make this into a poncho tent for two! To be announced…

My next trick will be to see whether I can turn this poncho tent into a canoe to cross rivers and lakes: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/duct-tape-raft/

See Also:

DIY Tents

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-to-light-a-fire-in-the-wet/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/rope-dont-leave-home-without-it/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/finding-your-way/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-lie-of-the-land/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-importance-of-a-roof/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/carry-a-knife/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/if-you-could-only-carry-two-things-in-the-bush-what-would-they-be/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-poncho-tent/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-pocket-poncho-tent/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/naismiths-rule/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/weather-lore/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/walking-the-line/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/follow-your-nose/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-long-till-sundown/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/man-is-the-measure-of-all-things-pythagoras-some-handy-estimation-tricks/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-to-avoid-being-wet-cold-while-camping/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fire-on-the-snow/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/river-crossings/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/an-open-shelter/

http://www.theultralighthiker.com/raincoat-shelter/

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12 thoughts on “The Pocket Poncho Tent”

  1. Brilliant idea ! I see you have the pattern in your shop as “coming soon”. I’d love to give this a go – do you have an idea of when you’ll release the pattern ? Thanks !

    1. I am working on the patterns. Just finishing the Deerhunters Tent and the 7 x7 Multi Poncho, then I will redo the Poncho Tent. Very busy here with lambing and weed spraying etc, so please be patient. Before Xmas I expect.

    1. I’m slowly working my way towards ti, but not yet. Sorry. I will post when I have things for sale and set up a shop front. Cheers, Steve.

    1. It is big enough for me but I am planning on making a slightly bigger one (will only add 1-2 ounces of weight). Then it will (snugly) fit two people. I have a separate piece can be zipped in to close the door in really bad weather weighs about two ounces (and makes a vestibule). Lots of projects…

  2. Hi

    This looks amazing. Have you managed to find a place to produce them yet? Or could you share with us the design plan if you don’t plan to have them made so we can make one too.

    1. I still hope to go ahead with this project and a number of other products. I am in hospital at the moment undergoing back surgery, so you will have to wait

  3. I would love JD to purchase the light weight poncho tent and the bath tub floor/ chair and bed.
    I would like to use it for just myself for hunting and sleeping overnight in Australia.
    Smaller and lighter the better.
    Cheers
    Derek Schaefer
    +61417487954

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