The British Army MVP Poncho (somewhat similar to Taslan Goretex) weighs around 900 grams so does not flap about in the wind as the lighter materials and has all the appropriate grommets etc to be used as an improvised tarp shelter.

http://www.militarykit.com/products/special_offers/british_army_dpm_mvp_poncho.htm

or the Hilltrek Ventile Poncho

http://www.hillgear.com/acatalog/copy_of_copy_of_Cabrach_Ventile_Trousers.html

+1 on the Campmor ponchos. They have good quality at a reasonable price. Also check out REI, who has good ponchos in various sizes, with snaps and grommets aplenty, at comparable prices to Campmor.
MilSurp ponchos are generally heavier than "backpacker" ponchos, but also more durable, and usually a little cheaper.
As for insulation, check out the local fabric store, buy some fleece yardage of whatever weight you feel needed for your climate and intended uses, and make a liner for whatever poncho you have. It's easy to put snaps, grommets or whatever along the edges, even tie tapes.
Just some thoughts.

I like ponchos. Very versatile. I was talking to a Navy SEAL buddy about the USGI ponchos. I had bought my civilian one from either USCav or BQ. He asked me if I wanted a USGI one, so of course I said yes. A couple of days later, he hands me a brand new USGI poncho for the princely sum of FREE! Gotta love them SEALs.

What goes around comes around. We try to help out military families here when we can. And we send a lot of stuff to the military folks serving overseas. My kids and I send goodies. My wife is part of the socks for soldiers program. She knits wool socks to government specs for our troops to wear. I was surprised that she got a picture and thank you from an active special forces unit wearing the hand made socks. There faces weren't blurred out, so I don't think it would be a good idea to post the picture.

Strangely enough, I was helping a friend move house and I was given a couple of used surplus GI ponchos.

Score!

I will try out the new one when we go camping this weekend. It's rained on us about 95% of the times we have gone camping, so what do you figure the odds are it will get used. I may play around rigging it as a shelter too.

Why would a SEAL need a poncho for in the first place? If the waters deep enough they can swim thru it, anything else they just laugh off right?


Just kidding...;^)

2 of the more interesting people I've ever met were Navy SEALS, mostly cause you wouldn't guess who or what they were by looking at them or speaking with them but they both had some stories to tell once you got to know them.

JohnE

Well... I was just thinking about going rather light during short hikes and using the poncho as an improvised shelter in case weather turns out bad, mean and ugly.

For longer hikes I already have my four season tent and duvet sleeping bag.

In the same vein... what do you, guys, think of this (I just found it browsing the Net)?




It certainly seems like a 'pole-less'(*) tent, doesn't it?

(*) Is that even a word?

Maybe that's a tent that can be worn as a poncho in an emergency??

The tent is an Altus Goriz. It's a tad bit pricey, but I guess it's worth a closer look.

Anyway, thank you all of you, guys, for such a warm welcome to ETS. I'm enjoying tremendously this.

Welcome to the fire XWD! I do like that tent as it looks easy to set up. I really dislike trying to feed shock-corded poles through loops and sleeves. Give me an old-school pup tent any day.

-Blast, who also just uses poncho liners rather than a sleeping bag.

Looking back, I'm not sure anyone mentioned their favorite tarps.

My favorite is the Cooke Custom Sewing Tundra Tarp, made the U.S. by a great little company in God's country (northern Minnesota). Mine is a 10'x12' 1.5 oz. $110 is a great price considering the quality.

Here is their main link:
http://www.cookecustomsewing.com

Here is the CCS Tundra Tarp:
http://www.cookecustomsewing.com/tundratarp.htm

Some nice pictures here:
http://www.bwca.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=forum.thread&threadId=94319&forumID=15&confID=1

While you're there, check out their Lean shelters. I don't own one yet, but I REALLY want one.
http://www.cookecustomsewing.com/leans.htm

I much prefer a tent, or other full enclosure, not to keep out the lions and tigers and bears, but to keep out the snakes and scorpions and ants and spiders and all the other little critters that seem to find me when I sleep in just my bedroll under the night sky.

For the big critters that might view my tent the same way I look at the plastic wrapper on my bean and cheese burrito, the 44 magnum laying across my chest takes care of those type of uninvited guests. I generally don't go tent camping in places where I can't bring "ol' snuff 'em" along.