Grondzeilponcho

Wore this thing through a surprise thunderstorm in the Sierra and stayed bone dry while my hiking buddy was soaked through his fancy jacket. The hood adjusts with a simple cord that actually stays put even in wind. Definitely earned its spot in my pack for the rest of the trail.

The fabric sheds water like nothing else I've tried, and after three days of steady drizzle on the trail I stayed completely dry underneath. It packs down small enough that I stopped noticing it in my bag, which is saying a lot for a poncho.

The way this poncho handled the mist and rain on my PCT section hike was impressive—the groundsheet feature kept my pack dry even when I sat down for breaks. It’s lightweight enough to not weigh you down, but durable against brush and branches.