Therm-a-Rest Honcho Poncho Down – iReviewGear.com

Hate being cold but love looking cool? If that is the case the Honcho Poncho is for you. When mother nature drops the mercury you will want this handy little poncho at your disposal.

Just the Facts:

• Sustainably Made: Constructed of GRS-certified 100% recycled polyester with a water resistant DWR coating, so you can look good, feel good, and be protected against the elements.
• Hydrophobic Down Insulation: RDS-Certified 650-Fill Nikwax Hydrophobic Down^™ keeps that sweet puffy warmth going even in wet conditions.
• Designed to be Worn: Anorak zipper, three panel fitted hood and refined snap layout reduce excess fabric and make this poncho more jacket-like than a traditional poncho.
• Easy and Compact Packing: Front pocket doubles as built-in stuff sack for quick and compact storage.

My Story:

Being cold sucks. I hate when a plan is torpedoed by bad weather. We are a softball family and thus we are at the mercy of spring weather. Spring weather is always a gamble so you have to be ready for all types of weather at any given moment.

When I found out about the Honcho Poncho I knew it was going to be a huge hit with the softball crowd. I arranged a sample to be sent and eagerly awaited its delivery. Coincidentally The day is hit my doorstep was game day and I was able to put it to immediate use.

First thing that I loved right off was how small it was when packed up, If you have lived the softball life you know the pain of trying to fit your whole life into a wagon so anything that saves space is a hit!

When I arrived at the game the temperature was I the mid 40’s with a slight breeze. It was not too cold, but just enough that even with a jacket I was a little uncomfortable. So, out came the Honcho Poncho for it’s first run.

Two days later I was able to get some more testing in.

After several uses, I again found myself at the softball field in less-than-ideal weather. This time my 80-year-old grandmother was along, and I knew right away that I would be letting her use the poncho. She freaking loved it! Though she was a little bashful when I was trying to get a picture of her with it. LOL

My final testing area was at a UW softball game in Seattle. After being rained out the first day we were treated to a double header the following day. The weather was not good. It was dry but it was windy and cold. I knew for sure that the Achilles heel of this endeavor would be my youngest daughter. If she gets cold everyone stops having fun so I knew the Honcho Poncho would be for her this day.

We made it through both games with only minimal complaints and the Huskies won both games, so it was a great day for us all. My daughter even got to go find a home run ball when the game was over.

Overall the Honcho Poncho was a hit with all that used it. My daughter has pretty much decided that it is hers now which is a problem because now I have to buy another one. I was asked at nearly every game about this poncho and pretty soon I started to see others with it. So, I guess I did a good job promoting it!

Find it Here:

https://www.thermarest.com/sleeping-bags-and-quilts/blankets-and-ponchos/honcho-poncho-down/honcho-poncho-down.html

What can be done better?

I only have one complaint about this product. The snaps that run up the sides are very weak. If you were to try and pull your legs into the poncho with you it would cause the snaps to, well, unsnap. This became rather annoying to me the more I used it. I am not overly in love with the price tag either. I know anything down is going to be on the high end but $259.95 puts this product a little out of your average persons price range. The fabric is very high quality and it is a great product, it’s just a little spendy for sure.