When I first saw the Therm-a-Rest Honcho Poncho at Outdoor Retailer a few years ago, I wrote it off as the world’s most gimmicky item. It arrived in my mailbox and proved me wrong. So very wrong. Is it a blanket? Is it a sleeping bag? Is it a life sized slice of American cheese? Whatever it is, it’s my favorite piece of gear.
The Honcho Poncho specs
Despite how obnoxious it seems, the Therm-a-Rest Honcho Poncho actually a solid technical piece. eraLoft Polyester Hollow Fiber provides the insulation for this, not down. A lot of folks ask me if it’s down. It is not down. The Honcho Poncho would not survive more than a day if it was down.
The shell is made of Waterproof Breathable 20D Polyester RipStop. It is water resistant in case you’re busy twirling in it and you spill your beer.
At 1lb and 12 oz, it’s not the lightest form of insulation. But if you have the room for it, it’s the most fun luxury item you can pack in the backcountry.
Snaps line the sides if you don’t want the Honcho Poncho flapping (as much) in the wind. A hood with cinches keeps your head from losing all its warmth.
It also has a kangaroo pouch and a zippered pocket that runs deep. It’s surprisingly deep. Deeper than it looks. Like hold a lot of things including your groceries deep. I’ve gone grocery shopping without a reusable bag and this sufficed.
The Honcho Poncho stuffs into its pocket for storage which also conveniently doubles as a really nice pillow.
What I love about the Honcho Poncho
This thing is pure magic. Tuck it into your crash pad for some nap time while bouldering. Stuff it under your feet for road trips where you and your partner can’t decide on car temperatures. Or just use it and twirl around the campfire.
What I don’t like
The Honcho Poncho is unisex. If you’re tall, this will be shorter on you, and if you’re short, this will be long. At 5’ tall, sometimes I end up stepping on the corners, and maybe tripping.
The Honcho Poncho is annoying when you need to use the bathroom, both inside and out. It’s best if you take the poncho off. Otherwise you’ll be holding bunches of fabric awkwardly over your head to make sure dirty things (the toilet! the floor!) don’t touch.
I suppose that as a guy you can just flip the fabric over your shoulder when nature calls. As a someone who needs to take her pants off to pee, this is not an option that I have.
It currently comes in three other colors, but when a piece of gear is already this ridiculous… the yellow is really the only choice.
Buy the ultra fabulous Therm-a-Rest Honcho Poncho through Amazon, Moosejaw, or CampSaver for $99.95.
This was sent to me for review. This post contains affiliate links.
Last updated on October 16, 2019.
