Charles River Apparelmens Pacific Rain Poncho

When I first opened the poncho the packaging had a pungent fishy smell. I was heartbroken because I really needed the poncho and was worried that the poncho itself would smell as bad as the packaging. Thankfully the poncho only had the faintest hint of the fish smell which went away after a day of hanging the poncho to air out. If you are willing to take the risk this could be a decent item for the price. If you don’t need one badly though, I might suggest another brand because it’s confusing to me why a “new” product would have packaging that smells this way.

I use this jacket down by the river when i fish.

I purchased this based on the reviews and looking for a better options than Gore-Tex jackets. Tired of how they wet-out or got wet inside due to perspiration. Once concern I had pre-purchase was the sleeve length - only covering about 3/4 of your arm.First impressions when it arrived: Packed size is bigger than expected. Think of a sweater vest that's folded into a square. The case is this size. I had been expecting a small 'fist-size' type storage option, but the material is fairly think, making that impossible.First wear - was very impressed! Great ventilation, felt dry in a 1 mile walk in pouring rain. It fully covered my backpack (work not camping). Sleeve length was NOT an issue but a big plus! If you want to use your arms, stick them out of the buttoned 'sleeves'. The shorter length keeps the poncho out of our way. If you want dry hands and forearms, pull your arms into the 'sleeves'. That worked great! Lower legs obviously got a bit wet, but as I held out the front to extend outward, it was only the very lower leg and shoes that got wet. Much less than would have happened with an umbrella or a rain jacket.Once inside - this is when what would have been a 5 star rating was reduced to 4. As I looked myself over, I found my shirt has a wet spot. I had buttoned both buttons and had the hood fully on. However, water flowed into the neck seam and onto my shirt.Overall I think this will be a good poncho and better than other options. I just need to figure out how to prevent the neck leak. For the price it is very well made and a great option.Suggestions for the manufacturer: 1) revise the design for the neck. 2) consider changes in the material thickness to support smaller size of packed poncho. Great job overall.Suggestions

This poncho was amazing! Got it for camping/backpacking. Purchased in 2016 and finally had to get a new one one 2021 due to an unfortunate interaction with a fire pit on my last backpacking trip. The material is nice and thick, doesn't tear easily and works well. Depending on the size of your backpack, not quite long enough to drape over your backpack but can definitely cover the gap between your back and the bag so I always use it along with my bag rain cover and everything stays dry. I've used it as a tarp at camp, to swaddle my bag in overnight when I'm hanging it in the rain, to cover a portion of my hammock, the list goes on. Very versatile and useful poncho, would highly recommend.Only negatives:-it's a little bit heavier than a thin nylon one for backpacking (which was perfect for me because I wanted a thicker option due to previous ones continuing to tear)-I wish the back was just a bit longer so it would cover my whole backpack while hiking.Pros-Very durable-Does not tear easily-Head hole has buttons on it so you can pick the size that works best

I bought it as an 'in case' item as I was traveling and didn't want to have to carry additional items that would be easy to misplace. Compared to other ponchos that I had looked at, this one seemed like the best option because it seemed:MY IMPRESSIONS:* Easy to pack (luggage)* Easy to unpack (from packaging)* Easy to repack (packaging and luggage)* Durable (resistant to wear and tear and hopefully reusable)It ended up being PERFECT for the occasion.I was in the middle of an open space arena and with nowhere to go for cover. I not only got rained on, but the rain was pouring and it was unexpectedly windy which made the air very cold very fast. For myself, I pulled out my poncho in its pouch, shook it out, pulled it over myself and my shoulder sling bag, hooded myself, and tucked my arms inside. I not only stayed dry, but I was also able to keep warm as well which was something I didn't quite expect. for details!MY EXPERIENCE:* YES, it is easy to pack - I packed it into a zippered pocket on the front of my carry-on, I packed it into my shoulder sling bag.* YES, it is easy to unpack - I had to scramble to unpack mine from its pouch and it was easy to unfold, shake out, and wear.* YES, it is easy to repack - I repacked mine into its pouch, bag, and carry-on.* YES, it is durable - It rained multiple times during my trip and I was able to reuse my poncho with no problem.* BONUS, it was also insulating and helped to keep me warm!* BONUS, it was loose enough to fit over my bag!MY CONCLUSION:* VERY SUITED towards travelers.* EASY to PACK in regards to both pouch and luggage.* Please remember to RINSE / HANDWASH after wearing for proper reuse.A GREAT BUY! Read more

The fit and size are all as expected. Draw strings on the hood are well placed and work well.There is a press-stud under each armpit to keep this secure when on.The material feels good when on and it's not too stiff, but feels waterproof and quality enough.Where is does lack, is that it could do with more press-studs down each side to allow you to connect the front flap to the rear flap. In a breeze the front and flap really need to be connected, but is also good if they can be undone for example when sitting or doing an activity. Without these press-studs, everything is all a bit too 'flappy' and you're prone to the elements. This means that the tops of your trousers or shorts are prone to the wind and rain.

The poncho arrive amazingly fast....I ordered the navy and it is navy but closer to black.The poncho seems well made and has a nice carry bag and it does fold up quite compactly for travel.My only complaint (without having rain tested it) is that when wearing my photo backpack it is very short in the back coming to just above my knees and I am not a tall person (5'7"). If the poncho was another foot longer in the back I would have given it a 5. For shorter people and without a backpack the "pacific" poncho would be a winner.UPDATE: I purchased this poncho for a trip to South America. It has now been well tested! I recently went on a 5 day trek through the Salkantay pass (4650 meters) in Peru. The first day it was raining as we ascended the pass (a 800 meter vertical, 4 K distance), At the summit there was wet snow and rain and wind, my upper body stayed dry. On the 17 K descent it began to rain harder and this is when the poncho started to let in water at the neck opening. There are two dome fasteners there along withe the elastic drawstring in the hood. For the conditions I think that the poncho performed well, I am not sure with the amount of rain any gear would have kept me dry....I think that for ultimate rain protection in this situation a two piece rain suit like the Frog Toggs would have been better. In light rain it works well and has stood up well to some tough conditions. Your legs will still get wet!

I wore this round Venice last weekend and it was perfect in the very changeable February weather. It's not haute couture but is excellent quality, easy to wear and packs up small. I'm 5' 4" and a size 16 to 18 and it is biggish on me but I didn't wear it to make a fashion statement.

My last resort in wet weather. If you wear it anticipating rain in humid weather you are going to sweat particularly if moving around in weather with patches of sun. Blows all over the place in windy weather. That plasticy smell is not great either. Keep it as a backup in the car.

Ya son dos que compro, excelente material, textura agradable al tacto, muy practico para transportar, color intenso. La capucha tiene buen ajuste