>>2555611 (OP)>Are ponchos practical for backpacking?depends.
at higher elevations above the treeline the wind starts to come from below you.
and in general ponchos perform very poorly in the wind. a waist belt can somewhat alleviate this and is recommended.
if you are dealing with rain without high winds or sticking to low lying areas ponchos are great. better than a rain jacket because it has so much ventilation.
non emergency ponchos are more a niche sidegrade than a replacement for rain gear. but depending where you live they can be.
>I don't have any dedicated rain clotheswhy not? its really cheap. same cost as a budget poncho or less.
cheap rain gear tl;dr:
$20ish frog toggs: ultra cheap. will never wet out no matter what. paper thin and fragile, so bring some duct tape with you. this is the most popular rain gear for long distance hikers, but it will get shredded if used off trail to bushwhack. not breathable, relies on mechanical venting, and fits like a trash bag. size down.
https://www.amazon.com/Frogg-Toggs-Ultra-lite2-Rain-stuff/dp/B007SF1DAQ/cheaper and available at all wal*marts
the pants are useless turn them into a rain kilt or throw them out
https://ultralightbackpackintips.blogspot.com/2012/07/instructional-illustration-rain-skirt.html$50-80ish marmot precip: the gold stardard cheapo breathable rain jacket. this one will be much more durable and abrasion resistant than the frog toggs but it will wet out after a few hours of sustained rain and requires periodic maintanence of its dwr coating. the fabric this one is made out of breathes and it had pit zips.
it goes on sale constantly for about $40-50 so if you're not in a hurry just wait for the next holiday or whatever. avoid the eco version.
https://www.amazon.com/Marmot-Mens-PreCip-Jacket-Black/dp/B000FDY8RS$30ish poorfag alternative to the precip: go to goodwill, find a decent rain jacket where the inner membrane is not damaged, buy a bottle of nikwax, and refresh the dwr on it.
