Altus Ponchos

[grumerz]

Regrettably, Barrabes is no longer selling the Altus poncho. The attached will expand upon my request for more information. Options???

 

[wayfarer]

They are available for sale in both St Jean and Pamplona if its the Frances you are walking.
Buen Camino.

 

[Anniesantiago]

In addition to SJPP and Pamplona, they were available at the sporting goods stores in Zubiri and Sarria last year.

 

[Anniesantiago]

You can also email Pierre at the shop in SJPP and he will hold an ALTUS for you for pickup there:

directioncompostelle@orange.fr

 

[nidarosa]

I know there have been lots of threads about this, but now that even Barrabes has thrown in the towel - are the new ones really that bad? I have the really light one that weighs 225 grams in a size S/M, a black one, and as far as I can tell it keeps me just as dry as my previous dark green L/XL one at twice the weight. I would like to hear from the owners of the lime green and bright orange ones too - do they work? Or are we slowly being pushed towards the Ferrinos, Packas and Helsports?

 

[Seabird]

I'm starting in Roncevalles. Is there a shop that sells Altus (or other recommended poncho) in Roncevalles?

 

[peregrina2000]

I can't see which models they are recommending but this Ferino model is similar to the Altus in being more of a jacket that also covers the backpack. (http://www.ferrino.it/en/catalog/rainwear/78122-poncho-trekker-ripstop-l-xl ). It appears to be a bit fancier and more expensive than the Altus so if you can afford it, it looks like it would be a good value.

I have a Ferrino trekker poncho. It is extremely well made. BUT.... it is not a good poncho for summer months. It has a metallic lining inside, whose purpose is to keep you warm. I wore it once on my Camino Levante in 2014 and was sweating almost instantly. It would be great for late season caminos when hours of cold rain bring risks of hypothermia.

 

[Kanga]

@Seabird Roncesvalles is tiny, a few buildings only. The old monastery attached to the church and cloisters, an albergue, a small hotel and a bar/restaurant. The monastery sells a few things but there are no shops. Unless something has opened up in the last couple of years of which I am unaware.

Presumably you will be coming through Pamplona to get to Roncesvalles. You should be able to get everything needed in Pamplona.

 

[GettingThere]

I have a Ferrino trekker poncho. It is extremely well made. BUT.... it is not a good poncho for summer months. It has a metallic lining inside, whose purpose is to keep you warm. I wore it once on my Camino Levante in 2014 and was sweating almost instantly. It would be great for late season caminos when hours of cold rain bring risks of hypothermia.

I found this too with the Ferrino, having taken it this April/May (luckily I didn't need to use it more than a couple of times as we were very lucky with the weather). Most unpleasant, especially with bare arms underneath and if I flapped the sleeves a bit to let in some air, my arms were then just cold and clammy - lovely! Couldn't wait to get it off me.

@peregrina2000 have you also tried the Altus? Do you know how they compare in the sweat/condensation stakes? The metallic lining in the Ferrino definitely contributed, and I'm interested in whether the Altus is (even slightly!) better in that regard.

Thanks!

 

[Kanga]

I always wear a very thin long-sleeve merino under the Altus. It helps. I get the same clammy sweaty arms in a Goretex jacket too. It happens with anything waterproof with sleeves. A loose sleeveless poncho is better, but not good enough protection if it gets cold.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Do you know how they compare in the sweat/condensation stakes?

Perspiration condenses inside all ponchos. The Packa has enormous zippers under the arms to try to allow moisture out. After the rain stops, turn the Altus inside out to let it dry inside. Hang it over your backpack. A rain jacket is worse because you have to remove your pack to put it on or take it off.

 

[peregrina2000]

I found this too with the Ferrino, having taken it this April/May (luckily I didn't need to use it more than a couple of times as we were very lucky with the weather). Most unpleasant, especially with bare arms underneath and if I flapped the sleeves a bit to let in some air, my arms were then just cold and clammy - lovely! Couldn't wait to get it off me.

@peregrina2000 have you also tried the Altus? Do you know how they compare in the sweat/condensation stakes? The metallic lining in the Ferrino definitely contributed, and I'm interested in whether the Altus is (even slightly!) better in that regard.

Thanks!

For years I used a cheap square poncho, nothing fancy. I sweat some when walking for long distances in the rain, but in retrospect it was probably no worse than anything I've used since. Then all this forum talk on the higher end alternatives got me thinking about an upgrade. Since I couldn't find an altus here in the US, and since there was all this confusing talk about the differences between one type of altus and another, I went with Ferrino two years ago. Sweat city.

This year an old Camino buddy loaned me her antique Altus, heavy, not the atmospheric, the original version. I used it only twice, once for about an hour in the early morning, and another time for about a half hour in early afternoon. So I didn't get a chance to really see what happened when I was stuck under it for hours. (This is NOT a complaint that there was no rain on my camino this year) I had planned to buy an altus in Santiago, but when I got there, all I could fine was the short neon green one and the sales person said they were discontinuing them because no one liked them. So I am back to square one.

I actually think I may go back to an low-tech old fashioned square plastic poncho. But luckily I have another 9 months to agonize over this choice.

 

[GettingThere]

For years I used a cheap square poncho, nothing fancy. I sweat some when walking for long distances in the rain, but in retrospect it was probably no worse than anything I've used since. Then all this forum talk on the higher end alternatives got me thinking about an upgrade. Since I couldn't find an altus here in the US, and since there was all this confusing talk about the differences between one type of altus and another, I went with Ferrino two years ago. Sweat city.

This year an old Camino buddy loaned me her antique Altus, heavy, not the atmospheric, the original version. I used it only twice, once for about an hour in the early morning, and another time for about a half hour in early afternoon. So I didn't get a chance to really see what happened when I was stuck under it for hours. (This is NOT a complaint that there was no rain on my camino this year) I had planned to buy an altus in Santiago, but when I got there, all I could fine was the short neon green one and the sales person said they were discontinuing them because no one liked them. So I am back to square one.

I actually think I may go back to an low-tech old fashioned square plastic poncho. But luckily I have another 9 months to agonize over this choice.

I have 2 years, so I'll make this my research project and try some variations!

 

[GettingThere]

Thanks @Kanga, long sleeves sound like they could be the answer. I'll try this!

 

[GettingThere]

Perspiration condenses inside all ponchos. The Packa has enormous zippers under the arms to try to allow moisture out. After the rain stops, turn the Altus inside out to let it dry inside. Hang it over your backpack. A rain jacket is worse because you have to remove your pack to put it on or take it off.

Thanks Falcon269, good tip.

 

[Wazza1952]

You could also consider the Bluefield One Piece Raincoat Cape available at Amazon for US$17. It is a poncho similar to the ones being spoken of here.

 

[jburr3708]

I stated with a Ferrino poncho but I sweated so badly I gave it up and bought an Altus in a great little sporting goods shop in Viana. This was and still is excellent. In very hot weather it sweats a little inside but the Ferrino sweated very badly even in cold weather just above freezing with sleet. I cannot recommend it.

 

[Bozzie]

I found this too with the Ferrino, having taken it this April/May (luckily I didn't need to use it more than a couple of times as we were very lucky with the weather). Most unpleasant, especially with bare arms underneath and if I flapped the sleeves a bit to let in some air, my arms were then just cold and clammy - lovely! Couldn't wait to get it off me.

@peregrina2000 have you also tried the Altus? Do you know how they compare in the sweat/condensation stakes? The metallic lining in the Ferrino definitely contributed, and I'm interested in whether the Altus is (even slightly!) better in that regard.

Thanks!

My Altus was clammy within minutes of walking. The ventilation is terrible, in my experience. I've thought of removing the elastic at the wrists and adding a snap so I'm able to open and close it as need arises. It was dripping wet in the sleeves and felt awful. It did keep my pack dry, however .

 

[Kanga]

My Altus has velcro at the wrist.

Sadly there really is nothing perfect in the rain. I use the Altus, but only because it is the best thing I've found so far. I think mine is one of the old models because it is quite heavy. It is definitely completely waterproof. If rain is threatening I leave it hanging off the backpack and pulling it on and off, opening and closing the zip at the front, doing up the velcro at the wrist, undoing the velcro, sometimes pulling my arms out from the sleeves and keeping my arms right inside.

If I possibly can, I use the umbrella.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The Altus gives good protection particularly in light rain simply by draping it over your pack and shoulders. The moisture buildup is the worst when your arms are in the sleeves and the front zipped. No good poncho breathes, so I would expect that there will be perspiration buildup in all of them. All that are unlined will have a clammy feel in cold conditions.

 

[Pelgrimpaul]

European manufacturers Vaude and Wafo make (backpack) poncho's that have wide armpits allowing for more airflow.
They also cover your arms more fully (as do the Altus and Ferrino but many poncho's do not).
Also like that sides are closed (as with Altus and Ferrino).

 

[Seabird]

@Seabird Roncesvalles is tiny, a few buildings only. The old monastery attached to the church and cloisters, an albergue, a small hotel and a bar/restaurant. The monastery sells a few things but there are no shops. Unless something has opened up in the last couple of years of which I am unaware.

Presumably you will be coming through Pamplona to get to Roncesvalles. You should be able to get everything needed in Pamplona.

Thank you, helpful to know what to expect.

 

[Kuznitz]

They are available for sale in both St Jean and Pamplona if its the Frances you are walking.
Buen Camino.

Can the Altus be bought from any of the stores ahead of time? I'm reluctant to leave for the Camino without my rain gear in hand.

 

[peregrina2000]

On another recent Altus poncho thread (which I started), ebrandt described ordering one oneline and having it sent to the US

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...-a-new-altus-poncho-thread.33474/#post-308979

I never did get a new one, just used the old one that a friend had lying around for more than ten years. Had virtually no rain this year, though, so I can't report back. I think the notice by Barrabes should be taken into account though (in the first post of that thread). Barrabes is an excellent outdoor store in Spain, and they find the new model to be so inferior that they are no longer carrying it.

And p.s., ebrandt's post camino report says that she loved her altus, and it's the same model that Barrabes just discontinued, so go figure. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...ino-primitivo-in-june-2015.35619/#post-330631

 

[Deleted member 3000]

http://www.peregrinoteca.com/tienda/poncho-altus-atmospheric-p-9604.html

Lightweight with elastic wrist bands.

 

[fraluchi]

[...]No good poncho breathes, so I would expect that there will be perspiration buildup in all of them. All that are unlined will have a clammy feel in cold conditions.

And in fact, I wore an Altus once for a short while and decided "never again". Bought an umbrella instead and felt much happier

 

[peregrina2000]

You could also consider the Bluefield One Piece Raincoat Cape available at Amazon for US$17. It is a poncho similar to the ones being spoken of here.

Hi, wazza, have you walked with this? Can you tell us how you like it?

I see that it has 5000m water column resistance, which if I remember correctly, is a lot higher than the altus ones. But people say that's not really a problem for camino walkers anyway.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

In Pamplona:

http://caminoteca.com/en/products/content/2-ponchos-raincoats/

 

[Siom]

Hi all, just to confirm that the Altus mentioned here is the atmospheric model? I understand this poncho model is 1000mm waterproof rated, which isn't exactly high end yet it has been described as sufficient in most cases. I'm not sure how heavy and long are the rain experienced along the way.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I'm starting in Roncevalles. Is there a shop that sells Altus (or other recommended poncho) in Roncevalles?

No, but there is a shop in Zubiri, your next stop that had them last year.
It's at the end of the main street into the village, on the left.

 

[Anniesantiago]

For the price, this one Wazza mentioned looks like an excellent option for US folks.

Anybody here tried it?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KSVHPKO/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[Seabird]

No, but there is a shop in Zubiri, your next stop that had them last year.
It's at the end of the main street into the village, on the left.

Thank you!

 

[pudgypilgrim]

Annie, isn't that one just plain plastic? It says "terylene". Do you think that would hold up if you needed it more than once or twice? (I don't know , which is why I'm asking.)

 

[Anniesantiago]

Annie, isn't that one just plain plastic? It says "terylene". Do you think that would hold up if you needed it more than once or twice? (I don't know , which is why I'm asking.)

I have no idea.
I have an ALTUS and I love it.
It's my second one.

 

[Wazza1952]

Hi Peregrina2000. Yes, I have used this poncho on 6-7 occasions. some during heavy storms for short periods of time - 30-40 minutes max. As there are no cuffs ventilation is assisted. In terms of durability it is too early to say, other than to say I would not wear it in the Aussie bush. For only US$17 + postage I couldn't resist. The Altus and Ferrino models from memory are much dearer. As I have never used a poncho before it has been a pleasant experience to date. The ponchos that cover your pack are most suitable for walking trails like the Camino.