Made in USSR Original Soviet Canvas Poncho - Army Tent, WWII Type Soldier Field Raincoat - Russian Canvas Cloak Plash Palatka

I initially received one with a broken grommet but easily exchanged for one in perfect condition! My replacement arrived before I could even send back the damaged one so I had the poncho for a recent camping trip!

As advertised.Out of the box:Mine came neatly folded and packaged in plastic with a printed note from the seller.Material: I would agree this is 100% cotton canvas, having another US military article of a similar material. The material itself is quite rigid at first, but I expect it will relax with use and after being wetted and dried multiple times.Construction: well made, well sewn. Mine doesn’t appear to have any frayed or thinning threads or missing stitches, the eyelets are reinforced with leather, though I will say it’s a low-tier of leather by the looks of it— this isn’t an issue in my opinion, a 2mm weight of veg-tanned leather would be unnecissary— again, set the proper expectancy!Wooden toggles instead of snaps or buttons— i rather like this as it is something that can easily be replaced if needed, unlike a snap which would have to be patched and replaced.The botton holes do take a little breaking in before they will easily receive a toggle— so expect to have to work at it a bit the first few times.Utility: like most canvas materials, it will repel water up to a certain point in a modest rain. Once the material is fully saturated it will likely transfer water through the ponch. I haven’t had this happen yet, but my expectancy is: it will if i’m out long enough in the rainit will.Is not coated in anything to sheet water off but since it’s made of cotton this could be done if desired with a home-made substance or commercial treatment— so keep your expectancy realistic if you eventually get wet using it.Size: definitely geared toward broader/taller folks— i’m neither broad nor particularly tall, so the end of the ponch had roughly 4-6 inches to drag behind me. However: there is a toggle on the inside, so I simply took up the excess and toggled it through one of the botton holes and that solved the issue without modifying the item. The hood draw strings on mine are a jute twine sort of material and don’t ‘glide’ well, but this isn’t something I would consider an issue or an example of a bad product. one could replace this drawstring but it would require ripping some stitches and re-sweing since the hood drawstrings are anchored in place where they meet in the middleThe neck draw strings on mine is of a soft cotton woven webbing, this glides much easier. All that to say, if you’re broad in the sholders and tall, wearing a pack or a coat, you may not have to draw the neck/shoulders in as much as I do when only wearing a light layer. Definitely a clever and well-thought out design.Tent: currently have not attempted to use it as a tent, but I am confident it will qork just fine.Summary: like all items, reseach before purchase is best, this is not an item for you if you’re in need of a light-weight, 100% water proof ponch. If you’re looking for a multi-useful item with a clever design, historic element and basic functionality, this is a great product that does what it is designed to do and doesn’t over-promise or claim to be something it’s not.

It is everything advertised. From shipping to the product 100% perfect. For what all this simple piece of canvas can do to the price point it is at you absolutely won’t find better.

The canvas doesn't seem to be waterproofed. It's so poorly made that many of the seams will need to be cut open and sewn properly. The very low quality cords don't even go all the way through the channels and are sewn over in multiple places, making the cords useless as drawstrings. They will have to be cut out and replaced, probably with paracord. The toggles are rough wood that won't pass through the eyes, making them useless until they are whittled down and finished, and the excess material will have to be cut out of the eyes. This poncho isn't really a finished, usable product. It's more of an extremely overpriced beginning of a craft project. I would return it, but the canvas material seems pretty good and I think it will ultimately be a good garment, but only after a lot of work.

These are heavier than your typical tarp. I bought a few of these to use as tarps and they worked well. Overlapping two or three when used as a ground cloth in a shelter and tent worked as well as can be expected. Carrying two or three of them can get a bit tiring after a while. They repel water well but I'm not confident enough in saying they're waterproof. Because of the the canvas material and the weight/thickness they can also cut down on the wind in a shelter.I know these were meant to be multi-use but I haven't used one as a cape/poncho, I can say it works for just about everything else.

Bought this as a "why not?" moment. Looked interesting and figured it should be pretty stout given it's Russian and they have been in use for a long, long time.It arrived in new condition. Laid it out and there were no stray threads anywhere. It only took me about 20 seconds to figure out how to wear it. Definitely not your average poncho anywhere else but actually kind of cool the thought that went into it. I am sure there are YouTube videos showing how to use it, if you run into a snag.I have worn it outside in a serious rain and it kept me bone dry. Repels the wind pretty good, too.May end up buying a couple more just to have in my Jeep and in my go pack.These ponchos are a primitive design but function as good as almost any ponco out there. Russians are minimalists with as much practicality as they can squeeze into something. It isn't pretty but who cares? It works and that is what matters.*Update*Have bought another one. I use both when I camp out and they work just as good as any tent I have. Use one for a ground cover and the other to form the shelter. Tough as nails, water/windproof and both carry easily in my pack. While not the lightest items, they are two of my most versatile ones. Will definitely pick up some more.