The Thermarest Honcho Poncho Down review

Let’s be honest: no one needs a down poncho. It’s not an essential camping item like a tent or a toothbrush. But once you move past necessity and into nicety, there is no greater luxury item than the Therm-a-Rest Honcho Poncho Down.

After the original synthetic Honcho Poncho launched in 2016, Therm-a-Rest got to work on upgrading its bougie backcountry item to make it even better. The brand launched the new Honcho Poncho Down for spring 2023, and I immediately grew interested. I live out in the mountains of Colorado where it doesn’t often rain, so I tend to gravitate toward down insulation for its warmth-to-weight ratio rather than synthetic insulation. For me, the Honcho Poncho Down appeared to be a perfectly ambiguous piece of apparel. Is it a poncho? Or a blanket? Or a makeshift sleeping bag?

There was only one way to find out. Over the past few months, I took my poncho from the cozy confines of my home office as I nursed a knee surgery to the desert of Colorado’s Western Slope and even up into the chilly springtime wilds of Montana.

Packed with 650-fill hydrophobic down, the Honcho Poncho Down is a versatile poncho that keeps you warm at camp while easily converting into an impromptu blanket, extra layer or even a cozy pillow when it’s time to tuck in for the evening. Bonus: It’s also a great comfort item for movie nights on the couch.

Ponchos are trending in the fashion world, but the Therm-a-Rest Honcho Poncho Down is in a league of its own — not necessarily for its good looks. Instead, this unique piece of insulation delivers a lot more than it promises by becoming everybody’s favorite item at the campsite.

As a poncho, the Honcho Poncho Down does its job well. Both sides are lined with a series of five snaps beneath the armpits that make it easy to cinch down the sides for more warmth or open up for a bit of breeze. In chillier weather, the fully-insulated hood pops over your head to add an extra layer of coziness, and there is plenty of room to fit it over a hat on extra-brisk evenings. Bonus: Thanks to its loosey-goosey fit, I was able to cram my 5-year-old daughter inside with me while she balanced on my lap, both of us sharing the head hole like a two-headed monster. Final verdict: Bizarre in appearance, but surprisingly comfortable and cozy for both of us.

But the Honcho Poncho Down also shines when it moves beyond apparel. Once you unsnap both sides, the poncho morphs into a down blanket that you can throw over your sleeping bag as an extra layer. You get a camp pillow out of the deal, too. The front of the poncho has a huge zippered pocket (more on that below) that acts as the poncho’s own stuff sack. Pack the poncho into the pocket and you’ve got a plush pillow for your evening under the stars.

I wasn’t sure what to expect since it’s not an enclosed item like a puffy jacket or sleeping bag, but the Honcho Poncho Down is much warmer than I expected. There is no official temperature rating from Therm-a-Rest, but I wore this around camp during our desert trip and it kept me warm as the temps hovered in the mid-40s Fahrenheit. In a way, it was cozier than a regular puffy because of its length. I am 5 feet 5 inches tall and the poncho falls to just around my knee, covering far more than a standard-length jacket.

It’s also super toasty indoors. After a ski day gone awry this past winter, I underwent knee surgery that took me down for a few weeks. Instead of regular blankets, I often found myself reaching for the Honcho Poncho Down while working on my laptop or reading books on the couch. The hydrophobic, RDS-certified down insulation is lighter than a regular blanket so it didn’t sit heavily on my knee, and the all-around warmth of the poncho design is delightfully snuggly. I’m hopeful that I’m done with knee surgeries for now, but I’m confident that the Honcho Poncho Down is my new favorite work attire.

This thing is so great that it needs a category of its own. The front of the poncho has two pockets: a kangaroo pocket with access on both sides and then a huge, zippered pocket on top of it. This is the same pocket that the poncho fits inside of when you want to transition to a pillow.

For me, the zippered pocket adds a layer of utility. During one camping trip, I was still on crutches so I’d throw everything into the pocket as I hobbled around camp. It’s loosely the size of a notebook, so I could stash snacks, an extra layer, mittens, my phone or even a small water bottle inside. It weighs down the front of the poncho, but it was worth it to have my hands free.

I’d be hard=pressed to convince anyone that they absolutely need a camping poncho, so it’s a tough pill to swallow at this price point. However, the higher price comes from the materials. In general, down insulation always costs more than synthetic, and responsibly-sourced down (read: humane treatment for the animals) costs even more. In short, that’s the price of ethics.

Therm-a-Rest used 650-fill duck down for the Honcho Poncho Down, which means it’s warm but not supremely packable. Fill power indicates the amount of loft in the down insulation. A higher number means a product is more packable and lighter weight. Typically, ultralight products have fill powers of 800 or more.

As a result, the Honcho Poncho Down isn’t designed to be a backpacker’s best friend (although it is much lighter and smaller than the original Honcho Poncho). When packed into its stuff sack, it’s roughly the size of a large notebook, so you’d be hard-pressed to find that much extra space in your backpack. This makes it a better bet for car campers or outdoor enthusiasts who don’t have space parameters.

Admittedly, the Therm-a-Rest Honcho Poncho Down is the higher end of the pricing spectrum thanks to its ethical down and recycled polyester shell. If you like the quality and reputation of Therm-a-Rest but don’t want to shell out the cash, the original Honcho Poncho with synthetic insulation is a bit more durable and much more affordable at $135. REI Co-op also makes the Camp Wrap with fewer features and synthetic insulation at a lower price point of $100. The Poler Poncho is much heavier, bulkier and uses synthetic insulation with non-recycled polyester, but also clocks in at $100. And of course, you can always opt for an adventure blanket like the Rumpl or the Nomadix Puffer Blanket, many of which have clasps so you can wear them like capes, but don’t have hoods or pockets.

While we certainly won’t tell you that you need to run out and immediately snag yourself one, we’ve become huge fans of the versatility, warmth and high-quality materials of the Honcho Poncho Down. If you’re an avid recreationalist who is generally outside all the time, the Honcho Poncho Down is a great piece of gear to help you stay cozy and warm while being the hit of the campsite.