I've just tried over a period of two days a cheap poncho during conditions of light rain and moderate winds. I'm quite pleased so far. It did slow me down slightly, but really it wasn't all that noticeable . It kept my upper torso quite dry, with little to no sweat build up. My legs of course were wet, but that was expected. In a side wind occasionally the upwind side would blow up and expose my waist to the elements. I felt like I presented a profile that was roughly a foot wider as the poncho flapped around my back. That was not a problem for me, but it could be as when I passed through a narrow passage I was concerned it would snag, but never did. I'll give it another try during our next rain.