ponch liner

kgd

kgd

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Feb 28, 2007
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I just got back from Minnesota and visited an Army Surplus store where I procured a U.S. GI Poncho and standard poncho liner (the "Woobie"). Now, I've read and understand the basic premise of the poncho liner. You tie it to the grommets of your poncho, fold the poncho in half and use it as a sleeping bag. Or you use it as a blanket.

This one is supposed to be one of those million in one uses kind of thing so what are some other uses????

A quick look on the web indicates

- used as blanket with hammock
- in desert sun, used in combination with poncho to extend sun shelter for shade

Anything else????

[Edit] I was sort of surprised that you can't wear the poncho liner under the poncho......
 
Oh sure, you can wear one under the poncho, once you've cut the appropriate slit into it. It helps to either sew the edges or add a zipper, a la Ranger Rick's zipper mod. I prefer the zipper going back to front, vs side to side.
 
I don't know about a million and one uses for it, I've just always used it for a woobie. In the Army it's indespensible and was often the only blanket I had even sometimes in sub-freezing temps. For military use, it's worth it's weight in gold, especially if you have a thinsulate version.

Oh, it's also good for camoflauge ;)
 
You can roll it so it comes out short and thick for a sleeping pillow or roll it so it comes out a bit thinner and longer and use it as a neck pillow. You can keep it in its rolled shape with rubber bands.

As an infantryman, I never wore one under a poncho. I mostly used it as a blanket. On colder mornings, while preparing to move out, I wore it kind of like a shawl or robe: find the center of one of the long sides and place that across your neck and wrap the rest around you. It keeps you warm and allows you to still use your hands to do stuff. It's also real easy to take off when its time to go.
 
I used to use mine as extra insulation in the sleeping bag. Tied onto the poncho it adds lots of warmth. Used as its own blanket on a cot had a flaw in that they are so slick they fall off of you. You had to tuck it underneath you or else it would slip off too easily.
 
Other than some of the above listed stuff, the only thing I use mine for is this: I shove leaves and junk between the poncho and blanket to make it super thick and lofty, makes for some extra warmth on cold nights. I learned that trick here from someone...
 
So how do you pack them??? I'm thinking rolling it up in my sleeping mat, bag it up and through the bottom loops of my maxpedition II. I first tried rolling it up in the poncho, but then decided that this wouldn't work - as using the poncho for raingear would de-waterproof my sleeping pad and woobie.
 
generaly I just roll it up and fit it into a compression sack, then compress it down and throw it into my pack. Depends on what else I'm carrying, mine work great for summer hammock camping.
 
A ground cover... I served in Germany for several years, it rains a lot there and we seldom actually used ponchos in the field for rain protection, most of us wore the jacket/pants combo (it worked better). The poncho/liner combo makes an awesome shelter/bivy though....
 
"Ponch" liner?

153138__ponch_l.jpg


Sorry! Couldn't resist. ;)
 
mneedham said:
A ground cover... I served in Germany for several years, it rains a lot there and we seldom actually used ponchos in the field for rain protection, most of us wore the jacket/pants combo (it worked better). The poncho/liner combo makes an awesome shelter/bivy though....
Click to expand...

The bivy mode makes a lot of sense to me for warmth and shelter. I imagine the poncho when the liner is tied to it acts like a vapor barrier trapping in that much more heat. Now when used as a bivvy, you clearly would benefit from a second small tarp given that your head remains exposed and the folded bivy will not be water tight like a devoted bivy.

So can somebody comment on the warmth factor of the poncho tarp + liner sleeping bag combo versus alone. What kind of temperatures can you go down to?

Thanks....

I know, I'm working this thread hard, but doing it in order to learn - the best reason to do so!
 
Ahh, the Woobie...the GI's "security blanket":D I have several and using one right now in Afghanistan.
As to rated temps, it really depends on the humidity. I've been in dry, cold conditions down to low-30's (Fahrenheit) with the poncho and poncho liner…it definitely wasn’t comfortable, but survivable. If the humidity is too high, you’ll get a lot of condensation.
I really like the Thinsulate version…not sure if they make them anymore, but they were my favorite. I have a Wiggy’s version…which is more like a quilt. It’s definitely better, but doesn’t compress very well and rivals the sleeping bag by size.
The two ultimate versions are ECOTAT’s light weight bag that is a “super” Woobie and I also have Kifaru’s version which is an awesome piece of kit with great insulation and compactness.
Just about everywhere I go, I pack a poncho liner…they are just too compact/light not to have one.

ROCK6
 
Well off the top of my head I'd say if you had some cordage, three sections of sapling, and a pair of wool socks you could improvise an "A" frame pack with one. Also under the right circumstances you could use natural materials for your bed and use the liner for a wind or rain brake on a poncho shelter. You can use them to help conceal a cache if needs be. Could probably use it to filter sediment and debris from water prior to boiling or filtration with a portable filter.
 
Not sure if this has been thrown in or not but with some cordage and two saplings you could make a litter.
 
While on foot patrols in the Balkans I sometimes used only a poncho and poncho liner bed roll with a crappy Army sleeping mat and spent some miserable nights in sub-zero temps with roaring winds above tree line. It worked okay while wearing all of my insulation.

I usually roll it up and secure it with a velcro strap. If my pack is really full I just throw it on top of everything in the pack and shove parts of it down into the recesses.
 
kage said:
While on foot patrols in the Balkans I sometimes used only a poncho and poncho liner bed roll with a crappy Army sleeping mat and spent some miserable nights in sub-zero temps with roaring winds above tree line. It worked okay while wearing all of my insulation.

I usually roll it up and secure it with a velcro strap. If my pack is really full I just throw it on top of everything in the pack and shove parts of it down into the recesses.
Click to expand...

Cool good to know!

Also good comments Mistwalker
 
Probably the only piece of kit the army developed that actually worked as intended. Its hard to decide what I would choose between, my knife or my woobie.
 
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