[KarMikDie_01]

i'm starting my research on an army poncho for my BOB...but I dont know much about them.

I've heard that they have multiple uses and would like to find out more about them to see if this would be a good fit for me. Got a few questions:

1.) where can I get the real thing - a good quality one?
2.) what are some of the things I should be looking for when buying one?
3.) How much should I expect to pay for one?
4.) Are there any options that I should get if I want to use it as a shelter and sleep system? (i've heard of liners, bivy?)
5.) how well do they breath when being worn as rain gear? Should I consider this as my main rain gear or should I get something else like actual rain gear?

Anything you guys can share regarding the army poncho would be appreciated!

 

[tech132]

I got one for my GHB / hiking pack from an army surplus store near by. I paid $26.00 for it. I have not used it yet so I am holding off buying another one for my BOB. It was flaking a little around the neck so I need to test it first.

 

[wyldflwr]

depending on your weather, add a poncho liner and you'll be warm and toasty. They help keep you dry, and your gear. I got the poncho at a surplus store, the liner from my sis. the poncho was about $25.00.

 

[pillar8100]

Here's a link to a bunch of poncho related threads.

http://www.survivalistboards.com/tags.php?tag=poncho

 

[sendkeys]

Here's a link to a bunch of poncho related threads.

http://www.survivalistboards.com/tags.php?tag=poncho

I love when i go to the old threads and find other people saying the same thing "search the old threads"


Kind of like when i search google and end up message board looking for an answer and all i see is "search google".

 

[bltjr1951]

They're about yay big and yay long with a hood.
The liner can't be used when poncho is worn, unless you cut a slit for head. Look up Ranger Rick mod.
The water proof layer can peel off.
Your feet and legs will get wet. Need rain pants and boots if you live in wet.
You can sweat too much and be just as wet.
Can keep warm by sitting down with tealight candle.
Can make tents and shelters by snapping two or more together.
Many sites on uses when I googled for it.

 

[zdaucfk11c]

i'm starting my research on an army poncho for my BOB...but I dont know much about them.

I've heard that they have multiple uses and would like to find out more about them to see if this would be a good fit for me. Got a few questions:

1.) where can I get the real thing - a good quality one?
2.) what are some of the things I should be looking for when buying one?
3.) How much should I expect to pay for one?
4.) Are there any options that I should get if I want to use it as a shelter and sleep system? (i've heard of liners, bivy?)
5.) how well do they breath when being worn as rain gear? Should I consider this as my main rain gear or should I get something else like actual rain gear?

Anything you guys can share regarding the army poncho would be appreciated!

go to ranger joes or any surplus store, they have snaps on them so you can put multiple ponchos together to make a larger shelter, they work as well as any other poncho to keep rain out, not much of a difference between normal and gi issued poncho's aside from the snaps. and even some civilian ones have the snaps.

 

[Smudge]

I can only offer experience of the British Poncho's, but a poncho is a poncho is a poncho :

1.) where can I get the real thing - a good quality one?

Most any Surplus shop and evilbay

2.) what are some of the things I should be looking for when buying one?

If its a second from a surplus shops the usual rips tares bad repairs.

3.) How much should I expect to pay for one?

Can't help there sorry.

4.) Are there any options that I should get if I want to use it as a shelter and sleep system? (i've heard of liners, bivy?)

The poncho liner mentioned earlier in the thread is worth the money if your going down that route. Using it for a shelter bungee's paracord and make sure you roll the hood into itself and keep the shelter taunt.

5.) how well do they breath when being worn as rain gear? Should I consider this as my main rain gear or should I get something else like actual rain gear?

Well the bottoms open so........... your going to get plenty of ventilation : If your small or medium framed wear with a set of gaiters and your good to go mostly, if your taller than average I'd suggest try before you buy.

Anything you guys can share regarding the army poncho would be appreciated!

I like mine :thumb: cost, versatility and just for the hell of it.

 

[FarmerJohn]

there great all you need is ither 550 cord or bunge cord and you can make a nice shelter with em and the poncho liner is the ****

 

[bltjr1951]

but a poncho is a poncho is a poncho :

Oh Cisco.....

 

[Straight Razor]

When I was in the army two ponchos made a very leaky inadequate tent for one let alone two. As for itself, the poncho was good rain protection if you were sitting, otherwise your feet got very wet.

 

[EagleRiverDee]

I don't actually have the poncho but I have the liners that I use for blankets. Lots of people call these "Wubbies" or "Woobie's" because "you woobie (would be) cold without it."

The real deal has a hole in the center for the head and a hood. The knock offs are just blankets that are about 4' x 6'. I can't even find the genuine poncho liners any more, everyone just sells the blankets.

Military surplus stores sell them (online too) but I just went to our local military surplus store and they were selling the replica ones, not the actual military issue ones. I paid $25 local, and they are on Amazon from $19-$41. They have them in OD, Camo, Urban camo and black.

What I love about them is they keep you warm when it's cold (and even when they are wet) and they keep you cool when it's hot. Weird, but true. The wubbie has been my blanket on my bed for years. I pack it when I travel as my airplane blanket, and I take it camping as my sleeping bag liner.

 

[bltjr1951]

The real deal has a hole in the center for the head and a hood. The knock offs are just blankets that are about 4' x 6'. I can't even find the genuine poncho liners any more, everyone just sells the blankets.

???
Are you talking about USGI liners??

 

[Highplains]

I was issued my first poncho at Fort Ord, California in 1956. It leaked. So did every other poncho the Army gave me until I retired in 1981. They do breathe, if that is a euphanism for leak. They are also very good as sails and take every opportunity to open at the side seams and let in great quantities of wind driven rain. I suppose that qualifies as breathing. The design is nothing less than brilliant. It has baffled my mind for years how the rain that strikes the top of the poncho hood can be so efficiently directed to run down the back of ones neck. Design Engineers, ya gotta love 'em.

They do still have some uses, though. When rolled up to fit on the back of ones LBE, they make a perfect pillow for those little naps under the bushes. They also make a light-tight cover for smokers after dark. Just not when it's raining.

 

[Straight Razor]

I was issued my first poncho at Fort Ord, California in 1956. It leaked. So did every other poncho the Army gave me until I retired in 1981. They do breathe, if that is a euphanism for leak. They are also very good as sails and take every opportunity to open at the side seams and let in great quantities of wind driven rain. I suppose that qualifies as breathing. The design is nothing less than brilliant. It has baffled my mind for years how the rain that strikes the top of the poncho hood can be so efficiently directed to run down the back of ones neck. Design Engineers, ya gotta love 'em.

They do still have some uses, though. When rolled up to fit on the back of ones LBE, they make a perfect pillow for those little naps under the bushes. They also make a light-tight cover for smokers after dark. Just not when it's raining.

I'm with you. Been there suffered that. I found them to be near worthless and I have no idea why anybody would want one. If all you did was squat on a stump with one over you you might stay semi-dry. I would find some use for one if it were given to me but I certainly would not buy one.

 

[EagleRiverDee]

???
Are you talking about USGI liners??

I am talking about the real old-style military poncho liners. Yes. The original ones had a hole in the middle and a hood, to match the hood on the poncho itself. The first Wubbie blankets had the hoods sewed down over the head hole to make it into a blanket. Honest. That was a while ago though. Lately all I ever see is the "poncho liners" that are actually blankets. I'm not sure how it would be a poncho liner without slicing a head hole through it, though. The ones I'm thinking of may have been an "Arctic" version of the military poncho though- the military in AK wear their poncho's year round when out in the field. I'm not sure whether there was more than one version of the military poncho or not.

 

[bltjr1951]

Nam is as old style I get and no liners had head slit.
WWII GIs didn't have ponchos and no liners for rain gear.
That's why they liked the German poncho.
What military are you talking about?

 

[MikeK]

You can generally find the genuine gear at gun shows. Although this varies from show to show. Most shows have dealers who sell surplus. I've picked up GI ponchos and liners very cheap. After trying them a few times though, I just went with high end civilian rain and cold weather gear. It costed more, but it was definately a case of getting what you pay for.

 

[Nanosystem]

In my experience the poncho should be adequate if you are only going to use it while you are hiking, and you should wear rain pants if you dont want your bottom half to become soaked. I only use the poncho when Im doing a land nav course back in garrison (and its raining ), otherwise I use the wet weather top and bottom (rainsuit), or I just get wet . I like the poncho for hiking because I get too hot in the rainsuit, and it takes up less space in my buttpack.

All the ponchos I have ever been issued have been used (at least I hope they dont come new looking that that) and they didnt seem any worse for the wear to me, they were peeling around the neck though. As others have noted earlier thats the water seal peeling off. Im not sure how old they were when they were issued to me but they have been used by me many times and have not gotten any worse. Just be careful with it and dont put it away wet and it should last for quite awhile.

As for where to buy it, I would guess an army surplus store. Ive never had to buy one, sorry.

Oh, and I wouldnt plan on using it for a "sleep system"... unless of course you plan on sleeping in it. Which might be viable depending upon what else you have to play around with.

I am talking about the real old-style military poncho liners. Yes. The original ones had a hole in the middle and a hood, to match the hood on the poncho itself. The first Wubbie blankets had the hoods sewed down over the head hole to make it into a blanket. Honest.

I love my woobie, the best blanket I have ever had. But I did always wonder why they called it a "poncho liner" when you could obviously not have used it with your poncho without some "modification".

 

[Texas Fire]

I love when i go to the old threads and find other people saying the same thing "search the old threads"


Kind of like when i search google and end up message board looking for an answer and all i see is "search google".

What I especially like, is when I don't get a satisfactory answer here, so I hit the google search, and it points me to survivalistboards and not the other guys. :