Best Army Poncho Liner Woobie
Best Army Poncho Liner Woobie
When you’re out on the trail camping, hunting or fishing, chances are you’ll encounter less than ideal weather. Especially during fall and winter months. If you’re unprepared you’ll end up cold and wet, and you’ll want to be anything but cold and wet. Once again, military ingenuity to the rescue. The Genuine USGI poncho liner is a favorite among military service personnel. An army poncho liner, or “woobie,” is lightweight, warm, and designed to be used in conjunction with a poncho.
What Exactly Is A “Woobie”?
Whether you call it a poncho liner or a woobie blanket, troops deployed in the field since Vietnam have used them to help keep warm and dry through the harshest conditions. Talk to just about any infantry vet who’s ever used one and they’ll praise their value and usefulness. So, why the cutesy name? The origin remains somewhat of a mystery. However, one theory on the nickname is that it comes from the phrase, "Because you would be cold without it," where "would be," morphed into the shorthand “woobie.”
Troops deployed in the field still use them as blankets, tent dividers, and field expedient shelters or sleeping bags. A military poncho liner provides a quick, dry, and warm shelter from the elements in the field. It can be used as a blanket or attached to a poncho to keep the chill away. A woobie consists of two layers of nylon surrounding a polyester filling, sewn up along the sides and crosswise to ensure a very tough and durable piece of equipment.
Poncho & Woobie History
Military ponchos themselves have been around for about 170 years. First used in the 1850s by irregular U.S. military forces assigned to the Western Plains, ponchos were made of muslin coated with India rubber to be waterproof. Muslin ponchos (or gum blankets) were issued as official Union Army field gear during the Civil War.
During World War I, soldiers preferred ponchos over raincoats because ponchos could cover both the soldier and their pack, and could also provide shelter in the field. By the early 1960s, poncho liners were introduced, and special forces troops in Vietnam were the first to use them. Made of light and quick-dry materials that could be packed into small spaces, these liners replaced the standard-issue Army wool blanket, completely useless for use in the jungles of Vietnam.
Get Your Woobie On!
Civilians can now enjoy the benefits of the best military poncho liner that service personnel have been raving about for decades. Be warned, though, that not all poncho liners are created equal. Consumers should be aware of commercial knockoffs that may claim to be military issue but actually aren’t.
The U.S. G.I. Poncho Liners we offer here at Coleman’s Military Surplus are genuine military issue. Poncho liners measure 7’4” x 5’2” (88” x 62”) and are available in Woodland Camo or MARPAT digital camouflage pattern. In addition, all military poncho liners we sell are unused and proudly made in the U.S.A.
We provide a wide range of genuine military surplus products including military parkas, military surplus tents and accessories, camping gear, and bedding.
