McGuire Gear US "Woobie" Poncho Liner

Small, lightweight, and warm US rain poncho liner a.k.a. Woobie. Together with the rain poncho, it also turns into a summer sleeping bag. If you don’t own one of those, you can also use this as a lightweight spare blanket at home or your cottage. Or keep it in your car for those emergencies. Avoid cheap knock-offs, these are new and made in the USA!

History

Originally used in the Vietnam War, this lightweight poncho liner was meant as a replacement for the wool blanket. Compared to the blanket, it is a lot lighter, a bit warmer, dries faster, and can be packed into a very small space .It is also known as a Woobie, because: "Without one, you woobie cold!". After being introduced, the rain poncho & liner combo soon became the standard-issue sleeping gear for hot climates or general summer use.

Features

Made from lightweight, durable, and dirt-repelling 100% Ripstop Nylon with 100% Polyester inner insulation for lightweight warmth. The materials and overall quality are excellent. Several color options, and the measurements and weight differ a little bit from color to color. Made in the USA according to strict government specifications.

These don't include a carry bag. If you want one, for example, the 5 L Särmä TST Dry Bag or any similarly sized compression bag works very well.

Use

Marry this lightweight and packable woobie poncho liner with a US rain poncho for a secondary barrier of warm insulation to protect you from cold. It creates a comfortable and water-repellent sleeping bag together with the poncho but it can also be used as a stand-alone outdoor blanket, or just a rugged piece of comfort to take on your next outdoor adventure. It's very simple to make a summer sleeping bag of the two. Tie the liner to the grommets of the poncho. Snap the poncho sides together to make a tube. Get in and sleep.

The Varusteleka Rain Poncho with a pocket and Särmä TST L6 Rain Poncho are a bit more narrow than the woobie, but they have grommets in the right places if you're fine with a somewhat sloppier coupling.

The US Army states that the lowest manageable temperature is about +10 °C (50 °F). The poncho is waterproof but not breathable and it's generally advisable to try this out in your backyard or near home before committing to it on an actual hike.

With additional straps, you can compress this liner to a size smaller than a football for transportation. The European version is as far as we went.

Sizing

The sizes seem to vary a bit from color to color but also within the same color. Below you’ll find our measurements, but be prepared to have them fluctuate a little bit here and there.