Submitted by Eric Skitka
Never go anywhere without your Woobie, ever. Why is it called a "Woobie"? Because you would not want to be without it. "Woobie without it!" Get it?
This extremely compactable warm blanket fits in a cargo pants pocket easily. It stuffs into the ruck sack no matter how full it is. A Woobie keeps you warm and draft free in hangars, cargo bays of aircraft, on and in the ground, on the back of the truck driving in cold weather. Use it to line your sleeping bag, as a light bag in warm weather, or as a shelter.
{ 48 comments… read them below or add one }
I second that. I’m retired now but wouldn’t be without it. Of course back then we just called it a poncho liner.
I don’t leave home without one! It’s part of my Safty Kit, for my SUV! I sleep on it, eat on it, use it to MOVE heavy objects , the list IS ENDLESS!!!
I don’t know who the yoyo is that is calling this a Woobie. I bought my first Poncho Liner going through Ranger School in 1970 and I was issued my first Poncho Liner in 1970 in the Republic of Vietnam. It’s a Poncho Liner because it attaches to the poncho eyelets with those cute little tie ends. Where do you guys come from? Is there a book of stupid names your working out of?
You hit it right on the head Emmett. The only people I ever heard call a poncho liner a woobie were dumbasses that never got dirty.
As mine was issued, the first thing I was told is: “Never go anywhere without this woobie.”
I made the mistake of not packing mine ONE time. Lesson learned.
Use it for everything, not just a mere poncho liner.
After 15 years as an Airborne Ranger assigned to both the 1st SF and 10th SF Groups, I can say I’ve gotten dirty. I tell everyone of my troops the same thing. Number one rule: NEVER GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT YOUR WOOBIE!
Poncho liner and woobie are synonymous. Deal with it. The title is an endearment, not put down. There’s nothing un-manly about it.
RLTW!
Those of us in Special Forces called it a poncho liner, also. Hey Emmett, this guy must be Air Force.
“Woobie” comes from the movie “Mr. Mom” with Michael Keaton. I didn’t hear the term Wobbie until the second time I was in the Army 92-95.
One man’s woobie is another man’s poncho liner. All I know is that it is an absolutely essential piece of gear.
I think woobie is the new tern that they use for it in Basic, helps the kids make the transition to soldier life a little easier, don’t ya know…….
No, you just woobie cold without it. Mines sittin’ on my bed right now (I’m deployed) but for the field/travel I now prefer a fleece blanket which provides more insulation between me and the ground. (Most fiber-fill looses it’s insulation ability when pressed flat.)
The name comes from an 80′s movie with Michael Keaton “Mr. Mom”. Woobie is the nickname one of the kids has for his security blanket. When I was in the Rangers in 97-98, that was our nickname for it. Just like our field jacket liner was called a smoking jacket because of it’s padded appearance.
I loved my poncho liner. Great piece of gear for the field. After I got out my 1 year old son would’nt go to bed or camping without it. Since then I’ve bought 4 more, 1 for each member of my family.
I love mine. But how big are this guy’s cargo pockets !?!
I’ve been off active duty for 6 years now and I still have my faithful poncho liner. Its on my bed as I write this. Awesome!!!!
We hung our poncho liners with P cord to make walls in tents and hangers for sleeping.
1968 Northern I Corps we called them poncho liners or SNOPPY BLANKETS.
Install a Ranger Rick poncho converson on your poncho liner. That way you can have a head hole and wear it under your poncho. The conversion kit also includes a zipper so that you can zip up the liner to make lightweight sleeping bag, or great liner for cold weather. I bought an Thinsulite poncho liner and it really works great.
OORAh to the Woobie. I had one in boot camp, and that poncho liner plus an isomat makes an awesome rack out in the field.
Oh, man. . .poncho liners. . . still have mine from 68 Viet Nam. . .it is absolutely white from being washed so much and the stitching is starting to come out. . bought them for my kids way back, and they won’t be without them either.
Boy do I miss MY poncho liner. It’s the one thing I turned in when I pcs’d that I wished I’d kept. That thing NEVER let me get cold, and my wife had a good time with it too.
PONCHO LINERS are the best. Not sure about these candy-ass “woobies” you speak of.
I was issued mine in Oct 70 RVN. I’ve been through half a dozen divorces and every wife wanted to keep it, ain’t no way in hell!!! I’ve still got her and she still comforts me and keeps me warm.
I love them. My buddy got me a cool 3 color desert p liner, and my wife stole it. However, in my youth, I made the mistake of taking my p-liner and poncho instead of my sleeping bag on an op on San Clemente in January… I froze my butt off in a fighting hole…never again…
I’ve had mine for 14 years now, and I still travel with it everyhere I go.
You need a man
Being a flyer in the air force, we were “corrected” by our SERE instructors at survivor school to call them “Wilbies”. We asked why, and they said, “Because it wilbie what keeps you from freezing.” Eastern Washington state in the end of January is beastly cold. One schmuck in my training group didn’t use it the first night, and he did end up with frost bite. Everyone else was fine. During our training, I fell in love with wilbie, and seriously thought about snagging one, (they checked our suitcases on the way out to make sure noone followed that urge). I have been looking to purchase my “true love” for 2 years now to keep me warm on late night training flights that freeze even the stoutest aviators. Imagine my envy when my buddy snagged one from her Marine boyfriend. $25 isn’t bad though. (And don’t be hatin’ the AF. I’m a herk girl so I get shot at just as much as you.)
How were those IEDs up in the air?… you guys must have lost a lot of planes.
It’s called Flak & yes we did.
Funny, we never did hear much about airplane losses in Iraq/Afghanistan.
Her one and ONLY night in the field
Been to many a school and seen many a fool but never brought a suitcase. WOW
The WOOBIE is great! and who cares what people call it! its useful in many ways.. unlike people who care when people went to basic or what they call thier gear!
Not only are they warm, but I’ve had 2 of them since I was on active duty in 1995 and they are still in good shape. They last forever.
Not only are they warm, but I’ve had 2 of them since I was on active duty in 1995 and they are still in good shape. They last forever.
I’m in Iraq right now and have my dad’s woobie out here with me that he had with him in Iraq. He didn’t give it up willingly though, I’ve been curling up in this thing all my life, 29 now and still using it.
That should’ve been Vietnam, he wasn’t in Iraq.
Ah, my beloved poncho liner, aka Woobie. The only source of comfort I have when the chips are down. I have had the same one in Iraq, Europe,US and it goes with me on every flight and every trip as a back up. Not to mention chicks think its so cute that its called a woobie and are surprised at how warm it is when you invite them to give it a try.
These are one of the best inventions of all times! When the family travels we each take our own … great to have with kiddos
Where do you dance?
Ok in the Corps from 88-94 we just called it a poncho liner as well. Woobie (from Mr Mom) sounds stupid and I remeber calling the "isomat" someone else said as a rubber bitch. Boot Camp it was called a rubber bitch and every unit I was with it was a rubber bitch. What is going on with our military anymore child like names and PC terms.
are you ok? gonna cry about it? here take my woobie.
I call it a woobie, just like the rest of the infantry. No one cares about what you called it in ranger school or what sf calls it. do yourself a favor…go to the va, get counseling, and get happy pills to take. that way next time you see someting you dont like, you wont have to go bitching about it on comment boards. "bla bla bla".."when I was a ranger I used my poncho liner to smack this pussy new generation" "jolly roger would turn in his grave if heard that"
I got my Woobie at Ft Bragg in 1974. And, that's what everybody in my unit was calling them back then, before Mr Mom.
I was told it's a nickname for a favorite blanket. Like Linus's security blanket or calling a pacifier a binkie.
That’s correct!
What size should I get, 88 X 62 or 82 X 62, and why are there different sizes?
After using poncho liners for many years, starting in Viet Nam, I will admit they are better than nothing for warmth but there are better options these days.
It was all I used during the hot months over there. Anybody who has slept in a KBR “transient tent” knows they keep the bed bugs off ya. Saves room in a gun truck as opposed to a sleep system. Use one now as a shooters blanket. And they are great for making forts in the living room.
They always make me feel like the baby Jesus.