[ASGMAG.COM] AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE 85› Top right: The Versa Luxe Blanket is the big
brother to the Versa Blanket. It has a stuff sack
to keep the blanket clean between uses and
provide information about how to use it.›Right:TheVersaLuxe
CampingBlanketcanbe
turnedintoapillowwhen
notbeingusedasablanket.
Justinvertthefootboxand
stufftheblanketintoit.A
nicepieceofdesignwork
putsthefleecesideoutwhen
itisinpillowmode.›SincetheVersaisablanketandnotazipperedsleepingbag,you
havemoreoptionswhenyouputitinyourbug-outbagorother
pack.Youcanstuffitintowhateverspaceisavailablealongthe
sideofthepack.Or,youcanusethestuffsackthatitcomeswith
andputitinthebottomofthepacktokeeptheheavyitemshigher
toimprovethecarryingcomfort.“WHENPACKED,THEYTAKEUPLESS
SPACETHANASLEEPINGBAGANDCANBE
JAMMEDINTOANYCORNERORSIDEOF
YOURBUG-OUTBAGORBACKPACK.”
Klymit Versa Luxe
Camping Blanket
Specifications- Size: 58x80 inches
- Weight: 48 ounces
- Hand pockets: Four
- Footbox
- Corner snaps
- Cinch cord
- Stuff sack
- Shell: 20D ripstop polyester shell (top); high
loft fleece (bottom) - Insulation: Klymalite synthetic insulation
MSRP: $119.95
THE GREATEST MILITARY INVENTION SINCE THE M-1 GARAND
The U. S. government-issued poncho liner is made by quilting some polyester batting insulation
between two sheets of lightweight ripstop nylon with a final size of about 82 x 62 inches. A tape
ribbon is sewn around the edge to prevent fraying. Nylon ties in the corners and the middle of
each side complete the design. They allow it to be attached to the issue poncho or tied to trees
as a shelter. The whole package weighs just 22 ounces.
Originally issued as a lightweight blanket, it very quickly caught the attention and the affection
of the ever-innovative GI. It has many uses:
- Blanket by itself or with the poncho to keep the wind and rain off
- Lightweight sleeping bag
- Sleeping bag liner to increase its warmth
- Ground cloth or picnic blanket
- Field-expedient hammock
- Overquilt or underquilt in a hammock
- Makeshift stretcher
- Shelter against the sun or wind
- Pillow
When I was in the Army, I even took a poncho liner and a military rain jacket to the tailor on
base. They lined the rain jacket with the poncho liner and made what we called a Hawk jacket,
which kept me warm and dry when facing the wind and rain of the central German plains during
training exercises.
A NEW GENERATION ARISES
While some attempts were made to improve upon the woobie, they never seemed to catch
on in a commercial way. They were either too expensive or too heavy or didn’t hold up or didn’t
provide enough extra bang for the buck. Fortunately, technology is always advancing and newer
forms of synthetic insulation have brought about a new generation of technical blankets that I
refer to as super-woobies. They are much warmer, they come in non-tactical colors, many have
a durable water repellant (DWR) coating so they can be used without a rain poncho in light rain