A cloak perhaps?

[monkeys]

Sorry, my coat is just more practical.

Yeah sure but you can't look like a cool Jedi/Hobbit with a coat HATER.

[Doctorr Fabulous]

Guys? Seriously? You're arguing about blankets.

I thought they were robes...

[KnightoftheRoc]

Guys? Seriously? You're arguing about blankets.

I thought they were robes...

In the case of Jedi; AWESOME Robes- gotta get your terminology right, dude

[dogbane]

One thing that concerns me about capes, cloaks, and even scarves, is the idea that you have a ready-made hangin' noose attached to your throat.

[M40HOG]

I don't have one, but have considered making one with a green GI blanket. I'd see it as sillier to a poncho without a front.

Saw the GI blanket done once, at 29 Palms during a CAX.... Yep that all he was wearing as he was running ontop of our quonset huts, well he also had on shower shoes and dust goggles (SAFETY FIRST).

Office hours happened @ 0800 the next morning.

[ineffableone]

Guys? Seriously? You're arguing about blankets.

YES! In general walking around in the NAW, I'm probably not going to wear a cloak. Cloaks were once the thing because folks used to walk around everywhere with everything they owned AND making a blanket into a cloak was very easy to make and an efficient way to carry a blanket. Now, the majority of my stuff is at my home and we have modern industrialization that allows us to make lots and lots of coats.

Once we discovery coats and modern processes the cloak waned out. It's not hate, the cloak is drafty, wearing one is a good way to ruin your blanket and I'd imagine walking through the woods with one on is pretty difficult. Now, I wear a wool coat every morning to work because of the benefits of the cloak (warmth, wool) without the negatives (drafty, get caught on stuff, arms not out). Sorry, my coat is just more practical.

Actually cloaks were around for a very long time after the "discovery" of coats and are still. While mostly in use these days by women people do still wear cloaks in modern fashion. Also wool is not the only cloak material, in fact cloaks have been made from just about every fabric available. Velvet cloaks, silk cloaks, linen cloaks, oil cloth cloaks, etc...

Cloaks were not just blankets thrown around your neck. While they might have started as such, cloaks developed into fairly sophisticated garments. There were many different styles of cloaks with many differences including some that made them very specialized for certain tasks like the riding cloak.

Ponchos seem to be the modern descendent of the cloak, they look even more dorky in my opinion than a cloak. Ponchos though have the difficulty of having to be put on over the head. They can be awkward to put on and take off. They just don't have the Hollywood hype that a cloak does that causes insecure people to ridicule them.

Through all the insecure haters making fun of cloaks for the way they look I have seen only a few legit reasons against cloaks. The rest is just people acting like children making fun of something different with no legit reason other than their fear of being seen in something like it, or maybe they have a secret desire to wear cloaks and are ashamed?

Legit things I have seen brought up against cloaks are possible drafts, snagging on brush in woods, weight when wet (if wool), worry of choking hazard around neck.

Honestly many of these have similar concerns for modern jackets. Plenty of jackets are drafty. Synthetic material is horrible when snagged in the woods, ripping and becoming ruined. Plenty of modern jackets get heavy in wet weather, not every jacket is rain proof. Jackets can have just as much a choking issue as a cloak can, a jacket or scarf or cloak or anything around your throat can have that issue. There are things you can do to limit risk, break away clasps etc.

My point here is no outer wear is perfect for all situation. Jacket, cloak, poncho, what ever it is will have advantages and disadvantages. Are the disadvantages of a cloak enough to make it a poor choice for PAW? I don't think so. In fact I think the advantages will bring cloaks into more use in the PAW. This is not a romantic idea of what PAW fashion might be but thinking of practical use of cloaks. They are a multi function outer garment, which is what made them popular for so long. They easily convert from cold weather to warm weather, they can be used as blankets, ground cloths, shelters, etc. Multi use is something often advocated for gear, and cloaks have a multi use advantage over jackets. Think of all the uses of ponchos, and you have the uses of a cloak. Now add easier wearing for cloak and adaptability to weather conditions while still wearing for the cloak.

Is the cloak perfect, no. But it is a decent choice if you want to wear it. It doesn't have to be about wanting to look like a Jedi or knight, unless that is your reason for it (hey some might like looking like that). A cloak is a decent practical piece of clothing. It is worth consideration for PAW use, hell it is worth consideration for use in normal everyday life. Why not bring cloaks back into fashion? They make more sense than a business suit.

[ninja-elbow]

Re the points about evolution of outer wear, cloak to coat:

Historically, cloaks and coats and jackets have shared time. There was no progression or evolution such as: cloak > coat. They mingled about freely amongst each other. If anything made the coat more popular than the cloak it was fashion sense. There's other reasons too but I'll let y'all figure those ones out.

[TheLastOne]

How about we just chalk this one up to one of those things like AR>AK, Glock>everything, pumpkin pie>chicks and call it a day?

[Maverick299]

I just ordered myself a nice 60x80 wool blanket to keep with my camping/bug out gear, and if it gets cold enough I may even drape it over my shoulders while standing around in camp, but I'm sure as fuck not going to make it into a cloak and play Frodo and Sam around the campfire!

[dogbane]

How about we just chalk this one up to one of those things like AR>AK, Glock>everything, pumpkin pie>chicks and call it a day?

You think pumpkin pie is better than chicks?

[omega_man]

How about we just chalk this one up to one of those things like AR>AK, Glock>everything, pumpkin pie>chicks and call it a day?

You think pumpkin pie is better than chicks?

Wish I had know that when you were in town for Milcopp Last One

[monkeys]

I just ordered myself a nice 60x80 wool blanket to keep with my camping/bug out gear

My current wool blanket (which is not used as a cloak) is a bit on the small side. Where'd you get yours and is it 100% wool?

[Maverick299]

I just ordered myself a nice 60x80 wool blanket to keep with my camping/bug out gear

My current wool blanket (which is not used as a cloak) is a bit on the small side. Where'd you get yours and is it 100% wool?

Mine is 70% wool, so hopefully it is enough wool to keep me plenty warm and retain heat when wet, but not be too horribly itchy. The reviews are horrible if you read them, but I'm guessing most people are just tossing them in and washing them like a towel and ruining them. I was making an ammo order and decided to add one of these on to make shipping.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ItemDetail.aspx?sku=CAMP-219

[TheLastOne]

How about we just chalk this one up to one of those things like AR>AK, Glock>everything, pumpkin pie>chicks and call it a day?

You think pumpkin pie is better than chicks?

Wish I had know that when you were in town for Milcopp Last One

Hey, I can get pumpkin pie I'm just trying to point out the silliness of this thread. 6 pages!

[ineffableone]

How about we just chalk this one up to one of those things like AR>AK, Glock>everything, pumpkin pie>chicks and call it a day?

You think pumpkin pie is better than chicks?

Wish I had know that when you were in town for Milcopp Last One

Hey, I can get pumpkin pie I'm just trying to point out the silliness of this thread. 6 pages!

More like you are adding to the silliness, not pointing it out. Rather than taking this topic seriously, many are just TROLLING this thread and making stupid comments.

[monkeys]

More like you are adding to the silliness, not pointing it out. Rather than taking this topic seriously, many are just TROLLING this thread and making stupid comments.

That's because this topic has already been measured and judged "not serious." Sorry Frodo.

[TheLastOne]

More like you are adding to the silliness, not pointing it out. Rather than taking this topic seriously, many are just TROLLING this thread and making stupid comments.

Somebody get this guy some pumpkin pie

OT

Chicks are better than pie and a silnon tarp poncho and liner > poncho

yes I'm goofing off, but 6 pages of serious rabblerabblerabble over cloaks is also goofing off imo I'll stay out of it.

[Regular Guy]

You think pumpkin pie is better than chicks?

Wish I had know that when you were in town for Milcopp Last One

Hey, I can get pumpkin pie I'm just trying to point out the silliness of this thread. 6 pages![/quote]

More like you are adding to the silliness, not pointing it out. Rather than taking this topic seriously, many are just TROLLING this thread and making stupid comments.[/quote]

I'm going to say this. If this is a serious topic for you and you enjoy this site, perhaps you should become a member. It's $15 and you can pay with paypal. Two of the folks goofing off are members and one is a unpaid volunteer moderator. You have 176 posts, just observing.

[dogbane]

It's all good. We can have fun, and still take the subject seriously. Things tend to go off the rails by page 6 anyway.

I don't think the subject should be dismissed. If someone wants to test this apparel under various conditions, we can all benefit from what they learn. I want to see pics from the field before this is all over.

[ineffableone]

More like you are adding to the silliness, not pointing it out. Rather than taking this topic seriously, many are just TROLLING this thread and making stupid comments.

That's because this topic has already been measured and judged "not serious." Sorry Frodo.

TROLL measuring is notoriously inaccurate though. There have been plenty of obvious serious discussion in this thread, even with all the TROLLING.

Just because you TROLLS are afraid someone in a cloak might be cooler than you, does not make the topic not serious. Is Dave Cantabury a serious survivalist? He rocks the wool blanket cloak


Sorry monkey, but it seems your opinion has been weighed, measured, and found lacking. The only thing making this thread not serious is all the idiot TROLLS making stupid comments because they are afraid to be as cool as Dave Cantabury.

[TheLastOne]

^ who invited cranky pants screaming TROLLLLLLLLL? Is TROLLLLL always capitalized? Dave Canterberry is fine in my book, but I bet he doesn't get his panties in a bunch over a blanket. I also bet that if you gave him the choice between a poncho/liner vs a slanket he'd go my way. Maybe you are facebook buddies and you can ask?

I might look like one, post like one, but dammit I'm no troll.

[KnightoftheRoc]

More like you are adding to the silliness, not pointing it out. Rather than taking this topic seriously, many are just TROLLING this thread and making stupid comments.

That's because this topic has already been measured and judged "not serious." Sorry Frodo.

Perhaps, perhaps not. One's personal judgements do not a consensus make. The OP asked the question in all seriousness, and several of us have responded that way. some, not so much, and others have responded in both ways. Like myself- I can see the humor, and appreciate it, but also deal with the subject on it's serious side. My Jedi cloak is made of cotton herringbone twill, it's not heavy, but it's really quite warm, without being too warm. In fact, that costume (four layers of assorted cottons) makes me appreciate the wisdom in the layers of cotton robes used in the Middle East- I can go from 90's outdoors to the inside of a building without feeling a change in temps except on my exposed skin. The same holds true for winter events, going from 20's or 30's and back inside. It's quite comfortable, and I like it- it's still not going into my BOB, or into the line-up of my BO gear. But, if it was all I had left for some reason, I'd use it without hesitation. The same goes for my wool cloak.

It's all good. We can have fun, and still take the subject seriously. Things tend to go off the rails by page 6 anyway.

I don't think the subject should be dismissed. If someone wants to test this apparel under various conditions, we can all benefit from what they learn. I want to see pics from the field before this is all over.

Wish granted- I'm trying so set up a group for this. A Spring Mock Bugout trip dressed in renny/medieval clothing and gear. Very simple equipment, and hopefully done soon enough into the season that the nights are still pretty chilly. It may or may not end up as a part of the SMBO Contest, when it comes along, but I WILL be posting it here.

[dogbane]

We do need to chill on the name calling. Actual trolls will be spanked, and I don't see any here; just some uppity forum members. Let's keep talking about cloaks, shall we? I apologize for my contribution to the derail.

[Regular Guy]

^ who invited cranky pants screaming TROLLLLLLLLL? Is TROLLLLL always capitalized? Dave Canterberry is fine in my book, but I bet he doesn't get his panties in a bunch over a blanket. I also bet that if you gave him the choice between a poncho/liner vs a slanket he'd go my way. Maybe you are facebook buddies and you can ask?

I might look like one, post like one, but dammit I'm no troll.

Seconded, chill dood. LastOne is a real cool guy, he's just not pro-cloak. Dave in that video is talking about making a blanket into a cloak if you don't have anything else to keep you warm. It's damn fine advice, I've worn blankets to keep warm when I didn't have a coat.