The Ranger Roll Sleep System & A Winter Modification
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What is this music you used in this video? It sounds like something from the original Deus Ex PC game.
Marine here. Infantryman. Three Combat Deployments including the initial invasion of Iraq. We lived in Iraq in the dirt. You sleep by a designated tire (or in sequence behind the last tire) in a Marine LAR BN. Just like you said… sometimes there is no time for undressing. A tip from an infantryman I learned in SOI. In one of my Canteen pouches I always kept a heavy duty trash bag. If you do have bedding like a sleeping bag and you are in a “combat environment” or other situation. You don’t want to get the inside of the sleeping bag filthy or wet. In a cold weather environment… a wet sleeping bag might mean your death or a casualties death. There is no “leaving the field” to find a laundry machine and dryer. Yes, in Iraq there were times that we woke up and there would be snow and frost on our bivy covers. It also occasionally rained and everything became a muddy mess. Your boots would weigh three times as much as normal caked in mud as we would stop for the day to sleep. The solution, or a solution, is to just encapsulate the mud covered boots and lower legs in the trash bag and then slide into your MSS or Ranger Roll. Keeps the insulation clean and dry(ish) and it still allows you to fight immediately if needed with boots on (just have to inch worm out of the trash bag). Your socks and boots don’t breath or dry (as well) and it’s a muddy mess inside the trash bag but better than your bedding.
How often did you sleep with your boots on? Hopefully you at least changed into a dry pair of socks.
@@MsRotorwings All the time in combat. For weeks at a time when we invaded Iraq. But it really depends on what you are doing. During the initial invasion it was non stop combat. During subsequent deployments… you would undress almost every night while in a FOB (sometimes even had a shower constructed or available depending on location) and hardly ever when outside the wire during operations.
@@MsRotorwings Yes foot care is continuous in the infantry, you live and die on your feet. They are important. Dry socks, foot powder, and proper footwear/socks. Foot hygiene in the field is a whole separate discussion.
We used to do that in RECON as well
Thanks for sharing this. I always stayed dressed when I would crawl in my sleeping bag while out camping, but I'd always take my boots off. Between doing up a RANGER ROLL like this and your tip on using the trash bag, I'll be able to stay pretty warm, dry, and Minute Man/Combat Effective more readily than the way I used to sleep in the wilderness if I'm faced with the need to react in a situation where I would need to be able to get out of my sleeping gear in a hurry for whatever reason.
"This is the wool blanket, it comes in many colors..." and I heard in my head, "there are many like it, but this one is mine"😆
Outstanding!
Outstanding! Just like a farmer in his field!! Hurrra!
Easier to take than "cordage"
@@6daemonic6 it’s a TF2 reference
Heard in my heard to and I'm not even ex USMC. ex USANG here. Lol
Additional instructions for Air Force personnel; after drawing sleeping system from supply, then properly securing rolled sleeping system with 550 cord and placing in B4 bag, proceed to nearest Marriott and check in. :D
Don't forget the soft serve ice cream.
When I was in the Air Force, I once had to stay in a 4* hotel.
The horror.
War is hell kids....
Exactly Graham! Even at the J.W.Marriott, anything below the 8th floor is camping.
The AF pcs. Me from Homestead AFB (just south of Miami) Fl to 110 miles northwest of Nome Ak. Just to prove that the AF has a sense of humor.
I lined my M-65 field coat with a wobby type liner with a mylar blanket glued to it. That was warmer than the issue parka . Wind proof too.
27 years and Very few times sleeping in the woods. Air crew survival, that was it. Hojo
I was rolled up in my Ranger Roll Woobie trying to sleep in a light rain while in an AA, night of November 9th, 1989, in the Grunewald when the radio watch said the Berlin Wall was opened up. I didn't believe him, rolled over, went back to sleep until about 0300 when we woke up to move out for an ambush. When we finished playing cowboys and indians, we got back to the buses by the AVUS highway, the scene was nuts, DDR Trabis all over the place beeping their horns, waving at us, shouting "Thank You!"
Thank you for sharing this story.
Hits right home.
Thanks from Berlin.
Man I love your no BS approach to everything and thanks for mentioning my channel! I love that epic version of the Ranger roll. I never tried adding a wool blanket because as it got colder I always went with my MSS or my Arctic mountain bag. And you understand what a lot of others don't know, us guys from Georgia to Mississippi are used to 100 degrees and humidity. We freeze easily and guys from Michigan and Minnesota are way more adaptable to cold.
Right back atcha! My first summer in cold Germany was definitely my coldest winter ever!! Thanks for stopping by
I'm an ex- Canadian soldier and I used to use x2 jungle bags and a wool blanket all nested inside one another, covered with the half shelter, and a hot water bottle or thermos full of tea too sip on if I was getting chilly.
-40* c in high winds.
It was still cold but doable.
- wind/waterproof layer
- hot water bottle/canteen
- eat food and go pee before racking out
- thermos of hot tee or warm water most of the time to sip on during the night
- dress in warm layers of clothing
- stay dry don't sweat
- I taped 4 or 5 birthday candles together stuck them in the snow and heated my half shelter once or twice-- * THAT'S CHEATING AND FROWNED UPON DON'T GET CAUGHT * or push-ups are how you will keep warm lol.
True story. I loved the cold winters in korea. Hated the 115+ weather in other parts of the world.
@@GruntProof are you guys related ? you do look alike .especially that grin when you talk ;)
We're all brothers of the forest, or something cool like that 😁
This is fun to watch. I went to ranger school Dec 63 - Feb 64. The poncho liner and Mylar had yet to be invented. We were trained in the “Ranger roll”. A ranger roll consisted of two ponchos (all we were issued and allowed to take to the field) and two rangers.
SERE in winter. Cuddling with another man never felt so good
It was cold enough in Mountain Phase that we tried a three man Ranger Roll. When we moved out early the next morning, somehow I ended up with all three ponchos. 😉
"' two rangers'' did you want to say that 2 people slept in one bag?
I remember sleeping in the Ranger Roll back at Ft. Lewis back in the 70s. I did not add the wool blanket. I would lay on one side until the cold coming through from the ground made my shoulder and hip ache. Then it was time to switch sides. Life got better with a closed cell foam sleeping pad under me. RLTW
RLTW
When I was in Germany in the 80’s and 90’s, a German lady at the dry cleaners would sew/ glue them all together for you for $30. Of course you would have to buy an extra poncho,poncho liner, wool blanket etc but it was worth it. She would also sew/ glue poncho liner material to the inside of our rain jackets. Good times!
As I was watching this, that’s exactly what I was thinking of doing. I have the MSS and love it, other than the weight.
I actually got a free goretex jacket at a stand down in Denver. I still got it and it's sweet! Woodland camo is better than the digital scrambled porno pattern.
We used to call those Graf parkas!
I am in the german army and use the same system. It works since more than 30 years.It s better than a sleepingbag for fast evacuation. Greating from Germany.👍
@@moskito184 Deutschland Erwache!!
How to sleep in a ranger roll: patrol all night.
thats about the size of it
pack light..freeze at night
What is this "sleep" he keeps talking about?
You slept all night!? No guard duty on the parameters or radio watch?!
So glad to see you being responsible highlighting that how this is not for winter weather. There are too many youtubers doing like a thin wool blanket and some tarp rolled in a fancy way may keep you warm on a snowy night.
They look cool not to have a bulky roll with them but so dangerous to advertise that you won’t freeze to death in them.
Thanks. Yea freezing sucks so I definitely try to er on the side of something not being warm enough.
A $10 fuzzy blanket from Walmart is light weight and will keep you warm. I discovered this when my wife gave me one for Christmas. I fold it in half and again in quarters then wrap it around my legs in my deer 🦌 stand. I was amazed at how warm this light weight addition to my kit was and it rolls up quite small.
Fleece?
Years ago, when I was a Navy Corpsman serving with the USMC, I used to use this anytime the temps were tolerable. I was pleasantly surprised by how warm I could sleep…especially if I carbo-loaded an hour or so before "racking" out!. I experimented by doubling up the poncho liners ("Woobie") and sewing them together. Later, when I became a Navy Survival Instructor in Maine, I'd share these ideas with our students as something they could try when they returned to their home bases. I don't know if you guys had cute sayings but for us, it was always…"Travel light, freeze at night!" Only some of us were smarter than the average bear, Boo-Boo...and we had our bed roll with us. Good idea to share this with your subscribers and it brought back a few great memories, like when we were using a poncho as a free standing lean-to. (You heard that correctly.) We'd take some lightweight nylon webbing (1" or so wide and long enough to run from one corner to the opposite (oblique) corners (or "caddy-wompus"), and sew them in to place. Then we sewed a few small velcro pieces together to make a few loops that could accommodate some small fiberglass tent poles (these were sewn on the poncho kinda along the lines of the strapping. Then using some (2 or 3) fiberglass tent poles and cut them as needed. The idea was to have short poles that were short enough for easy packing and could combine together to make one single pole. When cutting the poles to the desired length, we'd tape the poles with strong duct tape and cut with high speed saw, so as not to shatter or shred it. The fiberglass tent poles were rigged sorta like the webbing running between opposite corners and final outcome was a lean-to that didn't have to be tied in several places to keep it up. The only tie-off was purely optional (explained shortly) I can't remember now, if we staked down at two opposite corners or three…but I'm thinking three...two at your feet and one at the head. That way your entire back area was protected and the other corner could be secured outward with 550 para cord to a bush or whatever, if you wanted or needed to. It's been since the late 80's when we did this and at nearly 70, my memory is not as good as it once was. Once it was "erected", we could throw a Woobie Roll (Ranger Roll) under it and sleep like a baby. One of the good things about this system was that we could stow it all in a A.L.I.C.E. Butt Pack(Old School No-Tech), along with the Woobie Roll. Some of us were breaking/shattering our opoles, we used small light PVC-type conduit/pipe to protect our poles. Even with going that route, it was still major lightweight protection. When winter hit and temps plummeted we would even use our cold wx sleeping bags under them at temps well below zero. Some mornings we'd wake up with fresh snow on them but if we were safe inside as long as we made sure that our backs were facing any inbound weather systems… I'm not sure if me or any of my buddies still have photos of one of them, but I'll dig around. If I find something I try to share with you. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "Ol' Scooter", signing off from East Texas.
I would LOVE to see a sketch of that and build one myself. What a GREAT mod. I own a one-man bivy but I also have 3 boys and it's kind of singular in its purpose. I'd like to rig up three or four of what you describe. I think they'd even sell! Lightweight, fiberglass poles that you can store inside PVC tubing and then pull out and set up as a free-standing fiberglass-pole-supported make-shift modular system that could be set up to resemble a bivy sounds really convenient and helpful (multi-purpose). Find me at superchap at gmail if and as you're willing. I have the ability to put that together in a 3D CAD artist's rendition and instruction set. I think you're onto somthing. I'd just like to see where you sewed the webbing and then the specific placement of the poles. Be well Ol' Scooter!
When the hell did you get time to sew shit together etc?
Why don't you make a video of it? I would love to see that.
Thanks for your info. Ever bit helps even now with gore tex bivy bags
@@winniethepooh2947 2 ponchos and a bivy bag you can make A frame easily
The best line in the whole video: "yes, you heard me... there were units that were issued a modular sleep system, but they weren't allowed to use it". It's the Army way. The military types hear that and chuckle at the truth, but everyone else probably doesn't even register what he just said. Imagine landing a brand new gig as an Amazon delivery driver and you show up and they assign you a fancy new delivery van. Then they tell you to park it in the corner of the lot (keep an eye on it, because you are responsible for that thing) and give you a bike with a wagon tied to it and tell you that this is what you will be using for your delivery route. And you damn sure better not ask what the delivery van they issued you is for.
That's a sad fact. I say stuff like that to my dad all the time and he just keeps asking why.
Sums it up nicely
I was in from '72-'76. Things issued, ALWAYS closely inspected during inspections, and NEVER used were shelter halves and mess kits. Ponchos were one thing you always carried in winter. Stationed at Ft. Bragg, it was generally warmer than a lot of duty stations, but we still hit 0 on a couple of occasions. A good fighting position with a poncho over the top would keep you 20-30 degrees warmer.
I'm curious, could you expand more on the reasoning behind why they weren't allowed to use it? It really makes no logical sense to me to be given something as useful as this sleeping system, but being told you can't use it. Thanks
@@manteltwinkelwink2271 "It really makes no logical sense" Welcome to the Army. When I was in, we were issued "shelter halves". A piece of cotton tarp, when snapped together with another shelter half, was just big enough for two people to get into so they could get wet from the water leaking through where they snapped together. They were so useless that the ONLY time they were used was in Basic training or AIT. They had to be kept clean, and properly folded and displayed during inspection. Perhaps it is just that history, or maybe their battalion or brigade commanders made a command decision. Ours IS NOT to question why......
Just a tipp ( i only learnt after sleeping in those for years):
If you lay on it diagonally, you can use one corner to flap around your feet, then wrap the other two sides around your body...
If you stick your shoes in a bag, it will also keep your kit from getting muddy...
Piling several inches of pine needles under and on top of the Ranger roll will make it comfortable down to freezing in a pinch
@@kevinm459 That's good advice, thx ..
@@kevinm459 you know what haha i always put pine branches under but i neverrr thought about putting them on top (unless im dying in the cold) but its good to remember regardless, even if im not dying i think i might consider it now
I've tried a Russian Plash Palatka with a poncho liner... it's much warmer!
When I got to Germany in 1992 one of my first stops was the PX for 2 poncho liners and 2 ponchos. I had a seamstress sew everything together into a lightweight sleeping bag then I hung it and sprayed it with emphasis on the seams with waterproof spray. Suddenly everyone wanted one. You're welcome! Also my "sleep system" was stolen many years later, luckily I didnt need it by then.
lol, I just got two US ponchos and liners and sprayed the seams with waterproof spray. Not sewing everything together though
We paid to have our liner sewed onto our rain jacket in the 80’s before goretex. It was called a Graf Jacket in Germany.
It was also called Graf Spee in Germany.
U.S. Cavalry sold those back in the day.
Until the 70’s many companies in Germany had a unit tailor to whom you’d give an issue poncho, a wool blanket and some small amount of money. The tailor made a tailored Graf Jacket. I still have mine; it has a pocket on the upper right arm for a pack of cigarettes. Pockets closed with the poncho snaps. A good one was a work of tailoring art. Most of the company tailors were displaced persons (DP’s) from after WWII.
It's more about surviving the night than it is about staying perfectly warm. A poncho by itself can save you from hypothermia. It stops the wind and rain, which is one of the primary ways your body loses heat, through convection and conduction. Anything added to the poncho is a plus, including pine needles and leaves under and over you.
There is actually a Soviet post-WW2 equivalent to the ranger roll. Conscripts would use their canvas tarp/poncho (the Plash Palatka)and wrap it around their wool great coat and rack out wherever. Since the canvas was waxed, it actually was water repellent. Funny how soldiers throughout time and history solved their problems in similar ways
MHGR It just goes to show problems are solved by people in roughly the same way all around the world and also tells us we are all human and not matter race creed ir colour we are basicly all the same its just a shame people get greedy
Our method was walk until you dropped beside a tree in the pouring rain/ snow and close your eyes long enough to blink, and it was off. You go again, dig in, fill it in, and gone again. Wish we did get to sleep
I did this when I was down and out. But I piled random clothes on me.
Sleeping out in the field, oh what wonderful days of the pass. The heat, the rain, the mud and bugs, what a joy, plus keeping your rifle clean with you.
Makes me think about the men of easy company in the Arden forest in the winter. Those guys had almost nothing of warm clothing/gear! Those men were tough as nails!
My father was 1st infantry, anti tank and was sent to the Ardennes for the battle of the bulge, he only had a sleeping bag (I believe they were wool with a cotton canvas outer layer) that he had cut two arm holes in to use as a jacket and spent the nights in foxholes with the snow falling on him. Very shortly after the battle he found a woman's fur coat and used that for a little while until winter gear finally caught up.
As an "old" 2/75 Ranger, I can tell you that the Ranger Roll works good (enough) in cooler (not cold) conditions!
We didn't have mylar back then (1970s), but we did incorporate wool blankets!!
I still use a similar system, mostly in a hammock or under a tarp, but with a Helikon-Tex poncho liner and wool blanket for cooler weather outings, and if rainy I will add a poncho.
And for colder weather, I just add a bivy!
- RLTW
My dad was Army, and a Korean War vet. After going through that the cold always bothered him. I remembered he always had at least two Army wool blankets in the trunk of the car...just in case.
The wool blanket I was issued was gray, and had the letters USN on it. Even the ships get cold occasionally. Respect for y'all that sleep on the ground out in the weather. 👍
USN '71- '92
I'm from MN and am, today, a great grandmother. I started out as a little kid camping with my grandpa where we would fish, shoot small game, camp out. We used a version of this system with a camo tent and we were nice and toasty most of the year. In the winter, we would add an inflatable mattress and a little heavier, all-weather tent. Hike with our packs into the wilderness and camp out all weekend. I was never cold, though we were also warmly dressed and slept clothed except for our boots.
When camping with children, its important to overestimate their warmth needs and underestimate their energy - especially in colder weather. While for the past several decades, I used "dry bags" when camping (even if not canoeing), in winter this is a necessity IMO. I would always bring along sweatshirts and sweatpants and socks for the kids in a dry bag in case they got wet. Great bonding opportunities are available when camping and I miss it dearly.
Great advice on the layers for sleeping when you might have to get up at a moment's notice to stand watch (or worse). I also believe that where you grew up and your previous camping experience are vital in the military. I never served, but have lots of friends who have. What is doable and comfortable for someone growing up in winter climates will not do if you were born and raised in a warmer climate.
.
I was an infantry soldier in the early 1970’s stationed at Ft Lewis WA. We all used a Ranger roll in place of a down sleeping bag in the winter. Normal winter temps were 35-45 degrees. Seldom saw freezing temps due to the constant overcast conditions. We always stayed warm and dry sleeping in the RR. The one thing we did a bit different was most of us replaced the thin nylon poncho with a heavier nylon rubber version either from the on post store that sold all the TA 50 and uniforms or a surplus store.
You mentioned being from the south as being a factor of not staying to warm but before arriving at Ft Lewis I was stationed at the Canal Zone a bit further south than Mississippi. The Ranger roll ruled for us staying warm and dry
Ft. Sherman?
Ft Davis. I got very lucky being stationed here
Ah, Ft. Lewis. I'm from Kentucky where we have all kinds of weather, steamy jungle-hot in summer, bitter freezing damp cold in winter. So I'm stationed at Ft. Bliss TX. Almost 4 years later I'm well acclimated to the dry heat and we take a trip to Ft. Lewis, told my squad to wear long pants and bring a jacket on the plane. One idiot shows up in shorts and a t-shirt. We leave the airport, it's maybe 100 degrees in July, like normal. Change planes in Phoenix, 116 degrees. Land in Seattle, 50 degrees and raining. We go to the motor pool, got our field jackets on, freezing nearly to death. A mechanic is out wrenching on something in the rain, just his t-shirt. He looks at us and says, "Not from around here?" LOL
An easy and quick way to greatly enhance the comfort of this setup is to add a foam sleeping mat ( I highly recommend a folding one, the rolled ones are a nightmare). This will not only provide some cushion, but will also provide a thermal barrier between you and the ground which will suck A LOT of heat away from your body during the night if you don't have one. It adds a little bulk to the outside of your pack, but it weighs almost nothing, is super fast to deploy/repack, and will enable you to use your ranger roll in much colder weather.
Give the Really big monkey two ponchos two liners, two survival blankets, some wool blankets, woodsticks and bank line and he gives you back a headquarters M56 insulated tent for twelve people and has enough left material to start the fire!
IF he had allllll that extra room in his ruck, AND had hours to set it all up in the field... lol. The reason we don't travel with the hotel hilton (sleeping bag, poncho for overhead cover and the puss pad) is because not only do we not have the space, but even if we did, there's no time to set all these contraptions up. Most of the time you're told "Hey you, bed down, stand to's in 3 hours." So we're NOT taking 15 minutes out of our 3 hour nap time to set up the hotel. You're going to grab the poncho out of your first outboard pocket of the ruck, yank out the poncho, lean on the back of your ruck, cover yourself up and rack out, or if it's raining, use the poncho out of the 2nd outboard pocket, and combine them and in 5 minutes be racked out and that's it. Plus 9 times out of 10 it's tactical, so if the platoon daddy hears all this rustling and bustling from some joe's ruck because he's digging like a raccoon in a garbage can he's going to come over there and fuck that joe up. It's gotta be quick, fast & efficient; your comfort is the absolute last priority of work lol unfortunately.
Don't do that, it would weigh him down
@@robertosborne1753 absolutely, btdt
The ranger roll makes a great sleep system in the warmer months especially for stealth camping as it is lightweight and can be quickly gathered to effect rapid egress. I haven't stealth camped in the winter months due to needing much more gear to survive the freezing temperatures; overland camping being the alternative. I'll have to try the extra layers to see if it'll work. The state park I camp in allows camping only in the designated campgrounds which is a downer. Dave Pearson (ReallyBigMonkey1) is quite an innovator of experimentation and thinking out of the box. I definitely recommend watching his channel and he's quite entertaining. Great winter tips, Randall!
Was issued MSS while I served with 10th Mountain in 90-92, as a Californian boy going from perfect Bay Area weather to shit storm Ft.Drum it was awesome to learn it kept me warm sleeping in the negative weather on or in the snow. I wish I had learned this system as well. Glad you are helping young men and women stay warm. Maybe helping someone stay alive or at lease be able o fight better when it comes.
I served with the 82nd Airborne as an Infantryman 82-86. We never had the opportunity to use a sleeping bag or bedroll. In the defense position there are patrols, ambushes, LP OP and at a minimum 50% security. Never had the opportunity to snooze diagonally. Hunched down in a fighting position was miserable. If only for an hour it was impossible. Most the time we did not wear field jackets or cold weather gear to fight off the “Hawk”. Travel light freeze at night. Deploy to AP Hill in January wearing jungle fatigues and jungle boots. 10 fucking cold ass days and nights
I appreciate how you share your experiences with the practical use of the gear you were issued. Thanks for your service.
Thanks!
Marine Corps poncho liner now has a zipper around three sides. They also added more insulation. Having been issued the old ones and the new ones and used them both in the field, there's a noticeable difference. Add a wool blanket and isomat and you're set for a tolerable night of sleeping at least down to 20°f. Provided that you're wearing at least base layers and cammies. That's been my experience anyway.
Great (and useful) vid!!! Might I add - If anyone for whatever reason doesn't have access to the casualty bag, an emergency blanket / bivouac bag is a worthy and reliable substitute. Heat-retaining, H2O repelling, and ultra lightweight. Added bonus in that they fold up / compress into a small wad the size of your fist. Stay warm, and stay safe!
I think it’s still important to take your boots off to let your feet breathe, and to change socks out before you sleep. Changing my socks before I sleep has always helped me sleep better. (Also if your feet always get cold wrap them with your top or an extra layer you might have)
And take your clothes off, sweat will make you cold af.put your combats at the bottom of your fartsack.
I went backpacking with my two sons, a yearly event. One of My sons served active duty in the Army. That blew me away he could sleep in his clothes with his boots on and laced..... love your Vlogs very interesting and informative 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Thank you for sharing
I used to joke that I could sleep on top of the refrigerator and you wouldn't even have to clean it off first. LOL
Thanks!
@@asmith7876 I fell asleep on top of a upright freezer
I was in the Army for a decade, we only kept the boots on if we needed to be quick reactionary or it was a quick cat nap. Otherwise ... you gotta take care of those feet. :)
While conducting patrols (recon/combat), you have to be ready move at a given notice. You sleep with your boots on. I generally changed socks at this time if possible. I almost always wore winter wool socks and jungle boots (all climates). I would tuck the used socks inside the top of my trousers to dry them out. Always ready to move👍 Camping as a civilian, I tend to be more relaxed 💤
Thats how i was doing that in the late 80"s . honestly the wool blanket, liner and poncho kept myself very warm in winter trips. I am from Detroit, Michigan. Love your videos
Scotsmen in the highlands been packing like that for centuries
I was using the Poncho and liner as a sleeping bag in mild weather when I was 11B from 1981 -85 . It wasn't called a Ranger bag then.
” hey everybody!“ gotta love the really big monkey TH-cam channel. That’s cool that you gave him a shout out. He makes some of his own gear as well using a sewing machine. This week it’s funny to see some of his sleep systems and how unique they are along with the materials used. He’s a special guy that’s for sure. Love this channel as well you put out some great content!
Way back in the late 1960s I did the same thing with the "Space Blanket", poncho liner, and wool blanket....got the idea from a U S Army Adult Scouter teach REAL survival skills at the summer camp for an entire week....had a blast...boosted my camping skills beyond the moon....never had a cold night's sleep following his advice..learned how to REALLY survive and EAT well from the wild....we set up a overnight trap line..next morning got two rabbits, ready to clean and cook...the traps were of the deadfall variety...worked great...my Scoutmaster was impressed with what we learned...asked us to teach to Troop..To this day, I use my military camping / survival skills whenever I go out with a Troop....they love it....GREAT VIDEO....very well done....now...build your reflective fire and your Swedish Chimney and have a good night's rest !!!!Charlie Mike !!!!
Brought back memories of the early 90's and dirt time.
A cool trick when traveling / homeless s to take a Goretex bivy sack in your pack and buy a big Coleman sleeping bag or comforter from a thrift store when you get to a new area / season.
Goretex bivy turns A comforter into a sleeping bag because of the zipper . A $5 bill can replace lugging around a sleeping bag in many scenarios if you have a Goretex bivy. You just stash your cheapo bag / comforter in a bush where you plan to camp, if you lose it / get stolen you are out a few dollars.. in the pack I carry a poncho liner and a bivy.. a $5 fleece blanket from Walmart + poncho liner inside a Goretex bivy gets you down to 45 inside a stairwell
Found a large Alice pack complete set at a thrift store here in santa Barbara today. 6.99
I would recommend checking out the youtube channel “Vagrant Holiday.” He does all kinds of bum stuff with an old sleeping bag and bivvy that he stashes in bushes while he explores the places hes visiting.
Yep, as a 21 year retired Army Vet, I remember this well but haven't used it for many, many years. Heading to Ft. Hunter Leggett next week to check out their primitive camp sites. I'll give this a try but you can bet I'll have my MSS in the truck just in case. I also have a Dutch Army hooped bivy that I absolutely love that frequently comes in handy.
9:20 Honestly, seeing you bundled up like that made me so happy. The nostalgia was amazing. Feel like the only people who would see that and get so much joy are grunts. Also loved hearing you talk about Graf. Brings me back to terribly cold times. I made a little system like this in the driver seat of our Stryker because our heater broke in the middle of the box, and mechanics didnt have a replacement. "Hit the leather and ride!" The joys of 2CR.
I sewed mine and used velcro on the side entrance for about half a meter it kept it secure, but easier to get in and out of. In really damp weather I scooped out a drainage ditch around it with e-tool. Great video. It brought back memories.
Yeah those ditches were crucial in really wet weather!
I clicked on this video instantly. A normal ranger roll and a twin wool blanket right next to a fire isn’t warm enough to get you through a night in the teens I was miserable can’t wait to watch the rest of this one💯
Problem I made I tried sleeping in freezing weather without testing it out and I just put the wool blanket on top of me so embers wouldn’t land on my poncho and I didn’t have the Mylar blanket
Pack it lite, freeze at night
In the British infantry we kept warm at night in winter on sentry duty by covering ourselves in soaking wet pine needles and eating boiled sweets VERY VERY quietly.
Loved the video, especially the shout out to that mad genius Dave Pearson, LOVE that guy! No combat for me, just 4 years driving around the desert southwest around Ft. Bliss. No one told me how mf'ing COLD it gets in the desert at night, even in summer. And in winter, can be brutal, and up to 2 feet of snow! Who knew? We were often able to use our issued sleeping bags, those monstrous Extreme Cold bags full of down and feathers. Weighed a ton, packed to the size of a small trash can but I didn't have to carry it. But just as often we'd be moving at night, so it was bundle up however you could in whatever Uncle Sam gave us. Great channel.
Well done, i had a similar system in Grafenwöhr during my Bundeswehr time, with the rubber Poncho, a heavy duty poncho :-) in Summer with my canoe on the river danube i use such or similar systems, for example with a norwegian wool blanket, very heavy...since last year i have a used acu camo liner, this is a little thinner, than the orig. that you use in your video. But in summer...it works. Thx for showin us your system. Greetings from near Regensburg! Hans
Thank you for your service. Great info for those not in the know. We were not aware of using wool blankets and reflective gear. Would have made our time in the field much more pleasant. Semper Fi brother!
Your honesty speaks volumes for your character not ty mislead others appreciate your knowledge
Tarp above me tied between two trees, body-long trench fire beside me with improvised firewall, US Army wool blanket, an Arcturus survival blanket, a European surplus rubberized sleeping bag liner and very thick merino wool socks can also work for a few months as I was forced to do in a Michigan winter back in 2008 in the woods. Also helps to put a contractor bag filled with leaves to put between sleep system and the cold ground. I'm liking this Ranger Roll for its practical use in field as shown and waterproof feature.
I love you no BS attitude and the excellent real world knowledge you have. One of the best bushcraft / gear channels out there
Thanks Randall, haven't seen to many videos on Ranger Rolls. I did see Dave's video on this (Really big monkey 1) Been subscribed to him for many years , great guy and great channel. Thanks for the tips.👍
As a active duty Infantryman I kept one under my butt pack. My dearly departed wife sowed the bottom 3rd and it took care of me when sleeping bags weren't used or I was apart from my larg ruck with my comforts. We took one sleeping bag to three guy when tactical. 2 out of 3 were always up on security. I love being retired, and comfortable. I go deep woods solo camping still at 60, but I'm comfortably now and can sleep in.
Gotta change into dry socks before going to sleep to keep warmer. Moist sweaty socks turned my feet to ice.
The older heavy weight ponchos were better to use as Ranger Rolls. The newer light weight ponchos were not as warm and developed holes easier. Sometimes spread a second poncho over my Ranger Roll for a little extra warmth and/or to stay dryer.
It was fairly standard to carry our Ranger Rolls in or on our butt packs so it was always with us even when we had to cache our packs.
13:05 It is real easy to build extenders for to strap down gear. Just get a little bit of webbing and add clips that will mate with your pack. Fold your roll so it isn't much wider than your pack for better maneuverability in tight spaces and brush.
I added web straps to the bottom of my ALICE to carry my ISO mat. That little foam sleep pad not only help dull the sharp points on the ground but it provided some insulation to keep me warmer. I also traded out the standard friction buckles on my ALICE for a spring loaded buckles so I could open, close & adjust my pack light years faster (especially in the dark or when my hands were so painfully cold that I was all thumbs)
great stuff. thank you so much happy new year
I made my woobie into a sleeping bag by sewing it across the bottom and half way up the side , works for me .
Spent many years just suffering...but utilized the Ranger roll a great deal when I actually worked at the Ranger School. My favorite place was always in the field. I would volunteer for field problems just to prevent garrison details and stupid shit.
The reflective blanket is genius... NEVER thought of adding that... I might have to slip one into my system.
I learned a poncho liner and woobie weren't enough... Back in 2000-ish, I bought an Army wool blanket and had it sewn to a woobie/poncho liner I bought at Clothing Sales. It wasn't sewn all the way around so cold air did get in, but it was still better. I already owned a rubberized Army-issue rain poncho (Vietnam-era type). I tied that wool / woobie combo into that poncho and that stayed tied above the headlight on my Harley during road trips. It was only good down to about upper 50s but it was still nice! The reflective blanket will get added!
I’ve used a shelter half as a top cover. I also have a field tarp, poncho liner and patrol bag with bivy in my truck. 0351 USMC 1973-77.
I believe everyone and their mom's mom knows about the "Ranger Roll;" but do they know about the winter version?
Hey bro,knew a dude that had been to Z in korea.on a lot of winter patrols, they would double ranger roll for a ground sheet.
I’ve never heard of it in my life, haha! I’ve never been in the service, though, and don’t come from a military family, so I’m not TOO ashamed.
I used a ranger roll to sleep on the floor inside buildings during the fight in Fallujah. I used my flak jacket laid out open underneath to keep the concrete from sucking the heat out of me.
@Grunt proof, I’m not in the military. I’m unable to join due to my medical trouble and physical disability it caused. But I bought what was advertised as a 3 day assault pack for bush craft and camping trips. I like the military style packs due to the space and durability, and have been considering buying surplus gear that I can as a civilian. I’m thinking it might fit in the pack best. I’m just wondering, is that sleep system just any tarp with a rescue blanket basically? I have a couple tarps and was originally thinking of using one as a ground sheet. Or possibly getting a third for that. But I’m not sure if I thought of this set-up. I was originally thinking of trying to pack a light sleeping-bag. But this system might be more practical. Thank you for your service! I’m Canadian, but I appreciate the work our allies do too!
@@aaronwanamaker5393 no it's a poncho and poncho liner. If you go to a army navy surplus store they will have them and know exactly what it is and also what a ranger roll is. Tarp will be heavy, and not durable.
Hey there everybody! Love one big monkeys videos also. Found your site and as I love camping with MILSURP gear figured I’d give you a shot. I am now subscribed. The gear is yes heavy but, the reason it’s still in use is it’s bulletproof and well tested. Loved this video.
I fought the big dumb green machine for 29 years. When I was a PL, I bought 2 extra ponchos(they were only $6 in those days). As Engineers, we could not get poncho liners. At 50 years old those ponchos have partly disintegrated now. I recently bought a replacement from River Country Products. It's only $10 and is the same size as my military ponchos. It only has tie loops at the corners and velcro at 2 points on the sides but seems to be good quality. Look at adding an AMK Heatsheet(Midway Supply) to your kit for more versatility. Good video. Good Luck, Rick
I joined the Army in 1976 and retired in 1996, I didn't get to use the MSS at all. I used that setup just as you showed it, the only difference was that I bought all the components and then had them cut and fitted together with snaps by a very nice Korean. I found it very helpful many times to put over my Army sleeping bag to keep it dry long before the MSS. Thanks for the memories.
True, true, true, and true....... Damn, I miss being miserable. AATW/RLTW/DOL
if the wool blanket is used as the inner layer, the whole thing will 'feel' warmer.
I am glad that someone remembers the old ranger roll sleep system from when I was in the Marines.
*THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR WISDOM FOR SPENDING THE NIGHT IN THE OUTDOORS!!* 👍👍👍
In the Marine Corps we kept warm at night using our field jackets and anger, Rah!
Had one like that but took it to a tailor and had them sew into a sleeping bag. Used the heck out of that when I was at Germany and Bragg.
I'm cold just looking at this Ranger 'Travel Light, Freeze At Night' psychosis. In truth, what our unit did in the Marines was about the SMARTEST thing anyone's ever come up for 'cool weather naps', and that was the poncho, liner and RUBBER B&*CH (aka sleeping roll or pad). You TIGHTLY roll your foam roll, then do an 'envelope tuck' on the liner, wrapping it tightly around the roll, then do the same with the poncho, securing it with X-number of boot bands (normally 4...as you are in trouble if you use 2, then one 'gives up').
Keep in mind, contact with the ground can cause up to 50x the amount of heat loss as being seperated from it...and the closed-cell-foam of the roll prevents direct contact (and reduces heat loss almost entirely as a function of direct-contact...makes for a GREAT 'shooter's prone mat' too, if you are in a lot of rocky areas...rocks are BRUTAL to heat retention). The system I've described above is actually LIGHTER than the old 'Navy Wool Blankets', too!
The cleanest, warmest, most comfortable place I ever slept was an empty B-52 hanger. In route to Cold Weather Training, we stopped at an AFB somewhere around New York for the night. 500 Marines and a handful of Navy FMF Corpsman(AKA Medics)in a B-52 hanger!!! HEAVEN, compared to other places I've bedded down!!! But, the cherry on top, Breakfast!!! We were bussed to an AF Chow Hall, and the CIVILIAN lady at the head of the line ask me "how do you want your eggs cooked, HONEY CHILE?" I was stunned, to say the least! I couldn't speak!! She said, how about a 3 egg Ham & Cheese Omelet"? I could hardly speak!! I sorta nodded, and moved up the line to the VERY BEST breakfast ever, which also included Biscuits, Gravy, Bacon, Grits, and Fried Potatoes(NOT Hash Browns, FRIED POTATOES, with onions and cheese), Coffee,Milk, Juice, and Soda, and PLENTY of it!!! Sorta reminded me of WAFFLE HOUSE, but MUCH better, with no drunks to deal with, heh heh!!! Guess I shoulda joined the AF, I suppose, but I don't realize nor regret what i learned in the Navy or the 3 yrs spent with Marine Combat troops! Semper Fi.
Note: The eggs, cheese, and milk were REAL, not powdered!!! On ship, and MC chow halls, you weren't necessarily given a choice. You ate what you were given, and if you didn't, there was ALWAYS a senior NCO present to "encourage" you to "clean your plate"!!!
Note: I was kinda partial to the Navy Beans and Cornbread served on ship on various Sunday mornings, and the canned scrambled ham & eggs in the C-Rats was my favorite, even cold!!!
I have used a ranger roll as a spring and summer sleep system before I went into the Army. I still use a modified version of it in a hammock set up. This video did give me an idea on how to store my hammock and sleeping system together.
TIP: if you have no issue Thermarest mattress or closed cell pad PILE UP ABOUT 1 FOOT OF DRIED LEAVES FOR A MATTRESS. This will keep you MUCH warmer than sleeping on the ground or natural leaf layer. It takes only one cool/cold night of ignoring this advice to believe it..
Graf man, what a wonderful piece of paradise that place is! 😁😁
Awesome!! Great job doing this! I had a scenario last year where I didn’t bring my warmer sleeping bags and had to improvise with spill kits. Had a month to sort out my system and worked pretty good. Thanks for posting.
Thanks!
Take a shot every time he says “sleep system” - you won’t make it half way.
Challenge accepted 😎
So homeless people are like grunts
@@GruntProof boo rah
@tlmoscow I like the way you think
wish i had a bottle handy lol.
Looks like fun, or for an emergency. Think Id bring the mss patrol bag and gortex bivi. And keep the poncho for da rain or back up. Thanks GP for showing us how its done👍
I will continue to use my British Army sleeping bag, bivvy bag and tarp thank you, all year round. Rain hail snow or shine (when it eventually arrives).
I didn't have the MSS when I was in the Army. We had an issue mummy bag that was a medium weight and not designed for cold weather but used it and made the system just like you demonstrated. I would also use my issue shelter half as another layer. I was happy enough with it but still got cold once in a while.
I grew up and still live in Wyoming and have worked, hunted and played outside since I can remember, so I'm used to very cold winters. About ten years ago, I bought a new complete MSS. I keep it in my vehicle whenever and wherever I travel. Wished I had it back in the older days.
Kudos points to you, man - I've just spent two nights in a "ranger roll" derivative, and nights were a tiny bit below 10 C. All thanks to this video (and the review of the Helikon Swagman Roll).
My setup included a Helikon Swagman Roll, a casaulty blanket, a German Army surplus sleeping mat (the folding one...) and a Helikon-made US Poncho. Plus a plastic tarp for a roof (we had some rain...). Being able to zip the Swagman up made a real difference (and while I slept in my clothes, I took my boots off). The second night I was so warm I had to take my fleece off!
The only thing that kept me from being really comfortable was the sleeping mat - it's paper-thin, and well, I'm not a teenager anymore ;)
That's a good idea!
@@GruntProof One more trick I found out on my second night: use the Swagman's drawstrings to narrow the bottom end. Less room for your feet = less dead space to warm = warmer feet.
...the same trick they use making form-fitting sleeping bags these days...
Yup! That's how I use it as an underblanket
“Go Army” reference MSS not being allowed in the field. I am Pre MSS. I feel your pain.
I agree with you on Really Big Monkey 1, he has a great channel. I watched his video on the reflective bag, it was genius.
I also enjoyed your video, and am a subscriber.
Great video! I have used this with the exception of preferring to use a heavier, but superior Italian surplus wool blanket. I am also using this in Colorado, High Plains, or eastern Nebraska. Adding grommets or tie out points to the wool blanket helps as well, but I like having the modularity of the componets so it is nice to mix & match especially if you need the poncho as a ponch or tarp. Then use the insulative layers with the wool on the outside especially if you can have a fire.
I know your the REAL DEAL when you mentioned Graf and Hohenfels!! I spent 9.5 years in Germany, with two tours. 84-90 and from 93-96!! Spent LOTS of time in both places, plus Wildflecken!! Being a Tanker, we didnt sleep on the ground much, but, we still used that poncho liner and poncho every chance we got to get some shut eye!! I still have my old original poncho liner by the way. It has faded into almost a light green color and lost most of its loft. But I still use it!! Best piece of gear the Army ever bought!!
Awesome! I don't miss Hoenfels
Thanks for this , and thanks for mentioning really big monkey , I think his channel is awsome as well , u guys are really in depth on this topic, enjoyed video
I'm British Army (veteran) I can't believe this would be considered a tactical option for sleeping in the field. Do you not raise a tarp/poncho or sleep on a roll matt and in a sleeping bag?
We slept under a poncho A frame in our MSS in on our thermarest pads. This is how some people adapted to stupid rules.
It all depends on field and exercise conditions. This is field-expedient and does work pretty well. Depending on echelon and timeline, we can go as far as using a cot and a LiteFighter personal shelter tent, but if you’re in a patrol base or may have to get up and go rapidly, that’s simply not practical. In those conditions, the full MSS may be too slow as well since she takes a minute to pack. Sadly, the Army no longer issues ponchos, so if this is your preference, you’re on your own to buy the necessary components.
I agree with Stephen, as a uk veteran, that’s almost laughable!!!
How is it not tactical? You stuff it in your sack.
@@leeswedenz5352 Explain why you agree? I just heard it ain't tactical and no explaining was given. Wouldn't putting up a over head tarp slow you down if you need to pack up in a hurry?
A very good block of instruction there soldier. Thanks for showing us what's available, & what u can do with this nice gear. Traveling man.
I was an 11B in 10th Mountain and in the 29th ID. Used the Ranger Roll a LOT, but its not a winter system. We used the poncho liner, the jungle bag and the Goretex Bivy in the winter up in Ft. Drum and in Graf in the winter. And we froze in deep winter. Our unofficial motto was "Travel Light, Freeze at Night". We also cut our iso mat pads down just to cover our upper bodies. And yes, we had to pay when we turned in our gear at the CIF!
Thanks
You’re surrounded with leaves .. many ways to use them for warmth
Thats what your RTO is for
Have to agree Dave @reallybigmonkey1 has a brilliant channel. Logical, sensible and practical. I guess that why I like your channel as well! Keep up the awesome content
Nice video! Maslow's hierarchy of needs meets the Ranger Handbook. The good thing about the poncho is that it keeps the rain off of you. The problem with the poncho is the condensation that gets formed inside the poncho from your body (sweat, breath, etc). The wool blanket will keep you warm even if (when) it gets wet. The closed cell foam roll layer between you and the frozen ground helps prevent hypothermia. Sleeping on a litter is not bad. A two quart canteen or a pro mask and carrier makes a half decent pillow. A laundry bag with your change of clothes inside makes an even better pillow. (Get interesting smells after you've changed your clothes though) Inflatable pillow and ground roll take up less space. Silk sleeping bags liners are the bomb! Fleece is your friend. It would be interesting to try a lightweight woobie style liner with silk on one side and fleece on the other, with a layer of down sewn in between. Now that would be luxury in the field for cold weather lightweight camping!
Great review. Thanks for the shout out for RBM , I love his channel to.
Forget sleeping all night in the field...
Every-time I sleep with my boots on I regretted it.
Brings back memories. I was in Baumholder 1988-1991. Being in field artillery, we had the pleasure of having cots. Thanks for calling it poncho liner and not the other word.
A 2/6
@@GruntProof B btry 4/29 FA. (I was at Ft. Campbell twice, and S. Korea.)
The Soldier, The Cowboy, The Pioneer, they All survived, You Keep it Simple Great Vid!!!Great info and getting through the Web
A great way to test gear especially in winter time is find a campground out at a lake or park that you can park your truck next too. Keep extra warming layers or sleep gear in the truck for emergency and that way if the gear your testing goes wrong you can still roll out the extra gear or worse case get in your truck and drive home.
Also theres a listing for some GI '86 NIB cas blankets here: www.ebay.com/itm/USGI-GENUINE-COMBAT-CASUALTY-BLANKET-OLIVE-DRAB-SILVER-84-X-56-MADE-IN-USA-NEW/121312528250?hash=item1c3eca477a:g:gtcAAOxyeZNTQxFG
Speaking of cold weather gear I just wish I could find some of the old Bundeswehr wet weather pant liners (OD zigzag stitch) in my size. Can't find a German size 8 to save my life. The parka liner that goes in the flecktarn parka and matches the pants is one of my favorite pieces of surplus kit.
In the setting he's in, I'd make a bed of leaves, fold the tarp lengthwise, cover the tarp with a big pile of leaves and be pretty toasty. I'd do the same thing with snow. I don't know jack shit about this, but that's what I'd do.
Used it in the 70's through the 80's.
Poncho and liner and wool blanket all tied together. Came in handy in Winter Graff.
The Wobbie is a modern marvel. I'm a Gulf coast Texas boy & find the base "system" is good down to about 40-45 deg, but DEFENANTLY NOT "comfortable", just "survivable". I have used it with a polor-tek fleece blanket that is significantly lighter & more packable than the Army wool blanket, but the wool is a better choice. On the other hand an ultra-compact 50-55 deg mummy bag mixed with a woobie & fleece/wool blanket is a very packable & efficient system that is "somewhat comfortable" to about 30 deg & is packable to a very small size. Good info my dude, keep it up.