This is THE sleeping bag I and my fellow Troop members made and used for the first 3-4 years during our early (1950s) camp-outs. Light weight and comfy. Ive taught it to other Troops I have been associated with now for many years (today, being my 80th birthday) I have just gotten my 72nd second year in Cubs and Boy Scouts. Our homemade backpacks (, all tied up with sleeves crossed- from a long sleeved shirt) held this and our extra socks, undies, etc. Later we used home made basket backpacks. Tents were pieces of oil cloth, thrown over a rope, hung from two trees. Cooking gear was often 1and 2 pound coffee cans, etc. Lots of fun and adventure, without spending much on gear.
THAT sounds amazing. What wonderful, fun information to share with our Scouts. I hope you had a wonderful birthday and can continue to spread your knowledge!
Ah, yes, those were the good old days! (Well, my "good old days" happened in the late Fifties and throughout the Sixties and Seventies but I clearly recall the 3-lb. coffee cans!) HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 😀💙💛💚
There are comments saying scouting has gotten a bad reputation and I do believe that to be true unfortunately. So I would like to say for anyone, my nephew is 12 and had cerebral palsy. He walks differently and doesn’t have the “problem solving skills” that most kids his age have. His fellow scouts and scout leaders have completely had his back and taken him under their wings. He’s been camping for five days, legit camping, without a parent and has done wonderfully! That is thanks to the scouts around him! ❤️❤️❤️
@@cmcclain201 Girl Scouts is even worse. My daughter and I couldn’t even find her a good troop. All the ones in our area just don’t do anything. Boy Scout troops at least do stuff. I agree with you about Corporate. And it’s such a shame. I’m sure that’s not what the founders envisioned
I am also 65 and earned my Eagle status at age 16. Scouting was formative for me. I was a small-ish kid and couldn't compete in sports, but Boy Scouts was my opportunity to do things others couldn't. It taught me self-reliance, self-esteem, and respect. The Scout Laws are etched in my heart. It was a place where a boy could learn how to be a man. Is os sad how true manhood is no longer championed by the BSA.
@@WayPointSurvival As a young, under-sized kid, the challenges of scouting molded me and meeting those challenges gave me confidence. As a 16-year old weighing 112 pounds, I carried a 35-pound pack across Philmont for 10 days and never once felt like it was a burden. I may have been small, but I came away feeling like a man who could meet any challenge head-on.
I'm 65 and as far as I'm concerned I'm still a Boy Scout. Some valuable lessons stuck with me. If everyone learned to handle guns like I did in the Scouts and was taught respect with them there would be a lot less shootings and accidents. I've carried a little pocket knife since I was a scout and when I was recently teaching a merit badge class I mentioned I left my knife at home. All of a sudden half a dozen small hands with Boy Scout pocket knives were proffered. Warmed my heart.
Same age and I do as well. Scouting teaches us so many things. Values, compassion,survivor skills,safety and so many more to list. I still have my Official Cub Scout knife and uniform.
I'm 55 and I feel the same way. I felt so strongly about it that I'm doing 2009 I started volunteering as an Assistant Scoutmaster with a troop said I was a member of. Life experience let me bring a lot back to scouting. I lived a number of years subsistence living in addition to my time working as a paramedic I felt I had a whole lot I could offer to download to these kids.
We ALL carried sheath knives. I received my knife-hatchet combo for Christmas when I was 12 and expected to learn how to use it safely and competently. My father grew up as a boy cutting wood for the family wood cook stove up in the Cumberland Mountains. Some good food came from that stove!
I'm in my late 20s and have Scouting to thank for my marksmanship and firearm handling/safety skills. I placed 6th out of 45 in a club tournament over the course of the last summer with my m16a2 clone.
AM an "old school" Boy Scout from the 60's-70's, so this is old hat to me. The basic idea came in very handy several years back, when I was blessed to be homeless and living on the streets. This lasted for 2.5 years and was a real test of skills. Using 2 blankets(lg), 2 sm. blanket(for hip pads) and a sleeping bag(+32) all came together as a bed roll. Which was rolled up in the mornings and carried under my backpack on the days travels. And even though I've been in an apartment for a year, this baby is rolled up in a closet for emergencies :{)
WOW, I was in the Boy Scouts in the 50’s troop 36 Bauxite, Arkansas, and we didn’t do it that way? Most of our camping Greer was WW2 & Korean War surplus. We had shelter Half’s and ponchos, old military mummy sleeping bags. Out wool blankets had bullet holes in them. I also had a Air Force canister stove from a B29 survival kit made by Colman that burned gasoline. Even our packs were surplus. I was in the USMC from 68 through 72. I did 2 Tours of duty in Vietnam. My father was in the Army from 1937- 1945 and was a POW in side Japan worked in a Coal mine for Mitsubishi for 3.5 years. My Dad taught me a lot about survival from being a POW.
@@TheComicChild Coleman was around since turn of 20th Century. They invented the modern gasoline lantern. Typically for use on farms. Even made house lamps, stoves and clothes irons.
I made eagle in ‘93 I’m glad to see someone still teaching stuff we learned in wilderness survival merit badge. Boy Scout was amazing for me and it taught me to make myself a better citizen everyday
"Wilderness survival" merit badge? I guess that's what we would've called earning the camping, cooking, first aid, hiking, lifesaving and safety merit badges in the 60's. Maybe the radio badge, too. I seem to remember 'signaling' (like semaphore and Morse code) too, though I think they renamed it communications in the mid-60's. It had two crossed flags. I was one of the first two Scouts on the West coast to get the Atomic Energy and Electronics merit badges back then. We were the first two Eagles in our troop, too. Fun times.
Wilderness survival merit badge I call it advanced camping. I'm a married badge instructor for wilderness survival. I'll go through and some of the edible plants. People love to see the snares and stuff. So I ask what do you do if you catch a rabbit if you don't know how to skin it and clean it, would you make it a pet? At least in fishing merit badge they have to catch and prepare a fish to be eaten. At least they know there isn't a ship in the North Atlantic catching fish sticks.
@@AZStarYT great point. The Eagle required merit badges give you an education and many things you might not have thought of. I know I'm a better citizen.
@@adventureguy4119 yeah I really question the validity of commenters on this channel. I don't remember Boy Scouts ever being considered "cool". Don't get me wrong. I was in scouting beginning in the 60s with Cub Scouts then Webelos Den the Boy Scouts. It was a great organization. That was when boys were boys and girls were girls and each belong in their own club. The fucking feminists and the left in general ruins everything!
Great segment ! Brought back memories from Boy Scouts 50 years ago. Only 2 things I’d like to add: I added a flannel sheet as the innermost 3rd layer because the wool army blankets itched so much lol ! We also were taught to telescope our 2 boots uppers into each other and place them under the blankets beneath our head as a kind of head support instead of a pillow, but still very comfortable
Was wondering his boots. the way he set up he is going to wale up to cold and maybe wet footwear and some unwanted guests. I stuff mine in the bed with me
Good demo. I slept many a memorable night in two wool blankets & poncho prepared this way when over-night hiking back in the 1950s and when riding freight trains in the early 1960s. I used either olive drab wool army blankets or white wool navy blankets (my father's from WWII), pinned with large horse-blanket safety pins. Worked great. Good memories of happy days.
Scouting has taken a bad rap over the past 35 years.95% of people who have been the Boy Scouts have nothing but positive experiences.It was one of the most exciting and informative part of my life.Skills that I have carried with me thru out my life.At 87 I can only say scouting up to the 80's was a positive experience.
Sadly I was in the 5%. Many camping trips resembled Lord of the Flies. Bullying, alcoholic scoutmasters, generally poor oversight from the district. My best friend went on to be an Eagle Scout and to this day is a scoutmaster. My sense is that generally it was a great program that relied too much on local scoutmasters to run the program.
Nice video. I joined BSA in 1962 and we used a similar setup. My Dad made Eagle in 1931 and his ways were a little different. Our blanket pins were about 5"(I still have them) and he said that we always put twice as thick of blankets under us as on top. This was probably because we were in a cold climate. In 1964, I was given a real sleeping bag and a BSA Yucca pack. I joined the Army during NAM and we had the poncho and poncho liner system which was pretty good. Unfortunately, after only 40 years my ponchos disintegrated. Good Luck, Rick
I was the last Scout under the original charter of Troop 39, Oyster Bay, NY, founded by President Theodore Roosevelt. Wonderful memories, one of which was using a brown paper bag to boil water and make hard boiled eggs. It took a number of trials,(and rebuilding of fires!) to get it figured out.
I love the fact that you are bringing back some of the old school methods of camping. About the scouts: I was a webelo scout, every year many scouts earn the scout medal of honor as well the bravery medal. Sadly, alot of them get these posthumously, because they sacrifice themselves to save others. Often complete strangers. I'm 55 now and I am saddened by all the bad press. My heart cries when I hear about one of my younger brothers giving up their lives for someone.
It is great to see the skills of scouting influencing the modern "bushcraft" movement. I grew up in scouting from the late 70's to the present day as a Scoutmaster in my sons' troop. My path to Eagle Scout influenced my confidence in the outdoors, as it does my sons. Thank you for the memories.
FANTASTIC VIDEO ! ! I haven't been a Boy Scout since the 1940s (only 2nd Class) and have forgotten so many Scouting hacks. It's great to see somebody is keeping the traditions alive and educating future Scouts and outdoorsmen. I recently purchased the 11th edition of The Boy Scout Handbook (Amazon as low as $2.20 today) as an aid to my camping trips. Thank you for sharing.
It's been a good 40-ish years since my Scouting days. We were taught many different methods for backpacking whether you had one or made your own lightweight version. Carrying two 55 gal contractors trash bags was one of the constants. On the bad side, Scouting in West Texas didn't give you much opportunity to do much cold weather training for snowy conditions so we got pretty good at building debris huts for cold weather conditions that would keep you surprisingly warm.
I’ve seen many variations of this, and I really like the loop pinned in to help pull it all up. I also like placing a boot on either side of my head to help keep the cover off my face. Thank you, James!
I have a vintage Hudson's Bay blanket. Have had it since before I was born and I'm 48 now. Warmest blanket ever. Been on every camping trip, fishing trip, hunting etc. Being Canadian they were very popular up here
We did this as well as a scout in the 70’s as taught to the troop by a Vietnam vet - Combat Medic. He was an incredible teacher and survivalist with wildly cool techniques and tips. Great stuff.
Outdoor tech has advanced well beyond what was available in the 70's. I slept out a few nights ago on a camping pad and in a 20 degree bag. It snowed on me and I did not notice until morning. Bring a sleeping bag and a "space blanket" bag and you will be much better off.
I earned Eagle spring 1965 and attended Philmont the infamous flood year. But better than thet was Philmont 2001 with Eagle Scout son Brad. And respected and valued my SM Dorsey Nethery so much. Great memories! Long live BSA!
I, like many in the bushcraft and survival community, nearly always have a wool blanket with me. This is an old scouting trick to make wool blankets into a system that is much more versatile and will help keep you relatively dry in all but extremely wet weather. Thanks for watching and please leave me a comment in the section below!
I was a scout more than 50 years ago. Taught me values I still use and have today. Don't remember the blanket trick or if I was taught it, but thanks for showing.
Thanks for all this. Brought back great memories from the time I was in the Boy Scouts about 50 years ago. Still using what I learned up to this very day.
You made what we call in Wyoming a "Cowboy Bedroll" And it has been around since the Civil War. Most of the cowboy versions use a piece of water proofed Canvas, instead of a poncho. The Civil War versions actually used a Rubberized Canvas sheet, that a soldier could wear as a poncho. Good video.
I was one of the people who lamented women being able to join the Boy Scouts. Now, I am proud to say, my 50 year old daughter has been a Boy Scout leader for 9 years and has been instrumental in comforting a lot of parents who were fearful of letting their 8-10 year old boys go on week long camping trips. They feel that she will keep an eye on things and their boys will be safe till they’re older and more sure of themselves. She has two sons; one will be an Eagle this year and the other will make Eagle next year. She has gone on all the Summer camps, canoe/kayaking trips, hikes, etc. during her 9 years with the Scouts. It takes a special person to be a Boy Scout and I am proud of my three Scouts!! Thank you all for understanding what Scouting means.
Thanks for going over the blanket trick! You refreshed my memory on how to fold the blanket. I'm in my late 60's and there are lots of practical info on surval techniques in the old manuals that are no longer avalible. Thanks again!
My mum was a scout leader in the UK and girl guide leader too after emigrating here. She was the one that taught me this stuff, including rolling a bed rolll in a heavy rubberized ground sheet. Sadly, that bit of gear has been lost after using it as a tarp for yard work, but the skills remain. Thanks for the video!
Scouts were some of the best years of my life . They helped in all my life . Like anything else your experience will depend on people involved . There are good and bad every were . Don't condemn everyone over a few .
When I was stationed out West I always had a poncho, poncho liner (woobie as they call it now), and a wool blanket. They came in handy one night when I broke down west of Laramie..it was a cold night, but I made it. I always had a canteen with water as well. I was a boy scout leader for 20+ years and I constantly drilled it into my scouts that you never know when something might come in handy.
I made a many wool blanket sleeping bag !! Yes, I'm an "old school" Eagle...1973 !! Great video...I teach "old"Scout camping skills to Units and to Scouters at their Roundtables...They love it !!
Our four sons were Eagle Scouts and my husband and his brother are too. My husband of 45 years is still in contact with scouts from his troop. We still have his uniform too! My sons had some great and memorable camping trips.
I really don't ever remember learning this when I was in Boy Scouts but it looks like a pretty good way to set up a bedroom. Thanks James good job. May God bless
My parents were den leaders and held meetings in our finished basement. The kids had great times and really loved/respected my dad especially(a Vietnam vet). They felt extremely safe when we went camping. To this day some of them remember his unwavering strength and protective spirit. We lost him in 2016. I think of him every day especially when I need inspiration to overcome doubt.
When I first started as a Scout (UK), I used the 2 blankets trick but without any pins, just relied on body weight to keep it all together. I liked the hack with the leather thong, it’s one that I have never seen before. A hack that I often used was to take a mallet or a suitable log and use it to pound any lumps in the ground underneath my bed back to flatten the surface and then pound a “hip hole “ as well. Finally I was taught to place my boots toe to toe and covered with a layer of clothes at the top of my bed roll as a makeshift pillow. Regards in Scouting to all past, present and future Scouts.
I was in Scouts for about 4 yrs in the 70's, but I guess by then most everybody had sleeping bags. Still, I remember the scout handbook had alot of interesting projects and skills and survival info. This bedroll might have been there but I never made one. It reminds me of a bivy sack the way you sandwich the blankets within a poncho. Great vid.
The handbook that came out in ''73 didn't have it. Most of the old school woodcraft tricks and skills were deleted as the Grand Poobahs decided to put the main emphasis on flashy uniforms and getting more boys from the inner cities to join. The Improved Scout Program they called it. It failed miserably, as all of the older scouts in my troop predicted, and BSA lost about 25% of it's youth in the next four years. Scouting never really recovered from that debacle. Currently down to about a quarter of our numbers from the '60s.
My time I spent as a youth- first as a Cub Scout and then all the way up the ranks as a Boy Scout- were the best times of my life. I had the privilege of hiking and camping every Civil War battlefield in Tennessee. Troop 391, Estill Springs, Tn. I was the proud Scribe and Assistant Senior Patrol Leader of my Troop. I was also the Troop’s official “Ghost Storyteller” at every campfire every night. I’m 48 years old now and I can proudly say that I still use so many of the skills and life lessons I learned as a Boy Scout. On my honor, I will do my duty, to God and my country…
I remember this trick and used it a lot when I was in the boy Scouts. I used four to five wool blankets for winter camp outs back then inside of a tent with brows type of mattresses and even added the 55 gallon 3-6 ply drum liners later in the years depending on where you live,it works great. Please keep up the good work.
When I was in my early 20s in the 60s I was fortunate to buy a wool sleeping bed liner from Army Surplus store. I used it camping while deer hunting in a very remote area even when it was down to 2 degs F . In the more recent years I use a down filled mummy bag that is good to subzero temps and weighs very little. Good video , keep 'em coming!
I keep some in my truck and on a couch on the porch. Funny thing is when people use them they kinda make a face at first probably due to the weight and feel. But after a few minutes and they warm up they go What is this? It’s so warm! Weird to think people don’t know what a natural material feels like. Or does. So much synthetic in our lives.
My hubby speaks fondly of his time as a Boy Scout. His dad went on a lot of the camping trips and they have those memories to share as well. It’s been fun hearing about all their adventures and even a few misadventures.
We did that and we also would lay the blankets on the diagonal and then wrap the corners up and around us like a burrito. We would often get 4-5 layers surrounding us.
you had me at the scout book from early 60's. plenty of ww2 equipment was still available in stores then. most of my early equipment was used army navy stuff.
Thank you for watching. Yes, sleeping bags are indeed very good for what they do, however, wool blankets are far more versatile in a survival situation and easier to manage long-term.
Great presentation and youngsters coming up can learn a lot from this. I remember this kind of setup many years ago when I was in the scouts. It did serve me well for quite some time. Since then, I have gone through testing many different setups before settling on the old tried and true oiled canvas tarp and wool blanket. Spent many nights in thunderstorms and many in freezing temperatures.
I want to thank you for doing what you do. Today is Turkey Day and my Gkids and I watched some of your vids today and I gotta tell ya, gratitude, my home is filled with 4 grateful souls right now. And we're smarter too! Thanks
I used something similar when I started beaver trapping, in 1970. We were 48° North 93° West in March, and there was over 2' of snow in the woods. First we packed the snow down with our snowshoes, and laid down spruce boughs. We used a canvas tarp, one wool blanket on the bottom, a sleeping bag, and wool blanket on top. Temps were 15° at night, and 40° for a high.
@@WayPointSurvival In 1956 my Dad was a Boy Scout Leader, and my Mother was a Cub Scout Den Mother. My Dad would take me on some of the Boy Scout camping trips, when I was a Cub Scout. Good times!
James, thank you very much for this very informative video that finally ended my neverending quest to get a king size + thick + 100% wool + not that expensive blanket ... I've taken two of my Swiss army blankets and made the "wool bag" you'd shown here. And after measuring the blankets I've found out some of them blankets are longer and used those ... and now I'm almost in heaven! :-) PS: After a few tests I've realized that apart from the four in the footbox I don't really need the other blanket pins. It really helps with entering the cocoon ...
I did this blanket trick for girls camp one year when I didn't have a decent sleeping bag. I used 3 blankets, if I recall, and no safety pins. It worked quite well on the mattress -less bunk in the dorm. Ah, those were the days.
I am 77 years old. Was a Girl Scout. I still remember making these bed rolls with the blankets we had around the house. I did not recall exactly how I made one, but this video refreshed my memory. As I recall, we laid out the clothes we were taking on top of blankets before we rolled it up.
Definitely more challenging than using a sleeping bag. But, you can still get back in, it's just a little harder as wool is more grippy than nylon taffeta for instance. So, there's a lot of scooting and wiggling involved, lol!
@@WayPointSurvival Try the method hammock campers use to get into the sleeping bag: Stand up, put your feet into the bedroll as its gathered around your ankles, pull it up all the way. Then lay down!
@@asmith7876 :- A much better idea...workable on blankets, but even more so on sleeping bags at the dead of night for those pee breaks. I might even use this when tent camping. Thanks. I'm 70 years old and never thought of standing in a sleeping bag to ensure full coverage at night!
@@disgruntledpedant2755 On my campout out 2 nights ago, I thought, "if I was a male I could use something and not get out of my cozy bedding "... but alas I got out. 🥴 ...
I’m 15 and currently the oldest scout and SPL of an all girls troop, I wish I could do a lot of this stuff with my girls! They’re learning a lot of basics right now, and aren’t very interested in sleeping outside, knots, or things like that. Maybe some day.
We were taught something similar in the Scouts in the UK back in the 60's. Lay out blanket 1, fold blanket 2 lengthwise and lay it down along the centre of blanket 1. Make the footbox in blanket 2. Fold both sides of blanket 1 in to the middle then take the edges and fold them about 2 inches over the whole length then do it again so you have 6 layers and use four pins over the whole length to join them. We call those big safety pins "kilt pins" in the UK - it helped if you knew some Girl Guides or had sisters! Step into the middle, pull it up to your waist, lay down and wriggle in - that leather thong would have been brilliant to have. (Then find there's a stone underneath, wriggle out, find and remove stone, wriggle back in. Find a hard spot under your hip, wriggle out, scoop out a "hip dip", wriggle back in again . . . . and so on!"
Even did a version of this in the old Army ( 70s and early 80s) before there were closed cell foam mats. Goose down sleeping bags were warm until they got wet. Army air mattresses leaked and were heavy. And it’s true you lose a lot of body heat to the ground. So my best bet was always a GI WOOL blanket, poncho, and quilted poncho liner. Even A single layer of the wool and poncho under you worked fine - double the wool under you on really cold nights. Roll up in the poncho liner and pull the poncho over top and you’ve got it made in low tech land!
Love your videos. They bring back to reality how simple things in survival really is. Most are caught up in the new stuff if we get away awhile we find and remember what the scout masters taught us suddenly we find we are far ahead when we use what's around us. Love your platform it's what's needed. It's this simple guys nature has provided.
When I did this in Scouts I would roll it up lengthwise into a "horseshoe" bedding roll, Civil War style, which slings over your shoulder crosswise. That and a haversack slung to the other side worked pretty well.
Left me with a big smile, and took me baçk to the fifty's, scouting in the UK. We did the same only used one blanket doubled it , then used massive pins (same used on a Scottish kilt😁). Thanks for the memories.
Tarp camping. My older brother is an Eagle scout who has been tarp camping since the 60's. He's still at it in his 70's, hiking into the woods for as many days as he can get away with!
watching you struggling to scooch down into that "bag" made me think that a 8x10 tarp ground cloth/cover and 2 queen sized wool blankets might not be a bad idea for those of us who have gotten a little ... thicker ? over the years
I am an Eagle Scout, 1975. Was a scout camp councilor and went on many many camping trips. As a lifelong woodsman now I credit Scouts with my woods survival journey. The dirt that has been uncovered in the BSA is a reflection of society, the “sick” people will find opportunities they aren’t learning it at the church or the Scout meeting, they are predators.
Very awesome! These vintage wool blankets are impossible to beat. Really love my army wool blanket. Another trick I would recommend checking out is Mors Kochanski (on his RUclips channel) did a video on how to turn a large wool blanket into an impromptu sleeping bag for winter.
I have an OD Green one I’ve had since middle school. I was able to acquire a more recent issue one. And the the older one was thinner but feels heavier and everyone that tries them likes the old one better.
Its nice to see vintage camping. I loved my scouting years back in the early 1970s. When camping I still use two woolen blankets with safety pins and a canvas groundsheet. Scout craft stays with you forever. Mr WayPoint is a big man though, so he needs wider blankets to make the bag bigger so to more easily get in between the blankets. Being more roomy makes it warmer too. An enjoyable video.
Nice Video :) Is that an old USGI rubberized poncho from the 1970's? Personally, I don't use wool blankets because of the weight, if I have to carry it very far. I do like wool blankets in my camper and cabin because they are so durable when compared to down or synthetics....especially the part that you lie on top of.
Nice, take a search on youtube for “cowboy winter bed roll”. No bobby-pins needed. I like your method but I am a big guy. The cowboy method works well for larger people.
I joined the Boy Scouts in 1969. My oldest uncle gave me his handbook from 1936. I think that one detailed how to make all your equipment vs my “modern” handbook which by then almost everything was available for purchase. The Fieldbook detailed more survival/DIY items. Tried almost all of them over my scouting years.
I started scouting as a Webelo, I got my Eagle Scout at 17 years old, stayed with it and retired as the Scoutmaster at the age of 44. I have never seen this ever. I will pass it on to the boys.
My 1967 Boy Scout Handbook shows this folding method. You left out the option of scooping out a depression under your hip and shoulder area to aid in comfort... but then the scooping thing is sort of frowned on today. The last time I slept in a poncho was about 1974. Now... I have 3 tents (1 @ 2 man 3 season, 1 @ 2 man 4 season and 1 @ 3 man 4 season, 3 sleeping bags for different temperature zones, and three sleeping pads (high density foam, air mattress, self-inflating back packing). This to accommodate either self-supported tent camping or camping in lean-tos. I mostly use this equipment for self-supported long distance bicycle touring these days... haven't stayed at the Boy Scout camp in about 10 years... and I hope to continue using this equipment into the future! Regarding Scouting. I've seen the best and worst of it as a Scout and adult. There were lots of great experiences but I also saw bullying, clicks, leadership neglect, and predatory adults. It was a microcosm of "real" life so in that respect it did help prepare the boys for life.
![AMAZING HOBO COOKING SYSTEM! [Great project]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/N6fdVbDZY70/mqdefault.jpg)
This is THE sleeping bag I and my fellow Troop members made and used for the first 3-4 years during our early (1950s) camp-outs. Light weight and comfy. Ive taught it to other Troops I have been associated with now for many years (today, being my 80th birthday) I have just gotten my 72nd second year in Cubs and Boy Scouts. Our homemade backpacks (, all tied up with sleeves crossed- from a long sleeved shirt) held this and our extra socks, undies, etc. Later we used home made basket backpacks. Tents were pieces of oil cloth, thrown over a rope, hung from two trees. Cooking gear was often 1and 2 pound coffee cans, etc. Lots of fun and adventure, without spending much on gear.
Happy birthday! Thank you so much for the reminiscing and the memories. Also, thank you for watching and commenting!
THAT sounds amazing. What wonderful, fun information to share with our Scouts. I hope you had a wonderful birthday and can continue to spread your knowledge!
That is awesome thank you and happy birthday
That is so cool! Hope you had a great birthday, Sir! Happy 81st as well!!
Ah, yes, those were the good old days! (Well, my "good old days" happened in the late Fifties and throughout the Sixties and Seventies but I clearly recall the 3-lb. coffee cans!)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 😀💙💛💚
There are comments saying scouting has gotten a bad reputation and I do believe that to be true unfortunately. So I would like to say for anyone, my nephew is 12 and had cerebral palsy. He walks differently and doesn’t have the “problem solving skills” that most kids his age have. His fellow scouts and scout leaders have completely had his back and taken him under their wings. He’s been camping for five days, legit camping, without a parent and has done wonderfully! That is thanks to the scouts around him! ❤️❤️❤️
That's great to hear. Thank you for watching the video and sharing the heart-warming story!
On a troop level its a great organization. On a corporate level its a shit show that values money over the scouts every time.
@@cmcclain201 Girl Scouts is even worse. My daughter and I couldn’t even find her a good troop. All the ones in our area just don’t do anything. Boy Scout troops at least do stuff.
I agree with you about Corporate. And it’s such a shame. I’m sure that’s not what the founders envisioned
Are you sure you're not thinking of the young pioneers?
@@benjamingamache6441 no
I am also 65 and earned my Eagle status at age 16. Scouting was formative for me. I was a small-ish kid and couldn't compete in sports, but Boy Scouts was my opportunity to do things others couldn't. It taught me self-reliance, self-esteem, and respect. The Scout Laws are etched in my heart. It was a place where a boy could learn how to be a man. Is os sad how true manhood is no longer championed by the BSA.
Indeed.
@@WayPointSurvival As a young, under-sized kid, the challenges of scouting molded me and meeting those challenges gave me confidence. As a 16-year old weighing 112 pounds, I carried a 35-pound pack across Philmont for 10 days and never once felt like it was a burden. I may have been small, but I came away feeling like a man who could meet any challenge head-on.
I'm 65 and as far as I'm concerned I'm still a Boy Scout. Some valuable lessons stuck with me. If everyone learned to handle guns like I did in the Scouts and was taught respect with them there would be a lot less shootings and accidents.
I've carried a little pocket knife since I was a scout and when I was recently teaching a merit badge class I mentioned I left my knife at home. All of a sudden half a dozen small hands with Boy Scout pocket knives were proffered. Warmed my heart.
Wonderful story. Thanks for watching the video and for sharing!
Same age and I do as well. Scouting teaches us so many things. Values, compassion,survivor skills,safety and so many more to list. I still have my Official Cub Scout knife and uniform.
I'm 55 and I feel the same way. I felt so strongly about it that I'm doing 2009 I started volunteering as an Assistant Scoutmaster with a troop said I was a member of.
Life experience let me bring a lot back to scouting. I lived a number of years subsistence living in addition to my time working as a paramedic I felt I had a whole lot I could offer to download to these kids.
We ALL carried sheath knives. I received my knife-hatchet combo for Christmas when I was 12 and expected to learn how to use it safely and competently. My father grew up as a boy cutting wood for the family wood cook stove up in the Cumberland Mountains. Some good food came from that stove!
I'm in my late 20s and have Scouting to thank for my marksmanship and firearm handling/safety skills. I placed 6th out of 45 in a club tournament over the course of the last summer with my m16a2 clone.
AM an "old school" Boy Scout from the 60's-70's, so this is old hat to me. The basic idea came in very handy several years back, when I was blessed to be homeless and living on the streets. This lasted for 2.5 years and was a real test of skills. Using 2 blankets(lg), 2 sm. blanket(for hip pads) and a sleeping bag(+32) all came together as a bed roll. Which was rolled up in the mornings and carried under my backpack on the days travels. And even though I've been in an apartment for a year, this baby is rolled up in a closet for emergencies :{)
Excellent. Thank you so much for watching the video and for sharing your real world experience with this type of bedroll!
WOW, I was in the Boy Scouts in the 50’s troop 36 Bauxite, Arkansas, and we didn’t do it that way? Most of our camping Greer was WW2 & Korean War surplus. We had shelter Half’s and ponchos, old military mummy sleeping bags. Out wool blankets had bullet holes in them. I also had a Air Force canister stove from a B29 survival kit made by Colman that burned gasoline. Even our packs were surplus. I was in the USMC from 68 through 72. I did 2 Tours of duty in Vietnam. My father was in the Army from 1937- 1945 and was a POW in side Japan worked in a Coal mine for Mitsubishi for 3.5 years. My Dad taught me a lot about survival from being a POW.
Thank you for watching and sharing the information and family history. Thank you for serving and for my freedom!
Colman was around since then? Those are some very long years
Thanks brother!
@@TheComicChild
Coleman was around since turn of 20th Century. They invented the modern gasoline lantern. Typically for use on farms. Even made house lamps, stoves and clothes irons.
More likely moth holes in the blankets...Why would they be bullet holes? Were the soldiers shot whilst sleeping?
I made eagle in ‘93 I’m glad to see someone still teaching stuff we learned in wilderness survival merit badge. Boy Scout was amazing for me and it taught me to make myself a better citizen everyday
"Wilderness survival" merit badge? I guess that's what we would've called earning the camping, cooking, first aid, hiking, lifesaving and safety merit badges in the 60's. Maybe the radio badge, too. I seem to remember 'signaling' (like semaphore and Morse code) too, though I think they renamed it communications in the mid-60's. It had two crossed flags. I was one of the first two Scouts on the West coast to get the Atomic Energy and Electronics merit badges back then. We were the first two Eagles in our troop, too. Fun times.
Good for you.
Wilderness survival merit badge I call it advanced camping. I'm a married badge instructor for wilderness survival. I'll go through and some of the edible plants. People love to see the snares and stuff. So I ask what do you do if you catch a rabbit if you don't know how to skin it and clean it, would you make it a pet?
At least in fishing merit badge they have to catch and prepare a fish to be eaten. At least they know there isn't a ship in the North Atlantic catching fish sticks.
@@AZStarYT great point. The Eagle required merit badges give you an education and many things you might not have thought of. I know I'm a better citizen.
For a little more insulation I use a windshield reflector from the $1 store laid silver side up underneath all the blankets
That works well too!
Nice idea! I was planning to use reflectix, but that is easy more accessible. Thanks ☺️
@@lillianwright2641 I made pouches using reflextix to keep food warm after I add the hot water.
Thats a great idea thanks
That is a great idea!
Wow, that took me back 60 yrs. Back when being a Boy Scout was cool & gave us skills for surviving in the woods & in life.
Glad you enjoyed it and thank you for watching and commenting!
Yeah unfortunately scouts as a whole has become weaker. The troop im in im trying to teach them better survival skills and how to live in the woods.
Boy Scouts where one cool?
@@adventureguy4119 yeah I really question the validity of commenters on this channel. I don't remember Boy Scouts ever being considered "cool".
Don't get me wrong. I was in scouting beginning in the 60s with Cub Scouts then Webelos Den the Boy Scouts. It was a great organization. That was when boys were boys and girls were girls and each belong in their own club. The fucking feminists and the left in general ruins everything!
YMCA Indian Guides.
Great segment ! Brought back memories from Boy Scouts 50 years ago. Only 2 things I’d like to add: I added a flannel sheet as the innermost 3rd layer because the wool army blankets itched so much lol ! We also were taught to telescope our 2 boots uppers into each other and place them under the blankets beneath our head as a kind of head support instead of a pillow, but still very comfortable
Yes, both good practices. Thank you for watching!
I guess that would keep the snakes and scorpions out of them too?
Was wondering his boots. the way he set up he is going to wale up to cold and maybe wet footwear and some unwanted guests. I stuff mine in the bed with me
Good demo. I slept many a memorable night in two wool blankets & poncho prepared this way when over-night hiking back in the 1950s and when riding freight trains in the early 1960s. I used either olive drab wool army blankets or white wool navy blankets (my father's from WWII), pinned with large horse-blanket safety pins. Worked great. Good memories of happy days.
Very cool! Thank you so much for watching the video and for adding your experiences to the comments section!!
What temps does this method work for?
@@gregmatchett7110 Used this setup in temps down to zero F. But wore lots of layers of clothes also.
Scouting has taken a bad rap over the past 35 years.95% of people who have been the Boy Scouts have nothing but positive experiences.It was one of the most exciting and informative part of my life.Skills that I have carried with me thru out my life.At 87 I can only say scouting up to the 80's was a positive experience.
So glad you had a wonderful experience. So many things have changed. Thank you for watching and commenting!
Once a scouter, always a scouter! ✌🏻
Scouting in the 90s was no less positive for me! :)
Sadly I was in the 5%. Many camping trips resembled Lord of the Flies. Bullying, alcoholic scoutmasters, generally poor oversight from the district. My best friend went on to be an Eagle Scout and to this day is a scoutmaster. My sense is that generally it was a great program that relied too much on local scoutmasters to run the program.
@@theodoreolson8529 and little to no oversight and simply lost truth honesty and virtue.
Nice video. I joined BSA in 1962 and we used a similar setup. My Dad made Eagle in 1931 and his ways were a little different. Our blanket pins were about 5"(I still have them) and he said that we always put twice as thick of blankets under us as on top. This was probably because we were in a cold climate. In 1964, I was given a real sleeping bag and a BSA Yucca pack. I joined the Army during NAM and we had the poncho and poncho liner system which was pretty good. Unfortunately, after only 40 years my ponchos disintegrated. Good Luck, Rick
Thank you for watching and for the personal experiences using the system!
I was the last Scout under the original charter of Troop 39, Oyster Bay, NY, founded by President Theodore Roosevelt. Wonderful memories, one of which was using a brown paper bag to boil water and make hard boiled eggs. It took a number of trials,(and rebuilding of fires!) to get it figured out.
wow way cool dude
I love the fact that you are bringing back some of the old school methods of camping. About the scouts: I was a webelo scout, every year many scouts earn the scout medal of honor as well the bravery medal. Sadly, alot of them get these posthumously, because they sacrifice themselves to save others. Often complete strangers. I'm 55 now and I am saddened by all the bad press. My heart cries when I hear about one of my younger brothers giving up their lives for someone.
Yes, so many of our great leaders have come up through the ranks of the scouts.
It is great to see the skills of scouting influencing the modern "bushcraft" movement. I grew up in scouting from the late 70's to the present day as a Scoutmaster in my sons' troop. My path to Eagle Scout influenced my confidence in the outdoors, as it does my sons. Thank you for the memories.
Thank you for watching and glad you enjoyed the video!
Keeping old school Scoutcraft alive! Nice work.
Thank you, glad you liked it!
Yes, great to see this...like the Guides in UK in the '70s!
FANTASTIC VIDEO ! ! I haven't been a Boy Scout since the 1940s (only 2nd Class) and have forgotten so many Scouting hacks. It's great to see somebody is keeping the traditions alive and educating future Scouts and outdoorsmen. I recently purchased the 11th edition of The Boy Scout Handbook (Amazon as low as $2.20 today) as an aid to my camping trips. Thank you for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching and commenting!
So You Were a Boy Scout in the 40s and you remember what rank you were at 70 80 some years old??
It's been a good 40-ish years since my Scouting days. We were taught many different methods for backpacking whether you had one or made your own lightweight version. Carrying two 55 gal contractors trash bags was one of the constants. On the bad side, Scouting in West Texas didn't give you much opportunity to do much cold weather training for snowy conditions so we got pretty good at building debris huts for cold weather conditions that would keep you surprisingly warm.
I’ve seen many variations of this, and I really like the loop pinned in to help pull it all up. I also like placing a boot on either side of my head to help keep the cover off my face.
Thank you, James!
You're welcome!
This is almost straight out of Patrol Leader Pete’s, solid Scouting!!!
Thank you!
I have a vintage Hudson's Bay blanket. Have had it since before I was born and I'm 48 now. Warmest blanket ever. Been on every camping trip, fishing trip, hunting etc. Being Canadian they were very popular up here
We did this as well as a scout in the 70’s as taught to the troop by a Vietnam vet - Combat Medic. He was an incredible teacher and survivalist with wildly cool techniques and tips. Great stuff.
Thank you for watching!
Outdoor tech has advanced well beyond what was available in the 70's. I slept out a few nights ago on a camping pad and in a 20 degree bag. It snowed on me and I did not notice until morning. Bring a sleeping bag and a "space blanket" bag and you will be much better off.
I earned Eagle spring 1965 and attended Philmont the infamous flood year. But better than thet was Philmont 2001 with Eagle Scout son Brad. And respected and valued my SM Dorsey Nethery
so much. Great memories! Long live BSA!
Excellent!
I, like many in the bushcraft and survival community, nearly always have a wool blanket with me. This is an old scouting trick to make wool blankets into a system that is much more versatile and will help keep you relatively dry in all but extremely wet weather. Thanks for watching and please leave me a comment in the section below!
You need to lose about 65lbs. for optimal performance.
And about 40 years... Lol!
Wool is the ONLY material that will keep you warm even when wet! I was so happy to hear you say that
It's very true. Thanks for watching!
I was a scout more than 50 years ago. Taught me values I still use and have today. Don't remember the blanket trick or if I was taught it, but thanks for showing.
Thank you so much for your time and for watching and commenting on the video, glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for all this. Brought back great memories from the time I was in the Boy Scouts about 50 years ago. Still using what I learned up to this very day.
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
You made what we call in Wyoming a "Cowboy Bedroll" And it has been around since the Civil War. Most of the cowboy versions use a piece of water proofed Canvas, instead of a poncho. The Civil War versions actually used a Rubberized Canvas sheet, that a soldier could wear as a poncho. Good video.
Thank you!
They used the gum blankets (rubber blanket) to recruit soldiers durning the civil war. State of the art at the tym.
Love this info
One of the early uses of vulcanized rubber.
I was one of the people who lamented women being able to join the Boy Scouts. Now, I am proud to say, my 50 year old daughter has been a Boy Scout leader for 9 years and has been instrumental in comforting a lot of parents who were fearful of letting their 8-10 year old boys go on week long camping trips. They feel that she will keep an eye on things and their boys will be safe till they’re older and more sure of themselves. She has two sons; one will be an Eagle this year and the other will make Eagle next year. She has gone on all the Summer camps, canoe/kayaking trips, hikes, etc. during her 9 years with the Scouts. It takes a special person to be a Boy Scout and I am proud of my three Scouts!! Thank you all for understanding what Scouting means.
Thanks for watching.
Thanks for going over the blanket trick! You refreshed my memory on how to fold the blanket. I'm in my late 60's and there are lots of practical info on surval techniques in the old manuals that are no longer avalible. Thanks again!
You're most welcome! Thank you for watching.
Thanks someone showed me that years ago. I appreciate you refreshing my reluctant memory
My mum was a scout leader in the UK and girl guide leader too after emigrating here. She was the one that taught me this stuff, including rolling a bed rolll in a heavy rubberized ground sheet. Sadly, that bit of gear has been lost after using it as a tarp for yard work, but the skills remain.
Thanks for the video!
Thank you for watching!
My Grandfather had a female BSA Troop Leader in 1918 when the regular Scoutmaster went to war.
That was in Overbrook, Kansas.
Scouts were some of the best years of my life . They helped in all my life . Like anything else your experience will depend on people involved . There are good and bad every were . Don't condemn everyone over a few .
Indeed. Thank you for watching!
When I was stationed out West I always had a poncho, poncho liner (woobie as they call it now), and a wool blanket. They came in handy one night when I broke down west of Laramie..it was a cold night, but I made it. I always had a canteen with water as well. I was a boy scout leader for 20+ years and I constantly drilled it into my scouts that you never know when something might come in handy.
Yes, always be prepared! Good story!
I made a many wool blanket sleeping bag !! Yes, I'm an "old school" Eagle...1973 !! Great video...I teach "old"Scout camping skills to Units and to Scouters at their Roundtables...They love it !!
Very cool! Thanks for helping to keep the old and practical skills alive!
Our four sons were Eagle Scouts and my husband and his brother are too. My husband of 45 years is still in contact with scouts from his troop. We still have his uniform too! My sons had some great and memorable camping trips.
I am a scout leader in Australia. Scouts is awesome, with you for life.
Thanks for your service to others and for watching the video!
I really don't ever remember learning this when I was in Boy Scouts but it looks like a pretty good way to set up a bedroom. Thanks James good job. May God bless
My parents were den leaders and held meetings in our finished basement. The kids had great times and really loved/respected my dad especially(a Vietnam vet). They felt extremely safe when we went camping. To this day some of them remember his unwavering strength and protective spirit. We lost him in 2016. I think of him every day especially when I need inspiration to overcome doubt.
It's great that you have such a wonderful memories of your father! What a tremendous source of strength to lean on and tough times.
You didn't lose him... He's nearer than you think.
When I first started as a Scout (UK), I used the 2 blankets trick but without any pins, just relied on body weight to keep it all together. I liked the hack with the leather thong, it’s one that I have never seen before. A hack that I often used was to take a mallet or a suitable log and use it to pound any lumps in the ground underneath my bed back to flatten the surface and then pound a “hip hole “ as well. Finally I was taught to place my boots toe to toe and covered with a layer of clothes at the top of my bed roll as a makeshift pillow. Regards in Scouting to all past, present and future Scouts.
Yes, there are different variations to this method and it's always good to find the one that works for you. Thanks for watching and for your comments!
A nice alternative to the “Jaeger blanket sleep-in-bag”. Thank you James.
I was in Scouts for about 4 yrs in the 70's, but I guess by then most everybody had sleeping bags. Still, I remember the scout handbook had alot of interesting projects and skills and survival info. This bedroll might have been there but I never made one. It reminds me of a bivy sack the way you sandwich the blankets within a poncho. Great vid.
I was never in Scouts but I showed a Scout how to tie the knots to get a badge.
The handbook that came out in ''73 didn't have it. Most of the old school woodcraft tricks and skills were deleted as the Grand Poobahs decided to put the main emphasis on flashy uniforms and getting more boys from the inner cities to join. The Improved Scout Program they called it. It failed miserably, as all of the older scouts in my troop predicted, and BSA lost about 25% of it's youth in the next four years. Scouting never really recovered from that debacle. Currently down to about a quarter of our numbers from the '60s.
My time I spent as a youth- first as a Cub Scout and then all the way up the ranks as a Boy Scout- were the best times of my life. I had the privilege of hiking and camping every Civil War battlefield in Tennessee. Troop 391, Estill Springs, Tn. I was the proud Scribe and Assistant Senior Patrol Leader of my Troop. I was also the Troop’s official “Ghost Storyteller” at every campfire every night. I’m 48 years old now and I can proudly say that I still use so many of the skills and life lessons I learned as a Boy Scout.
On my honor, I will do my duty, to God and my country…
That is so cool! I grew up not too far from coffee county.
I remember this trick and used it a lot when I was in the boy Scouts. I used four to five wool blankets for winter camp outs back then inside of a tent with brows type of mattresses and even added the 55 gallon 3-6 ply drum liners later in the years depending on where you live,it works great. Please keep up the good work.
Yes, those 55 gallon garbage bags are great when filled with browse. Thanks for watching!
When I was in my early 20s in the 60s I was fortunate to buy a wool sleeping bed liner from Army Surplus store. I used it camping while deer hunting in a very remote area even when it was down to 2 degs F . In the more recent years I use a down filled mummy bag that is good to subzero temps and weighs very little. Good video , keep 'em coming!
And when the hungry bear bows his head and gives thanks for the pre-packaged meal!!!
Yes lol! At least it's good to be eaten by a Christian bear!
"human burrito, yum !!!" says the bear
Burrito
I was thinking the exact same thing 😆
Thats why POLAR bears like igloos. Crunchy on the outside,gooey on the inside
Fun video. At the age of 72 I still cherish my time in scouting. Still have my handbook & lots of great memories.
Excellent, thanks for watching!
I sleep under a wool blanket, army surplus, every night! A sheet, then a heavy fleece blanket and the wool on top. Very comfy!
Excellent! Thank you for watching and commenting!
I keep some in my truck and on a couch on the porch. Funny thing is when people use them they kinda make a face at first probably due to the weight and feel. But after a few minutes and they warm up they go What is this? It’s so warm!
Weird to think people don’t know what a natural material feels like. Or does. So much synthetic in our lives.
Same set up here too 👍
12 Eagle Scouts have been awarded the Medal of Honor, that is incredible
Indeed. It's a wonderful achievement and a testament to good training.
I love vintage gear, first time seeing this with wool blanket, great demonstration.
Awesome, thank you!
This is a perfect video for learning how to make an outdoor place to sleep. Easy to watch. Thank you.
Thank you for watching!
Exactly the way my Dad taught me. I used my Boy Scout poncho as a ground cover for years of camping.
Excellent! Thank you for watching and commenting!
My hubby speaks fondly of his time as a Boy Scout. His dad went on a lot of the camping trips and they have those memories to share as well. It’s been fun hearing about all their adventures and even a few misadventures.
Excellent. Thank you for watching the video!
We did that and we also would lay the blankets on the diagonal and then wrap the corners up and around us like a burrito. We would often get 4-5 layers surrounding us.
Yes, that is another great way to use a wool blanket. Thank you for watching and commenting!
Yep, and I heard that one called a "bear burrito"!
I have that poncho, and i had wool WWII blankets that lasted so MANY YEARS even with washing in a machine. Warm, light!
Excellent! It's a really great combination easily carried and very durable as you stated! Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
you had me at the scout book from early 60's. plenty of ww2 equipment was still available in stores then. most of my early equipment was used army navy stuff.
Yes. It was common and inexpensive. Thank you for watching and commenting!
That's awesome! Great times!
I discovered this in Alaskas jail. It was cold. Excellent tactics! Thanks so much.
Good job brother.
Nice channel content you got a new subscriber man
Thanks, Chief!
Thank you and welcome aboard!
Amazing. As a boy scout in the 60's I would use a wool blanket. Found it to cold for winter camping. Today I prefer my -20 down sleeping bag.
Thank you for watching. Yes, sleeping bags are indeed very good for what they do, however, wool blankets are far more versatile in a survival situation and easier to manage long-term.
Great presentation and youngsters coming up can learn a lot from this.
I remember this kind of setup many years ago when I was in the scouts. It did serve me well for quite some time. Since then, I have gone through testing many different setups before settling on the old tried and true oiled canvas tarp and wool blanket.
Spent many nights in thunderstorms and many in freezing temperatures.
Excellent. Thanks for watching and for sharing your experiences with this system!
The folding brought back a lot of memories. The safety pins are a nice touch that I never thought of
Thank you for watching and I'm glad you liked the video!
We used to refer to those types of safety pins and "Blanket Pins."
Yes, they are! Thanks for watching and commenting!
I want to thank you for doing what you do. Today is Turkey Day and my Gkids and I watched some of your vids today and I gotta tell ya, gratitude, my home is filled with 4 grateful souls right now. And we're smarter too! Thanks
Thanks for watching!
I used something similar when I started beaver trapping, in 1970. We were 48° North 93° West in March, and there was over 2' of snow in the woods. First we packed the snow down with our snowshoes, and laid down spruce boughs. We used a canvas tarp, one wool blanket on the bottom, a sleeping bag, and wool blanket on top. Temps were 15° at night, and 40° for a high.
That sounds like an excellent system. Thank you for sharing it and for watching and commenting!
@@WayPointSurvival In 1956 my Dad was a Boy Scout Leader, and my Mother was a Cub Scout Den Mother. My Dad would take me on some of the Boy Scout camping trips, when I was a Cub Scout. Good times!
Yup that was my sleeping bag for years as a kid. Scouting skills the best. A good ol' scout manual is worth its weight in gold.
Indeed. Thank you for watching!
James, thank you very much for this very informative video that finally ended my neverending quest to get a king size + thick + 100% wool + not that expensive blanket ... I've taken two of my Swiss army blankets and made the "wool bag" you'd shown here. And after measuring the blankets I've found out some of them blankets are longer and used those ... and now I'm almost in heaven! :-)
PS: After a few tests I've realized that apart from the four in the footbox I don't really need the other blanket pins. It really helps with entering the cocoon ...
You're welcome. Yes, you don't really need that many pins. But as in all things each person's experience will vary.
I did this blanket trick for girls camp one year when I didn't have a decent sleeping bag. I used 3 blankets, if I recall, and no safety pins. It worked quite well on the mattress -less bunk in the dorm.
Ah, those were the days.
I am 77 years old. Was a Girl Scout. I still remember making these bed rolls with the blankets we had around the house. I did not recall exactly how I made one, but this video refreshed my memory. As I recall, we laid out the clothes we were taking on top of blankets before we rolled it up.
Guess that’s why once your up, your up. Try getting back in that after answering natures call at O dark thirty.
Definitely more challenging than using a sleeping bag. But, you can still get back in, it's just a little harder as wool is more grippy than nylon taffeta for instance. So, there's a lot of scooting and wiggling involved, lol!
@@WayPointSurvival Try the method hammock campers use to get into the sleeping bag: Stand up, put your feet into the bedroll as its gathered around your ankles, pull it up all the way. Then lay down!
@@asmith7876 :- A much better idea...workable on blankets, but even more so on sleeping bags at the dead of night for those pee breaks. I might even use this when tent camping. Thanks.
I'm 70 years old and never thought of standing in a sleeping bag to ensure full coverage at night!
Gatorade bottle.
@@disgruntledpedant2755 On my campout out 2 nights ago, I thought, "if I was a male I could use something and not get out of my cozy bedding "... but alas I got out. 🥴
...
My son just made Eagle Scout. I’m going to make sure he views this. Anything Scouts do is interesting to him! Thank you for the video!
Thank you for watching!
I’m 15 and currently the oldest scout and SPL of an all girls troop, I wish I could do a lot of this stuff with my girls! They’re learning a lot of basics right now, and aren’t very interested in sleeping outside, knots, or things like that. Maybe some day.
Excellent. Learning how to do outdoor things and making it fun is one of the challenges of being a leader, for sure. Thank you for watching!
you really push my button with this old school stuff :) thanks!
You're welcome!
We were taught something similar in the Scouts in the UK back in the 60's.
Lay out blanket 1, fold blanket 2 lengthwise and lay it down along the centre of blanket 1.
Make the footbox in blanket 2. Fold both sides of blanket 1 in to the middle then take the edges and fold them about 2 inches over the whole length then do it again so you have 6 layers and use four pins over the whole length to join them. We call those big safety pins "kilt pins" in the UK - it helped if you knew some Girl Guides or had sisters!
Step into the middle, pull it up to your waist, lay down and wriggle in - that leather thong would have been brilliant to have.
(Then find there's a stone underneath, wriggle out, find and remove stone, wriggle back in. Find a hard spot under your hip, wriggle out, scoop out a "hip dip", wriggle back in again . . . . and so on!"
Thank you so much for the additional information! And thank you for watching the video!
Same technique we used in the U.S. Scouting sets common ground for all scouts from every country.
Even did a version of this in the old Army ( 70s and early 80s) before there were closed cell foam mats. Goose down sleeping bags were warm until they got wet. Army air mattresses leaked and were heavy. And it’s true you lose a lot of body heat to the ground. So my best bet was always a GI WOOL blanket, poncho, and quilted poncho liner. Even A single layer of the wool and poncho under you worked fine - double the wool under you on really cold nights. Roll up in the poncho liner and pull the poncho over top and you’ve got it made in low tech land!
Definitely a well-tried and versatile system!
Love your videos. They bring back to reality how simple things in survival really is. Most are caught up in the new stuff if we get away awhile we find and remember what the scout masters taught us suddenly we find we are far ahead when we use what's around us. Love your platform it's what's needed. It's this simple guys nature has provided.
Thank you so much and I'm glad you liked the video!
Phenomenal! Brilliant ! You are a terrific teacher and leader THANK YOU!!! ❤🎉
Thanks for watching!
When I did this in Scouts I would roll it up lengthwise into a "horseshoe" bedding roll, Civil War style, which slings over your shoulder crosswise. That and a haversack slung to the other side worked pretty well.
Left me with a big smile, and took me baçk to the fifty's, scouting in the UK. We did the same only used one blanket doubled it , then used massive pins (same used on a Scottish kilt😁). Thanks for the memories.
I’ve made that type of a roll with poncho liners and re usable space blanket
That would work good too. I am a huge fan of woobies! The space blanket is a good idea as well. Thanks for watching and commenting!
WayPoint Survival The army calls them the Ranger taco or ranger roll
@@markpoore3260 Yes. Thanks for adding this to the comments.
Tarp camping. My older brother is an Eagle scout who has been tarp camping since the 60's. He's still at it in his 70's, hiking into the woods for as many days as he can get away with!
Indeed. Thank you for watching.
watching you struggling to scooch down into that "bag" made me think that a 8x10 tarp ground cloth/cover and 2 queen sized wool blankets might not be a bad idea for those of us who have gotten a little ... thicker ? over the years
No doubt! Lol. Thanks for watching!
I am an Eagle Scout, 1975. Was a scout camp councilor and went on many many camping trips. As a lifelong woodsman now I credit Scouts with my woods survival journey. The dirt that has been uncovered in the BSA is a reflection of society, the “sick” people will find opportunities they aren’t learning it at the church or the Scout meeting, they are predators.
Thank you for watching!
Very awesome! These vintage wool blankets are impossible to beat. Really love my army wool blanket. Another trick I would recommend checking out is Mors Kochanski (on his RUclips channel) did a video on how to turn a large wool blanket into an impromptu sleeping bag for winter.
Mors was one of the best and is greatly missed! Thanks for watching and commenting!
I have an OD Green one I’ve had since middle school. I was able to acquire a more recent issue one. And the the older one was thinner but feels heavier and everyone that tries them likes the old one better.
That leather cord trick is brilliant.
Thank you!
we'd call that a swag here in Australia... still not bad!
Thank you!
That ain’t no swag !
Scouting is alive and well, both my boys are learning life skills. Just like with anything we have to be diligent.
Thank you for watching!
Like a Ranger Taco.
Very much so. Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@WayPointSurvival thank you. I have a small collection of wool blankets
I know what you mean! I too have quite a few.
Its nice to see vintage camping. I loved my scouting years back in the early 1970s. When camping I still use two woolen blankets with safety pins and a canvas groundsheet. Scout craft stays with you forever. Mr WayPoint is a big man though, so he needs wider blankets to make the bag bigger so to more easily get in between the blankets. Being more roomy makes it warmer too. An enjoyable video.
Yes. Definitely needed larger blankets, lol. Thanks for watching!
Nice Video :)
Is that an old USGI rubberized poncho from the 1970's?
Personally, I don't use wool blankets because of the weight, if I have to carry it very far. I do like wool blankets in my camper and cabin because they are so durable when compared to down or synthetics....especially the part that you lie on top of.
Yes, it is an old GI poncho. They are my favorite by far. Heavy but very durable!
Nice, simple and effective for low cost and packs easy. Thanks
Thank you for watching!
we made that bck in the day but I still got cold except in the summer time I even tried three of them
Thank you for watching and commenting!
Great Boy Scout Bed Roll! Great ideas! Thanks James!
Glad you like them!
Nice, take a search on youtube for “cowboy winter bed roll”. No bobby-pins needed. I like your method but I am a big guy. The cowboy method works well for larger people.
Yes, that's another great option! Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
Your tutorials are fantastic!! Keep up the good work
Thanks, will do!
I joined the Boy Scouts in 1969. My oldest uncle gave me his handbook from 1936. I think that one detailed how to make all your equipment vs my “modern” handbook which by then almost everything was available for purchase. The Fieldbook detailed more survival/DIY items.
Tried almost all of them over my scouting years.
Excellent. Yes, many of those older Scouts had to manufacture their own gear
Best video I've seen in a while. Learned a few good tricks out of it.Thanks.
Thank you so much!
Was a scout in the sixties. We camped a lot, it left me knowledge that I still use at 72. Not as robust in the woods, but still can survive.
Excellent!
I started scouting as a Webelo, I got my Eagle Scout at 17 years old, stayed with it and retired as the Scoutmaster at the age of 44. I have never seen this ever. I will pass it on to the boys.
Excellent!
My 1967 Boy Scout Handbook shows this folding method. You left out the option of scooping out a depression under your hip and shoulder area to aid in comfort... but then the scooping thing is sort of frowned on today. The last time I slept in a poncho was about 1974. Now... I have 3 tents (1 @ 2 man 3 season, 1 @ 2 man 4 season and 1 @ 3 man 4 season, 3 sleeping bags for different temperature zones, and three sleeping pads (high density foam, air mattress, self-inflating back packing). This to accommodate either self-supported tent camping or camping in lean-tos. I mostly use this equipment for self-supported long distance bicycle touring these days... haven't stayed at the Boy Scout camp in about 10 years... and I hope to continue using this equipment into the future!
Regarding Scouting. I've seen the best and worst of it as a Scout and adult. There were lots of great experiences but I also saw bullying, clicks, leadership neglect, and predatory adults. It was a microcosm of "real" life so in that respect it did help prepare the boys for life.
Sounds like you got a great gear load out. Thanks for watching!
I love bushcraft skills. Like many things i am afraid they will be lost. Thank God for yourself and many others who share these skills.
Thank you so much!