Middle Earth Ranger Forum

I came across this video, and am planning on making one with a hood this weekend. But I was wondering what everyone here thinks of it

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZfaPo-zFZz8&feature=share

Starts on the Ruana cloak at about 14:50

I’ve had one for years and I love it, but I very rarely wear it with my Ranger kit. These are the only photos I know of that show me in it, from early last year. I really like how versatile it is, but I also tend to use a more traditional style of cloak most of the time.

I have one.

I like the length, versatility and freedom of movement.

Mine doesn't have a hood.

Here's a good deal on an Alpaca one:

https://www.alpaca4less.com/woven-alpac ... ap-poncho/

There is a sale on now if you spend over $100. Make sure that you catch a sale if interested.

I might get one at some point, it's something I probably should try, they always look very useful

Interesting!

I have a vague memory that I borrowed/inherited a shawl not unlike that from a college roomate or something way back when, and it was quite cozy! That I just thought of as normal clothes though, so it never occurred to me to use in a historic/anachronistic context.

Later in 14th c. English reenactment I was given a pattern for essentially the same garment (called by the group a "heuk" if memory serves) - but the wool I used was way too heavy, and I cut it too long, and it was just a pain.

I could imagine a midthigh-to-kneelength version in the right fabric though would be quite nice! I can see why he's partial to it.

I'll have to try one some day.

Another nice thing about them is that, when they have no hood, one or both of the front lengths can be pulled up around the head to form basically a hood-like head wrap.

I am super late to this discussion, but I love the Ruana cloaks I've made. I made a blue fleece one for my wife (that I have borrowed on multiple occasions), and a green fleece one for a friend. Both of them were lovely and soft and warm, and incredibly versatile! Good for any season--except the dratted and dreaded Arkansas summers.

i have made several from blankets and love them!! first a poly thrift store blanket became a poncho with a diamond neck hole, then that got a slit and became my new favorite thing. i turned a double layered throw (faux sheepswool one side camo microfiber opposite) into one with a circle neckhole and recognized the downfal ot eh neckhole being solid; purchased a wool blanket as a giftcard splurge for xmas and cut a teardrop shaped neckhole that turned into my SOP for ruana cloaks, great shape, no random corner to tend to, added a leather hood and its rock solid. purchased 4.75oz linen and made one that became my 'under tunic'. for the next linen one i make, i'll extend the corner the slit creates a foot or so extra to create ties where i stitched in hemp line. pictures later, once i login from my phone tomorrow.

Nice!

... I've done a few walkabouts this winter in non-specific "old timey" stuff and have found a light, tightly-fulled ruana + optional linen-lined tweed hood + optional knit sweater make a very versatile, very comfy combination in weather from a bit cool to cold - very much the same idea I think as Greg's hood and Bocksten cloak, the only difference being a bit less protection/more access at the sides for the arms. So long as the ruana/cloak is thin and fulled tight enough to be a good wind-and-water layer, it works really really well.

How to translate those experiences into proper Middle-earth kit I'm not sure yet. I really like the loose-knit sweater for a lightweight warmth layer, but it's as far as I know a pretty late period thing. Anyone know if naalbinding was used for torso garments as well, or just hats, socks and caps?

edit - OH. I'd been meaning to say and had forgotten: another advantage of the ruana + separate hood is that it (at least so far) it seems to do away entirely with the "choked by your own cloak" phenomenon. There's other problems - sometimes things might get a bit discombobulated and one side will hang longer than the other until you straighten things out - but some gestalt between the type/weight of ruana, totally open front neck, and extra weight from a thicker tweed hood over the shoulders meant no problem whatsoever about the throat - something I've never experienced with regular cloak patterns before. Quite practical and comfy!

I wear one at home whenever it's cold, and I don't bother attaching a hood to it for a lot of reasons including the one in that video.

If you need a hood, you can always take left (or right) side, toss it over the right shoulder, then from that side toss it over your head. Actually look at the following @ 5:45

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU1imeSWhQ4

Tom_Ranger wrote: ↑Tue Feb 21, 2023 5:18 pm I wear one at home whenever it's cold, and I don't bother attaching a hood to it for a lot of reasons including the one in that video.

If you need a hood, you can always take left (or right) side, toss it over the right shoulder, then from that side toss it over your head. Actually look at the following @ 5:45

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU1imeSWhQ4

i won't attach another hood to another one, likely, but i had crafted this hood the week before and felt it was going to make a good addition. with th ehood up it causes the weight of the entire cloak to rest on your neck, so that undesirable and the hood can be easily removed if i decide to; i'm also toying with the idea of adding GoT style straps to alleviate the weight issue. i have finagled several ways to wear the cloak with and without a hood and mask, so the addition was sort of redundant i will admit.

I made one from a Swiss army blanket and have worn it quite often on the coldest days here. It's very bulky, but it works well, even on a bike.

So

This winter I ended up making one out of a green wool mil-surp blanket. And...

I love it!!!

I didn't attach a hood, deciding to make a separate hood later, and in the interim using the folding method Tom_Ranger mentioned. It's wonderfully warm, while being easy to open if you get too warm. I find myself wearing around the house, and anytime I find myself outside at night. I used it once during a snowstorm to clear fallen branches for about 2 hours, and stayed both warm, and dry the entire time! I love it so much, I'm planning a summer cloak made of linen following the same pattern.

I simply can't speak highly enough of it. Anyone on the fence about, I say give it a shot! I don't think you'll regret it one bit!

I have! It is my go-to cloak and a crucial part of my ranger kit. It's incredibly versatile and can be worn in various ways. I also use it as a regular blanket from time to time. Mine doesn't have a hood, but I wear one separately over it. I find that when merely walking around you don't need any sort of brooch, but if you're going to be wearing it for more active/combat-type scenarios it's helpful to have a penannular brooch to pin it on one shoulder.

1,000,000 +1 ways to use it. I'm finding new ways all the time. When I need a little extra warmth I just flip one side of it over the top of my head.

I'm also experimenting with different uses of a sash of which so far I have.
1. Belt
2. Bag
3. Hood
4. Blanket
5. Kilt
6. Camo.