A cloak is a type of loose garment that is worn over indoor clothing and serves the same purpose as an overcoat—it protects the wearer from the cold, rain or wind for example, or it may form part of a fashionable outfit or uniform. Cloaks are as old as human history; there has nearly always been some form of long outer garment used to protect people from the weather. Over time cloaks have changed their look to match current styles and textile needs. Cloak designs vary depending on the climate and the purpose of the cloak.
Cloaks generally fasten at the neck or over the shoulder, vary in length, from ankle all the way up to the hip, mid-calf being the normal length. They may have an attached hood, and may cover and fasten down the front, in which case they have holes or slits for the hands to pass through. However, cloaks are almost always sleeveless. The cloaks that the Ranger Corps used are very distinctive. They wear a mottled green, brown, and grey. The cloak made experienced wearers almost invisible in the dense forests of Araluen. Will used a black and white variant in the north so he could blend in with the winter landscape, and there is a summer desert issue, made of varying shades of light brown, for when in Arrida or other such desert places. The winter cloak is a very heavy woolen cloak, while the summer issue desert cloak is much lighter, being made of heavy-duty linen. A Dress cloak is also described at one point, as having three embroidered arrows trailing to the left shoulder, to signify the Ranger's main weapon (Longbow). It is also mentioned in the first and twelfth books that although the quiver is under the cloak there is a flap that can be opened or closed to reveal the quiver.