Emergency Blankets

[bnlaunius]

I have never really heard of anybody packing an emergency blanket on the trail for a thru hike. I am aware of their many uses and feel like it could be helpful but haven't ever heard anybody discuss the practicality of having one. Opinions please!!

[garlic08]

I carried one on my first thru hike. It was one of those things I never used so I stopped carrying it. Those who do use them get soaked in condensation, I've heard.

[kayak karl]

what uses does it have that what your carrying in your pack can't do?

[garlic08]

Yeah, I was just going to say it's something you might carry in an emergency kit when you don't have your backpack with you.

[attroll]

Moved to the General Gear Talk thread/forum.

[Deadeye]

I carry one as my ground cloth for the occasions when I sleep on the ground. Just a couple ounces & a little space in the pack.

[Hosaphone]

I carry one as my ground cloth for the occasions when I sleep on the ground. Just a couple ounces & a little space in the pack.

I like this idea a lot if you're carrying a groundsheet anyways. Always nice to have gear that can be used in different ways if necessary. Might even add a tiny bit of heat?

[RugerWes]

I carry a ''Grabber '' Space blanket in my pack. It makes a terrific back up for multi purpose hiking / camping as a tarp , a ground cloth , or as a last ditch cover in a storm . Also a good item for a survival situation for an injured hiker on the trail . They are cheap , light, durable and , have many uses . It also serves as a water collector on a dew day, lol

http://www.grabberworld.com/products/grabber-outdoors/all-weather-blanket.html

I keep one in my trunk , my get home back , and my pack when camping or just a day hike.

[Hosaphone]

Those who do use them get soaked in condensation, I've heard.

It's definitely worth thinking about this before your life or someone else's life depends on it. Since they don't breathe, I would expect wrapping yourself up in one would result in you being soaked with condensation. Could be a bad situation if you were using it as an emergency bivy and got all your insulation wet.

[leaftye]

The only thing a space blanket has that the gear in most of our packs is a reflective layer. That reflective layer doesn't have that big of an effect. The biggest benefit is that it's not breathable at all.

A non breathable fabric means that heat isn't lost to water evaporation, presumably from sweat. This effect is huge. It's why we sweat after all.

I said most of us already have a suitable substitute didn't I? Some examples are plastic pack liner bags, polycro (window film) ground sheets, and sil nylon rain gear including the Packa and ponchos. You can use these non breathable items for the same purpose that an emergency blanket serves. That is, to keep sweat from getting into your insulation. These are called vapor barriers.

One huge mistake you'll see less knowledgeable people do is recommend using the emergency blanket outside of your insulation. Unless you've lost your rain gear and this is the only way to keep rain away, then this is the wrong and possibly worst way to use an emergency blanket. Imagine slowly puffing steam through your sleeping bag that is inside a plastic bag that is inside a walk in freezer. The sleeping bag will get soaked from inside, just like it would if your body was pumping water vapor (sweat) into your sleeping bag.

In extremely cold situations, it means your insulation never gets compromised from your body. Condensation within insulation is common, and virtually unpreventable in extremely humid or extremely cold environments. It means that your sleeping gear isn't as warm at the end of the night as at the beginning. With a vapor barrier, your sleeping gear will be consistently effective throughout the night, maybe even more so if it was already slightly moist from previous nights when used without a vapor barrier.

[dornstar]

I've used one for my ground cloth. Worked well.

[The Cleaner]

Here's one use.Also I like to use folded as a sit pad in the snow,or a wind break around a fire..1844818449

[Dr. Professor]

I have never really heard of anybody packing an emergency blanket on the trail for a thru hike. I am aware of their many uses and feel like it could be helpful but haven't ever heard anybody discuss the practicality of having one. Opinions please!!

I'm in the very large group of always had one, never used one. It probably won't make the cut on my next hike. That said, to me, the benefit is the huge reflective suface and the use would be visibility from the air if one becomes disabled off trail. That scenario, for any one hiker, is very unlikely. That said, I would say that in certain rare dire circumstances -- disabled or lost in truly remote areas like certain western venues, visibility from the air could become paramount.

[aficion]

Wore mine out as a ground cloth after 14 years. They are so inexpensive, lightweight, and useful.

[atraildreamer]

The only thing a space blanket has that the gear in most of our packs is a reflective layer. That reflective layer doesn't have that big of an effect. The biggest benefit is that it's not breathable at all....

I wonder :-? if they could make a space blanket with micro perforations like the have in those vegetable storage baggies? :confused: The perforations would allow the moisture from perspiration to escape while allowing the heat to be reflected back.

[Starchild]

I used it on my first winter backpacking experience when I was freezing, I used everything I could find. I didn't think it made any difference though I used it as a sleeping bag wrap instead of against my body which is how it is made to work. Never carried one since.

Peace

[grayfox]

I usually carry the copper colored mylar that cost about $4. At night it serves as a ground sheet. It has also been pressed into service as a pack liner, tarp, wind break, dry place to sit... My favorite use is to keep the tent or hammock comfortable in summer sunshine that would otherwise make them too hot to occupy. I tie light line to the corners and drape the mylar over the top of the tent or tarp to reflect the sunlight.

[snowblind]

As I just left trail at HF a week ago (SOBO thru on short break), I used my 'space blanket' a handful (5) of times with my 0degree bag. It got down into the low teens a few nights, and below freezing almost every night for just over for the last month.

Reason? I just couldn't get warm while sleeping in the shelter. Only used it once when I tented. I have my theories as to why I needed to at all, given the gear I had... Anyways, I put the blanket inside my bag with me, on top, and life was fine. Condensation was minimal, and never got uncomfortably warm.

As far as I'm concerned, it'd be stupid not to have one, regardless of location and season.