Emergency blanket actual use?

[Ram94]

Quite a few years back, my hunting partner and I got onto a good band of rams very late int the day and decided to go after them. Slept under a tarp inside our emergency bivys and it was hands down the most miserable night I’ve had. It snowed and rained all night and the condensation buildup inside those things was brutal. Soaking wet by morning. Have since picked up the “breathable” escape lite bivy but have not put it to use.

 

[mtwarden]

The small SOL "blankets" are better than a kick in the ass, but not much better. The aluminum foil ones you get for a dollar or two, I think I'd rather have the kick in the ass

I carried a SOL Escape bivy on my Dall hunt this past August, turns out I used it (along with every stitch of clothing in my pack!). I had a 40" length of Z-Lite pad too which helped a ton. Pretty restless night, but got a few winks of sleep in, the guide got none.

https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/lets-hear-your-siwash-stories.325388/

For fall hunting here I carry the same bivy and a 50 degree Apex quilt (and the 40" ccf pad!) along w/ a mid-layer, puffy jacket/pants. The quilt only weighs 12 oz and packs small, it has a "poncho" hole in it so I can use it glassing when it's really cold- draped over the rest of my layers.

 

[nrh6.7]

...Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Note to self...don't go hunting with Jethro

 

[b2one]

I had to use the cheap $2 blanket once on a night that got down to 27 degrees. Luckily I had a fire. First I tried wrapping up in it burrito-style. I think I would have died that night going that route. Then I switched up and slept in it taco-style with the front open to the fire. I actually got decent rest as long as the fire was stoked. The open front let the heat in and surrounded me with a warm air bubble. Without the fire, it felt like the foil pulled the heat out of me rather than keep it in.

 

[JP100]

The traditional mylar/space blankets are pretty average. they warm you up quick but condensate really bad and you soon end up wet.
I have also used the SOL bivvy type bags and they are much better. can be re used, and breathe better.

None are really a 'shelter' but better than nothing.

A half closed cell foam pad(thermarest Z lite) can make a huge difference at keeping you warm and off the ground. That combine with a SOL bivvy and small tarp is pretty good emergency shelter.

And yes, ive slept in a few. never in a true 'emergency' situation, but training at school, big days out on the hill and some summer trips where ive tried to 'cut weight' by taking no sleeping bag....

 

[Dobermann]

That is actually what I used, not a space blanket. It condensates bad as well- as in a full night of sleep and there was a small pool of water in the bottom.

Is that the same on you had in a recent-ish pic of your bino harness contents?

Do you still carry that model?

 

[TaperPin]

Theres no better way to learn what works than to drive out in the woods and camp out overnight near the road with only what’s in your pack. That will change what you pack around. I pack two space blankets and mason twine. One is set up on the far side of a warming fire to radiate heat back that is normally wasted and you can get by with a smaller fire. The other is set up behind you to radiate heat to you that otherwise goes past and prevents cool air currents from sucking away heat. If it’s raining angle them to shed water, but it’s still not directly against you. Anytime your clothes are getting moisture trapped they lose insulation.

At least that’s how I’ve been taught to use them, and at 8k feet on a hillside in Wyoming, short of burning an entire downed tree, making the most of a small fire is key. Unless you want to burn holes in that $300 gortex from being too close, maximizing heat also saves on the clothing expenses.

 

[Beendare]

Its been decades since I was stuck out overnight- all due to those crappy mag lights.

I used a mylar bag- totally worthless. Tucking in next to cover and building a fire was key- and I almost melted that dang emergency bag to me getting close to the fire <face palm> - I ended up using it for fuel and enough light to gather more wood Before the fire went out.

 

[justinspicher]

The paper thin Mylar sheet emergency blankets suck. I used one in alaksa a few years ago when our boat got a hole in it and we had to spend the night on the bank…..I got so mad I build a fire and put the blanket in the fire.

In the mil we had some heavy duty ones that were kept with our litters and we used them to wrap up casualties. I had one wrapped around me on a flight from Ghazni to Bagram in 2007 and it was quite cozy, but that might be due to all the morphine…

I just picked up one of the SOL bivy sacks to try. I used it on an archery elk hunt this past august, paired with my 30 degree quilt and it wasn’t too bad. The only issue I had was with the 1/4 length zipper on it. It will most likely stay in my pack for all future outdoor adventures.

 

[mtwarden]

A big step up from the ultra thin mylar ones are the blankets (they have bags too) from Blizzard- they use 2 and 3 layer "Reflexcell" fabric- the small air cells actually give you some insulation. Obviously heavier and take up more volume, but still relatively light/small.

https://www.blizzardsurvival.com

 

[Wildhorse]

I've personally used them multiple times on other people being the first person to some rural car wrecks in winter where it was single digits helped save lives in conjunction to a external heat source helping with shock. Used them in the military under a poncho with a msr stove when in Scandinavia and for carrying in the woods I dont just keep a normal one but I make a kochanski super shelter and have it in case of emergancy if you gave never watched Mors Kochanski explain his shelter build I recommend everyone do so the late mr kochanski was an absolute expert in his field I had the honor of going to some of his training events up in canada and the man was incredible to learn from a lot of videos are still available on YouTube.

 

[Poser]

I have one in my med kit and 2 or 3 in my truck. I backcountry ski quite a bit - dig someone out of an avalanche and you’ll need someway to get them warmed back up.

That said, never actually used one.

 

[Formidilosus]

Is that the same on you had in a recent-ish pic of your bino harness contents?

Do you still carry that model?

No, I’ve got a regular space blanket for n there now. I do have that same Bivy model but in other gear bags.

 

[The Guide]

The thin mylar sheets are really best when used to reflect radiant heat back at you. We used them with a thin plastic painters drop cloth and some duct tape to make super shelters during survival school in the boy scouts. Worked well enough as the back wall to keep you warm enough to not get hypothermia during your winter overnight solo.

Jay

 

[mt terry d]

Made me chuckle too. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Yes, actually there is.

I’d just moved to Montana in the spring. Was going to do a little scouting in early August and told my wife “ if I don’t come home tonight don’t worry I have my emergency stuff with “. Surprisingly saw three bulls close in the timber. Got very excited. Couldn’t resist climbing above timber line. Goats! Beautiful sunset. Clear as a bell. No moon. Stars coming out. I was in heaven. Should be a beautiful sunrise from here. Bedded down in the rocks and wrapped my glorified tin foil around me confident of a peaceful sleep. The temperature dropped and the wind came up. I like to froze to death. Said Screw this and got my mini-mag light out and stumbled down through the rocks towards timber. Batteries died. Grab backup mini- mag and continue. Light dies about time I reach edge of timber. Grovel around in darkness looking for fire material. Manage to get a small fire going and wrap myself around it. Probably lasted all of fifteen minutes. Most miserable night I ever spent in the mountains. Almost 40 years ago now. Hopefully they are better made now. I’ll leave that for others to determine.

 

[Dobermann]

Yes, actually there is.

Errr ... @Jethro's chuckle was about something else, not about using space blankets as such.

 

[Jethro]

@mt terry d glad you made it through that night. Don’t think you quite understood my post

 

[Decker9]

When I was 8 years old, I shot my first goat. Ended up sleeping under a balsam tree on the wrong side of the mountain cuddled up beside my dad, eating goat on a stick using the “space blanket” as a heat reflector. It really made a difference, Iv packed one ever since but never have needed it. The day I do I’ll be happy I have it.

 

[Macintosh]

Yes, they suck. But imo they suck less than a night out without one, and could realistically make the difference between getting yourself out versus not. If you’re going to test it really, you have to sleep out one night with the mylar, and another night without it. Otherwise, you’ll just think it’s shitty and not bring it. Only after you can truly compare do you get to say that it’s not worthwhile!
Spent an unplanned night on top of whiskey peak in red rocks many years ago, additional wind and reflective anything would have made it a lot less crappy. After that night I started taping a mylar blanket inside my helmet, and I have one in my bird hunting vest, hunting packs, etc. I have thus far avoided another unplanned night out without any overnight gear, but I have used or had close friends use them to good effect in a first aid/shock situation several times, both the avalanche situation mentioned above, as well as trauma. I have no plans to pull them out of my packs—interpret that both ways.

 

[Fatcamp]

We forgot bedding on a hunt last year. Temps weren't that low so we went for it. Had a 10 pack of those things. First night sucked but the second night with all our clothes and the use of some duct tape it wasn't horrible.