Oh, being in a situation that requires fire shelter deployment is a BAD thing. They are simply the last level of protection, and while the new shelters are significantly better then the old version I still expect to not survive a deployment where we are burned over. Many things have gone wrong if shelters have been deployed.

to purchase:

http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/View_Catalog_Page.asp?mi=2575

There is no mention of weight. Does anyone know?

Am I wrong in thinking that they would make a good survival shelter in general and if reversable a winter shelter?

Certainly looks as if one should be carried in the car if not on the person

it weighs 2 1/2 pounds...i just put the one i posted the
photo of on my Gear Week post onto a fishing scale and
thats about what it came to in the yellow nylon case..
if you want more info i would Goggle "fire shelter"..
i got this one for show and tell when i did "how to camp"
talks..the Google links will give more than you want to
know about the "shake and bake"--it's a last ditch life
saver and if you get out of it with just 2nd degree burns
your lucky...some photos show the chared remains of a
firefighters gear around what left of a shelter that was
only half out of its bag...they are only ment for one use..
they also had photos of shelters that saved lives--they had
a scorched look and were in the middle of a open area that
had been swept over by fire..i'm sure you would not survive
in a burning forest but only in a place thats open with the
fire quickly passing over..

Boy are those things expensive!!!

OBG--yes they are $$$$$$..but thats the difference between
"real stuff" and the junky copys of police and military gear
they sell to "wanabes"

Yup, you usually get what you pay for...

The new Shelters are bigger and heavier then the old version like Canoedogs has. I don't have a scale with me, but comparing the two I would guess it weighs about 1/2 pound more.

If you really want one, you can get one for around $350 from http://www.firecache.com/prodinfo.asp?number=25.1205.

As I often point out, not necessarily. But, almost for sure you won't get it if you don't pay for it. It's a subtle, but critical difference.

"Yup, you usually get what you pay for..."

QUICK! The fire is moving at 40 mph straight for you and there's no shelter. How much will you pay for a shelter right now?

Sue