SwampDonkey
The bag WM is a western mountaineering bag and the poncho liner http://www.flyingtigerssurplus.com/big-id-2-shbgid-5441.html are a small military blanket that lines the poncho. The western mountaineering bag is what I keep in a LRBOB (Long range Bug out bag). I have always wanted a WM bag and after over 10 years I finally bought one and I love the bag to death. It has been the most comfortable bag I've ever owned. http://www.westernmountaineering.com/ind...mp;ContentId=40


Art_in_FL
Thanks for the advice Art_in_FL, the company I bought it from said they would gladly refund the money. They've been a pretty good company to deal with, it's not there fault on a defective product from a vacuum sealed bag from the manufacturer but they want to make good on it, which I was happy with.

Hikin_Jim
I had got the Bristlecone MF http://www.westernmountaineering.com/ind...mp;ContentId=40
and have great luck with it. I have been eying bivy's what would you recommend for the WM bags. The one I have is huge and like a fortress and I love the extra room. I had just began looking at them and this was the first one I came across. Outdoor Research Micro Night Bivy--> http://www.backcountry.com/store/ODR0240..._df_2737_694598
Any ideas on a good Bivy for real wet environments?

... "the company I bought it from said they would gladly refund the money. They've been a pretty good company to deal with, it's not there fault on a defective product from a vacuum sealed bag from the manufacturer but they want to make good on it, which I was happy with."

Cool deal.

IMHO the difference between a merely adequate outlet and a really good one is how they deal with legitimate complaints and returns.

http://www.bydezignproducts.com/
A big +1 for them for handling it well.

Keep the option of working directly through the credit card company in mind. It can be a useful threat and in a few cases when I got stiffed it was the card company that set things right. Bless their craven, greedy little gravy-sucking, capitalist hearts. Just don't abuse the privilege or turn to them too early or too often.

I am no fan of space blankets. That said, I tested the Blizzard Bag and came away with a positive opinion.Forum readers may want to read that thread before screaming garbage and rattling credit cards at the retailers. Once again, The BB meets a specific need; compact emergency units for people who hopefully are wearing winter clothing. If you don't like one use items carry either a dedicated sleeping bag and tent or a body bag. A garbage bag seen without the prejudical contents equated with a BB is just that. I truly want to see an injured or hypothermic victim gather leaves in the high wind, white out conditions of say, The Pennines of the U.K.

Chris,
I was given one of these when they first came out. They are strictly 1°c +. Typical UK just above freezing, wet & windy . Classic hypothermia conditions.
Pennines/Scottish Winter 0/0 -15°c, no. If you ain't properly dressed, and you don't have a decent sleeping bag and preferably a snow hole you are very likely dead.
As something you can wrap around a casuality to stand off shock and retard hypothermia whilst awaiting medivac it's excellent.
But, and its a big but, I would hate to try deploying one with a broken arm or leg.
Ironically, I think that its best role is for survival at sea. For protection in a dingy or even in the water it has distinct possibilities.

I've used the Survival Tube from www.BlizzardSurvival.com with great success. But my application is a bit different, I use it as an over bag for my camping hammock.

It is a bit crinkly as they say and it's made with several layers of Reflexcell™ which I found to be fairly strong. The crinkly noise is not an issue once you get inside the hammock because you don't roll around like you would if you were laying on the ground. It weighs only 18.5 oz and can be folded an rolled to a small size for storage. It's delivered vacuum sealed about the size of a video cassette.

The benefit with using with a hammock is there's no strain placed on the Survival Tube, it's suspended in the air. I'm sure if you used it on the ground it would have a chance of being damaged, but used with a hammock it's great.

I've used the Survival Tube at 38 degrees with a fleece blanket and sleeping pad inside the hammock and was very warm all night long. This is a great product. If you're a cold weather hammock camper, you owe it to yourself to check this product out.

To use as an over bag, simply slide your hammock through the Survival Tube. Close the end at the foot with the pull draw cord. Get in the hammock, pull the Survival Tube over your body and hammock then adjust the draw cord under your chin. To avoid suffocation, always keep your head outside the bag.

For the low price of $29.95, I think it's a good product at least for my application.

TG

Here's some pictures ...







It comes vacuum sealed about the size of a video cassette

trailgear, I'm glad you've had good luck but mine was falling apart out of the package which in an emergency situation and never inspected because you trust a vendor of a good product could have resulted in a life threatening situation. I will give you credit this is better than nothing, but it has reinforced the fact that nothing beats a bag and bivy. All the noise that it makes and how fragile mine is, I would opt for a bag or poncho liner. To each is his own, I know the mylar and type materials have always had a shelf life break down period. I've changed out tons of mylar with Meximelt on aircraft due to static and desegregation. Even on aircraft, new it works great but very noisy but after a few years, noticeable desegregation occurs. If you inspect yours closely, do you have any small holes developing yet? If not, ma bey you got a good batch for now but time will tell. I still am very very dissatisfied with the quality. I would not put my life on it for sure.

Sorry about ressurecting an old thread, but I recently received some blizzard bags and blizzard vest for evaluation. They worked great and I now include them in our mountain rescue kits.

They must have improved upon them recently as I feel they are great for casualty evacuation, more so than heatsheets.

Nothing beats a good sleeping bag for the rescuers, though...

So, in other words, you could carry a person by grabbing on to the two ends and lifting? Interesting.

HJ