Can anyone recommend a source their favorite wool blankets? I'm thinking of stashing a few in the trunks of our cars. Are the ones at Brigade Quartermaster from other countries military surplus any good?

Bear

Wool blankets are overlooked far too often as a great source of reliable insulation.

the old surplus blankets are great pure virgin wool.

1 hint:

Wash in cold water with wool detergent.

Then put 3 cups of hair conditioner in the rinse cycle with the liquid fabric softener, your blanket when airdried will be 80% softer and less itchy.

Wool is warm when wet but heavy.
It is naturaly fire resistant.
It is cheap and can be made into other articles.

Good stuff.

I recommed the old military surplus blankets with a tight weave. No particular country they are all good.

Mike

Major Surplus and Survival has disaster blankets 5 for $30.00. They are 30% wool and are mostly recycled materials. We use them mainly for rescues, since we often do not get them back. We look at them as single use, but in reality they can be used many times over.

http://www.majorsurplusnsurvival.com/Mer...ategory_Code=56

Pete

Heh...the wool blanket to end all woolen blankets...

Filson makes a fantastic Mackinaw wool blanket--pricey but about the best there is., 35oz/yd of pure sheepy goodness. I'm partial to the grey, myself.

<http://www.filson.com/3B.HTM>

The Hudson's Bay Company also still produces their famous blankets, which can be found at:

<http://www.hbc.com/>

I've also been trying to find a retail source for Faribault Mills hotel blankets. Faribault is another old-time woolen mill that produces very high quality products.

You can find Faribault at:

<http://www.faribowool.com/>

but my favorite Faribault product is the Milano hotel blanket, wich you can find at:

<http://www.hotelblankets.com/>

Wool blankets may be heavier than a nice down mummy bag, but they are more versatile, easier to clean, and aren't made of petrochemicals...

Some of the Major Surplus blankets have seen better days. Stay away from any with repairs and insist on sewn seams all the way around. That smelly pipe tobacco you got with the future survival tin makes a spendid mothproofer. Just put some in a muslim satchet or in a dish for closet storage. Safer by far than mothballs etc around children and pets. Invest in some large pins. You can't miss them. In the yardage shop they are called, blanket pins <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> You can never have enough blankets. I periodically give mine to the homeless. My parochial school's patron saint shared his cloak, so I'm honoring some good ethical lessons taught there. <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

The only thing I don't like about blankets is sometimes they are not warm enough, so I like to do the quilt mod. to them. Take two thin blanket or a blanket and some thin strong fabric and sew them on three edges. Then sew them lenght wise to form tubes. That way if the blanket is'nt warm enough you can take the warmest loose insulation that hand, like cattail down, grass,rags, foam,newspapers ect. stuff the tubes ,roll the open end down and secure it with the blanket pins Chris mentioned and if you have to travel just dump it so its easy to carry and refill it latter.

I like the general idea - thanks.

In this world of mass agricultural production, it maybe hard to get stuff directly from a farmer. I dont know what the sheep farmer's policys are, but you may try them. Or if your felling constructive and have a couple acres of land you could grow your own infinite supply of wool! Then sell some to me! <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Thanks Tom,Bye the way I mentioned those types of insulation because the question was car related, their is usually plenty of cattail and grass beside the road that easy to hand collect and a car interior is full of fabric and foam,although if you are forced to strip the interior a good sleeping bag is going to look like a real bargain ; ) I've also seen variations done with capotes, M-65 jackets and shirts.

Hi Chris, the blankets I was referring to are all new. They are a combination of wool and "other man made" materials. They are felted, so the edges are not going to unravel. They are cheaply made, but for $5.00 they work well for a potently disposable item. Pete

www.customwoolenmills.com in Canada will spin your supplied wool or sell completed products. They produce the socks worn and endorsed by Canadian instructor Mors Kochanski. I had to try a pair, figuring a man who endorses socks instead ot some ultimate survival knife knows a few things <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Most miliary blankets are of low quality wool, made mostly for durability, not warmth or comfort. The israeli surplus are the only soft thick ones i've seen, but are small.
Almost any sleeping bag is warmer than a wool blanket, but a GOOD wool blanket has a certain psychological value.
JB

Scout,

I am no wool expert by any means. I know this tho. The surplus blankets are WARM, durable and cheap. My $8 surplus blankets are just as warm as my Canadian Hudson's Bay blanket just not a pretty. The blankets can't be a blend tho. Nearest 100% wool the better.

You are right about the sleeping bag. But the abuse my blankets take in the trunk, in the truck with the dogs will shred a sleeping bag.

Mike

Hi Amper,
I just got an order from SportsmansGuide of a point blanket. It turned out to be a Faribault-very nice
It was onlly 79$ but is only in the buyers club right now.
JB

Without doubt quality sleeping bags are the best sleeping system. Blankets however are marvelous for multiple use. I have used mine or observed them used for; protective hoods in firestorms, signaling,improvised small craft sails, emergency shelters, cordage, invalid stretchers, splints and the clumsy, but traditional blanket pack. You can even toss the things over a sleeping bag that falls short of it's advertized temperature rating <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />