I'm sorry if this has been addressed before, I did try searching the forums...

Does anyone have a good method of re-folding a Heatsheet, in a "Z" or accordion manner, so that it's roughly the same area but thinner than as shipped?

The way the factory does it (rolls it up, then folds it) traps a lot of air and makes it thicker than it needs to be.

My various attempts at re-folding one of these things have all failed miserably. The material is hard work with being so slippery.

Try vaccuum packing to remove the extra air. A food sealer, maybe? Or something a little lower tech? Just a thought. Had the same problem refolding mine and haven't really addressed it yet so ideas are as much for my sake as yours. IIRC, Ritter did the vaccuum thingy with his though so this is probably the best option.

Hey, that's not a bad idea. I picked up a food sealer just for sealing up some non-food type items and I know it's pretty good at getting every little bit of air out*. I'll have to give it a shot, thanks.

* - Why do I say this? Tried to vacuum seal some backup items (extra bandanna, small knife, small flashlight, etc. along with a couple of individually packaged hand wipes. Big mistake, the packages burst and the liquid went everywhere (and they were scented wipes, which made everything nice and smelly.

Good to know, thanks, but I've already got a spiffy Foodsaver model. One day, I might actually use it on some food.

This may or may not apply, but consider that folding some materials, and then packing them tightly, can cause "fault planes" that can lead to failure over time.

I recall a discount space blanket that, when opened, provided a confetti-parade of 1.5 x 2.5" chunks. Perfect for foiling WWII radar. Not so great for anything else. So watch your tail.

My $0.02.

Yep, the mylar "space" blankets are pretty crappy, but the Heatsheets are a bit more forgiving. Thanks for the heads-up.

That would be a great test to see if you can keep your sense of humour in a survival situation...

NEWS HEADLINE: Local man freezes to death - Smile on his face, pieces of survival blanket all around.

LOL - The headline would also indicate "Man was sewing the tiny pieces together when the elements got him. A roll of duct tape would have saved his life."

I should have stuffed the pieces inside my clothing as a test. Didn't think of it at the time. Mostly I was occupied by chasing the stray bits all over the campsite (I hate litterbugs). I guess throwing the whole lot into a stiff breeze might signal an aircraft ... 500 tiny signal mirrors.

I haven't had the disintegration problem with the genuine Space-brand mylar sheets. But I see the Heatsheets are available locally, so I'm going to try one.

The heatsheet is worth it even though they are a pain to refold . We have four and they are definitely more than a step up from those cheap space blankets.

The Heatsheet that I was trying to fold (several times) got plenty of abuse without tearing or puncturing.

(Still haven't tried the vacuum thingy. I need a new, not yet unfolded 'sheet. Know I got one around here somewhere.)

ziplock bag + hard chair + you = Ham pressed gear, the low cost vacuum pack.

They are pretty small as is. I've never seen someone fold something like this smaller than the factory did.

IR, we're just trying to get it back down to something close to factory folded size. Once you unfold it the extra air is more difficult to get out than you think. It gets trapped in the folds and such. Worse with one of the bivvys. I hesitate to use the ziplock solution you suggested as I wonder if the compressed air with nowhere to go could possibly compromise the bag, an improvised whoopee cushion if you will.

Actually, I'm trying to get mine thinner than factory. The ones I have are on the "puffy" side. Flattening it on a table with something heavy over it might work, over time. Too much weight too quickly I would fear causing a blowout. I have more hope for the vacuum thingy.

(hopefully I'll find the other un-unpacked 'sheet sometime over the weekend to give it a try)

I've used the vacuum thingy on stuff like a pack-towel and spare winter socks. Pretty sure I got them more compact than the "Ham Press" ever would have.