If you have ever taken one out of the package and played with it you will see the issues it has. It is smallish, tears easily, and is very noisy. It is hard to make a good shelter out of one. There seems to be some controversy as to whether they really reflect heat any better than a plain plastic sheet of the same dimensions. You really need duct tape on the corners to make a shelter. Their main benefit here in Arizona is they can be rigged to provide shade. I replaced mine with a clear 80”x52” trash bag from Survival and Outdoor Safety.

I can hop in it and pull it over my head for protection from wind, rain, or snow. I can fill it with pine needles, leaves, and grass and use it as a blanket. I can put it over a tree branch for transpiration. I can use it as a pup tent or tube tent. I can use it as a ground cloth. If a trash bag is good, a bigger trash bag is better!

I am still not settled on what to carry for shelter. I have a HD Space Blanket, small Space Blanket, two 60 gallon clear trash bags, and the 80”x52” clear trash bag. I need to try more combinations in my back yard and see what the best combination is for the least weight and space. Maybe the three clear trash bags will be adequate.