Please do yourself a favor. Go get your PSK, take out your "survival" blanket (I know you have one. Don't you??).

Go out in your back/front yard (front yard if you don't mind raising all kinds of suspicions in your neighbors). Unfold your blanket, now try to wrap up in it.

Now put a little teeny tear somewhere in it, and try it again.

Excellent experiment, right?

Oh, my neighbor said "Is that your Superman outfit for Halloween?"

Smart axe.

some are junk but there must be a few good ones out there.someone with a few bucks to toss out could buy all the brands for a show and tell.i know the 99 cent i got and was going to use as a rain cover for a shelter came apart when i opened it up.in the "how we made it" CD that comes with the Lord Of The Rings video they show the guy who was the Hobbit being wrapped up in a foil blanket after he falls in a marsh.he does not look too happy but the blanket that is being wrapped around him by a stage hand and another actor looks really big and heavy.

I carry a GI poncho liner, a bit bulkier than many alternatives but a very utilitarian piece of gear. Hypothermia is the real killer where I live and I don't consider wrapping myself in aluminum foil or mylar the best strategy to avoid it.

I have had good luck with the AMK emergency bivy and thermo-lite bivy. They are durable and can stuff back into their pouch. The emergency bivy is small enough to fit in a cargo pocket. I have done some training for the boy scouts where I teach them to use some of the gear, and I have a AMK Heatsheets blanket which has taken a good bit of abuse, with no tears. It is also small enough to fit in a pocket.

I generally never travel without my poncho liner either, but it doesn't fit well in a pocket, so it is in my day pack. That and a poncho work surprisingly well. I have been in 20 degree Fahrenheit weather with only that, and didn't die. I wasn't very comfortable, but it worked. So if I am carrying a day pack or larger bag, I will have those as well. I also like the heavier Space blankets. I have used one of those with a wool blanket in very cold weather as well, and did well.

Another thing I like to have is a micro-fiber towel. They can absorb a great deal of water. I have used them to roll my wet clothes in and squeeze, to get them as dry as possible. Then I put them back on and wrap in my blanket or poncho liner to dry the rest of the way. It does make the drying and warming up process go much faster.

+1 on the Thermolite bivy, Heatsheet, wool blanket and Sportsman's blankets. I keep a bedroll of a wool blanket and sportsman's blanket in the truck year round, along with a blue foam ground pad.

I stopped carrying mylar sheets several years ago for several reasons, although I am using one to cover a set of windows this winter. *laughs* The fool things are better than nothing, particularly if used right, but their limits are pretty broad.

I decided I would do the test I mentioned in my initial post when I found, for a quarter at a garage sale, a more or less "typical" mylar survival blanket (it was the brand that says "Made in Israel"). For a moment or two, I kind of had a little fun with it in the wind. I later discovered that this was, by far, the best use of it. Then I decided to lay it out on my grass lawn and try to wrap up in it. The size of the thing was all wrong. When I tried to use it sleeping-bag style, to cover myself full length, it wouldn't go all the way around my body. When I used it the other way, it wouldn't cover my head or my feet. And neither way would work when I was sitting cross legged style on the ground. No coverage at all was possible under me. By this stage, the thing had started to tear and become completely useless. I did notice an immediate sensation of warmth, however, when I sort of got the thing semi-wrapped around me. This lasted maybe a half a minute before the wind started blowing the thing open here and there.

I'm going to get a few of those AMK Heatsheets to try, the ones sized for 2 people. I think it must sort of be like the freeze dried meals. If you buy one suitable for 2, one person might get full. At any rate, the AMK ones are definitely supposed to be re-useable, heavier, quieter, and they have survival tips printed on them to at least keep you entertained while you're freezing to death.

I have maybe ten of the cheapo emergency blankets, plus a 2 person HeatSheets blanket and the AMK HeatSheets bivy bag. So far I haven't tried the latter but I've tested the former and found them somewhat lacking. On the plus side, they do warm you up pretty effectively (although I haven't tested them yet in very cold conditions). But the kind I have (relatively sucky EverDixies I got from Amazon) really aren't sized and shaped the best. They're very noisy and extremely thin. They don't seem to tear all that easily, though. In virtually every instance I would have the blanket with me I'd also have some duct tape, so I figure I'd use tape form a bag or at least seal it up. In my Maxpedition water bottle kit I keep my Ritter/AMK PSP plus one blanket and a cheap poncho. I've tucked extra fire-making gear in the pouch and have a Mora with some paracord around the sheath. Out hiking this probably represents the least gear I would generally carry. Ideally I'll have a couple of the blankets along. I plan to stash a few of them in my vehicle for winter travel, too.

Eventually I'll try out the HeatSheets, too. Frugality has prevented me from doing so up til now as they're five times the price of the cheapo blankets, but obviously it's better to know what you're dealing with before you have to use them. If they're as good as I hear it will be money well spent. I have the Bivy style set up as a subscription on Amazon.com- every month they'll send me one and I get a discount and free shipping. This way they end up costing only $12 each, quite a savings. Well worth it if they actually save your life someday!

For sure. It's like the old motorcycle joke:

Q: How much should I spend on a motorcycle helmet?

A: I dunno. How much is your head worth?

Take one of the cheapy Mylar blankie,Unfold it,Then fold it Diagonally,Like a Diaper.Then fold like you would a Bandana,Making it aprox.A 1ft.width,After it's folded,Wrap it around your torso,just above your hips,& tuck in the last tailend,into the wrap,on the upperside,You will start to heat up,Very quickly,When you are warmed up,Unwrap it,Do the samething with your upper torso,until warmed up,When it is folded diagonally,It is quite a bit longer,but you only have 1/2 of the surface area for coverage,Next wear it like a Shawl,& Hunch down,&It will Somewhat Effectively, keep the heat in,rather than lose it out the top.The movement from doing this,Also generates heat,Hunched down you have much less,surface area for the wind to penetrate.You have just found out.how to make these Cheapies work for you!

This is an excellent point, there are so many people that have never even opened their PSK or tried out the contents. That is why I always encourage people to buy your kit, then tear it apart and use all of the elements in it.

When you are satisfied with it, either replace the elements you have used or just buy a whole new kit and keep that one for emergencies and keep the used one for practice.

Oh and by the way, I am a firm believer in the Heatsheets line of blankets, They actually fold up again, are MUCH quieter that the cheap mylar blankets and are big enough for 2 people if you buy the large size. You can also repair them if you get a tear if you have duct tape along with you (Which I always wrap around my water bottle.

Alright! This is good, this is good. I've always wondered what a good way of carrying around some extra duct tape would be. In my recent So Cal creek rattler thread, I noted that the latest bottled water bottles are so chintzy you can crinkle a crack in one just holding the bottle between your knees while you shoot a picture of a rattler on the trail in front of you. So, I'll wrap some duct tape around it next time. Thanks.

Richlacal: This creates a very comical image in my mind. But hey, survival is survival right? ;-)

I have a couple of these cheap survival blankets. Each comes in a package that's about the size of a deck of cards. The next step smaller is literally nothing. So, are they better than nothing?

Well, I suppose thrashing around and cursing at the crappy cheap blanket would help keep you warm. So yes, in that sense, they are probably better than nothing.

+1 on heetsheets. Here's a review I posted a few years back:

"I used a Heetsheets single under my sleeping bag for the week. I paid no attention to the various twigs, stickers, pebbles, etc. on the ground before laying it down. There were numerous pinholes by the end of the week, but no other problems resulted. I did not rig it as a fly, though.

On the first night I managed to tear a hole in it by grinding my boot heel into it while putting on boots and gaiters. I intentionally ignored it, though, and left it unpatched. It did not tear or spread a bit.

It was also rather breezy at night and I saw the edges flap and move about quite a bit, but there was no noise from it. I'm extremely pleased with how well the HeetSheet held up to a full week's rough use."
Gear review

It is Extremely Comical,at the Very Least!,& Noisy as All Get out!I have AMK Heatsheets & Bivvy bags,They are fabulous,but noisy also!I carry/use a Space Blanket-Ripstop Nylon,They are Much larger than the cheap blankies,But Give back a Whole lot more,should the need arise,That in Unison with a Military Poncho,or even a Cheaper Poncho,Would do someone Very Well!Remember,Make use of Available Ground Trash,Whenever Possible,It doesn't have to be a Debris Hut,It could be a Big pile of Leaves/Branches! Insulation is The key!Make sure you know what Poison oak/Ivy/Sumac,& Nettles look like,Before gathering debris! The Cheapy Blankets WILL work,But you will be Miserable!

I hope you've tried that before. A poncho liner isn't the be-all and end-all. I've had lots of nights I'd wake up shivering when I was sleeping in the fire station (thermometer at 68, me in my shorts and Tshirt). I can't imagine using it when it was cooler than that, you're on cold ground, and it's wet.

Anything much warmer than 68F then I might be inclined to switch on a fan to keep cool enough to get some sleep.

Does anyone know the Tog rating for a Poncho liner compared to a mylar space blanket. Knowing this should give a guide to usability temperature ratings. Comparing the rating to real world data shown here will give some indication of the poncho liners ability to keep someone warm.

http://www.mammut.ch/images/Mammut_Sleep_well_pt1_E.pdf

For example you would need around 9 Tog for comfort at 32F.

I suspect that the Poncho liner doesn't have more than 2-3 Tog i.e the limit of comfort would be around 65-68F, just as you have described. It certainly puts the thermal abilities of the Mylar blanket in to perspective. i.e. virtual no capability.

Even using some Bivi Jacket ( approx 800 grams) and trousers (400grams) with a Tog Rating around 5-6 I probably wouldn't want to sleep in them in temperatures less than 8-10C (46-50F) and an extreme temperature (just high enough not to get hypothermic) just above freezing.

The foil survival blankets have no insulation value at all. If you have down or wool, they'll hold heat and feel warm after you've been in them awhile. The actually insulate you from the cold.

Foil blankets, though, have no insulation value at all. They do reflect your heat back at you, and they have their place, but they should not be expected to substitute for good ol' wool or down to keep you warm.

after reading about the Heatsheet here i dumped the foil blanket in my PFD ditch kit.i think the foil ones were seen used by marathon runners wrapping up in them at the finish line and the idea hit,or was pushed by there makers,that they would be a good survival item.

They are not meant to insulate, but to block wind and water. They can raise the temperature around your body a few degrees, which is enough to survive in some cases. I actually like the combination of a wool blanket with the space blanket outside of that. It is very warm, and it let me sleep in temperatures around 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Not as good as a down sleeping bag, but better than shivering to death all night. Laying on a good bed of pine straw, it was surprisingly warm.

> They can raise the temperature around your body a few degrees, which
> is enough to survive in some cases.

Yes, a space blanket meant the difference between us camping only one night or the whole weekend, one Thanksgiving in Death Valley. They have their place.

I've used the mylar sheets with a blanket (on top) and it did help, but the NOISE kept me awake.

I've not tested it, but I carry them in the car. Since they do reflect heat, I'm thinking they would help contain body heat if a person(s) had to spend time in their car in the cold. Roll the edge in the top of the windows, and tape them in place with duct tape.

Has anyone ever done this?

Sue

While I carry a AMK Heatsheet or Bivy in my pocket, I really don't have much confidence in either. Always in my pack and both of my dogs packs are the Sportsman's Blankets, they are tough and they work and cost around $13. For years I've used them silver side out in the warm weather at dog events to cover crates and keep the dogs cool. They last for years and are well worth the money. The only downside is they aren't pocket able.

The Sportsman Blankets seems to be identical to the Trekmates Thermo Blanket, which I found at a discount store along with some luminous nylon rope for about $13 the other day. I also picked up a discounted Trekmates Travel Towel (useful for cold conditions to wring out wet clothing), stainless steel hip flask and Trekmates Mosquito net (another important consideration for a survival kit, which is not often mentioned)

This is a much more heavy duty and robust solution to the Mylar space blanket or a AMK Heatsheet blanket. It could be a very flexible bit of kit, i.e. a groundsheet, a fire reflector lean-to Tarp shelter, a RADAR reflector, a marker panel, a tent groundsheet protector and a solar shade reflector. The additional weight (360 grams) and bulk seems to be well worth it and the 4 corner grommets allow easy and flexible staking out with the comfort of knowing that the shelter application isn't going to fall apart during the night due to stormy windy conditions.

Pricing is very good as well considering the benefits.

I've had those Sportsmans Blankets but the deal breaker for me is, as rebwa notes above, they're not really pocketable. The AMK Heatsheet, which is pocketable, looks durable enough for my needs though.

I'd sure like to see AMK come up with some sort of pocket case like Doug's kit, the pocket medic and the wound closure kit for the heatsheets. I actually carry mine almost all the time and a case would be nice to better protect them as they are fragile. They're pretty cheap to replace but I wonder how many actually take the time to inspect them and replace every so often.

I've tested the AMK bivy units a couple times in spring/fall conditions, and have been pretty comfortable. The only problem I've really had has been with condensation, which is why I think it's not just the bivy, but, making sure you have appropriate layering on anytime you're out there.

Here's one of my campsites using the bivy, and poncho, and a contractor bag as a ground cloth under the AMK bivy:

I used an AMK Mylar Foil Blanket as a shelter during a practice exercise last winter. It reflected the heat of the campfire well and was much tougher than I expected.
A write-up and pictures can be found in this post.

I have some better AMK Blanket pictures somewhere, I will try to find them to post.

Mike

If you will take the trouble to buy two of the "heavy duty" types, with the gunny sack material glued on the back of the mylar, lay down on them and cut out a 'mummy" configuration, glue and sew 3/4" wide velcro all the way around, use a silk bag liner, wear Goretex cammies (or wool OD greens) and Thermax Expedition wt long johns, you can sleep in this bag just fine, at 20+ degrees F, inside of a 2 poncho "tent", suspended between 2 trees, in a hammock that is similarly suspended. The Mylar tears are easily taped, and it doesnt get soaked, or lose its stuffing, and there's no zippers to get jammed or break.

Thanks for that info. My original idea was to make sure everyone had an emergency blanket that was big enough to cover everything important, and to not tear in the first place.

Well, it's usually the case that what we want, we can't really get, especially when dealing with Mother Nature. I wish I didn't have to provide shelter, bedding, clothing, etc, at all, but that aint how it is.

Hey, I was searching for some other images on Photobucket and found the pic below of the 2 person AMK Heatsheet I used at my Biv Site last March. It shows the Heatsheet from the rear angle, the second shot is just of early morning looking out from the shelter.





I mistyped my previous link to this post, hopefully it can be found at this location.

Looking forward to doing more of these adventures.

Mike

Off topic: if you have to sleep with your head out from the plastic to prevent condensation, Pack along some extra cough drops, nothing gets me down in the morning like a sore throat!

I just have one word to say about that: scarves.

OK, more than one word. I would rather have a scarf than a hat. You can wrap a scarf around your head, but you can't easily wrap a hat around your neck.

And roger on the cough drops. That's item #13 in my PSK.

Sure you can - cut the top off the hat. OK, it only works well if it's a stocking cap, but still.
And if you get a kind of big stocking cap, you can fold the top back a little, tuck it under, and still have a decent hat.

But, hey, I carry both. I'm just being argumentative

A Headover can be worn as a hat (Commando Style ) or as a scarf (neck warmer)

http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/shop/o...ver-315562.html

My absolutely favorite piece of garment is the merino wool buff. Essentially a headover, only smaller. And did I mention I dig wool? Amazing stuff.

OK, I stand corrected. My fav cold weather item bar none is my cashmere scarf. I can get by on only that much of the time. It seems as though if my neck is warm, most of the rest of me feels warm.

I have a O.D. Wool watch cap, and I love it!! I got it from the site listed below, and the quality is also bar none! It will be best accompanied by a 12" circle of space blanket to go underneath. Also, the watch cap folds down long enough to cover my mouth, it works but coughdrops stored in the fold... I dont know why i chose there, but they are secure and when I grab the cap, they are with it.

I have one in my day pack, but I consider it more of a very thin and small tarp than a blanket. As a way to block wind and rain it has some utility. But it really has no utiliy as a blanket that I can see.

For as thin as they are, the couple I have opened up were pretty tough, but pretty noisy too.

Ah, Glasshoppa, you have struck upon the very essence of my initial post: to encourage everyone to see just how much of a "blanket" their "survival blanket" really is.

Personally, I have to say I became "warm" very quickly as soon as I attempted to wrap up in my cheap sample even tho it didn't cover worth shinola, and tore easily. I was very impressed at how much even this crappy example seemed to reflect back my own body heat.