Topic: The Best Emergency Blankets to Survive the Elements in 2023 (Read 51 times)
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Topic: The Best Emergency Blankets to Survive the Elements in 2023 (Read 51 times)
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For many, this is the emergency blanket that started it all. These “Space Blankets” utilize the same technology NASA uses and they have been carried by outdoorsmen for many years. Watch any marathon and you’ll see those who finish frequently wrapped in these. Also, in a pinch, a strip of this blanket can actually be used as emergency snow goggles. This blanket is the best emergency blanket for hiking and should be included in everyone’s medical kit because it can be used to prevent hypothermia from extreme blood loss.
Weighing in at only 3 ounces, this blanket will never be left home for being too heavy. It has been tested to reflect 80 percent of body heat, and adds an effective layer to any emergency shelter. It’s available in reflective silver or high visibility orange.
I’ve been using these Grabber blankets for years and there is a reason why they are still relevant. Designed for single use, you can pack this one away easily in a co*pact package until it is needed. This blanket is the BIC lighter of emergency blankets. Buy a few and throw them in your kits. You’ll forget you have them until you need them.
Emergencies are not all created the same and sometimes you need a tool to address an urgency that other tools can’t fix. A simple wool blanket has that incredible versatility. Wool is not what most people think of when they think of an emergency blanket, but wool has some excellent qualities. This 90 percent wool blanket can be used for warmth, of course, and it’ll keep you warm even when it’s wet. It resists burns when campfire embers land on it, and it can be used to suffocate a small fire. It can be used as a ground pad in dry areas. You can wrap objects in it for protection, and even fashion a pack from it with rope or webbing. It’s durable and will last for a very long time.
This Rothco blanket is a reproduction of the Italian Army surplus blanket. It is fire retardant and has excellent draping characteristics making it the best emergency wool blanket. It’s great to have on hand in case you need another layer of warmth on a cold night. There are some very expensive wool blankets on the market, but this one is affordable and well made. This blanket can be used in conjunction with other space blankets here to provide additional insulation and protections to an emergency bivouac shelter.
This emergency blanket is more like a happy marriage of a traditional tarp and a mylar emergency blanket. It co*es equipped with grommets that can be used to tie this blanket up into an A-frame or a lean-to shelter. This blanket is durable enough to use as a ground cover and it can also be used to wrap and protect your gear carried on the roof of our car. The Arcturus is a true multi-function blanket, and it’s built to last.
This blanket sandwiches a strong waterproof outer layer with a thin aluminum reflective layer on the inside. It’s capable of reflecting upwards of 90 percent body heat. This blanket co*es with its own carry bag, weighs just a single pound, and measures a full 5 feet by 7 feet when opened.
The Arcturus is incredibly tough and durable making it the best durable emergency blanket. It doesn’t pack down like some of the smaller blankets in the lineup, but it makes up for co*pression with strength. It is the most reusable of all the reflective blankets in this lineup and can be used for years.
While not a true blanket per se, this emergency bivvy (referring to a bivouac shelter) is the easiest product to use for preventing your body heat from escaping making it the best emergency blanket for warmth. Traditional rectangular blankets have to be draped over the body to reflect body heat. The corners need to be tucked under the body or heat will escape and cold air will enter. This bivvy is essentially an emergency sleeping bag, so there is no concern over it opening up in the middle of the night. If needed, it can be cut open to a rectangular shape.
The S.O.L. Emergency Bivvy with rescue whistle and tinder cord is the lightest bivvy on the market co*ing in at only 3.8 ounces. When packed down, it is smaller than a can of Coke. It is waterproof, windproof, reflects 90 percent of your body heat, and because it is shaped like a bag, it will easily stay on you throughout the night. The cordage used in the stuff sack can be used as tinder, adding to your ability to stay warm through the night. If you need this bivvy in a rescue situation, you can use the provided whistle to signal for help.
We like to think of an emergency where we or the person we are aiding will have the ability to hold a flat blanket in place around them. If that person is weak or unconscious, the blanket may slip off. This bag is sure to stay put when someone is inside.
While I am provided blankets by my co*pany to use, the average shopper may have some questions before buying them. I would suggest considering the following:
The emergency blanket you choose will depend mainly on how you’ll carry it. A blanket for your medical or survival kit will be different then one you’d choose to keep in your car. Another consideration is where you live or where you’ll be venturing outdoors. A blanket that could be used in Alaska has different considerations than one for Arizona.
Important questions—and answers—when researching the best emergency blanket for you.
A Mylar blanket, like the Grabber, reflects 80 percent of your body heat. How warm it keeps you depends on the clothes you’re wearing, wind, and if you are able to create a ground insulation such as pine boughs.
Emergency blankets work, but you still must use them with the fundamentals of survival and in conjunction with some type of shelter to survive the elements.
Most emergency blankets are made of Mylar, which is a lightweight material that does an excellent job of reflecting body heat.
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Emergency blankets are excellent products to have on hand for emergencies, but what is even more beneficial are safe practices that mitigate the need for them. Much like how wearing your seatbelt is not an excuse to drive recklessly, carrying an emergency blanket doesn’t give you the freedom to travel carelessly. These blankets are inexpensive insurance in case you find yourself in an emergency situation, and they are absolutely worthwhile considering as an addition to your preparedness.
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