As a passionate lover of the great outdoors, I have felt the sting of unexpected weather changes and the necessity of carrying well-designed, versatile, and reliable gear. A piece of equipment often overlooked on many camping checklists, is an emergency blanket. In this blog post, I sought to demystify the art and science of choosing the ideal emergency blanket adaptable to varied camping environments, comfort considerations, and survival necessities.
In my relentless pursuit of identifying the best blankets among a vast range, I ensured my evaluation was not influenced by promotional incentives or paid endorsements. My focus remained on the holistic examination of each blanket’s pros, cons, features and usability. I started this quest by envisioning what the optimal emergency blanket should embody and then created a benchmark against which each blanket would be measured. Central features such as usability and adaptability, material durability, compactness and weight, visibility, exceptional heat retention and seamlessly easy to use, emerged as my primary yardsticks.
Just to illustrate the diversity, one of the blankets that exceeded expectations was the General Medi Emergency blanket. For instance, it stands out for its impressive heat retention, compactness, durability and its multiple use cases. On the flip side, Altland Emergency blanket fell short in key areas. Its lack of reinforced corners and grommets, and the absence of thermal retention properties, delineates the gaps that exist in the universe of emergency blankets making thorough, individualized research a prerequisite. A detailed discussion of each product will follow, but this post aims to guide you along the journey of unveiling the ultimate emergency blanket to elevate your camping experience.
When picking an emergency blanket for camping, consider its usability; it should serve as more than just a blanket, possibly a shelter or signal device. Select one made from durable, waterproof, and windproof material for protection against weather, with an inner layer that reflects body heat. Keep portability in mind; it should be compact and lightweight. The size should comfortably cover an adult, and its visibility matters, so pick bright colours like orange or red. Look for a blanket that retains over 90% body heat and is durable enough to resist tears. Easy unfolding and use are ideal, reinforced corners are a plus, and it should be reasonably priced without compromising quality.
General Medi Emergency Blanket
This is a 12-pack of emergency blankets made by General Medi. These thermal blankets are made from durable, military-grade aluminized polyethylene mylar. The size of each silver-colored blanket is 82.6 inches in length, 51.2 inches in width, and they collectively weigh 1.3 pounds. It’s designed especially for all weather conditions making it a considerable addition to camping equipment and home/ auto emergency kits. The key feature of these blankets are their abilities to reflect up to 90% body heat, making them perfect for preventing hypothermia and shock. Besides, the brand promises a high-quality product, which withstands various weather conditions as it is waterproof, windproof, and moisture-proof. Despite their durability, they are lightweight and can be reused without any degradation.
Features
List of Features:
- Material Composition: Aluminized Polyethylene Mylar
- Thermal Efficiency: Reflects up to 90% of body heat
- Reflective Coating: Yes, silver color
- Weather Resistance: Waterproof, windproof, and moisture-proof
- Durability: Reusable, can withstand various conditions
- Weight: 1.3 pounds for the 12-pack
- Folded Dimensions: Compact to fit in small spaces
- Unfolded Dimensions: 82.6L x 51.2W
- Recommended usecapacity: For Adult in sports and outdoors, Camping, etc.
- Extra Features: Multiple usability, even beyond emergencies
Pros & Cons
The General Medi emergency blankets clearly have several pros. These are lightweight and, therefore, very portable, making them ideal for camping or any outdoor activities. They are also waterproof and windproof, impervious to moisture, and have proven effective at reflecting body heat, warding off hypothermia. They can be used in various ways- used as a ground tarp, lining pet crates for warmth, keeping indoors warm during winter, and even applied in gardening and marathon running. Being a 12-pack, it offers excellent value for money. The blankets are reusable, a practical factor for economic and environment-conscious users. The blankets are large enough for adult use, and their bright silver color makes them highly visible, adding an emergency visibility feature.
However, our research presented a few drawbacks to the General Medi emergency blanket. The most notable is that the reflective silver layer tends to wear off after a few uses, which could potentially reduce its thermal efficiency. While they serve as versatile utility items, there were no mentions of grommets at the corners, limiting their application in making ad hoc shelters. Despite their durability, few instances suggested the issue of the product getting easily torn, which might be a concern in rough uses.
Leberna Emergency Survival Mylar Thermal Sleeping Bag
The Leberna Emergency Survival Mylar Thermal Sleeping Bag is a multipurpose product designed for all seasons and outdoor activities like camping and hiking. The sleeping bag is made of durable, insulating Mylar fabric developed by NASA for space exploration with the ability to retain and reflect back 90% of body heat. The product is waterproof, windproof, tear-resistant, and lightweight, making it an ideal emergency survival kit. This rectangular, one-person occupancy blanket is 7 inches long and 3 inches wide with a maximum height recommendation of 5.83 feet. A special feature of this bag is its bright yellow strip, intended to provide high visibility in any setting.
Features
- Material Composition: Mylar, Reflective
- Thermal Efficiency: Retains 90% of body heat
- Reflective Coating: Yes
- Weather Resistance: Waterproof and windproof
- Durability: Tear-resistant
- Weight: 12 ounces
- Folded Dimensions: 7×3 inches
- Unfolded Dimensions: 84×36 inches
- Recommended Use Capacity: Adult (maximum height 5.83 feet)
- Extra Features: High visibility yellow strip, 120 decibel whistle
Pros & Cons
The most significant advantage of this product stems from its light weight and compact size, allowing it to be easily packed and transported. Its capacity to retain most of the body heat provides comfort during chilly weather conditions. The sleeping bag’s waterproof, windproof, and tear-resistant properties ensure longevity and durability. Users are also likely to benefit from the presence of an upgraded head cover that covers the entire body, enhancing warmth. It also includes a 120 decibel whistle for use in emergencies.
While the inclusion of a drawstring closure is beneficial, the absence of a feature to snug down the opening could be a disadvantage, leading to possible heat loss. Its thin material, although designed for space exploration, may not offer adequate thermal protection when in contact with cold surfaces, suggesting the need for an additional thermal barrier. Being disposable might also defeat the purpose for some users looking for a more sustainable option. Furthermore, although the bag is reported to be large, it might not provide enough room for people taller than the recommended height.
The Atomic Bear Emergency Blanket
The Atomic Bear Emergency Blanket is primarily made of polyethylene material with a mylar fabric type. Available in a gold color, the blanket serves as a waterproof and lightweight survival tool designed for adult users. This product is suited for various outdoor sports such as fishing, camping, and hiking. Measuring at 82L x 52W, the blanket is small in size, designed to accommodate users up to 6’5″ tall and is effective in all circumstances due to its weather-resistant nature. The blanket’s theme is car-centric, and it follows a solid pattern to provide the best potential for visibility in winter seasons. Packaged in a resealable protective bag, the product can easily be stored in various places like in a car, backpack, or jacket pocket and weighs around 2 ounces. Made in China by The Atomic Bear, this specific model of emergency blanket is also the 77th bestseller in Camping Emergency Blankets on major retail sites.
Features
Pros & Cons
In relation to our expectations, the Atomic Bear Emergency Blanket achieves several pros or positives. Its lightweight, waterproof and windproof material makes it robust and suitable for use in various weather conditions. This factor ensures that it can be conveniently carried on camping or outdoor activities without adding much weight or taking up space. The size of the blanket is also advantageous as it is large enough to cover an adult user comfortably. With regards to its visibility, the product’s solid gold color allows it to be easily spotted from a distance. Moreover, the blanket is capable of retaining a high percentage of body heat, making it efficient in maintaining the user’s warmth. Lastly, it appears to be durable, can be reused, and has reinforced corners with grommets, adding to its simplicity and multiple uses including acting as a makeshift shelter or a survival tent.
However, in contrast to our initial expectations, the Atomic Bear Emergency Blanket comes with several cons. Starting with the most apparent issue, the blanket tends to slip off when used, requiring an additional cover or weight to hold it down. Additionally, while the blanket maintains a good balance between cost and quality, it seems to be on the smaller size compared to other similar products. This might limit its effectiveness in fully providing warmth or shelter during an emergency. Besides, there are concerns about its usability and user-friendliness. While the blanket is simple to unfold and use, some might find the steps required slightly complex. Therefore, in urgent situations, the user may face difficulties in quickly utilizing the blanket. Finally, the product does not specify its heat retention percentage, raising potential doubts about its efficiency in preserving the user’s body heat.
General Medi Emergency Blanket
The General Medi Emergency Blanket is a product specifically designed to cater for all-weather conditions for adults during camping and other outdoors experiences. Its primary materials include durable aluminized Mylar and Aluminum. The blanket is a shining Silver color, providing visibility in emergency situations. The blanket is lightweight, weighing a mere 1.3 pounds and it’s offered in packs of 12. The product has a description of being water-resistant which enhances its usability in varied weather conditions. Crafted in China by HANGZHOU AOSI HEALTHCARE CO., LTD, this product has secured a top position among camping emergency blankets and outdoor sports.
Features
- Material Composition: Aluminized Mylar, Aluminum
- Thermal Efficiency: Reflects/retains up to 90% of body heat
- Reflective Coating: Silver color
- Weather Resistance: Water-resistant, windproof, moisture-proof
- Durability: Reusable, made from military-grade material
- Weight: 1.3 pounds
- Folded Dimensions: Not specified
- Unfolded Dimensions: 82.6’L x 51.2’W
- Recommended use: Camping, all-weather outdoor activities
- Extra Features: Can be used for various purposes beyond survival, comes in a 12 pack
Pros & Cons
The positives of the emergency blanket include its high-quality design, made from military-grade aluminized polyethylene Mylar that provides durability and reliability. It’s beneficial attributes consist of being waterproof, windproof, reusable and moisture-proof which extends its usability. The blanket performs exceptional thermal efficiency, being able to retain/reflect up to 90% of the user’s body heat, which may prevent hypothermia. Our research has shown that customers have found various uses for it even beyond survival instances such as padding for pet crates, as a ground tarp and for keeping indoor spaces warm during winters and cool during summers.
Although this blanket has many perks, our research has found a few drawbacks. The silver coating of the blanket has shown signs of wear after multiple uses which may potentially limit its reflective properties and thus, reduce its warmth retention capacity. Also, there is no definitive information provided regarding whether the blanket has reinforced corners with grommets, which could limit its utility as a makeshift shelter or tent. Moreover, the size could have been larger to fit bigger individuals comfortably.
Altland Emergency Blanket
The product meets most of our expectations, such as material, size, weight, usability and durability. It’s lightweight, compact, affordable and fits the purpose, however, there is no mention of heat retention percentage and lack of reinforced corners and grommets. These were key points in our expectations.
Concluding Thoughts
In considering a vast array of diverse Emergency blankets, I found myself returning consistently to the cons and pros, features, and the overall performance against the designated benchmark. After a meticulous deliberation, the General Medi Emergency Blanket stood out as a winner. Its high-performance thermal efficiency, reflecting up to 90% of body heat, paired with its encompasses all the primary criteria we outlined—durability, waterproof properties, lightweight and compact nature, all-weather resistance, high visibility, size adequacy, and most importantly, its multifunctionality.
In comparison, the Leberna Emergency Survival Mylar Thermal Sleeping Bag somewhat falls short, primarily due to its confined size and potential heat loss. The Atomic Bear Emergency Blanket, while suitable in other aspects, also lacked certain key features such as an undisclosed heat retention percentage and complex usability, which could be a significant drawback in an emergency. As for the Altland Emergency Blanket, it fell short when considering heat retention and the absence of reinforced corners and grommets. Still, the General Medi Emergency Blanket offers a prolific balance between cost and performance, thereby demonstrating not just utility-based superiority but also an economic one. With an inclusive blend of desired features and added-value characteristics, the General Medi blanket ultimately justifies being the top pick in this research.
