A survival blanket is an important addition to any emergency kit. These blankets are versatile and have a variety of different benefits. While they have their standard purposes, these blankets can be used in less common ways to make any wilderness experience that much easier.
1. Blanket or Sleeping Bag
Although rather obvious, the original purpose of the survival blanket is to warm up bodies more quickly than other kinds of layers. These blankets retain and reflect the majority of your body heat, which comes in handy during cold nights or after getting wet. For more insulation in your sleeping bag, you can line it with an emergency blanket; for those without sleeping bags, taping two blankets together can function as a makeshift substitute.
2. Pack Liner
It is important to keep gear safe and dry, whether on the move or setting up camp. While preparing for a long hike, line a backpack beforehand with a blanket to keep rain and moisture out. If a downpour comes along suddenly, you can throw an emergency blanket over your pack for added protection.
3. Food Cache
Keeping food protected is simple with a survival blanket. Just lay the blanket out, place your food supplies in the middle, and tie it securely with a rope and hang from a high tree branch. This will make it harder for bears and other animals to infiltrate your food cache as you sleep. Because these blankets are waterproof, rain or snow will not spoil your food supply prematurely.
4. Rain Shelter
Speaking of waterproof, these blankets provide everyone with wonderful protection from the elements. Drape over a tent or hang between trees on an angle for rain to run off instead of soaking through. You can even cut a small piece of the blanket and taping it to a ripped tent for quick repairs. When making a shelter from scratch, use these blankets to keep dry all night.
5. Reflector
Dropping temperatures require extra effort for a warm wilderness experience. Use the survival blanket as a reflector for a fire or the sun to heat a shelter. Even if the weather is frigid, reflecting body heat significantly increases the temperature inside any tent or shelter.
Featured Image from Greg Rosenke/Unsplash
