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Those Mylar Space Blankets. Stuff you need to know

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    • Those Mylar Space Blankets. Stuff you need to know

      And clearly stuff you don't want to know... Have you used one in a emergency? yes I have, so have several others here on the trail. All those years carrying one in the back of my scout backpack was for nothing, until you need it... wow what are the expectations? how well does it work? First how well does it work? Guess what at 40 degrees you will still freeze your butt off. I planned a Dad Son camp - hike in the Pocono's of Pennsylvania years ago - he was 16 and for some crappy reason I packed one sleep bag. I didn't hesitate I gave it to him. I grabbed that old gold and silver space blanket from the 70's and broke it out, I was good for a few hours in spite of the noise of the crinkles. Then somewhere around 2-3 moisture built up under the blanket. Its less than 40 degrees at the Pocono's KOA and its raining sweat under the blanket and I am getting cold. I shook it off in the tent and wrapped myself in it again with all the layers on. The next morning the lesson was learned. I did sleep but was far from comfortable... seriously 8-16 ounces? better not to leave your down mummy bag.. After that I wanted to dump it, don't need it for UL. Right? well it doesn't work right? wrong it does work... about two years back and I remember a show from Mythbusters several attempts on using a blanket in front of a PIR alarm motion system and it didn't work. Later Columbia added microdots of mylar into the underlayment of jackets. Its 1963 space tech - so wait we have a FLIR (Forward looking infrared cameras, typically used on military and civilian aircraft, use an imaging technology that senses infrared radiation) at the office. I was about to give up and Eureka! You tubes... comes thru...Fresh Ideas!


      Ahhh Check this out a Boy Scout in front of FLIR...



      Clearly it works...




      In addition to the space blanket, the United States military also uses a similar blanket called the "casualty blanket". It uses a thermal reflective layer similar to the space blanket, backed by an olive drab colored reinforcing outer layer. It provides greater durability and warmth than a basic space blanket at the cost of greater bulk and weight. It is also used as a partial liner inside the layers of bivouac sacks in very cold weather climates. Space blankets are also used by the Taliban to hide their heat signature from NATO forces.[5]
      So do you still carry one?
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup:
    • Those Mylar Space Blankets. Stuff you need to know

      Funny - and do you have big feet and no boots? cool seriously the tech works - but sucks at the same time... I am looking into the camo versions on the internet. I am adding it to my bug out bag... (not)
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup:
    • Those Mylar Space Blankets. Stuff you need to know

      I carry one in my pack and have several that I've saved from races.

      I'm not sure what conclusion to form from that info. If it works to hide your heat sig then wouldn't it help you retain heat by reducing conductive heat loss?

      And I prefer Harry Potters cloak of invisibility, it's the bomb.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Re:Re: Those Mylar Space Blankets. Stuff you need to know

      hikerboy wrote:

      LoboSolo wrote:

      like leki poles, water filters, titanium, alcohol stoves and a lot of other useless crap, i've never used a tin foil banket and never will
      how do you feel about para cord?

      hey shuttle shellie, if you're listening, i dont believe lobosolo has one of your magic survival bracelets yet.
      its all good
    • Re:Re: Those Mylar Space Blankets. Stuff you need to know

      hikerboy wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      LoboSolo wrote:

      like leki poles, water filters, titanium, alcohol stoves and a lot of other useless crap, i've never used a tin foil banket and never will
      how do you feel about para cord?

      hey shuttle shellie, if you're listening, i dont believe lobosolo has one of your magic survival bracelets yet.

      Yes he does.
      Changes Daily→ ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫ ♪♫♪♫♪♫ ← Don't blame me. It's That Lonesome Guitar.
    • Re:Re: Those Mylar Space Blankets. Stuff you need to know

      milkman wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      LoboSolo wrote:

      like leki poles, water filters, titanium, alcohol stoves and a lot of other useless crap, i've never used a tin foil banket and never will
      how do you feel about para cord?

      hey shuttle shellie, if you're listening, i dont believe lobosolo has one of your magic survival bracelets yet.

      Yes he does.
      good. keep the old dog alive.
      wait, im older than him.
      shit.
      its all good
    • Re:Re: Those Mylar Space Blankets. Stuff you need to know

      LoboSolo wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      LoboSolo wrote:

      like leki poles, water filters, titanium, alcohol stoves and a lot of other useless crap, i've never used a tin foil banket and never will
      how do you feel about para cord?
      fuckin' beyond useless

      dunno. its kept me alive since shellie gave it to me.
      its all good
    • Re:Re: Those Mylar Space Blankets. Stuff you need to know

      One time in Scouts we took a couple of those space blankets and put them over our wood pile to reflect the heat of the fire back at us. We already knew they weren't worth a crap for keeping warm but they worked pretty good for this. Helped block the wind and made the fire warmer. You ain't ever gonna get 'em folded back like they were though.
      Changes Daily→ ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫ ♪♫♪♫♪♫ ← Don't blame me. It's That Lonesome Guitar.
    • Re:Re: Those Mylar Space Blankets. Stuff you need to know

      They're youngsters not oldtimers.....

      Space blankets are emergency blankets.
      If you carry one it's to stop you freezing in an emergency.
      You sweat under one because they don't "breathe" - at all.
      I don't carry one but they have a purpose. They fulfill their purpose.
      They are not a pleasant option.
      If you use one you are having an emergency.
      Resident Australian, proving being a grumpy old man is not just an American trait.
    • Re:Re: Those Mylar Space Blankets. Stuff you need to know

      Completely not hiking related but I redneck engineered one over the summer to tape over my back door.

      The back side of the house I live in has a bunch of windows and a door that has a full window on the screen door and then a full window on the actual door. All westward facing. That's awesome during the winter but horribly hot during the summer. My a/c was crapping out, so I had to do something to keep the temp in my house below triple digits. I taped a space blanket over the door to reflect the sun back out. It looked like a meth lab but it worked amazingly well.
      “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” - T. S. Eliot
    • Re:Re: Those Mylar Space Blankets. Stuff you need to know

      Ewok11 wrote:

      Completely not hiking related but I redneck engineered one over the summer to tape over my back door.

      The back side of the house I live in has a bunch of windows and a door that has a full window on the screen door and then a full window on the actual door. All westward facing. That's awesome during the winter but horribly hot during the summer. My a/c was crapping out, so I had to do something to keep the temp in my house below triple digits. I taped a space blanket over the door to reflect the sun back out. It looked like a meth lab but it worked amazingly well.

      That crack about the meth lab - now that's funny.
      Changes Daily→ ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫ ♪♫♪♫♪♫ ← Don't blame me. It's That Lonesome Guitar.
    • Re:Re: Re:Re: Those Mylar Space Blankets. Stuff you need to know

      WiseOldOwl wrote:

      I knew this would get a rise out of you old timers. See you tomorrow afternoon.


      It appears I'm too young to get involved in this controversy. It's like arguing if denture cream or depends are more important.
      Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
      Dr. Seuss Cof123
    • Those Mylar Space Blankets. Stuff you need to know

      I have one, and at the expense of saying "They weight like nothin" everything weighs somethin. But for the minimal weight, I use it under my tent as a ground clothe, and should I encounter a hiker in shock from a traumatic fall or something, could save a life, don't cha know.
    • Re:Re: Re:Re: Those Mylar Space Blankets. Stuff you need to know

      Rasty wrote:

      WiseOldOwl wrote:

      I knew this would get a rise out of you old timers. See you tomorrow afternoon.


      It appears I'm too young to get involved in this controversy. It's like arguing if denture cream or depends are more important.


      Well I haven't carried a space blanky in years... I like to test stuff, turns out the FLIR shows this works!
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup: