I've had one of hese, off and on, in my packs over he years. I haven't had one the last 7-8 years or so, but one turned up in my stocking last Christmas.

It's a MPI Outdoors "Space brand Emergency BAG"

So you get in it like a sleeping bag.

Anyway, I don't recall using a space blanket since I was about 12. And I think we were just fooling around, seeing how it worked...

Has anyone actually used one for real? Do they work?

I keep one folded up in my family tent and use it for my children. It does help them keep warm. I also keep one in my overnight pack just in case I need some extra protection from the elements.

Short answer...no they are nothing more than a Wind Breaker

See below

A "space blanket" is a blanket designed to be used in emergency situations to reduce heat loss from a person's body. The blanket consists of a thin sheet of plastic material (often PET film) that is coated with a metallic reflecting agent, usually gold or silver in color, which reflects about 80% of the wearer's radiated body heat back to him or her.[1] In the US, space blankets are made by vacuum depositing a very precise amount of pure aluminum vapor onto a very thin, durable film substrate. Space blankets are included in many emergency, first aid, and survival kits because they are usually waterproof and windproof. That, along with the light weight of space blankets, has made them popular among outdoor enthusiasts and emergency workers. Space blankets are also used by marathoners, given to them at the end of the race. The first space blanket was designed in 1964 for the US space program. Light weight is the main advantage of space blankets.

Because space blankets are generally poor at preventing heat loss due to heat conduction from a person to his surroundings, there is controversy regarding the usefulness of space blankets. For mountaineering purposes a bivouac sack is much more effective.

Looks like the short answer is "depends on your application and needs".

They're good to put on a lean-to in order to reflect the radiated heat from the fire onto your poor shivering body. Think of a reflector oven and you'll get the point.

the chef

quote:

Short answer...no they are nothing more than a Wind Breaker

I disagree, I have used them and they do in fact help contain your body heat. Isn't that the goal in the first place?

They reflect body heat......

They also reflect MOISTURE from your body....

I'm not a big fan of space blankets/bags.

I've carried one for years in my daypack when hunting. Never had to use it to set up camp in a "survival" situation but it's kept me warm and dry when an unexpected rain storm blew up on a few occasions.

I can't find any of the heavier tarp style space blankets with the brass grommets along the edge locally. Are they still manufactured and if so who sells them?

Rick R

I think this might be what you are looking for.

http://www.campsaver.com/product.php?cid=101&pid=127000p

Ian

Ian,

Thanks

I broke my leg while hunting and spent 5 hours in the woods on a December night. Luckly it was not real cold, but I had a space blanket and was glad I did. I can tell you for sure, you cannot get in one of the bag types with a broken leg, I couldn't anyways. I think the heavier blanket with the grommets is way better and that is what I carry now. The doctors were amazed that I lived. Did the space blanket help? I do not know, but it sure seemed nice to have at the time. I was one mile from the house that night and had gone out for the last hour and a half of light. I will always carry one wiht me, you just never know.

I always thought those things were for signaling aliens...

quote:

"Space brand Emergency BAG"

I found myself chasing elk two canyons away from my spike camp at dark while bow hunting Colorado about 5 years ago.

No problem I says, I'll just lay down inside my Space Brand Emergency Bag I've been hauling around for several years in my hunting pack.

At first I thought it was pretty neat, laying there on the pine needles inside the bag. I went to sleep nice and warm. About an hour later I woke up uncomfortable.......from being soaking wet!!!

I tried cutting ventilation holes in the bag to eliminate the moisture build-up, but I was already wet.

I spent the rest of the night feeding a nice big fire to keep warm.

I do think the space blanket bags have their place in preventing hypothermia or treating an injured person for shock if a person were to find themselves in that sort of predicament, but don't count on them for a routine night in the woods.

Please keep carry one...it could save your life or anothers.

I do alot of stalking in the Scottish Highlands. A few years back i discovered a father and young child huddled up in a sodden ditch. They were completely unprepared wearing light rain jackets, trainers and jeans.

The kid (about 8-10yrs old i'd say) was quickly sliding into hypothermia. There was no chance of lighting a fire due to the conditions and terrain but i did have a space blanket which i wrapped around the kid.

Anyway, the rescue arrived a few hours later, my hunting trip was wasted and the father gor some stick for being so bloody stupid. But without the blanket, that kid would have had real problems.

quote:

Originally posted by Cold Rider:
........At first I thought it was pretty neat, laying there on the pine needles inside the bag. I went to sleep nice and warm. About an hour later I woke up uncomfortable.......from being soaking wet!!!

I tried cutting ventilation holes in the bag to eliminate the moisture build-up, but I was already wet.

I spent the rest of the night feeding a nice big fire to keep warm.

I do think the space blanket bags have their place in preventing hypothermia or treating an injured person for shock if a person were to find themselves in that sort of predicament, but don't count on them for a routine night in the woods.

Cold Rider, I also learned that same lesson at the 'School of Hard Knocks'!

I used an old style grommet type space blanket wrapped around my sleeping bag during a heavy snow storm (no tent).

Very comfy....... for a while.

I woke up with sleeping bag and thermal underwear soaking wet!

I almost went into hypothermia.

Space blankets/bags are great...... but only when used properly.

I just finished spending the night in a "space blanket" last week The rest of the party had two blankets I had one, it was the heavier ones with the brass grommets, for a bigger guy (like myself) they are not big enough to go all the way around you, the guys with two had a pretty good nights sleep, they did get moisture but mostly from keeping their heads inside the blankets , a good toque will help this. What I did do to keep warm (0200 it cleared off and got cold) was to put my head and shoulers inside my wilderness wanderer backpack and use the space blanket to keep the rest of me warm. SHORT story is the blankets work, I would recommend packing two if you can.

I use one quite often as add on to my bag. The heavier one one with gromets.

It can make a cold night warmer. No moisture trouble but then I just use it laid loose over my bag.

I carry the emergency ones in in my pockets in areas where i don't plan to be out over night .They sure would be better then nothing if I had to spent a night out. I carry two for the ground, one for cover.

These things are not blankets! Thinking of them as blankets can get you in trouble. Depending on conditions you have a timeline where they will help keep you warmer.... but at a certain point the build up of moisture will kick in and they will begin robbing you of heat.

They can be properly used as a tarp....held close to but off of your body they cut wind, reflect back heat and the build up of moisture can be defeated.

Why they call them blankets I don't know. Need a blanket? take wool. Need a tarp these work somewhat...and actually do have some unique advantages. I unroll mine and put in some duct tape and safety pin grommets to help use it properly.

http://www.mpioutdoors.com has excellent tutorials on first aid and survival on their web site under mpi outdoors

I've used em a couple of times as an emergency bivy in conjunction with a sleeping bag in rain or snow. They're so effective that way, and it's so convenient to be able to just toss in one of those and a sleeping bag into a day pack for side trips where you're not sure if you'll make it back to your main camp that they'll always have a spot in my pack.

Doing that for several days in a row, however, you end up with a bag that's useless from condensation.

Never used the bags by themselves though.

They are thin and can tear easy. They are hard to unfold if you have an injured arm or hand. In a wind you would have trouble hearing someone tying to come find you do to the rattling noise of the film,
You would find yourself as well off with one or two super heavy constuction type plastic trash bags (usually international orange in color too) like fit in a 40+ gal trash barrel, or a common 10 foot blue tarp, a metal match or wood matches from REI and some cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly in a film can and you can just about get thru anything. Throw in a hank of parachute cord and you will most likely stay much warmer and dry for sure. Most of those things you can do with one hand only before all is said and done.