[Philmont] emergency blanket

Steve Mac asks about Space blankets.

What is listed as the Emergency blanket ($3.95)is just that, for emergencies. It fits in a pocket or a day pack or a glove compartment. Don't ever expect it to fold back to the same size as it is in its original wrap. Good thing to have in your daypack if you're doing something like climbing Mt. Washington on a warm summer day, keeping in mind that it can drop into the 20's with 80 mile an hour winds without notice.

Reflects radar, is waterproof, can be made into a stretcher in a pinch. I don't think you can get more than one use out of it, but then again, I've never dared to take it out of its packaging. I think it's kind of like clown snakes or toothpaste, hard to get back in the tube once released.

The sportsman's blanket at $11.95 is another animal altogether. Buy at least one without delay, but not necessarily for use on a Philmont trek. Time was in the early 1970's that EVERY Scout had one (no fooling). I use one for a groundcloth when backpacking (not yet doing the Tyvek thing and this suits me better and is lighter than most plastic footprints). I use it as an internal groundcloth when car camping. It's durable, packs nice, reflects radar, is waterproof, can be made into a stretcher, can be used to pull a dressed deer out of the woods (so I'm told), comes in an assortment of attractive colors, and is the perfect stadium blanket.

Use it as a tablecloth when your picnic table is wet (watch for smellables), or to cover benches. Take it to the beach (sand slides right off it, unlike cloth blankets or towels), or when sunbathing at the pool. Or when you want to lay on the grass and watch fireworks or the Perseid or Leonid meteor showers. Or as a food prep area where there are no tables (Smellable warning, again). If you have a time machine, take it to a Grateful Dead concert or, if no machine, to some concert more contemporary. The Boston Pops, perhaps.

Rig it as a tarp, to cover firewood when rain threatens. It has grommets at the corners.

Just don't expect a warm night's sleep, unless it's the kind of night where you could sleep in a liner alone.

You may want to get more that one, as spouse or kids may make off with your first one. Makes an inexpensive gift, although not a stocking stuffer unless you have unusually big feet.

Well, that's all I've got. As you can tell, I'm a fan of this particular piece of gear.

Bill Sheehan, ASM
Troop 55, Pitman, NJ
Philmont '70,'72, Autumn Adventure '01,'03,'05,'07

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Received on Thu Aug 16 20:20:06 2007