Space blanket experiment

Andy in NH said:
I've dug a few two-man fighting positions with a USGI e-tool.

entrenchingtool.jpg


They work better than using your bare hands. [thinking]

The bolt connecting the handle with the blade would shear with great frequency.

If they were around, it was always better to borrow a real shovel from the AAV crew. Better yet was to find a Combat Engineer with a S.E.E. Tractor and have him use the backhoe to dig.
Click to expand...

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Great thread Andy! I am glad to see this sub forum being used seriously useful, instead of spawning a bunch of mall ninja jokes.

Timber said:
pudknocking peckerwood
Click to expand...

Dude I almost spit soda all over my laptop once I sounded that one out.
 
A) Awesome review. Rep inbound for even taking the time to do that.
B) E-tools are only useful if you find one of your troops sleeping on watch. Sometimes folks lose their discipline, and they need to dig pretty deep to find it.
 
This could open a real opportunity. Imagine what you could do with a lightweight Goretex / Tyvek blend fabric in a sleeping bag ("slanket"? "snuggy"?) shape? I wonder what the raw Goretex material costs per yard.
 
Coyote33 said:
...a lightweight Goretex / Tyvek blend fabric in a sleeping bag...
Click to expand...

It's already been done (minus the tyvek)

A USGI Gore-tex bivy sack and a USGI poncho liner does well down to about 40* or so.

318HTPCXXNL._AA300_.jpg
 
Last edited:
Andy - great review. I've been eyeballing one of these at DSG - think I'll pass. I am curious as to how a chemical handwarmer, or better yet a body warmer would do over the lantern. I have used those in sub zero to "pre-warm" my sleeping bag with great results...

The Chinese E-tool video was funny - loved the Wild West music... May buy one just to chop onions... [smile]
 
My favorite shelter is a Hennessy Hammock.... Packs very small, is very comfortable and is absolutely dry in the rain.....

Only downside is you have to have a stand of trees to support it.....

http://hennessyhammock.com/

Chris said:
You might want to look at the Thermolite Bivvy:

146_335x335.jpg
146-hi1.jpg


It's only a little larger than the Heatsheets one you tests, but I found it a bit more comfortable due to the texture of the interior. I don't have nearly as detailed a test as Andy did, but when I tried it, I found it perfectly suitable as a shelter assuming you were dressed properly for the daytime conditions. I didn't sit, however, I made an arrangement of dry leaves and laid down in the bag. If I recall correctly, the night was about 50 degrees so that might have made all the difference. It's advertised as a 50 degree bag. Caught my attention when I was reading about ultra-light shelters. Quite a few people are using a TarpTent shelter and this bag as a primary camping setup for traveling light.

Their favorite tent was the Sublight which is less than 20oz and 14"x4" packed. Its designed to use treking poles to support it, but just about anything (including an overhead branch) can work.

sublitetyvek2.jpg


My choice for a personal shelter is the Moment:

Moment_interiorwallvent.jpg


It's 10 oz. heavier and 20"x4" packed (still very small and fits inside my pack easily) One pole design (requires staking out) It is also better ventilated, offers gear storage, completely dry entry after setting up in the rain, and has more interior room (6ft person can sit and lay and not touch the outer shell). Also, the fabric used will remain water repellent even in extended storms.
Click to expand...
 
Good write up thanks. A few heat pouches would have helped.

I carry one in my get home back, but I don't expect it to be comfortable, just hoping to retain some heat and maybe keep me alive through the night.
 
Bob J said:
.... Hennessey Hammock....
Click to expand...

I love mine.

For me it brought back the joy of sleeping out overnight. No more finding or clearing a level spot free of sticks, roots and rocks. No more sore hips, shoulders, or back from laying on the hard ground. Its great if you are a side or back sleeper.

There is a small learning curve for getting in and out, but it's not a big deal.

Because they are up off the ground, they can be a little cooler than expected. That's great in the summer, but this time of year you can get chilly in it real easy. I've spent a night in it when the temp was in the 50s in a bag which was normally good down to the 40s and was a little chilled. The next night I wrestled a 1/2 length pad in with me and was good to go. I've seen some tips and techniques for sleeping in them in the true winter, but I have not given that a try.

(not my pic)

hennessy-ultraLite-backpacker-a-Sym-hammock.jpg
 
Last edited:
Andy in NH said:
I love mine.

For me it brought back the joy of sleeping out overnight. No more finding or clearing a level spot free of sticks, roots and rocks. No more sore hips, shoulders, or back from laying on the hard ground. Its great if you are a side or back sleeper.

There is a small learning curve for getting in and out, but it's not a big deal.

Because they are up off the ground, they can be a little cooler than expected. That's great in the summer, but this time of year you can get chilly in it real easy. I've spent a night in it when the temp was in the 50s in a bag which was normally good down to the 40s and was a little chilled. The next night I wrestled a 1/2 length pad in with me and was good to go. I've seen some tips and techniques for sleeping in them in the true winter, but I have not given that a try.
Click to expand...

I was looking at one of these for light camping awhile back, but I wasn't sure if I could justify the money for a hammock. Maybe I should take an other look.
 
edmorseiii said:
I was looking at one of these for light camping awhile back, but I wasn't sure if I could justify the money for a hammock. Maybe I should take an other look.
Click to expand...

I have to say they are really nice..... Have slept in a number of driving rain storms and been very dry while those in tents had everything soaked..... The trapezoidal design also enables you to sleep flat and not with the normal "banana" curve which is a big improvement for your back.... Like Andy said in his post, it can be cool when the weather is on the chilly side but I have the cold weather attachment which really helps.... This consists of an under hammock foam pad which I have covered with a space blanket.... Very comfy in moderately cool weather.....
 
Thanks here, also. I have used 2 of the "heavy duty" SB's (burlap glued to the back side) to make a mummy style bag, with velcro all around. In a hammock, on a ground sheet, inside of a 2-poncho tent (suspended on chute cord strung between 2 trees) wearing Expedition wt Thermax longjohns GoreTex cammies, a heavy winter coat, a skimask and ski gloves, (and a silk "bag-liner") I slept OK at 20 degrees +F. I'd be ok just laying around at 10degrees, too. Sleeping reduces your metabolism and to be comfortable enough to sleep, you have to be warmer than just lying about. I appreciate your taking the trouble to record this. However, some safety tips, for others. Don't have a flame-based item, inside even a possibly-unvented space, especially if there is the smallest chance that you might fall asleep!. CO and CO2 are killers. A keychain LED light would have sufficed for the temp readings, etc, without all the risks inherent with fires.

Because of the Velcro seams, I need not worry about broken or jammed zippers. The bag is a lot less bulky-heavy than a conventional bag, getting torn doesn't lose the "guts" of it all over the trail, getting wet just means that I have to shake it off. It has other uses, as a reflector, rain catcher, insect gatherer, etc, which a normal bag can't match. 20 degrees is quite cold. If you move at night (shtf) or at least, stay awake, and sleep during the day, most of the US will rarely be that cold during the day, and the great majority of the places and times that it does,there will be snow with which to create a much warmer shelter. If need be, you can start a fire, in a low area, at night, to protect you from the light and smoke being seen by enemies, and use it to heat rocks. Bury the rocks under 1-2" of dirt under your hammock, inside your tent/shelter and they will provide 20 degrees or so of heat for several hours. This saves on wood, movement (especially in snow, leaving tracks and fighting that melting, clinging-nasty stuff!) so you have less exposure to both the elements and enemies.

Most of the above gear is useful if you move around, too. Nearly all of it can be wrapped around you as clothing, rain gear, etc. Try that with most bivvies, tents, or sleeping bags! :)

I've also spent 4 hours with just a light coat, out in rain/wind, at about 40 degrees F, wrapped in a SB. That night, while it was inefficient and a hassle to hold my SB shut around me, it probably saved me from Pneumonia, perhaps death had help not arrived at all that night. I would not be without an SB, but the "pocketable" one is too tear-prone, likely to let you down real bad. Best have one that is much "tougher" (they still tear if used much, on several nights) So some tape to seal the tears with is a great idea. Not much tape, mind, just a bit wrapped around a pen or a knife handle would go a long ways towards mending serious, foreseeable probs!

Have a way to seal the SB material around yourself! If it is so cold that you must pull your head inside, the moisture from your exhalations will soon chill the air inside your bag. So you'll have to open it and shake out that air, and then again warm up the air around yourself with your body heat. Very nasty way to do biz. So you really need a separate, Mylar "hood" to pull up around your head/neck, and a drawstring to keep it in place. Even then, you'll still have to get rid of the body vapor, 1-2x a night, or get unacceptably chilled. A lot of the OP's troubles came from the bag being too small for him, true?
 
Pneumonia is a helluva lot easier to "catch" when stressed out by exposure to cold, wet conditions, tho.
 
ACfarmer said:
Nice review.. rep points in bound.

I would think that installing one the these blankets inside a sleeping bag would prove more of an issue as condensation would buildup inside your sleeping bag... kind of like a cheap tent that doesn't breathe and waking up to rain drops inside.
Click to expand...

I've read a few reviews of those foil bivy products that all mention this issue. One reviewer said he was soaked from condensation after a night in one. It did maintain a livable temperature, but if completely sealed-in including your head, your own breath is enough to cause dripping condensation after a few hours. Your body also gives off moisture as well.
 

Similar threads

Good source for moving blankets?
Replies
8
Views
674
Enzo
Enzo
The Great Garlic Experiment
2
Replies
32
Views
9K
richc
richc
Bug out experiment
2
Replies
58
Views
11K
spcantwell
spcantwell
Econmical cold weather blankets
2
Replies
31
Views
6K
je25ff
je25ff
Emergency Mylar Blanket - 52" x 84" - Pack of 12 Blankets
Replies
7
Views
3K
Mainer
Mainer
Back
Top Bottom