[Wayne]

Nice input guys, love those ideas. Garret why don't you introduce yourself in the new members forum so we can get to know you, and thanks for the input.

[vthompson]

I keep two emergency blankets in my BOB. They are handy for a lot of things whenever you sit down and think about it. For no more space that they take up, a person is silly for not having a couple.

[Scorched Earth]

Rumor has it these blankets can defeat thermal imaging. Anyone happen to know if that is fact or fiction?

What about multiple blankets?

[Celticwarrior]

Problem is that they are a reflector on both sides in most cases. It reflects IR light just like any other spectrum. If you had a heavy enough single-sided version, you might be able to fool the camera initially as the majority of your body heat would be trapped under cover. However, as Mythbusters showed when trying to fool a stationary IR unit, the body heat will eventually show through any gaps and bleed thru the fabric to some degree, and they can see that pretty easily. About the only hope you would have is if the surrounding area is substantially hotter than your reflected body temp. If you bury yourself in a trench, and put several of the blankets over you, you might be ok too, since a lot of your heat would bleed into the ground and the remainder should be reflected back at you by the blankets.

[tjwilhelm]

Those super-thin "space blankets" really do work, if draped loosely around the head and shoulders, to cut down on radiative heat loss as well as reducing evaporative cooling by blocking the wind.

HOWEVER, for those who don't find these useful, there is another version. It's the "Space" brand "All-Weather Blanket," and it's definitely more robust than the thin cheapies. I bought a few from Sportsmans Guide last year. It's a woven tarp, almost like the so-called "blue tarps;" but, the Space All Weather Blankets come in much nicer colors, and they're aluminimized on one side, just like the thin, mylar space blankets. They also have sewn fabric edges with grommets. These are great to use for a lean-to shelter with a fire out front. They do a good job reflecting and trapping the heat of the fire inside the lean-to. With some 550 cord tied into the grommets, lean-to construction is quick and easy.

Check them out at: SPACE Brand All Weather Blanket

[CuriousGeorge]

I kind of agree with Stumpknocker and T.J. When becoming aware of these around 1985, I bought one and since I like to test my equipment to understand it's capabilities, waited for a good time to try it out. A few days later it was 10 degrees and snowing in the evening when I walked home from visiting the neighbor. Entering the kitchen, I saw the space blanket on the counter so took off my jacket, sweater and shirt then went outside onto our patio in a "t shirt", wrapped myself up, covered my head with it and stood there for 25 minutes or so. I wasn't real comfortable, but it made a noticeable difference and I could tolerate the cold. Recall thinking I could stay out much longer if necessary. Since then I have always carried one in my "essentials" bag. Looking tonight, see I have some of the original "space blanket" brand, a couple of the Coleman and one of the "no-name" brands. Never thought much about a difference in quality. This topic will prompt me to dig a couple out and try them again some evening while it is still below freezing at night. Since they don't fold back up neatly, I found they can be rolled into a fairly small and managable ball and rubber banded. Even if troublesome to reuse, it is worth the few dollars invested to know you can rely on them when needed.

[raymondsimmons]

I have used them several times when sitting in front of a fire on a cold night umbrellaless. If you have used an umbrella in front of a fire you may know what I am talking about.

You wrap the space blanket not so much around you, but open to the front. When you are completely wrapped up it does not do so well, because I think anyway, while the blanket is reflecting heat from your body back towards your body. It is also reflecting heat from the fire back to the fire. The idea is to catch the heat from the fire to warm your body.

[Wayne]

Thanks for all the responses to my thread guys! What a wealth of ideas in using the blanket for more than signaling and warmth. I am still very interested in trying to start a fire with it but we've had nothing but rain and clouds here for almost a week so i'll have to wait for some sun. If any of you guys have tried it let me know. I was thinking of making a sort of crude parabola with flexible branches that could be bent into circles, maybe three in decreasing circumferences then lined with the blanket. It should work. Any more ideas out there?

[garret]

i doubt you would be able to get a good enough parabolic dish like that, they have to be pretty much perfect to work

[Wayne]

Originally Posted by garret

i doubt you would be able to get a good enough parabolic dish like that, they have to be pretty much perfect to work

I don't mean to be dificult but if i can get an ember from a chunk of ice i really think i have a shot at the blanket. No offense Garret. I'm just stubborn like that!