Those who regularly go hiking for several days know it well: a survival blanket is an indispensable tool for dealing with cold conditions and being prepared for any eventuality. Here's everything you need to know about the survival blanket.
Survival blanket: description
A survival blanket is an isothermal blanket — meaning it maintains a certain temperature even in extreme conditions. These blankets are made from polyester. Quality can vary depending on the brand and model. Some survival blankets are reusable, while others are disposable. They come in several sizes, thicknesses, and colours.
A survival blanket has one face that is either matt silver or gold, and another that is bright silver. The reason is simple: the silver face reflects a portion of the sun's infrared rays, while the gold or matt silver face absorbs another portion of those rays and converts them into heat. It should be noted, however, that the primary role of this type of blanket is to preserve the hiker's body temperature — the heat generated by solar rays is fairly limited.
An emergency survival blanket in hiking, ready for all conditions
First and foremost, a survival blanket acts as protection. Among other things, it protects against cold: when you wrap yourself in it, the gold or matt silver face absorbs heat from the sun, while the shiny face preserves body temperature. Having one in hiking kit is extremely important, regardless of how cold it is. A survival blanket is a vital resource if a hiker is involved in an accident and begins to suffer from hypothermia.
As survival blankets are waterproof, they also provide protection against moisture. This matters if you need to sleep outdoors, on wet ground, or in snow. In very cold conditions, you can wrap yourself in one before getting into your sleeping bag. If it rains, you can also use your survival blanket as a groundsheet inside your tent, keeping your gear and clothing dry.
An emergency survival blanket, for accidents and emergencies
A survival blanket can also serve many other purposes, especially in a difficult situation. For example, you can use it as a distress signal if you don't have a flare or a hiking whistle. As the faces of the blanket are highly reflective, simply holding it up towards the sun is enough for rescuers or other hikers to spot you quickly.
A survival blanket can also serve as an improvised shelter if you need to spend the night on the route unexpectedly. Being waterproof and windproof, it can be rigged over a makeshift wooden frame to act as a tent.
You can also use the survival blanket to collect rainwater if you run out of drinking water.
Finally, and not least importantly, a survival blanket is sturdy enough to be used as a stretcher if a hiker is injured — which matters greatly when injuries prevent the victim from walking or moving at all.
Safety precautions
Before using a survival blanket, always read the instructions. Usage can vary depending on the brand and model. Be especially careful with disposable survival blankets, as they can be very fragile. It's also inadvisable to fold a disposable survival blanket for later reuse, as its reliability cannot be guaranteed in that case.
A good tip: avoid disposable ones and invest in a good-quality survival blanket.
It's very important to bear in mind that survival blankets conduct electricity. It is therefore extremely dangerous to use one near a defibrillator or during a thunderstorm.
Finally, a survival blanket should always be part of your hiking kit, alongside the hiking whistle and the first aid kit. Even if you're only heading out for a half-day or a few hours, you should always carry one — you never know what you might have to deal with. Your hike may be planned for just a few hours, but an accident or a navigational error could force you to spend the night in the open.
