Survival blanket for hiking: what you need to know

Those who regularly go hiking for several days know it well: a survival blanket is an indispensable tool for coping with cold conditions and being prepared for any eventuality. Here is everything you need to know about the survival blanket.

Survival blanket: description

A survival blanket is an isothermal blanket. This means it preserves a certain body temperature, even in extreme conditions. These blankets are made from polyester. Depending on the brand and model, quality can vary. Some survival blankets are reusable, while others are single-use. They are available in several sizes, thicknesses and colours. A survival blanket has one side that is either matt silver or gold, and another side that is shiny silver. The reason is straightforward: the silver side reflects some of the sun's infrared rays, while the gold or matt silver side absorbs another portion of those rays and converts them into heat. It should be noted, however, that the primary purpose of this type of blanket is to preserve the hiker's body temperature: the heat generated by solar rays is fairly limited.

A survival blanket for hiking, ready for all kinds of conditions

First of all, it's important to know that a survival blanket serves as protection. Among other things, it protects against the cold: when you wrap yourself in it, the gold or matt silver side absorbs heat from the sun, while the shiny side preserves body temperature. Having one with you when hiking is extremely important, regardless of how cold it is. Indeed, a survival blanket is invaluable if a hiker is involved in an accident and starts to develop hypothermia. As survival blankets are waterproof, they also provide protection against moisture. This matters if you need to sleep under the stars, on wet ground, or when it's snowing. In very cold conditions, you can, for example, wrap yourself in one before getting into your sleeping bag. If it's raining, you can also use your survival blanket as a groundsheet inside your tent, which will keep your belongings and clothing dry.

A survival blanket, for accidents or 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 blanket's surfaces 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 emergency shelter if you need to spend the night on the trail and hadn't planned for it. Since it is waterproof and windproof, it can easily be stretched over an improvised wooden frame to act as a tent. You can also use a survival blanket to collect rainwater if you run out of drinking water. Finally, and not least, a survival blanket is strong enough to be used as a stretcher if a hiker is injured. This is important because injuries sometimes prevent the victim from walking or making any movement at all.

Usage precautions

Before using a survival blanket, always read the instructions. Usage may differ depending on the brand and model. Extra care must be taken with single-use survival blankets, as they can be very fragile. It is not recommended to fold a single-use survival blanket and reuse it later, as reliability cannot be guaranteed in that case. A good tip is to avoid buying a single-use one and instead invest in a good-quality survival blanket. It is very important to bear in mind that survival blankets conduct electricity. It is therefore highly dangerous to use one near a defibrillator or during a thunderstorm. Finally, a survival blanket should always be part of your hiking gear, just as much as the hiking whistle or even the first-aid kit. Even if you're only heading out for half a day or a few hours, you should always carry one, as you never know what challenges you might face. Your hike may be planned for just a few hours, but an accident or route error could force you to spend the night in the open.