I'm confused now - are these foil survival 'blankets' actually bags you can get inside? I can quite understand a blanket being called useless.

Does anyone remember that tiny foil 'three season sleeping bag' thing that came out a year or two ago?

the foil sleeping bag is called the blizzard pack got some good reviews if I remember rightly, the only down side was trying to repack it after getting it out of its original packaging. I think I am right in saying that you can get both foil blankets and foil bags both seperate items. I carry one of the blankets as a spare on top of my bivvy bag or group shelter.

Cheers for the name, Dave, should be able to track it down now. And I'll look out for bags, not blankets

There were some guys at the OS show wearing something like a giant foil ribbed gentlemans requisite which I thought was called a Blizzard Bag but it appeared to be a jacket of sorts.

Dave's right. You can also get a weird Blizzard suit thing that looks like a cross between the Klu Klux Klan and the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz.

Generally, as I understand it, foil bags are more prone to tearing in high winds, but weigh less. If you're part of a group, multi-person survival shelters are an obvious and effective solution.

Must type faster Rob, those are the things I meant... There's a pic of the lovely Maria del Carmen Clegg wearing one in last month's Trail magazine.

I've been given foil blankets (you get bags and blankets) at the end of marathons and they're an absolute nightmare in even the slightest breeze, as well as dead easy to tear. When I did Paris they gave you a little sticker as a clasp at the neck, the blanket tore when I took it off, doubt it would stand up to any sort of abrasion against rock etc.
From what I read Blizzard pack was ok, but like Dave said was impossible to get back into pack and was only practically reusable 5 or 6 times.

I bought a orange survival bag from my local Tiso for £2 and it is a fairly big heavy thing. I've never opened it up and it just sits at the very bottom of my rucksack. I recently bought a Lifesystems "Mountain Survival Thermal Bag" or "Mountain Space Bag" depending on which label you look at. It comes sealed in small plastic bag, takes up very little space and only weighs 85 grams.

I can see the orange bag doubling up for keeping clothes dry or wet clothes seperate or whatever so I'll carry both with me.

WhenI first came to the uK I bought a foil sleeping mate. It had foil on one side and v. thin foam on the other. Worked brilliantly as regards warmth - but not much cushioning. Packed down v. small and weighed nothing.

I was thinking of re-creating it with a mylar blanket from the GNR + some 3mm flooring underlay - could make up a 5ft wide mat that would be v. small, and could actually wrap over me. Will let you know what it is like.

I've got an orange survival bag folded up down the back of my rucksac. Its been there for years (If I don't take it out I don't forget it). I certainly would not replace it with a baco-foil blanket. Its waterproof, robust, and in an emergency you can get two people in it - essential for anyone with a hypothermia victim.
Oh...and its the best sledge ever.

I always carry orange survival bag - only ever used it for climbing over barbed wire fences, very useful it is too.

I actually tend to carry both.

I've seen the good a foil blanket can do to a marginally hypothermic person. However, it was in no wind and the girly in question was in a very sheltered position.

I've had the baco-foil things deteriorate on me when they get wet, the upshot of that was keep them in the sealed plakky bag they come in until needed.

That said I do carry a rolled up yellow bag.

For some unaccountable reason it says "go scouting" on it. I'm not even sure what I should be scouting for...

I carry a 4 man bothy bag (Terra Nova) at all times. It's small and fits in my sack very well, easy to pack, great for lunch stops or even just as something to sit on. Now I have that I don't carry a survival bag anymore.

The foil blankets are more trouble than they are worth in my mind. They encourage the "user" to sit down on it to keep it in place or lean on something, and so they actualy loose more heat through conduction than anything they gain from the blanket.

Also they are so noisey that if someone does shelter under one they will struggle to hear help when it arrives ! (this I know to be true)

Still better than nothing at all I suppose? but if you are planning on being prepared I would go for the orange bags or the bothy type bags.

And the blizzard bags I tried a few months back and they are great for one off use and perform superbly,but are a nightmare to repack and the sticky bits only work really well once. Trouble is that for a one off throw away item they are V exspensive

In fact now I think about it, if you write a great review of some gear I believe Jon will give you a bothy bag.
I wouldn't hold your breath though he couldn't tell a Good review from a bag of welks :)



I'll get my coat

You better had. You nearly won last month, but what the hell, you have a bothy bag already...

At least it explains why there was a news report in the Cumbrian Gazette about a chap in Wasdale seen eating his lunch in a bag of whelks....

OK. No foil bags then.

Always carry the orange plazzy bag and in winter tend to take a bivvy-type 'shelter' just in case. Many years ago got caught on Helvellyn with the school - the bags worked well, but we weren't as warm as the group we were waiting for......who'd got totally 'lost' and gone to the pub!!!

Chipping in a bit late, and about to give myself away as a gear monster again...

I carry a foil bag, foil blanket and a lightweight orange bay packed together, so its about as big as two slices or bread. I also have a very light Vaude bivi bag, and a Vango bothy/shelter brought recently now I'm leading more groups, so its a mix and match approach for me though I'm unlikely to take the lot together!
Having a couple of items gives me flexibility in a group emergency, and therefore I don't get hung up on weight/size too much. Accept that foil blankets aren't up to much (but psychologically a boost to a casualty/shock victim?) - I was once on a VERY cold military competition in the Cambrian Mountains (it must have been bad when we huddled together for warmth, and that doesn't happen easily with tough squaddies..!) and an officer was shivering so much he broke out his foil blanket to sleep in, and it was the noisiest and most useless thing I think I've seen - like sleeping in a huge foil crisp packet!

Its the classic 'insurance' approach isn't it with this type of kit - 'I hope I never need it but I've got it if I suddenly do'...

Hmm Welks for packed lunch? Now I might just try that today :)

And Jon just joking about the reviews. Honest I'm not at all bitter!

Right to time go and play, the weather here is Soooooo good that I'm of out in the kayak for a paddle.

have a good day all

Another disadvantage noisiness of foil blankets is that they will wake everyone else up when unpacked by a foreign tourist at 2am in the seated carriage of the Euston-Aviemore sleeper.

There should be a warning on the packaging about this - something like "Caution - noisier than a thousand crisp packets".