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Walking and Climbing

Blizzard Gets Military Thumbs Up
 
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Blizzard Gets Military Thumbs Up
Thumbs sideways---the verdict is still out
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Blizzard Gets Military Thumbs Up
Innovative survival kit is four times more effective than normal survival bags. Better warmth than down.

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1 to 13 of 13 messages
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kevin davidsson
18/06/07 23:44
 Rookie 1 forum post
This has been discussed on some threads on a couple of UL Backpacking sites Stateside. There were questions concerning durability and re-compressability after it escapes it's vacuum packing---supposedly, it is hard to repack into a small volume. The fact that the bag is waterproof raises yet other concerns such as condensation within the bag.

Still, it looks interesting...

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Jason D (beginner backpacker)
19/06/07 11:32
 Rookie 104 forum posts
Wasn't the blizzard designed as an emergency item, and not something you would use on a regular basis?

I have one, and think it is superb for the assurance of a waterproof and warm bag that will keep me alive overnight, and weighs 350 grams. In that situation repackability and breathability are non-issues.

However, it people are starting to use it as an everyday ultralight product, then I imagine that it wouldn't fare very well!
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Matt C
19/06/07 11:41
 Rookie 20693 forum posts 883 photos 2 articles 20 bookmarks
It's meant to handle condensation pretty well because it's 3-layer construction and the inner two have small perforations which allow any condensation to be driven away from the body.

And I've seen one repacked - no ,it won't go as small as the original vacuum-packed packet, but it still scrunches down to a reasonably small bundle, especially if you take a bit of time and trouble over it.

That said, I carry mine as an emergency item through the winter, so I've not tried it first-hand yet.
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Peter Clinch
19/06/07 13:59
 Rookie 5483 forum posts 5 photos 9 reviews
We carry them as emergency items. Pals have used one in that vein on a ski tour when a client pranged a knee, and everyone was most impressed with the result for sitting around in the snow waiting for some help to arrive.

Neither they nor I are queuing up to replace our conventional bags with them, but where weight is an absolute priority it would be worth looking into. Certainly a great emergency item, when vaccuum packed they're about video-casette size. Last ski tour we took these rather than bivvi bag plus sleeping bag.
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Phrenic N
20/06/07 10:01
 Rookie 2 forum posts
Have used them loads - very warm, quite sweaty in moist conditions. very durable for their weight. Repack well if you use a hoover! Also nice & long. Good for wet people as insulation is not lost by dampness. Best used with conventional orange bag due to heat radiation issues. Also remember a blanket below is worth 2 on top. So get the person on a karrimat as a priority!
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Paul Bartlett 2
20/06/07 12:21
 Rookie 12 forum posts 1 bookmark
Could this be used an insultaion layer in clothing for example a gilet made of pertex could be filled with this rather than down or syn insulation ????
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captain paranoia
20/06/07 13:10
This page suggests that a Vest was once an option, although it no longer seems to appear on their list of products.

* assuming the Session-based URL can be seen. If not, this picture might show the vest..
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Jamie @ www.trekkingbritain.com
20/06/07 13:12
 Rookie 7678 forum posts 425 photos 9 reviews 3 classifieds
"good for wet people" Matt is that why you've got one?

<runs>
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rewrite
21/06/07 10:48
 Rookie 719 forum posts 10 reviews
they were 'featured' in one of Wednesday 20th June's BBC News reports from the US casualty receiving station at Camp Bastion, Kandahar.

a US 82AD Soldier was filmed being airlifted into the CRS on a stretcher, he was wrapped in a Blizzard bag.
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Ptarmigan
21/06/07 14:05
 Rookie 178 forum posts 4 reviews 4 bookmarks
I've also used one overnight to try it out. It was a little damp towards the end of the night - but I still slept OK. I would use it for a planned kip again in the summer if I was trying to go really light. Crucially, were I to be benighted somewhere in the winter, I reckon I'd even get some sleep - whereas I wouldn't really be that confident of even surviving the night in a poly bag.

I reckon I can get mine down to twice its original size when I try hard. I might get another to use as emergency kit and keep the one I've used for other planned bivis.

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David Newbert
13/06/11 23:25
 Rookie 8 forum posts 1 review
It's basically the same idea as used in the Ambulance Service / A/E, and post operative care that's been used for years. Nothing new really. Used this method of keeping people warm for years.
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David Newbert
13/06/11 23:29
 Rookie 8 forum posts 1 review
Actually this is nothing new. It's an idea thats been adopted from the Ambulance Service, A/E dept. Used this idea for years keeping patients warm.
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Weevil
13/06/11 23:32
i believe they're made by a company in Llanberris who will re- vacuum pack them for a price.
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