The best survival blanket should be lightweight, hold heat well, and function for different survival situations. In this article, we will be looking at the functions of a survival blanket and what the best survival blankets on the market are.

A survival blanket could save your life one day and if you are regularly hiking in unpredictable conditions and terrains, then it is an essential item for your backpack. You may be wondering what exactly a survival blanket is, what makes it so important, and why you may need one. Well, in this article, we will be answering all of these questions as well as reviewing three of the best survival blankets for the money. After reading this article you will be prepared for an emergency where a survival blanket may be needed and hopefully with our advice, you will have a blanket that will save your life if that survival situation arises.

What is a Survival Blanket?

Survival blankets are designed to keep your body temperature up to a safe level during an emergency situation where there is a risk of core temperature loss and hypothermia. These blankets are designed to trap your body heat to avoid dangerous temperature loss when you are either waiting for rescue or trying to survive a long cold night trapped in the wilderness. They are built from a heat-reflective material that is water and windproof to protect you from the elements in extreme conditions. Although survival blankets feature these great lifesaving qualities, they are small enough to keep as a last resort in the bottom of your backpack without sacrificing valuable space for other essential items.

These blankets are certainly not as insulative and comfortable as your sleeping back but if you are out for a day hike and get trapped in poor weather conditions, they may be what saves your life. They do leak warmth and will eventually let some wind and rain inside, but they are designed as a last resort and should only be used in an absolute emergency. You wouldn’t take one out camping to have a cozy, warm, and dry night sleep however you will be thankful to have one stowed away in your hiking kit just in case the worst happens.

In an emergency survival situation, you must be resourceful and make the most of everything you have in your rucksack and on your person. Although survival blankets are not going to be used every day like the other hiking or camping items you may have, they can be used in multiple different ways to increase your chance of survival in dangerous conditions. Other than being used as a blanket they can be used for multiple other purposes in a survival situation. If you manage to get a fire and a rustic shelter built in a survival camp they can be used as a heat reflector to direct heat into your shelter to keep you warm during the night.

They can be used as a groundsheet in an emergency situation and if you pack two compact blankets in your rucksack you can keep the wet, cold ground off of your body as well as keeping the heat in with a blanket on top of you. The reflective qualities of a survival blanket do not only help with directing and reflecting heat, but they also help with directing light. This can be extremely beneficial in a survival situation where attracting attention could be the key to your rescue. The blanket can be held on the hand, spread out on the floor, or strung up to a tree to reflect light to the sky or out into the ocean to attract the attention of a passing plane or boat.

Due to the waterproof qualities of a survival blanket they can be used to trap and collect rainwater as well. A blanket can be attached to four posts and sagged in the middle so if or when it rains, water will collect in the center. As well as collecting water these blankets can be used as a means of fire lighting. This will be tricky but if you get it right it could potentially save your life. Using the reflective exterior of the material in a similar way to attracting attention, it can be angled toward the sun to amplify the light and heat onto a piece of tinder. This will eventually cause the tinder to ignite and give you the start of a valuable fire.

So now you know a few things that the survival blanket can be used for, you can see why they are so valuable in a survival or emergency situation. They do not just act as a way to preserve your body heat in the cold, but also a way to collect water, reflect heat, start fires, and attract attention by reflecting sunlight to potential rescuers.

What are the Features of a Good Survival Blanket?

 A good survival blanket will be highly light and heat-reflective. These two features are the most important when looking for a survival blanket as heat and light are what could save your life in an emergency situation. Other features to look out for are weight and size. When you think of a survival blanket you most probably have a picture of a highly reflective metallic sheet, this design originally came from NASA. NASA designed the “survival” blanket as a space blanket. They designed it to be super compact and lightweight to stick to the strict rules of weight and space-saving on their rockets.

Each “survival” or space blanket should weigh no more than 2 ounces and usually comes packed down at a size no bigger than 5” x 3” and no more than ½ an inch thick. This makes it easily transportable in a coat or in a small pocket on your rucksack. These dimensions and lightweight qualities do come at a cost though. Your typical survival blanket is very thin and although they are versatile, they are not durable in the slightest. Great care must be taken when using your survival blanket as they are extremely thin and tear very easily.

The good always comes with the bad and such a small and compact item certainly comes with some down points. As we mentioned earlier this is an item you hopefully will not be using every day, so you are not looking for durability. It will rip, tear, and it will eventually leak heat and water. The idea of these blankets is to keep you out of trouble if the worst does happen, so don’t be disappointed if you try to use it regularly for recreation (it is not designed for this).

Now you know exactly what a survival blanket is useful for and the features of one, you probably want to know what the best options on the market are. These aren’t the strongest and most durable of items at the best of times, so if you are going to be relying on one to save your life it is important you buy one that functions as it should. Without further ado, here are the best survival blankets available to date.

Best Survival Blanket on a Budget

Anemeilu Emergency Mylar Thermal Blanket 

Overview

The Anemeilu Emergency Mylar Thermal Blanket is the best option for the survivalist, hiker, or prepper that is on a tight budget. A four-pack of these high-quality mylar foil survival blankets costs under 10 dollars. Once unfolded these blankets provide warm and help contain and preserve body heat and are large enough to cover even the largest of people easily. These blankets are extremely durable and all four will fit in a small pocket or rucksack without taking up too much room. The folded size is 3” x 5” x ½” and the unfolded size is 84” x 55” which makes them extremely versatile for a range of survival situations without taking up too much room in your backpack or coat pocket.

Each blanket is 100% wind and waterproof and reusable, however, the nature of the survival blanket does mean that reusing is difficult, but for the price of them, you can afford to buy plenty of stock. You will struggle to refold the blanket once it has been unpacked and used and the material will be prone to tearing. That aside, the material helps to reduce hypothermia and shock by retaining up to 90% of a survivor’s body heat which would otherwise be lost.

Pros

• Great value for money
• Comes in a four-pack
• Highly weatherproof

Cons

• Like all survival blankets they are prone to rips and tears

Bottom Line

Overall, this four-pack of mylar survival blankets is perfect for the budget prepper, survivalist, or hiker that desires peace of mind. These blankets will help keep you prepared for the worst and could save your life in an emergency situation where your life may be at risk.

Best Survival/Space Blanket

Swiss Safe Emergency Mylar Thermal Blanket 

Overview

The Swiss safe Emergency Mylar Blankets are designed in the same way as the Anemeilu but are made from a military-grade aluminized mylar that is of higher quality than the budget blanket. This pack also comes with 4 blankets inside and at the moment they also provide an extra gold-colored survival banket included free of charge. The blanket unfolds to a size of 52” x 82”, while folded it weighs less than 2 ounces and is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

This 4 pack of survival blankets is a little bit more expensive however you see where the money goes as they are lightyears ahead of most other products on the market. If you are looking for a survival blanket to have on hand in case of emergency in extreme conditions, then these are a great option for you.

Pros

• Made from military-grade mylar
• High heat holding value
• Best in its class

Cons

• Again, like all survival blankets they will be prone to tears
• Don’t expect to get it back in the original bag if you unfold it

Bottom Line

Overall, this military-grade survival blanket is perfect for the hiker, prepper, or survivalist that heads out into extreme environments often. This blanket is sure to protect you from hypothermia if you get into a tricky situation and it is a great product to have on hand in case of emergency.

Best Survival Blanket Poncho

Prepared4X Emergency Blanket Poncho 

Overview

This survival blanket is a little bit different from the other survival blankets on our list and it is not a typical traditional shape or design. This survival blanket is shaped into a poncho which eliminates the need to clutch the blanket around you when you are struggling for warmth. This is an ingenious concept as when the human body starts to drop its core temperature is becomes difficult to move muscles and grip things. Having the blanket in the design of a poncho allows you to throw the blanket on your body and curl up for warmth without the risk of the material slipping off you if you drift off to sleep.

Unlike the other survival blankets on our list, this one is reusable and can actually be used in addition to other hiking, camping, or bushcraft gear to keep you warm during recreational activities. It is far more durable and tear-resistant to your standard mylar blanket and it provides excellent heat holding values. The Prepared4X poncho survival blanket packs down a bit larger than a standard survival blanket however it is still no bigger than a deck of cards, so you will have no problems fitting it in your pocket.

Pros

• Innovative design
• Much more durable than a normal blanket
• Can be worn during hikes, while sleeping, without having to hold it around your body

Cons

• Slightly bigger pack size than a standard survival blanket

Bottom Line

Overall, this survival poncho is designed well and crafted from high-quality materials. It will keep you warm in an emergency or even during your hike, camping session, or while hunting. This is a great alternative to the traditional rectangular survival blanket.

---

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. At no additional cost to you, this post contains links that I may receive commissions for upon qualifying purchases. To view my full Affiliate Disclosure Page please click here.