Best Blanket

[AtlantaGuy]

Anyone have any suggestions for the best Winter blanket to purchase? I need a new one and the number of options is mind boggling. Thanks.

 

[CosmickGold]

I love my "Mini Car Electric Blanket, 20 x 24inch Comfytemp 12V 24V Electric Travel Throw with 4 Heat Levels, 5 Auto-Off & Stay on". I slept with it wrapped around my chest under a lightweight jacket, all night, and it kept me toasty warm with the temperature of my van set to 38F. It pulled very little electricity from my house battery.

 

[abnorm]

I like a heavy wool blanket.......an old Army Blanket........

 

[RVTravel]

On my trips I use a 20 degree down sleeping bag that packs up pretty small.

 

[WanderingRose]

When it gets really, REALLY cold, I wrap myself in a fleece blanket and then a down comforter or sleeping bag.

Fleece blankets can be very inexpensive, and sleeping bag liners in fleece are also available.

Works for me every time.

 

[Camper]

I'm well pleased with this fleece blanket. 131,000 good reviews too.

The link is for the smallest size, so pick your size if you order.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083MZV25Q/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_4?smid=A3LDROY0BE4ISH&psc=1

 

[maki2]

Approach it by understanding what keeps you warm. That factor is all about trapping the heat your body produces in very small air spaces. Down feathers can do that, fluffy fleece blankets can, fiber filled blankets can as well. Natural wool fibers also have that ability.

A down blanket has to have a very tight fabric covering to prevent the feathers from escaping but that fabric is not good at absorbing moisture from your body so you can end up feeling damp and sweaty. Being damp makes you feel cold. That is where a combination of fleece next to your body to absorb the moisture and either a natural or synthetic down blanket over that helps keep you warmer. As fleece blankets are easy to wash and dry and down not quite as easy it means laundry day is easy. You wash the fleece more often because the down blanket does not then need frequent washing as it is not getting moisture from your body on it. In winter my “sheets”, both bottom and top layer are fleece. You can purchase 50” or so wide fleece at fabric stores. Basically no sewing is needed to turn it into a blanket and the choice of colors and patterns is quite extensive. The “Luxe” in-house brand from Joanne Fabrics is by far the thickest and softest of the fleece by the yard that I have found. It cost more but is worth the extra price as it is warmer and softer. Walmart also sells fleece by the yard in the fabric department.

Thrift stores generally have fleece blankets in decent condition.

I personally do not like wool blankets as wool really makes my face itch when it contacts it, even the softest of wool. Wool is very warm, no question about that. When it is really cold I wear thick wool socks to bed, it does not make my feet itch, and they makes a huge difference in feeling warm all over. Sometimes I wear gloves to bed on really cold nights as I tend to have my hands out from under the covers. Of course my gloves have touch screen fingertips if I am watching videos on my tablet while also staying warm under the covers.

 

[CosmickGold]

Well, I slept in a down sleeping bag one night in a tent in a rain forest of the Olympic National Forest, and was cold! The next morning, I asked the nearest neighbor how I could have been so cold, and she explained that down feathers don't stay warm when wet. It takes wool, she said. She explained that guys who work in the rainforest wear wool jackets, because the rain doesn't hurt the wool, and wool stays warm even when soaked.

So now I have Havelock Wool insulation (imported from Australian sheep) throughout the walls and ceiling of my van, which somehow has the effect of making me feel as though I'm sleeping outside, in addition to absorbing toxins from the air and regulating moisture without mold.

 

[egilbe]

Best? A down quilt designed for backpacking. I have a 20* down quilt from Enlightened Equipment that's kept the wife and I warm down to 10*F. Of course, it costs more than some folks vehicles.

 

[JP-SLC]

and she explained that down feathers don't stay warm when wet. It takes wool, she said.

Right. When down fill gets wet, it loses its loft and goes flat. Without loft to trap air, its insulating ability is shot. Because of this and the lifghtness, we all use sleeping bags, blankets, and coats with synthetic fills (e.g. Holofill, Quallofil, etc) If you know you will never expose a down item to water, then it is a great option (e.g. a down duvet in a house)

 

[JP-SLC]

OP, not sure what type/size of blanket you are looking for, but I like to use a mummy bag with the zipper open, draped over me like a blanket. Mummy bags have a comfy/warm pocket in the bottom to keep your feet covered and warm.

 

[user 34834]

100% Wool blanket. $50
https://www.amazon.com/EKTOS-Washab...x=wool+blanket+100,aps,119&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

 

[eDJ_]

As for a blanket being used where it is dry.....Acrylic fiber can be quite warm As for sleeping bags or jackets if you can find a Dupont Dacron 88 hollow fill, those are quite warm too.....but notice what the bag is "rated" for temperature wise.

Hollow fill is kind of like Deer Hair as I understand it and it isn't vulnerable to water like Goose Down.

And at last, if you have a poncho or even a plastic tarp, you can place it on top of you and it will help keep the warmth in. (but it may collect condensation from the moisture vapor your body gives off. ...so beware of that)

 

[wayne49]

A breathable bivvy bag with a reflective inner surface eliminates the moisture build up and the reflective surface keeps heat inside. That adds 10-15 degrees to the rating of a mummy bag.

Additionally, a silk cocoon bag used as an inner liner adds more protection against cold.

 

[DLTooley]

I’m a fan of the mummy bag as blanket approach, including the toasty foot box.

I just bought one of these, synthetic and inexpensive. ALPS makes a variety of models.

https://www.backcountry.com/alps-mountaineering-crescent-lake-sleeping-bag-20-degree-synthetic

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

What is the coldest temperature you will have?

I have a synthetic down quilt and a heavy wool quilt. I sleep comfortable with these from 70ºF to 0ºF. A quilt is roomier feeling in bed vs. a mummy bag. Mummy bags are better in cold; makes a warm cocoon. Plus I have a beagle that likes to crawl under the covers when it is cold.

You can supplement blankets with socks/booties/hot water bottles, gloves/mittens, stocking cap/hoodie, and sweats if your blankets aren't enough. In real cold temps I have worn snow pants, parka, and a mad bomber hat to bed inside a -20º sleeping bag.

Down is super comfortable until it gets damp. It looses its insulating value very fast with humidity and is difficult to dry.

 

[CosmickGold]

I find I can handle temperatures as low as 30F, but below that, the air entering my nose is uncomfortably cold, so I always turn on some propane heat. Therefore, ratings below 30F would never apply to me.

 

[landyachtman]

Just as an aside, if you are sleeping where it is cold there are those who would advise you to wear a toboggan or watch cap. The military once believed that the body looses 40% of it's heat thru it's head. But that's been debunked now. It's more like 7 to 10 per cent. Still some may find that more comfortable than going without.

https://www.badgeraustralia.com.au/...-percent-of-your-body-heat-through-your-head/

 

[Bev]

A question for those of you who use the wool blanket, I purchased one several weeks ago and quite frankly it stinks, I washed it on gentle cycle in my washer and let it air dry but the funk is still there. Any suggestions?

 

[maki2]

Vinegar in the wash water might work. I used it in my wash loads at my sticks and bricks to deal with odors.