7 Amazing Ways to Use an Emergency Blanket

Mylar blankets, also known as emergency blankets, are simply amazing. They  are mildew resistant, and do not shrink or crack over time. They are also designed to reflect heat. Due to their useful features, they are often found in your camping bag or car emergency kit. However, do you know about all the creative ways to use them?

Here are some of the best ways to use an emergency blanket:

1. Gathering Water: Emergency blankets are made of a non-porous material, which make them perfect for catching and collecting water. If it is raining, you can dug a hole in the ground and cover it with the blanket. The rain water will be collected in it easily. To avoid the mud entering along with the water, make sure that you raise the edges from the ground. The best way to ensure you get the purest form of water is to tie the corners of the blanket to four trees, and place a small rock in the middle of it so as to weigh it down.

2. Reflecting Heat: Emergency blankets make for an excellent heat reflector. Most of these are designed to withstand temperatures as high as 500 degrees Fahrenheit.  So, you can place them near a campfire in a way they reflect its heat to the area where you plan on resting at.

3. Cooking: You will be surprised to know that an emergency blanket can also help you cook food, even if there is no source of fire. All you have to do is fashion the blanket in the shape of a bowl, and put fine slices of meat or  vegetables in it. The hotter is the sun, the better will be results.

If you have campfire then you can cook the food even faster. Just place the aforementioned bowl near the campfire, and it will cook the food within minutes. However, make sure you do not let the blanket come in direct contact with the fire.

4. Building a Shelter: You can use an emergency blanket to build a sturdy shelter. All you need other than the blanket itself, is some duct tape or paracord. You can tie two corners of the blanket to trees, and other two to the ground to create an instant shelter. It will be strong enough to provide protection from blazing sun or heavy rain.

5. Signalling: Almost every emergency blanket comes in a gold or silver finish. Its shiny surface can be used for reflecting light, and you can tie yours at the top of a tree so that it can be detected easily by the others.

Another use of the reflective coating of an emergency blanket is making trail markers. You can cut your emergency blanket into small pieces to create a trail. During night, a flashlight will bounce off these pieces making the trail clearly visible.

6. Drying Your Clothes Faster: If your clothes have got wet, you can dry them quickly and easily by simply placing them over an emergency blanket under the sun. You won’t even have to bother creating a hanging line this way.

7. Luring Fish: Fish are attracted to shiny things. This is where an emergency blanket can come in handy. You can cover a pebble with a piece of the blanket, and with that, catching a fish won’t be difficult. You can also use the blanket for cleaning the fish afterwards before you cook it.

It is indeed surprising how a single sheet of thin blanket can be used in so many ways. Make sure you enjoy making the most of yours next time you go out for camping!