Showerthought: I thought those $15 emergency blankets were just shiny trash until a night in the Smokies

I always packed one because it was light, but I figured it was a gimmick. Then, on a trip last fall, my sleeping bag got soaked in a surprise downpour. The temp dropped into the 40s and I was shaking. I ripped open that crinkly silver sheet and wrapped up, fully expecting to still freeze. Man, I was wrong. Within maybe ten minutes, the shivering stopped. It didn't make me warm, but it kept what little heat I had from just leaking out. I slept through the night. It wasn't cozy, but it worked. It changed my whole view on what 'essential' gear really means. Has anyone else had a piece of gear they wrote off totally save them?

3 comments

3 Comments

paige8616d ago

Totally, it's the stuff you don't respect that ends up being a hero. Like @terry_jones said with the poncho, it's all about that basic barrier keeping the real trouble out. Makes you rethink your whole pack list for sure.

terry_jones7d ago

What's the most underrated piece of gear you've ever had to rely on in a pinch? I'm talking about the thing you almost left behind that saved the whole trip.

terry_jones16d ago

Yeah, that "shiny trash" line is so true. I had the same moment with a cheap emergency poncho that got me through a sudden cold rain on a hike.