Adventure Medical Kits Heatsheet

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Bo T

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Feb 12, 2011
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These are available (60" x 96") for about $6. Given the weight 3.5 oz. are they worth the additional cost over the mylar space blankets? Can they be made into a decent emergency shelter with a few feet of duct tape?
 
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They are absolutely worth it over a regular mylar blanket.

They also make fairly good makeshift tarps by putting soil or a small rock in a corner, fold some corner material around it and tie one end of a line (the stone keeps the knot from just sliding off). Being orange on the outside makes them good for rescue signaling as well.
 
They are worth every bit of the $5 more than the $0.97 space blankets. They are much more durable, and are better for signaling, as mentioned.
 
I think I read in another thread on space blankets that Joezilla is doing a field test on the new AMK products.

DancesWithKnives
 
I was about to refer to that same video. He left it up for weeks in all sorts of weather including storms, and it held up well. I keep one around.
 
Absolutly. The extra cost and weight are minimal and the AMK blankets are much more sturdy and durable than the typical "space blanket".
 
Bo T said:
DELETED. Given the weight 3.5 oz. are they worth the additional cost over the mylar space blankets? Can they be made into a decent emergency shelter with a few feet of duct tape?
Click to expand...

Some friendly advice... Delete the seller details and cost as they breach the 'Deal Spotting' rule.

That apart, the large Heatsheets are really versatile bits of kit, whose usage is limited by imagination only.

Any test or review by Mistwalker is gonna be well worth reading.
 
purchase the 2 person ones, they are just a fraction heavier (and a tinier bigger folded up), but the extra size is well worth it imo

compared to your run of the mill "space" mylar blanket- no comparison, Heatsheets are much better
 
Thanks for the info everyone. Mistwalkers review was very helpful. These are definitely a 'should buy' for me.

Re: 'deal spotting' I hope that removing the seller from the thread was enough. I've seen prices posted in a number of other threads and it was important in this thread as a cost benefit comparison.
 
mtwarden said:
purchase the 2 person ones, they are just a fraction heavier (and a tinier bigger folded up), but the extra size is well worth it imo

compared to your run of the mill "space" mylar blanket- no comparison, Heatsheets are much better
Click to expand...

Agreed on the advice for purchasing the large ones. Having played with both, the biggest selling feature on the heatsheets is that they are tear proof. If you nick the mylar one it instantly begins to tear and pretty soon you have tinsel. Basically, the AMK ones behave exactly like a heavy duty garbage bag. Rather than tear, it sort of stretches just like a garbage bag does. In fact as somebody pointed out in another thread, the barrel bags are perhaps as good as the heatsheets at a bargain except you don't have the coating on them. In some cases, having a bag formation rather than a blanket is more desirable. Really depends on anticipated uses.

Another selling point on the heatsheets is that they are packed with survival information on the orange side. Lots of great advice written on there from shelter building to medical and signalling advice. Its a very well thought out product.

Like all blankets of this sort, they are best when you purchase them machine packed. Once you open that baby up, you'll never get it to fold as small as the original was. However, I have re-used my opened one up many times on different things and I can usually scrunch it back up into a ziplock sand which bag. Keeping in mind that it is basically a sheet of plastic with a reflective coating on one side and orange on the other, it really is a great piece of kit. If you take the bother to buy one, then you might as well buy three or four and shove them in the BOB, car etc.

For a versatile tarp, I think the casualty blankets are far superior still. They are much, much heaver and bulkier but serve as a great ground cloth, real tarp.

Here is an old video I did using both a heat sheet and casualty blanket to work up a bowdrill in the snow. The blankets don't show up until 2.18 min, so you can skip to that part.

[youtube]BtSBMefrtkU[/youtube]
 
Thanks for the video kdg, it was informative. I did buy several heetsheets yesterday and I think I will buy a couple of the blankets for my house and cars. The heetsheets are for my fanny pack (and gifts) to be used for day hikes, fishing, and the such.
 
kgd, have you tried the AMK Thermolite Bivvy? It is kind of in the middle between the Heatsheets and the blankets. There is a bit of additional weight and bulk, but nothing unreasonable, and the material is kind of like a tarp. I carry one of those instead of a Heatsheet because I find them even more useful. They actually work pretty well in cold weather for adding heat to a hammock.
 
I do have the thermolite bivy 2 and agree Storl that it is a great product. It packs to about the size of a silnylon tarp and used in conjunction with one would be a great emergency shelter. Never tried the AMK bivy with my hammock. Very good idea!
 
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