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Posted: 10/20/2016 8:15:13 PM EDT
Anyone able to point me in the direction of quality surplus wool blankets? Winter is here and I really would like to outfit the truck with 1-2 of them as I spend considerable time up in the mountains and in the back country where cell phone reception is non-existent in the event I got stranded.
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Make sure you have a couple of jars of peanut butter in your truck.
Perfect survival food that lasts a long time. |
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Keep an eye on ebay. I got a Fairbault woolen mills blanket for 35 and a small red with black strip no name as well as a queen size rust color for under 100 bucks all together. |
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Wool blankets are good but a good sleeping bag is better. Add the usual extras for winter including extra socks, gloves, hat, etc.
We had a thread about solo travel a while back with a lot of good suggestions. ETA- you might also consider a cell phone booster with an external antenna. There's always ham radio as well. |
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Try charleys surplus:
http://www.charleyssurplus.com/army_military_field_gear/blanket |
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why by used when you can get brand new Merino wool European blankets for the same price?
http://www.ohioprepsupply.com/search.php?search_query=wool these are very nice |
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Quoted:
why by used when you can get brand new Merino wool European blankets for the same price? http://www.ohioprepsupply.com/search.php?search_query=wool these are very nice View Quote Just cost me $37. I love merino wool. Harbor freight has wool blankets for $11 if you don't mind supporting communist china. They are actually pretty decent for emergency use. Our own Old Grouch also carries a nice variety of surplus blankets. |
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I hate that so many places claim to be "wool". I base my decision off of countries of origin that are naturally colder climates. Which probably is not the best strategy but hey better than nothing!
Glad a good thread popped up, keep the links coming boys! |
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If you are in Wyoming in the winter, you are going to need more than 1-2 wool blankets to keep from freezing to death if you get stranded.
You need a serious winter sleeping bag to stay warm. One that is rated to at least 0 degrees. Something like this one that is rated to -20 for $82.47 I carried a winter sleeping bag year round when I lived in Wyoming. |
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Im assuming your scenario is getting stuck in a snow storm and your vehicle is your shelter.
Personally for me I would buy like 6-8 cheap wool blankets from HF and Gorilla Tape. Cars/ Trucks are horrible at keeping in heat due to the amount of windows. Id cover all the windows I can and tape it up. The more heat you can trap in the vehicle the better. Plus it is the cost as well. Sure you can get an awesome Pedelton blanket but 1 will cost between $100-$125 and even some of the surplus blankets are in the $30 range. Id rather buy (in this case) quantity of quality. (HF blankets are claiming 80% wool) |
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I think part of the appeal with blankets is that you can wrap multiple people up and all stay warm, that's not easy to do with a mummy style sleeping bag.
I keep a Pendleton wool blanket in each car in the winter, as well as a handful of small chemical hand warmers. I suspect if the blanket is called for, we will all ready be wearing coats and hats so it is one more layer to keep warm. Also, you can comfortably walk with a blanket wrapped about your shoulders, a sleeping bag is not as amenable to such things. I bought an ugly color in the off season with a coupon I found online, I don't think I paid more than $90 for each and they are soft and heavy. |
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For wool blankets I just go for the cheap Harbor Freight option. They work great for bushcraft during the warmer seasons, but once temps start to dip anywhere below 40 degrees I want a real sleeping bag. Be it camping or in the vehicle I just use whatever big cheap sleeping bag can be got at Walmart for less then $20. Combined with proper clothing that will do you just fine for a night in the vehicle down to freezing temps. I honestly think being able to zip up is key. Of course you can always wrap up in a wool blanket but for the real situations, I want a sleeping bag.
Nothing against wool blankets, I have both, but that's JMHO. With that said, Its hard to find a nice, high quality, real wool blanket for less then $100. Once your over that price point you might as well just get something new & nice. |
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For those of you that have used both. Wool blanket or poncho liner?
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I think the advantage of wool is that it maintains warmth even when damp. If it gets wet wring it out and it's only damp.
If that isn't something you would factor in, there are other options. |
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Quoted: I think the advantage of wool is that it maintains warmth even when damp. If it gets wet wring it out and it's only damp. If that isn't something you would factor in, there are other options. View Quote Synthetics can provide more insulation, lighter, and if wet are easier to dry to return the insulative properties. |
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Anyone able to point me in the direction of quality surplus wool blankets? Winter is here and I really would like to outfit the truck with 1-2 of them as I spend considerable time up in the mountains and in the back country where cell phone reception is non-existent in the event I got stranded. View Quote You don't want to end up like this guy who died after being stranded up in the mountains for over 68 days in the winter. He had plenty of warm clothes and blankets, all kinds of survival supplies, a months worth of food, but he wasn't prepared to spend the entire winter in his truck. Turns out he was 3 miles away from a restaurant. At some point you have to get out or communicate with someone. Jerry William McDonald starved to death http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/may/15/man-who-died-in-woods-was-just-three-miles-from-to/ http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/05/14/sheriff-stranded-oregon-man-starved-froze-death.html |
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why by used when you can get brand new Merino wool European blankets for the same price? http://www.ohioprepsupply.com/search.php?search_query=wool these are very nice View Quote Can anyone report back on these? Are they nice enough for general use? Soft enough for those that usually hate regular wool? |
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I've had good luck with these. About 70% wool and have held up pretty well. And you can't beat the price! About $5
Steve Mill Fleet Farms Sona Wool Blanket |
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Quoted: Just cost me $37. I love merino wool. Harbor freight has wool blankets for $11 if you don't mind supporting communist china. They are actually pretty decent for emergency use. Our own Old Grouch also carries a nice variety of surplus blankets. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: why by used when you can get brand new Merino wool European blankets for the same price? http://www.ohioprepsupply.com/search.php?search_query=wool these are very nice Just cost me $37. I love merino wool. Harbor freight has wool blankets for $11 if you don't mind supporting communist china. They are actually pretty decent for emergency use. Our own Old Grouch also carries a nice variety of surplus blankets. I don't know how well they work if they are wet, but if the inside of your vehicle gets wet something went seriously wrong.... They aren't bad as a one or two layer "carpet" on the bottom of a tent either. |
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Quoted:
Anyone able to point me in the direction of quality surplus wool blankets? Winter is here and I really would like to outfit the truck with 1-2 of them as I spend considerable time up in the mountains and in the back country where cell phone reception is non-existent in the event I got stranded. View Quote Have no financial connection:100% Wool Blankets (not cheap) made in USA If he is getting them and selling for $175.00. Someone must be selling them for less! With no logo on them!!! If anyone fine the source, post it! PITA45 |
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Some wool blankets are flat out cold. I wouldn't be caught in Idaho, Utah, or Wyoming without serious consideration of warmth.
When I travel in winter I throw a couple blankets, a down comforter, water and my tool box in the back. Also consider a couple "not so nice" blankets in event you need to give it away or use it for an unintended purpose. |
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Some wool blankets are flat out cold. I wouldn't be caught in Idaho, Utah, or Wyoming without serious consideration of warmth. When I travel in winter I throw a couple blankets, a down comforter, water and my tool box in the back. Also consider a couple "not so nice" blankets in event you need to give it away or use it for an unintended purpose. View Quote Yep, one of my genuine US Army blankets is thinner than the others I have and has a different feel to them. I know they are all real US military surplus but there is obviously some varation in them and the one os not very warm. My Italian officer's blankets are the best that I have and one of the three of them isn't quite as soft and thick as the other two- still better than any of my US blankets though. The crappy wool blanket rides in the back of my truck as a safety blanket for winching or if I have to get under the truck or have to hand it out for some reason. |
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Can anyone report back on these? Are they nice enough for general use? Soft enough for those that usually hate regular wool? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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why by used when you can get brand new Merino wool European blankets for the same price? http://www.ohioprepsupply.com/search.php?search_query=wool these are very nice Can anyone report back on these? Are they nice enough for general use? Soft enough for those that usually hate regular wool? Yes these are super nice blankets for regular use, VERY thick and now on sale for $29.99 Merino wool blankets $29.99 |
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I have a bunch of the surplus German Bund blankets because they were the largest around.
Love the blankets. Get them if you ever find them. |
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I always just prefer a nice sleeping bag but I did buy a surplus wool blanket from GuerrillaOutfitter.com a few years back, i'm not crazy about wool blankets but this one from the site is as good as they come! Hope this helps
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why by used when you can get brand new Merino wool European blankets for the same price? http://www.ohioprepsupply.com/search.php?search_query=wool these are very nice View Quote I went with a couple of these and they have been great. No smell, very soft and very thick. Even my wife, who hates milsurp wool blankets, loves it. |
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I went with a couple of these and they have been great. No smell, very soft and very thick. Even my wife, who hates milsurp wool blankets, loves it. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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why by used when you can get brand new Merino wool European blankets for the same price? http://www.ohioprepsupply.com/search.php?search_query=wool these are very nice I went with a couple of these and they have been great. No smell, very soft and very thick. Even my wife, who hates milsurp wool blankets, loves it. |
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I also bought the $11 blanket from Harbor Freight.
Specs on this blanket: About 60" x 80", 80% wool, HF item 92625; much thinner than the Ohio Prep Supply blanket, but then I just bought the HF blanket as an emergency blanket for the car. This blanket comes with a strong odor, and I don't think the odor is wool. It smells like Harbor Freight when you walk into the store. Besides use as an emergency blanket in the car, I think these might have some value as a barter item in case of an economic collapse, although chances for that got postponed for at least four years back in November. I did manage to get the bad odor out, though, now it just smells like wool. I washed the blanket three times with Woolite. You should use the 'delicate' cycle to reduce agitation that might stretch the blanket (or wash it in a tub). Next I ran it through the dryer in the 'air dry' mode, but that step was probably not necessary because my last step was to hang it out in the sun and breeze for two days. I think that is the most important step, even if you don't wash it. The blanket gets much thicker after all this in my experience, which actually isn't a good thing for storing in a car but maybe it makes it warmer. I think I'll keep an eye on Harbor Freight ads and if they have them on sale I might get a few more. |
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I'd prefer a PLB over a surplus wool blanket if my truck got stuck.
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I just bought one of these for my son a month ago. It seems like great quality. It was 40 bux when I got it.
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