Emerg blanket to increase R value

[Rob]

Would placing one of those silver emergency blankets under you sleeping pad increase your warmth? Me and a buddy were talking about this other day. Anyone try it before?

Cheers, Rob

[86k20]

the foil faced bubble wrap used to insulate duct work would be a better choice. You get R value and the reflective properties vs just reflective.

[SaintSix]

short answer. Yes. but 86k20 pretty much nailed it. there are also sleeping bag liners you could buy to improve warmth without having to upgrade to a colder weather sleeping bag.

[knothead]

Get a thermarest mattress, mine has an R value of seven. I doubt you can beat that with any concoction of space blanket and some other mattress which will end up falling apart in the middle of the night anyways.

[shottyshooter]

They work by reflecting radiant heat back towards you instead of it conducting into the ground. Everywhere your body weight is squished against it will create conductive heat loss but the rest of it will reflect heat back and as you move around it will still kinda work even below you. I know some of the sleeping pads have a radiant/reflective part on the bottom so the air space in between allows it to work better. They do work good underneath a hammock because you're not squishing into it and creating conductive heat loss.

[bighornbob]

I used to take a chunk of blue foamy to sit on while glassing for sheep. I now pack a 4 or 5 foot ridge rest foam. Way better for sitting on as its three times the size, can lay on it etc. Keeps your ass dry, great for afternoon naps, can be used in an emergency if you can't get back to your tent. When back at camp I slip it under my regular inflatable pad, increases the R value and protects the air pads from sharp objects that somehow always end up under your pad.

bhb

[Blockcaver]

Rob, I'm sure the reflective effect of the space blanket would have some value as well as protecting your inflatable pad. However I'd buy a Thermarest Z-lite closed cell folding foam pad and cut it down to 3, 4 or 5 folds to sit on as bighornbob says and put under your regular sleeping pad. Give the left-over cut-off part of the pad to your hunting partner. Each section of a Z-lite weighs an ounce, and they have a silver reflective coating on one side...yellow on other. Very nice to have on any back pack hunt to sit on to glass, nap on, kneel on in the vestibule, etc. They come in 10 or 14 fold pads. I don't find them thick enough to sleep on all night as the only pad, but they sure work great for the above mentioned use.