(Part 2) Best camping blankets according to redditors

Some gift ideas that have gone over well in the past:

• Standing flashlight - great for a DIYer
  
• Turkish Towel - I use it heavily when traveling. It's a plane wrap, a picnic blanket, a quick coverup, seriously worth packing.
  
• An amazing spatula. I love it. Great for any cooks or bakers.
  
• If you have an older female relative who likes kitchen stuff, go to Walmart and grab some stuff from the Pioneer Woman. It's cute, it's functional and my mother-in-law loves the stuff. Ree annoys me but she makes it easy to Christmas shop.
  
• Teen girls can be tricky. Buy a pair or two of BaubleBar (or BaubleBar for Target) earrings, buy this earring case and now you have a 2 for 1.
  
• You should buy some Yak sticks for your dog. Costco also has some great Nylabone and Kong gift packs.
  
• Every adult male I know loves this temperature gun.
  
• Every newlywed lady I know wants the Chrissy Teigen cookbooks.
  
• This throw is the softest thing ever. I have 3.
  
• Cute couple's gift (also works for a family member who is bringing someone to Christmas who you feel obligated to gift to but you know little about them): Picnic blanket. You can even add a basket and fill it with wine or cocoa and cookies. Or just gift them a gift card to a cozy restaurant.
  
• This Calvin and Hobbes collection is the best gift I received last year. And it's cheaper than it used to be.
  
  Also, here's my link to a review on here of Etsy/ArtfullyWalls/Society6 artists in case you want to shop for yourself/others with the upcoming sales.

For this scenario, I'm going to assume that you did not evacuate early, in which case you'd have had plenty of time to pack the car. So we'll say that you stuck around until getting out was no longer really an option and are now being evacced to a shelter. I'm going to start this off assuming that this only entails you and other adults, so if there are kids or pets please include specifics on those (including ages) and I will update for that.

Your BOB should include:

• A backpack, obviously. Large enough to do the job, small enough so that you don't over pack.
  
  
• Food: Three Mainstay 2400 bars which are available at Walmart for $5 each. Maybe pre-purchase one and give it a whirl before getting all three. If the taste isn't right for you there are other varieties like the Datrex bar. These are sealed water tight, last for up to 5 years, and will put up with extreme heat and cold really well. Make sure to put each bar in its own gallon ziploc freezer bag, as once opened the bars inside are not individually wrapped. The purpose here is to not be completely reliant on the shelter providing you food while also not having to worry about cooking/heating anything.
  
  
• Water: Rotate flats of bottled water in your house. In the event that you need to be rescued or bail out to the shelter, get a minimum of 3 liters into your pack. One per day. This way you're not completely reliant on the shelter to provide for you. It would also be a good idea to include a Sawyer Water Filter in case there are problems obtaining water. This is light weight and will allow you to get good drinking water for yourself from the bad if the fresh water situation does not dissipate quickly.
  
  
• Clothing: Have a change of clothes. Specifically, maybe even a couple of changes of underwear and socks. You'll really appreciate both. If you can, get it all in waterproof bags. If not, make sure the socks and underwear at least are dry. Preferably wool socks if you have them.
  
  
• Sanitation: Have your own roll of TP in another gallon sized freezer ziploc baggie. You don't know how much or if the place you go will have any. Also, tote along an appropriate amount of hand sanitizer. Not just for the bathroom, but for any time you interact with flood waters. I have disposable food gloves in my kitchen, and I'd probably consider tossing 3-4 pair in my bag. They're low weight and keep your hands clean if you end up doing some dirty work. Then... throw a stick of deoderant in your bag. That's not a necessity, but there's no reason to add more stink to what will likely already be a stinky environment. Consider also having some wet wipes in the kit to freshen up a bit.
  
  
• Health: You don't need a full med kit exactly, but have some ibuprofen or a pain reliever of your choice in fairly good amounts (others will almost definitely ask for some), some pepto tablets to either stop upset stomachs or to just back things up for a while if you don't want to use the facilities where you're staying, a small tube of antiseptic cream and band-aids for small wounds. With flood waters being filthy, you'll want to be able to treat minor cuts and scratches before they can become a real problem. Larger wounds you'll likely be able to get real medical treatment for, so you can just plan to take care of the small stuff yourself. Add in any medications that are specific to your situation as well.
  
  
• Documents: Have copies of documents that prove who you are and what you own. Have copies of insurance papers. Most importantly, have a list of phone numbers to people and companies that you would want to have in this situation. There is no guarantee that your cell phone will either survive or have a charge, so having a paper copy is crucial. Obviously you'll want to protect the more sensitive bits of info.
  
  
• Light: Have your own means of generating light. Invest in a decent 'waterproof' flashlight of some type. Here's a decent pair that won't break the bank but will give you some redundancy.
  
  Then there's comfort stuff. This one is a biggie and parts of it are largely optional, so I'll break down into its own section and you can pick what sounds best.
  
  
• First, make sure to have a charger for your phone, but if you want to be a really clever monkey then also include something that will turn one electrical outlet into many. There's near a 100% chance that someone else will have their charger plugged into an outlet with a line behind them. If you want to be sure of charging yours, bring an electrical splitter of some sort. You'll be a mini-hero to a bunch of folks, but more importantly you'll get to charge your phone. Write your name or initials on the splitter as well, just so you can prove it to be yours when you eventually need to take it back.
  
  
• Then also, you'll want to plan to take care of yourself for sleeping. A compact, light weight, and water proof blanket may well be useful for keeping you dry. Then you'll also likely want a compact sleeping bag, or maybe even one for two if you're with someone. Something small to port around, but that will give you a real blanket to sleep with. Then... there's no guarantee of a cot, so having a compact sleeping mat would probably be a smart call as well. You don't want to sleep directly on concrete if you can avoid it. For extra fanciness, don't forget a pillow, though you could probably make do without one.
  
  
• You might also want some ear plugs, as any shelter will be noisy... and people snore. Obviously sleeping with these in presents some dangers of not hearing what's going on around you, so use your judgement based on how safe you feel.
  
  
• Have cash, in small bills. Nothing higher than a 20, though plenty in smaller. Chances are atm's and credit card machines will not work, so you'll have what you have.
  
  
• Have some non digital means of entertainment. Maybe that's a book or two (though a water proofed kindle would probably last plenty long as well), or a deck of cards, or a compact chess board, or whatever tickles your fancy. Just don't rely completely on your phone for entertainment. It may be damaged or need a charge.
  
  
• Consider grabbing a camping tooth brush and a small tube of toothpaste. Sometimes it's the small things that make you feel human again. Might as well add in a small bar of soap as well in case you get a chance to take a 'sink bath'.
  
  
• Lastly, if you want to be a king of comfort in your new domain, you'll need a throne. Nothing special. Just a small back packable chair, but in a crowded shelter there might not be a place to sit other than the floor, so if you really want to splurge on this bag it's worth considering. Again, initial it so that you can later prove ownership.
  
  ----------------------------------------
  
  That's the list off of the top of my head. You can easily stop at just the necessities, or go all in and plan to be comfortable in the situation you think you're most likely to face. Hope that helps.

Umbrellas are on the prohibited item list. I got one of these to bring, doubles as a picnic blanket and a rain poncho with hood - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072HV6PLZ/

I have a pocket sized picnic blanket so that if I find myself in a park, I can lounge. It's my favorite thing that I own, next to my kindle.

This is it:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06VVVQ72B/ref=asc_df_B06VVVQ72B5245679/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=395033&creativeASIN=B06VVVQ72B&linkCode=df0&hvadid=194838933099&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5965726410321756615&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007324&hvtargid=pla-310613587562

What about one of those picnic blankets that folds up super small into like a key chain? might be nice if she wants to hang out in a park or on the beach or something. like this one, though I'm sure there's a better model out there somewhere: https://www.amazon.com/Fypo-Outdoor-Portable-Lightweight-Resistant/dp/B072ML1FZ9/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1526412368&sr=8-7&keywords=key+chain+picnic+blanket

This down blanket. Expensive and more of a luxury item that i wouldn't buy myself, but would use the fuck out of if i received one on Christmas. I felt one in store and I can't stop thinking about it.

I have something similar to this

I bought it for $20 from my local 'everything' store (Fred Meyer). It's waterproof on one side (really is!) and comes in a carrying tote case. It's a little small. But it's really easy to keep stored in my trunk for when I need it, and cleans easily.

If you have the money to burn, this was my original consideration. It's larger (5x7'), has lots of great reviews... but doesn't have its own tote. Only a carrying strap.

Get one of these rain proof / water proof plush fleece stadium blankets to use to put on your couch/bed or wherever. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D5FY3V8/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=IUY5CKU726YW1&colid=345M72USMCIZ&psc=1

I loved the blanket too, so I went looking for it.

Here is a cheaper close approximation (not the right color though).

Most likely it's a Pendleton though, and kind of pricey.

I suggest getting a pocket tarp like this one . It’s not necessary for camping but while in centeroo you are gonna want to sit down and the ground can be wet/muddy. Folds up to be very small.

I also suggest getting this battery powered fan/lantern . Good source of light at night and fan power is strong.

You definitely need an EZUP/tapestrys for shade, and tarps for the ground.

1. Blue Because this is all I could think about after reading #1
   
   

2. Summer Accessories bc this would be Awesome at the beach, and I hear they work great!
   
   
3. Weird food related items items. Not sure I'd be able to actually consume these without vomiting lol.
   
   
4. Id gift this for my daughter, bc she is the ultimate FNAF fan and 6 years old, and it's one of the only 3 she doesn't own for her plush collection.
   
   
5. House of Leavess my ultimate favorite book, and I push it on everyone I know that loves reading. Although intimidating, the format is awesome and original, and mimics the way we Google and use the internet for constant reference. Plus the codes are siiiick.
   
   
6. This is less than a dollar and ADORABLE
   
   
7. This looks like a rad dog toy, whilst simultaneously resembling a sexy toy too lol
   
   
8. This is so expensive and impractical but I would live in this thing!
   
   
9. Vanilla Skywas a movie that really spoke to me as a teenager. If you don't like your reality, change it- just, errrr, mayne not the way Tom Cruise does. Also the mostly Radiohead soundtrack kicks ass.
   
   
10. A katana would obviously trump guns in the zombie apocalypse- you'd eventually run out of bullets, and this baby is the most expensive Amazon's got, so I'd hope youd get quality.
    
    
11. Microsoft Office would help me out. I'm an aspiring writer, but using an offbrand, free version that doesn't work makes writing a nit more tedious and difficult-even spellcheck doesn't work!
    
    
12. Annoying add-on bc a girl can never have too many of these, amirite?
    
    
13. FNAF is as close to fandom as I get. My kid is obsessed, therefore I am obsessed, and I'm not into sports :(
    
    
14. This watch popped up after seeking the most expensive item on Amazon, although it doesn't seem justified lol.
    
    
15. I Chose BOTH a shark & unicorn !
    
    
16. Thierry Mugler Angel smells great- I had to ask a customer what she used bc I wanted to eat her flesh when she walked past me.
    
    
17. Teddy Ruxpin was so 90's- we put our fave cassettes in and hed seemingly sing along
    
    
18. The Artist's Way
    by Julia Cameron is one of my favorite books on creative unblocking for both writers AND artists! I go back to it whenever Im in a slump!
    
    
19. This tote file would be totes cool bc Im obsessed with organizing!
    
    
20. This coloring book about farts? Ridiculous and fun. Id likely make ea fart a different color lol.

I thought of something important after I had posted, and when I came back to post I noticed that /u/Princess_Batman brought this up. You haven't been to SDCC before, and you are very interested in Hall H and other large panel events, and you might not realize how chilled you can get if you are sitting still for 5 or 6 hours in the drafty air conditioning. No matter how hot and humid it might be outside, inside those rooms every year people are cold in those panel places if they are dressed very lightly. Some costumes don't cover much of the body and are light weight, but even being in a t-shirt and shorts and sandals can make people cold. If you are stuck for a long time, then you can get really uncomfortable -- and people do.

I always pack a lighter weight hoody with me every day. I might not use it, but if you do need it, it can really make a difference in your experience. I know that adds one more thing bulking up a backpack, but if you do have plans to sit in Hall H for hours at a time, consider this. And yeah, it is dumb looking to have a light jacket on over your costume, but it would only be for when you are sitting still in dark drafty panel rooms and not the rest of the time. Though the temperatures in San Diego vary during the summers, in some years when the sun goes down, it can actually get chilly outside [because we are dressed so lightly]. The Con Center is directly on the water of a harbor on an ocean. There have been summers when I put my hoody on at night when walking around the Gaslamp or attending night events. So it can be good to have something as back-up for if you get a little cold easily. If a hoody type jacket doesn't really fit well over your style of costumes, you could still wrap yourself in something like these super light weight camping blankets. http://www.amazon.com/Camping-Blanket-Pockets-Waterproof-Sandproof/dp/B01AHKT3AU/ref=sr_1_10?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1457299044&sr=1-10&keywords=camping+blankets+for+backpacking The point is just to give you a layer to protect you against drafts and chill.

Follow up..... bought this...

Puredown Nylon Waterproof White Goose Down, Indoor/Outdoor Camping Blanket, Black https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B019OIA8FK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_CPx1DbG5C5DVV


So a little smaller than the ranger blanket but seems big enough still as a top cover over our double quilt. About the same weight but smaller and should be warmer as it’s down vs very old synthetic.

Pretty pleased with it. Quality is good and feels like it can take a bit of abuse so gonna try it in the local mountains next weekend.

M

1. I'm in a glass case of emotion!
   
2. Classic
   
3. We can share!
   
4. Yumm
   
5. DND
   
6. Yay summer!
   
7. One of my favorites
   
8. A classic
   
9. Delicious
   
10. Pretty
    
11. Father's Day This would be for my husband. It is his first Father's Day this year!
    
12. 'Murica!
    
13. My son's favorite!
    
14. It'll last all day!
    
15. To get us in the mood
    
16. Good thing I brought a hat!
    
17. So cute
    
18. My favorite flower
    
19. Fun for everyone
    
20. Ahhhh!
    
    This was fun!

There are few options. You just have to be prepared.

You can use waterproof underpads. They have disposable ones. Or reusable ones. [There are many kinds]
(http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/medline-washable-underpad-30-in.-x-34-in./ID=prod6013826-product). You can keep a few on hand in strategic locations, and they are easy to move around and use.

You can get a waterproof mattress pad (with a sheet is nicer but without works too) that you place over your sheets and pull off when done and you have a nice, dry bed underneath.

Wool is absorbent so you could use any wool blanket as well. Or any waterproof blanket.

Or a combination of all or some of the above works too. Especially if you don't always have sex in bed.

If you don't mind spending a bit of money, get something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DUG47ZU?psc=1

They are waterproof, and clean up easily (Just throw it in the washing machine.) They do make a bit of a crinkly sound though.

There are other variations of this that you could do for much cheaper -- get a waterproof mattress pad for bedwetters, or even a fitted mattress cover. These will all be easy to clean up, and protect the carpet/bed/kitchen table/wherever else she's going to be puking on your cock.

I really cannot recommend this enough: https://www.amazon.com/OutdoorsmanLab-Automatic-Lightweight-Protection-Resistant/dp/B01FH80Y8C/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1499797644&sr=8-6&keywords=umbrella+tent

Shade is crucial for surviving the daytime. You will not be disappointed with this purchase.

Nevermind. I found that hiking blankets like this one are ultra portable and seem perfect even for sharp claws and water. There's a wide selection with different price ranges, in case others are looking for the same thing in the future. A large enough towel for my dog to lay on just isn't as portable
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PV2XC2K/

I was facing the same dilemma. I have a 20 degree (Mountain Hardwear Switch 20) that I love. I was recently gifted an LL Bean 32 degree "ultralight" bag that is a lot bigger inside, so it's been more comfortable for car camping. Both of these are over 3lbs (long sizes), and way overkill for Mid-Atlantic summer camping.

I just picked up the Therm-a-Rest Tech Blanket from REI Outlet. It was down to $35 over the weekend with their extra 20% off sale. I haven't received it yet, but it's hard to pass up a 2lb savings for $35.

http://www.rei.com/product/860068/therm-a-rest-tech-blanket-long-2011-closeout

Amazon has a bunch of reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Therm-a-Rest-Tech-Blanket-Green-Large/dp/B00AWQLUNI