Arcturus Insulated Tarp, Reusable Heavy Duty Thermal Survival Blanket – 60x82in, Reflects 90% Body Heat, Waterproof, Windproof, 3-Layer Design, Reinforced Grommets, Black

Was on a group outing to a popular recreation area on the Pedernales, near Austin, for a day trip. The cool water mixed well with the warm day, but the bonfire was insufficient when a norther blew in at dusk. None had dressed for the cold. I was turning 90° to the fire every couple of minutes, to try and keep all of me warm enough not to shiver. It wasn't working.But then, a sudden rustle behind me, and I was instantly enveloped in warmth. I thought, *What is this magic?* One of the group had one of these tarps in his trunk, and unfurled it behind the group of us sitting near the fire. He simply draped it over the large rocks, about ten feet behind us, and rising five feet above us, and held it in place with stones.The reflective side captured all the heat from the fire and reflected it to our backs. Anywhere between the fire and the reflective side of the tarp was warm enough to sleep by.I keep one in my car as an emergency blanket or emergency tent, and another with my camping gear as a ground liner for my backpacking/car-camping tent. I haven't tried it, but suspect it will serve well with my hammock as a rain cover, sun shield, or campfire reflector should the weather change while I am overnighting and I am not carrying a tent.Bulky as a tarpaulin, because, as Star Wars' General Akbar almost said, "It's a tarp!" But it is lighter and smaller than my one-person backpacking tent.

If I had nothing this is an optimal piece of gear.Great for any kind of outdooring. For the size and weight it does alot!Great vapor barrier wind proof and insulating.Id use it as a blanket under a regular tarp and it works fantastic. Typically i use it with my stove or a heat source in cold weather and in warm weather I use it to dry my wet clothes or keep off harsh sunlight.Id imagine it's great for car camping or anything else. Portable rolls up to the size of a tall can.Cons, Dirt sticks to the fuzzy surface but not as bad as you'd expect. Its not super durable probably lasts about 6 months of continuous use but it's fair for the price.

I purchased this tarp after seeing it used on the "Corporal's Corner" survival channel. Around 5x7 feet, just the perfect size to fit under an average 2- or 3-man tent, it comes in its own little zipper case (for easy pack-down) and is super sturdy, but not too heavy. It will keep most rocks and twigs from poking a hole in the floor of your tent. The second night we camped, it turned freezing cold. This tarp made the difference between crawling in shame to a hotel versus toughing it out with sub-freezing temperatures. While we were never "warm" (we still had to put on multiple layers of clothing), the reflective surface definitely helped.TYPE OF CAMPING:1. LONG-TERM TREKKING: If weight is important to you (i.e., if you're hiking the entire length of the Appalachian Trail), this tarp will add a bit of weight to your pack. If you buy this (I recommend you do either way), you'll want to make sure you have the correct ratio of weight-to-usefulness when you compute the warmth-ratio of your sleeping bag and sleeping pad as you'll be very sad if you have to leave this nice tarp on the trail when reality hits about how much gear you have to carry.2. MINIMALIST CAMPING: If you are roughing it with just a survival poncho and some para-cord for a makeshift shelter, than this is definitely the tarp you want to carry with you. It completely blocks wet ground, or keeps the rain off your head if you suspend it from the handy grommets, and the reflective surface is way better than those flimsy mylar "survival blankets". While this is called a "blanket" it is more of a sturdy tarp.

Heavy tarp with rip-stop fibers woven inside. Should last a long time. Would be ideal for car camping but too heavy for carrying long distances. Very substantial material. Would buy again since I'm not a backpacker anymore at 67. Orange side should be highly visible to search and rescue should I need help, and reflective side should be useful to either stay warm in cold weather or provide better shade in the heat.

Product is awesome! Kept heat in and the rain out. Wish I still had it, CalTrans took it in one of their sweeps to clean up homeless encampment. SMH

Pitched on double para-chord from AMA at 29', winter storm warning in hand next four days.First slide in test was amazed I could feel my body heat reflecting on face, my first time on that. Will see how it holds in wind and below zero indexes. Happy so far, git chu a pair.. First week update: still pitched in yard, survived two blizzards, -15 wind chills, 6" snow, 35-70MPH gusts. Despite what grunt proof has said there are no collapses (only one re-stake to tighten para-chord), no grommet tears, no punctures. We are headed into another week of daily snows and nightly below zero wind chills. I expect NO damages.20feb update, post snow major wind, grommets still holding with snow load.22Feb update, I finally managed to damage the Arcturus; After installing extra grommets and resetting an off-center ridge-line I over-tightened the Prussic toggle and tore the grommet out. No fault of the tarp. Here is my recommendation, don't try to move or tighten a set tarp under twelve degrees, they are somewhat fragile. Photo taken with remaining snow at 45'F.

I am very satisfied with my purchase of this stout emergency tarp/blanket. Yes, it is very bulky in my pack compared to a standard mylar blanket. However, this tarp/blanket has multiple uses and is reusable. Compared to mylar blankets, this tarp is robust. It will allow me to make very nice emergency shelters. As for rain or cold coverage, this item has me covered. I will probably use it most frequently as a clean, dry blanket on the ground mid hike to get some rest and a bite. Finally, when folded, it can serve as a comfortable seat cushion. I am not worried about the weight, but it is bulky compared to the standard mylar blanket. That is the only downside. Enjoy.