Blizzard products
I'm re-posting the review I did for the CGN Emergency & Disaster prep forum – an excellent piece of back-up kit. Pricey, but then I like being alive, and this may just make the difference when things go south in the outdoors
A review of the “Blizzard” range of products that are slowly starting to appear in North America.
First of all my background. I’ve been doing the outdoorsy stuff since the mid 80’s. Ex military, now working in high tech. Hunting, backpacking, adventure racing, kayaking, master diver, etc. etc. on several continents. Much of it solo, so I pay attention to my skills and supplement it with equipment. Good equipment - my life may depend on it. Over the years I’ve tried pretty much all the so-called survival bags. From the single mylar layer, all the way through to the typical breathable bivvy’s.
A few years ago I purchased two Blizzard survival bags. It claimed to be a huge improvement due to the layered construction. Bla Bla Bla, more marketing I thought, but by adding the bags to the order I got free shipping, so why not.
Until “that” kayaking trip… I won’t bore you with the details, but Murphy was in fine form. Suffice to say, the only dry item was the Blizzard bag because it was still vacuum sealed. Temperatures varied between -5C and +8C, with a stiff breeze, and limited cover. The ideal hypothermia range.
Wearing damp poly pro base layers, and my breathable shell, I spent the night in the Blizzard. So, does it work?
Short answer – yes. Better than the single layer bags – absolutely. And by a significant margin. As warm as a sleeping bag? Obviously not. But I got some sleep in, with no exposure issues. Granted – that may also depend on each individual, but given that my “natural insulation” is rather sparse, a good outcome! My single layer bags are all in a box now, and even when I carry a breathable bivvy/sleeping bag in moderate climates, I’ll have a Blizzard back-up.
The positives:
- Much better insulation, the layered structure generates a gap between you and the wind. It’s hard to describe how well it works. As with everything, just make sure you remain on your foam pad for body/ground insulation.
- Durable, and more compact than a standard bivvy
- You can get it in green, not only blaze orange (Can you say BOB?)
The negatives:
- It’s not breathable, but then it is supposed to be for emergencies
- It’s “loud” (but show me a mylar material that is not)
- Heavier than a single layer bag, and you’ll never get it back in the original vacuum sealed cover
- Cost. The products are more expensive that the traditional $5 blankets, but then you have to compare apples to apples!
All in all, an excellent product.
I kept an eye on the product range, and the company now offers a whole range – from the original bag through to various blankets, jackets, etc. The latest editions include a full and half length jacket – great idea, as you can keep moving and still be protected. Do I like it? Hell yes, I ordered a few items of each, and added a jacket and emergency bag to all my vehicles, packs, and bags.
Where can you find these? Not many vendors in Canada carry these yet, but a few dealers in the US are now starting to carry the range. My inquiries were routed from the head office in the UK, back to the main US distributor, and from there to a dealer in Durham, NC that carried the complete range. I ordered in bulk, and service from them were excellent. (5Col Survival Supply).
MEC used to carry the 2-layer bags, but not any longer. If I have to guess it may be due to cost. And I prefer not to buy there if I have other options.
Cheers
NT
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