What is a thermal blanket and why do we need it?

What's in your first aid kit? Most likely, there are bandages, painkillers, a tourniquet. Is there a thermal blanket? For some reason, most people neglect this accessory, although, knowing all its functionality, you can solve many tasks not only in hiking life.

Thermal blanket, or as it is also called iso folia, is popular among survivors and military personnel. This is a mandatory element of the first-aid kit of truck drivers and freeride fans. In Europe, representatives of rescue services, military personnel, medics, climbers, and marathon runners should always have a foil blanket with them.

A rescue blanket is one of the methods of keeping warm in cold extreme situations. It can reflect up to 90% of the heat emitted by the body. This is an indispensable thing during rescue operations in the cold period.

It is still gaining popularity in our first-aid kits. But if your activity is related to extreme, active pastime or any type of outdoor activity, then such thermal protection is simply necessary in the first-aid kit. It will not take up much space, but in certain situations it is able to save a person's life and health.

German brand Tatonka offers Rettungsdecke thermal blankets as part of complete first-aid kits. They can also be purchased separately in our stores.

The history of rescue blankets

It all started in the middle of the last century, when humanity began to explore space. One of the tasks of spacecraft developers was to preserve the heat of astronauts in orbit and protect equipment from solar radiation.

Then NASA laboratories developed the basis of a modern thermal blanket. It consisted of a thin sheet of plastic and an aluminium coating joined together in a single alloy. It is clear that at the first stages of development, such a composite could only be used where it was necessary to protect large areas, since the sheet did not bend, and its thickness was about 2 cm.

The first use case was the Skylab orbital station. There, the composite was used as a solar shield, reflecting the sun's energy and maintaining a stable temperature of spacecraft.

During further development, it was possible to reduce the thickness of the new composer hundreds of times, thanks to which the material turned out to be no thicker than a human hair. This thickness allowed the material to bend, it became soft and could be folded or bent at different angles.

During this period, the name space blanket appeared - "space blanket". Although this material is not suitable as a full-fledged blanket, it is quite possible to wrap yourself up and keep body heat for a while.

The date of birth of the thermal blanket is 1964, when the heat-reflective material entered the industrial market as an independent product. At first, its advantages were appreciated by the military and rescuers, later by athletes.

Runners were one of the first to use a thermal blanket in sports. The AIMS international organization, which was involved in marathons and running, distributed foil capes to athletes at the finish line at one of the regular races. They prevented a sharp drop in the temperature of runners after they finished running. Soon, heat-insulating blankets became part of the starting package of all serious races in the USA and Europe.

Today, a thermal blanket can be found in any area where there is a risk of hypothermia or extreme situations, starting from a first-aid kit for climbers and ending with a kit for winter fishing or hunting.

How a thermal blanket works

A thermal blanket does not create or radiate heat, as is the case with heating pads. It does not accumulate warm air, as sleeping bags and down jackets do. But it can reflect body heat. This allows you to protect yourself from hypothermia for a while. The body must generate heat on its own for thermal protection to reflect it.

The base of the rescue blanket is the familiar polyethylene, it does not keep warm. On top of it, on both sides, foil spraying is applied, it also does not heat, although it reflects heat back. But such a finished product insulates the air well so that it does not migrate. This is the basis of the work of the thermal blanket. PET (polyethylene) itself transmits heat, but the aluminium coating prevents this process, and the rescue blanket reflects the heat inwards.

In addition to warmth, the thermal blanket also does not allow moisture from the body. Whether we like it or not, along with heat, our body produces sweat. In the event that you are wrapped in plastic wrap, the moisture is isolated along with the warm air, since polyethylene does not breathe. It can settle on the inner walls of blankets or clothes. Therefore, it is important to periodically open up and release moisture to the outside, ventilate, otherwise the clothes will absorb moisture and there is a possibility of hypothermia after using the thermal blanket.

How to use a thermal blanket

Many people carry a thermal blanket in their first aid kit but are not sure that they know how to use it correctly and, most importantly, when. After all, it will be useful not only in the case of NP. It's a great way to keep warm whenever there's a slowdown phase after a long period of activity.

Are you on a hike? The foiled protection will come in handy on breaks after an intense climb. During the cold period, when you move quickly or gain altitude, the body produces a sufficient amount of heat. But as soon as you stop at a halt, the blood circulation slows down and it suddenly becomes cold. In addition, frost and wind blow heat from clothes. In this case, you can simply wrap yourself in a thermal blanket. It will cover you from the wind and preserve the heat already generated by the body. After that, you can carefully fold it and use it again under similar conditions.

Do you run in cold weather? Then every time you stop for a long time, put a blanket over your body, it will not allow the muscles to cool down quickly.

Swimming in open water? During each swim, the body produces a large amount of energy. But when you go on land, the processes slow down and hypothermia can occur. Teeth chattering and blue lips in children are the result of hypothermia. To avoid this, you can wrap yourself in a rescue blanket and thereby extend the cooling period. The body will slowly adjust to reduced loads, and you will not freeze.

Tatonka Rettungsdecke rescue blankets are quite large compared to similar other brands. This allows even a large man to comfortably wrap himself in them. For greater comfort, they are made double-sided - one side is silver, the other is golden. If you need to warm up, keep warm, then the blanket should be silver inside. Thus, the inner side will effectively reflect heat radiation, and the outer side will, if necessary, attract the attention of rescuers.

Important: when using the rescue thermal protection, there must be an air gap between the body and the surface of the blanket. The heat insulator is air, and the blanket already insulates the air. If you wrap it tightly, all the heat will go outside. Ideally, if there is some clothing on the human body, it will serve as a layer that will retain heat. Even if your clothes are wet (you got wet in the rain or fell into water), it is better not to take them off right away. Do a couple of physical exercises so that the body is warm, wrap yourself in a thermal blanket in such a way that the heat does not blow out and warm up first. Later, when the clothes become warm, you can change into something dry.

Main characteristics:

Due to the features of the material from which rescue blankets are made, they have the following characteristics:

• Light weight and compactness are achieved due to the thickness of the material from which the product is made. For example, the Tatonka Rettungsdecke with dimensions of 210 cm x 160 cm weighs only 60 grams. And in terms of size, when folded, it will be slightly smaller than the palm of an adult.
• PET is a very strong material, it can withstand a load of more than 100 kilograms when breaking. But at the same time, he is afraid of cuts, punctures, sparks. By the way, if a spark hits the surface of the product, it will melt the hole, but the blanket will not catch fire.
• The foil film used for the Tatonka Rettungsdecke is airtight, windproof, and can be a protection against moisture and dust.
• Resistance to cold. The material is not afraid of frost, does not tan in the cold, does not freeze.
• Unlike the usual film, it does not stick to wounds and burns.
• The material is transparent. Even if you wrap your head completely, you will be able to see everything around you.
• The foil blanket rustles. If you decide to throw a blanket on top of your sleeping bag, be prepared for some rustling. Although when it comes to keeping warm, it is not so important.

Alternative uses

A rescue blanket can be used not only to hide or wrap yourself. In the field, it can also be used as:

• An awning that will protect from rain or sun. Between two supports (trees, trekking poles) you need to stretch a rope and throw a blanket over it. Secure the edges with ropes or stones. In windy weather, it is better not to experiment like this, as there is a possibility of damaging the blanket. If we are talking about protection from the sun, it is better to throw the Tatonka Rettungsdecke with the silver side up, so it will not be too hot under the awning.
• Storage for equipment. You can simply cover backpacks and things on top from precipitation. Or build something like a triangular gable tent with the help of trekking poles and a blanket.
• Protection for the tent. There are situations when it is necessary to install a mobile home under the open sun. So that it is not too hot inside, you can throw a foil blanket on top, it will reflect the sun's rays. In this case, the main thing is to fasten it well so that it does not blow away in the wind.
• Survivors use a blanket as a screen to keep warm from the fire. To do this, it is necessary to fix the blanket vertically to the fire. Such protection works well in calm, windless weather.
• An additional heat-insulating layer under the tourist's mat. It is important to understand that a blanket does not completely replace a rug, but as additional protection it performs its tasks well.
• You can collect rainwater. To do this, you need to make a depression in the soil, cover it with a blanket, fix the edges with stones. In the same way, you can heat water in the sun in clear weather.
• The rescue blanket can work as a thermos for food. It is necessary to wrap warm/cooled products in a cloth, and then in a thermal blanket. So they will be able to keep their temperature for the longest time.
• Can be used as a stretcher during rescue operations. It is important to remember that all blankets are afraid of sharp objects, if there is a possibility of piercing it during the transportation of the victim, then you need to remove all prickly/cutting objects.

When packing your first aid kit for adventures or military gatherings, don't forget about the rescue blanket. It will not take up much space in your backpack, but at the same time it will become indispensable in various situations. Knowing the features of the material and the process of its operation, you can use it not only for rescue operations, but also for arranging camping or military life.

The wholesale company SMG is the official supplier of thermal blankets of the German manufacturer Tatonka. You can pick up a first-aid kit with a rescue blanket or buy a Tatonka thermal blanket in Ukraine in stores.