Emergency Mylar Blanket Uses

An emergency Mylar blanket. Some call it a Space Blanket. Others say Thermal Blanket. Survival Blanket. It’s a common item in an emergency kit. Everyone should have (at least) one in each of their own kits.

As the name implies, they are made from Mylar foil material. They don’t cost much, and they facilitate a number of practical and potential emergency uses.

Emergency Mylar Blanket Uses

Although the first listed use for a Mylar blanket is its intended purpose and primary reason for having one, lets think of some additional uses for this Mylar foil:

Wrap up and keep warm.

The number one purpose for the emergency Mylar blanket… To wrap one’s-self in, to keep warm. Most body heat is reflected back towards the body due to the heat reflective properties of the Mylar foil material itself.

I’ve purchased a number of various Mylar blankets over the years. You need to check a few things so you’re not surprised later on. One is the size – dimension (Length x Width). Another is the Mylar foil thickness – durability – tear resistance. Some have additional features and attributes that may be worth it to you such as grommets, two-sided, and others.

There are two very popular Mylar blanket / styles based on popularity and ratings. Here’s the first one. I’ll show you the next one in a minute…which is more of a survival ‘tarp’.

This one is the most popular:

Swiss Safe Emergency Thermal Blankets
(their storefront on amzn)

Heat reflector for a campfire.

String it up behind a campfire so the infrared heat reflects back to your location. Not too close though or it will melt!

Improvised poncho in the rain.

Outdoors without a rain poncho and it’s raining? Maybe you’ve got an emergency Mylar blanket for a makeshift poncho…

Improvised shelter.

Similar to using a tarp for a lean-to shelter, it will provide some protection from the elements. Or at a minimum it could help waterproof the roof, integrated into an improvised shelter made of natural materials. See below for a better Mylar blanket/tarp for this purpose.

Hold water for over a fire.

Bunch together the corners of a piece of Mylar blanket material so as to hold some water (like a small sack). Tie the bunched end, and attach (string) to a make-shift tripod (sticks). Boil above a fire (not in it) for safe drinking water.

[ Read: How long to boil water for safe drinking ]

Protect yourself from ground moisture.

It’s waterproof, so place under your sleeping bag (or small tent) to protect from ground moisture (and as a ground cloth to reflect your body heat back to you) if camping outside.

A signaling device if you’re lost.

Due to it’s highly reflective surface – a very shiny reflector. Excellent visibility for search-and-rescue.

Fit inside your boots.

Cut the Mylar material to fit into your boots for added warmth – although the material does not ‘breathe’.

Rainwater harvesting.

Use it to catch rainwater (like a tarp) which could then be used for drinking water.

[ Read: Rainwater Collection from a Tarp ]

Light reflector.

Cut pieces to use as a light reflector behind a lantern or candle.

Place under a blanket for added warmth.

Body heat reflection while sleeping in a very cold environment. Also, being under a blanket, it won’t make lots of ‘crinkle’ noise when you shift around as you sleep.

Use behind the heat radiators in your home.

In your home to reflect heat back into the room, instead of into the walls behind the radiator (if you have that type of heat).

Block Thermal IR heat signature.

Attach to inside of an umbrella to help block heat signature…

[ Read: How To Block IR Infrared Thermal Imaging ]

Drape a Mylar emergency blanket over a cooler.

To reflect heat away and help keep cool inside the cooler.

Line the inside of your cabin to help keep warm inside.

(heat reflective properties).

A makeshift solar oven.

A Mylar blanket is a standard item in any survival kit. You can do a lot of things with them, even make a do-it-yourself reflector oven.

Window curtain liners.

To keep heat out during the hot summer, and/or to help with room darkening properties for your windows.

Line your hat with it.

For you tinfoil hat wearers, its’ way more effective than tinfoil! (Haha lol, couldn’t resist that one)…

Okay, here’s the other Mylar blanket that I like. It’s more of a tarp though. One side Mylar reflective, and also two layers of polypropylene. Reusable. A bit bigger. Heavy duty. Grommets for tie-downs.

Arcturus Heavy Duty Survival Blanket
(amzn)

Lets hear your additional ideas for uses for a Mylar blanket…