After action report - emergency space blanket

[Tim K]

Liquid IV is magic. We discovered it last year and fell in love with it. I wouldn’t want to train or compete without it. Pro tip, don’t drink more than two consecutively or it may cause diarrhea.

[Irving]

That's a VERY important tip.

[zimagold]

Liquid IV is magic. We discovered it last year and fell in love with it. I wouldn?t want to train or compete without it. Pro tip, don?t drink more than two consecutively or it may cause diarrhea.

What did you use before Liquid IV?

[MarkCO]

Zac and Hunter had just got back to the Meadow when the rain started to come. They got under their tarps. Hunter had a 5.11 lightweight jacket. Zac woke up with his teeth chattering and hands and feet numb. Hunter got 2.5 hours of sleep in. FTR, Tim, it got down to 42 right after the rain stopped. Humidity was high, but dropped fast when the wind kicked up. I was tracking weather as much as I could when I woke up here and there. I think an emergency bag might be a better option than a blanket. A team that was at HG wrapped in their Mylar blankets then clipped their tarp to their packs and slept under that. They looked okay when they woke up.

Hunter has a team-mate for 2022 BTW. He just finished Basic too, at AIT now. They will be 18 and 19. Hunter is going to map out a practice plan for them this weekend.

[MarkCO]

Competition Dynamics SAC. 10yr anniversary. How was it?!

I worked it and it was very interesting, and fun. Knowing a few of the guys that shot the match, I saw a definite decline in function from the 14 to 20 hour window when they came through my challenge and the 38 to 47 hour window when they came through my 2nd challenge some were running on fumes for sure.

I stressed to my son that land nav and foot care are huge components and that bore out. I saw some feet that would have been stars in horror films.

It was impressive, both in the running and the competitors. I will work it again in 2022.

[hollohas]

First off Tim, I'm glad the hypothermia didn't take you out. Sounds like you were pretty close there.

Second, great advice. I tried to use one of those cheap, pocket sized space blankets for shelter years ago while hunting. I got caught in a serious cold rain/snow downpour and it was my only choice. It didn't work for the same reason as you. Way too lightweight, it blew all over the place. I figure wind comes with cold so I have upgraded my packs with a much heavier variety. As well as a GOOD poncho with eyelets to string up an improvised shelter.

I've never needed to test this, but I was taught to eat as much food as you can when you need to take emergency shelter in that sort of situation. Force it down if you're not hungry because the digestion will increase your body temp. Also, and this one came contrary to my instincts, if you don't have dry clothes to change into, don't take off your wet ones. If you takeoff your wet clothes, they will just get colder and any progress you made warming up will be lost when you put your cold wet clothes back on. Keep your wet clothes on when you shelter and let your body warm them up too. Might be the only chance you have to get them dry. Make sense to me, but I hope I never have to try that one out.

Also, another plus one for liquid IV. That stuff is legit. I like the 'energy' variety that has matcha green tea in it. Matcha has decent caffeine content and releases slower, so no shakes (if that's an issue). Kept me going during a two day, hot shooting class in July. I don't like the taste of the energy one, but like all the others. Have a headache? Liquid IV works great for that too. Costco has them on sale about every other month or so.

[Grant H.]

First off Tim, I'm glad the hypothermia didn't take you out. Sounds like you were pretty close there.

Second, great advice. I tried to use one of those cheap, pocket sized space blankets for shelter years ago while hunting. I got caught in a serious cold rain/snow downpour and it was my only choice. It didn't work for the same reason as you. Way too lightweight, it blew all over the place. I figure wind comes with cold so I have upgraded my packs with a much heavier variety. As well as a GOOD poncho with eyelets to string up an improvised shelter.

I've never needed to test this, but I was taught to eat as much food as you can when you need to take emergency shelter in that sort of situation. Force it down if you're not hungry because the digestion will increase your body temp. Also, and this one came contrary to my instincts, if you don't have dry clothes to change into, don't take off your wet ones. If you takeoff your wet clothes, they will just get colder and any progress you made warming up will be lost when you put your cold wet clothes back on. Keep your wet clothes on when you shelter and let your body warm them up too. Might be the only chance you have to get them dry. Make sense to me, but I hope I never have to try that one out.

Also, another plus one for liquid IV. That stuff is legit. I like the 'energy' variety that has matcha green tea in it. Matcha has decent caffeine content and releases slower, so no shakes (if that's an issue). Kept me going during a two day, hot shooting class in July. I don't like the taste of the energy one, but like all the others. Have a headache? Liquid IV works great for that too. Costco has them on sale about every other month or so.

Agreed! Plus one for Tim's feedback and your additional info. Lots of time spent screwing around with testing emergency camping/survival/prep backs up your comments about food and keeping cold/wet clothes on, especially if you are wearing good quality items that still insulate when wet.

Mylar blankets work, when kept in place, as you have both mentioned. They seem chinsy but they work. I keep two in each location, and they are all modified with small lead weights duct taped to the edges and corners. Makes it easier to position and have it stay.

[earplug]

Wet clothing has minimal insulation. That's why you strip wet clothing off a cold wet involuntary swimmer.

[Grant H.]

Wet clothing has minimal insulation. That's why you strip wet clothing off a cold wet involuntary swimmer.

Agreed. Minimal, but good quality (wool and some other options) still maintain some insulation when wet.

However, what Hollohas said is also true.

If you don't have dry/warm to change into, and have to put the cold/wet back on, it's better to leave them on.

[Irving]

Wool is supposed to retain something like 80% of the heart when wet. Amazing stuff. When we did the 14'er this year my sleeping bag was still wet when we got there. I have the cheapest, crappiest, wool blanket in my truck that is so thin when you unfold it, you can see through it. I used that as a liner inside my bag and it saved me from having a rough night.