Survival Blankets: They don't last -- need to be replaced every so often. For hypothermia situations, not the best. All it can do is reflect back what heat is being lost by the victim. Bivy Bags -- have some insulation as well as reflectance properties, so something of an improvement. Not inexpensive and I'm not sure the additional protection is worth the additional cost. Fine print on the bag suggests you can only use them 8-10 times. I keep mine in my car as part of a winter contingency kit should I become stranded. With the wettable insulation not sure it's the best choice on the water. Better as backup during transport/evacuation. Garbage Bags -- Big, Black, heavy duty ones. Very flexible choice. Cheap. Easy to stow. Multi-uses. Cut holes for arms & head, good windbreaker. It's black -- tends to collect heat during the day. If you don't have the armholes then even better heat conservation. I teach some outdoor courses and always advocate having one in the daypack or 1st aid kit. Basic (self) rescue courses taught around here also advocate 1 or 2 bags as part of your basic kit. I like also JKA's suggestion of really big appliance bags but must caution about a first aider's truism. Put a hypothermia victim and a warm body within one enclosure and you quickly get Two hypothermia victims. Joe Pylka jpylka_at_earthlink.net What's a hoochie? --New concept for me... though I usually carry a tent fly with me. > I also carry an army surplus hoochie (fly but with heaps of loops, > riveted holes etc) which you can pick up very cheap. They take a heap of > abuse and you can clip them together to make one large tarp. Just > fantastic things. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Feb 09 2005 - 07:21:00 PST
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