[Paddlewise] Emergency Coverings

	I have both an old 'space blanket' and a large plastic bag.


	I seem to remember that  the 'space blanket' was a neat 60s-70s marketing
idea to cash in on the multi-billion dollar NASA inventions during the space
race.[ Remember the Teflon frying pan rage?]  The space blanket idea was that
the shiny surface would radiate back body heat. I have kept mine to use on top
of the tent floor as insulation between thermarest, sleeping bag and cold
ground. Works fine in that limited role.

	 As an 'emergency' blanket,  for use without a tent,  it has serious
drawbacks.  I guess it might be useful to wrap a hypothermic body inside a
space blanket and then put the body inside a windproof BAG.  As John, a fellow
Kiwi, has noted, the key is to get the injured party [ or yourself], OUT OF
THE WIND, as soon as possible.  Tent or bag.  Hard to make a blanket
draught-proof.

	I have also experimented with one of those ultra-light bag type reflective
bivvies.  Great, but fragile one-use wonder. Would not stand up to the rigors
of kayaking.   For mine,  best bang-for-buck is the ol' heavy duty rubbish
orange [garbage] bag. And in an extreme marine survival situation, ie, facing
the likelihood of clinging to the remains of an upturned kayak in cold water
for hours, a bag can be used to isolate/slow down the temperature-sapping
effect of cold water on the body.

	My 0.02c worth...
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