Woollen blankets have always been used for camping and outdoor adventures. As throws or sleeping bags, they’ve been everywhere. The arrival of synthetic fibre pile and fleece fabrics decades ago stepped up the performance and versatility. But it’s only relatively recently that technical blankets, for want of a better term, have emerged as an outdoor category in their own right.
The re-discovery of the fun and health benefits of being outdoors, of being in nature, inspired by the privations of the Covid-19 and the boom in campervan lifestyle has accelerated the category profile. Leading the charge is the Portland, Oregon-based dedicated technical outdoor blanket brand Rumpl, building on the material innovations taking place in other outdoor product categories.
Rumpl x Snow Peak £180
Rumpl has partnered for the second time with SNOW PEAK, the Japanese outdoor design brand, on its next-gen, limited edition NANOLOFT TAKIBI BLANKET, 178x127cm. Takibi (Japanese for ‘bonfire’), is regarded as a staple element of outdoor culture.
The brand’s Portland, Oregon-based teams first collaborated in 2020 to design a fire-resistant blanket that combined Rumpl’s sustainable proprietary 100% post-consumer recycled NanoLoft® insulation with Snow Peak’s recycled ripstop with fire-resistant aramid material.
For 2022, the blanket is updated with a higher-performing, eco-conscious face fabric. A proprietary blend of natural, fire-resistant fibres, mixed with cotton and polyester, the face fabric maintains performance, softness and strength. With no chemical coating, the fibres preserve fire resistance through machine washing with no harmful chemicals leaching into the water supply.
The blanket’s topside is a fire-resistant woven fabric blend of mono-acrylic and cotton ripstop. It features Rumpl’s 100% post-consumer recycled proprietary NanoLoft insulation, which is made up of small circular clusters that mimic the properties of down.
The updated version comes in a tan colourway, Amenity Dome, inspired by Snow Peak’s tent collection.
Kelty Bestie £22
Kelty, another US brand, has come up with a great, inexpensive ‘Best Friend’ for anyone who spends time outdoors. The BESTIE BLANKET, 192x107cm, is a welcome companion for chilly mornings, evenings and nights outdoors.
Whether sitting around a campfire, needing an extra boost of warmth when car camping or simply sitting in the garden, this blanket has got it all. It uses a synthetic Cloudloft insulation encased in a super-soft, brushed polyester which provides plenty of warmth when the temperatures drop.
Made for one, this single blanket, which comes in four different patterns, packs down into a handy little stuff sac; synthetic fibres make it easy to care for.
Outwell Constellation Comforter £37.99
Available in three colourways, the CONSTELLATION COMFORTER, 200x120cm, has a soft-touch polyester/nylon shell over 100% polyester Isofill Premium, insulation. The single layer, quilted design offers great loft and insulation under the waffle grid pattern stitching. Ideal for versatile extra warmth on site, at the beach, at outdoor events, for picnics or garden barbecues. Each folds into itself for a small packed size, complete with handle.
Robens Icefall Quilt £74.99
Highly compressible and lightweight at just 450gm, the PFC-free ICEFALL QUILT, 200x120cm, has 100% polyester MicroThermo High Loft insulation. The sewn-through quilted construction links the ripstop nylon upper with the polyester taffeta bottom. Carry Bag included.
Voited CloudTouch™ £128
Insulated, machine washable and made from 100% recycled plastic bottles, the truly versatile CLOUDTOUCH™ OUTDOOR PILLOWBLANKET™, 203x137cm, is a great blend of technicality and comfort. More than just a blanket and with lively colour options, it transforms into a pillow, folds into a sleep sack and snaps to become a cape.
At the heart of its three-layer sandwich construction is 3D Featherlight Fiber, a breathable and warm micro-thermal fill insulation for conventional machine washing. That’s under 100% recycled, durable 50D Ripstop REPREVE® fabric with a DWR (durable water-resistant) Teflon EcoElite™ coating for water and stain resistance. The underside is CloudTouch™ fleece.
