Anyone have one of these, how do you find it? Are they breathable enough to sleep all night in your sleeping bag inside one?
Do people use them as a matter of course say under a fly or bivi rock in the rain or are they really only for emergency use when you get completely caught out?
I have one. Keep it for emergencies only. I'm all into going light, but using one of these on a regular basis would not be comfortable.
So they're definitely more of an emergency solution that might be a bit more comfortable / preserve the warmth of your insulation a bit better than a non breathable mylar 'survival' bag, rather than a bivi bag you'd be using as a matter of course to keep you sleeping bag dry in damp situations like fly camps, rock bivis or snow caves?
I'm not looking for something to take instead of a sleeping bag, I don't try to go that lightweight!
I'm pretty sure you can re-use these (good luck getting a normal emergency mylar blanket back into its packet).
I have one, but haven't used it. I might soon though. But I wouldn't use it as a replacement for shelter. And I'm not sure how many uses you'd get out of one.
What @kreig said. Mine's for emergencies - I've had it out of the stuff sack to see how well a bag would fit inside (easily), it packed back down again no problem. I don't think the material used would last longer than a couple of nights on rough ground.
I had the Heatsheets version (still have one as a super lightweight backup on day trips) but found them a bit clammy when used once only.
Bought the Escape version a short while afterwards. I've only used it as a sleeping bag thermal cover for my light bag in a hut in early winter. Would've easily added several degrees to the warmth.
My only complaint would be the hood is a bit lame. It really needs to be an eyelid to give the bag a truly effective weatherproof rating.
Surprisingly durable material.
Gearshop seem to have bumped their price up quite a bit though. I'm fairly sure I paid about $60 a couple of years ago. At $105 now it's getting close to the price of some dedicated bivy bags (weight not withstanding)
A mate told me he sleep in his one night in a hut just to see how it went. He said it was good, but everyone in the hut hated him as it was super noisey.