Blankets vs sleeping bags

[rik_uk3]

I've picked up used Pendleton wool shirts for a few quid off eBay, fantastic shirts. Bide your time and you should be able to get one for about $20-$30 including shipping. Watch the shipping costs, some sellers are really stinging UK buyers but bid low and often and you will get one.

 

[myotis]

Dogwood,

One of the problems with the blanket thing is that its almost impossible to know what you are buying. With sleeping bags you have at the very least a seasons guidance, plus other measures that allow you to make comparisons.

There is also the issue fo multipurpose, is a dense weave (important for a match coat) the best option if you are using it in a tent, where a looser weave might actually be warmer as well as lighter .

How variable is sheeps wool? Could a high quality sheeps wool blanket actually be "better" than a poor quality alpaca blanket.

I wonder how warm a Harris tweed Match coat would be. But that comes in many different qualities as well.

Its all fascinating stuff. And the more I look at it, the more I think for general use we may be missing a trick here, with our focus on sleeping bags.

At the moment however, it seems that buying blankets is a bit of a lottery.

Graham

 

[myotis]

Not sure if this thread has run its course, but...

It seems that Alpaca is hand graded into several grades. The higher the grade the finer the fibre and the softer and warmer it is.

About 50% of the harvest is unsuitable for good quality fabric. The best "normal" best grade is baby alpaca, which has nothing to do with the age of the animal.

I am now wondering whether the the rustic alpaca that one of the cheaper blankets was made from might be made from this 50% of poor quality wool.

It also makes me wonder what grade the blankets I have bought are made from.

 

[dogwood]

At the moment however, it seems that buying blankets is a bit of a lottery.

I think that's true, which is why we have to rely on the experience of others about them. I was almost about to buy some spanish wool blankets when a friend said, "hold on, I've used them, they're super scratchy..."

We're all in this together when it comes to blankets

 

[dogwood]

It also makes me wonder what grade the blankets I have bought are made from.

Yes, there are different grades, however from my experience in the markets in Peru and Chile, the coarser grades tend to be used for ponchos (for strength) and the finest of all for shawls.

Blankets tend to be on the fine, super soft to medium (with wool) scale.

Based on the descriptions and the feedback on the blankets you found, my guess is that they're going to be fine. Everyone talks about how super soft they are, etc.

I've got my fingers crossed on them -- for you and for me because if you say they're winners, I'm getting at least one too!

I am troubled about a minor thing with these folks, though: after you alerted me to them, I sent them a question via ebay about their alpaca content (I wanted to know if there was any sheep's wool in it) and they still haven't answered. No reason to read too much into that, but all the same...

 

[myotis]

I am troubled about a minor thing with these folks, though: after you alerted me to them, I sent them a question via ebay about their alpaca content (I wanted to know if there was any sheep's wool in it) and they still haven't answered. No reason to read too much into that, but all the same...

I have emailed and asked about the grade of Alpaca, and so far they have been very good with replying to my emails, but comforting to know what you say about the grade.

As all the blankets are labelled as being 100% alpaca, any reason why you suspect they aren't?

Graham

 

[dogwood]

As all the blankets are labelled as being 100% alpaca, any reason why you suspect they aren't?

It's a matter of nomenclature.

With alpaca if a place says "100% alpaca," you're good. But you have to be careful about places that say "100% alpaca wool" (as your source did) because *sometimes* what that means is it's 100% alpaca and sheep's wool as opposed to being 100% alpaca fiber.

In any event, the good news is I just heard back from them and they assured me that it's 100% alpaca with no sheep's wool content.

Graham, I would rest easy: I think you've found a real winner here that a lot of us will end up buying from.

 

[myotis]

I

In any event, the good news is I just heard back from them and they assured me that it's 100% alpaca with no sheep's wool content.

And I have heard back as well, and the blankets are a mix of baby grade and adult grade, but he doesn't know the proportions.

Nor did he know that baby grade doesn't actually mean from baby alpacas, but any fibres less than 21-22 microns, that can come from adult alpacas as well.

None the less a mix of baby grade plus "other" grades is probably good news for a blanket this price. Prices of the raw wool fall by 7% for every micron increase in diametre.

Graham

 

[traderran]

I have been meaning to make some sort of canas bed roll, like you describe, for years, but never got around to it. What is your quilt made from, and you say blankets (plural) which,together with the canvas bag , suggests a pretty heavy duty set up.

Graham

When we go camping it is hunting season and we go horse back
with pack horses and stay for 6 to 9 weeks every year
This set up is not all that heavy If you google cowboy bedroll you will see it this type has been used for hundreds of years over hear in Texas an
the western states.

 

[myotis]

When we go camping it is hunting season and we go horse back
with pack horses and stay for 6 to 9 weeks every year
This set up is not all that heavy If you google cowboy bedroll you will see it this type has been used for hundreds of years over hear in Texas an
the western states.

Yep I know what they look like, "heavy" is a relative term as I am starting from a half a kg sleeping bag and working upwards. Of course I hadn't factored in buying a pack horse

Having said that, a google for cowboy bedroll threw up some interesting ideas.

Graham

 

[myotis]

My Alpaca blanket arrived (10 days to arrive) and while not a comparison with a sleeping bag (still to be done, I have done a little test with a Dutch Army blanket.

The Dutch Army Blanket is 1.56m x 2.3m weighs 2.9kg and cost , I think, about £12 from Endicotts, plus P&P which I can't remember but it was a fair amount because of the weight, but certainly it was all less than £20 all in.

The Alpaca blanket is 1.6m x 2.2m weighs 0.68kg and cost £63, inc carriage from http://www.great-gift-ideas-etc.com/category/alpacablanketsthrows/

Pricing is complicated, and in fact I could have got it for 10% less than this.

The first thing that you notice is how small and light the Alpaca blanket is.

A comparison picture is here

The Alpaca blanket is obviously the yellow one !!

To try and and idea how they performed, I place two identical hot water bottles with 300mls of hot water under each blanket and measured the temperature drop about every 15 minutes. The Ambient temp was 20c and the starting temp for both hot water bottles was 53c.

The temperature drop is shown here:

The hot water bottle under the Alpaca blanket fell to ambient temp after five hours.
The hot water bottle under the dutch army blanket fell to ambient temperature after six and half hours.

While the temperatures were falling, the Dutch army blanket kept the hot water bottle 1 to 2 degrees warmer than the Alpaca blanket. But the Dutch Army blanket is 4.25 times heavier and at least 4 times bulkier than the Alpaca blanket.

Of course this is only one sample, and I'm not entirely sure how this relates to the blankets performance in use, but considering the Alpaca blanket is a quarter of the weight and bulk of the Dutch army blanket, it seems to perfrom rather well. Its also about four times the price as well of course.

Graham

 

[kai055]

in an old scout patrol book, i saw this idea of using 2 blankets to make a sleeping bag, which is pretty kool, im goin to try it once i have got the sleeping bag liner from amazon(my blankets are woolen, bit itchy lol) then will post then pic from the book and how i did it

 

[Wayland]

When sleeping in the back of the van on photo trips I use a couple of blankets as a quilt cover around a 12.5 tog quilt.

It's bulky as hell but I've never been cold under it and quite often I've been too hot.

I've not sure what temp modern diesel gets gloopy at but I've been there under this thing and still been comfortable.

It would be interesting to know what a double layer of alpaca performed like?

 

[myotis]

in an old scout patrol book, i saw this idea of using 2 blankets to make a sleeping bag, which is pretty kool, im goin to try it once i have got the sleeping bag liner from amazon(my blankets are woolen, bit itchy lol) then will post then pic from the book and how i did it

I suspect this is the way that I used to use where you end up with two layers of blanket underneath you and two on top, but folded so they create a sort of sleeping bag.

With the use of thermarests and closed cell mats, I suspect that having two layers of blanket underneath you is less useful than it was in the days that this method was originally devised. But it helps keep the blankets in place and reduces drafts.

Graham

 

[myotis]

It would be interesting to know what a double layer of alpaca performed like?

Yep, when I have the time, I intend trying two layers of Alpaca, along with my sleeping bag. Maybe next weekend.

Graham

 

[dogwood]

Graham,

Fascinating results.

It looks like the alpaca is ~77% percent as effective as the wool, at 1/4 the weight -- which means on a weight per weight basis the alpaca is a little more than three times more effective than the wool blanket.

That's extremely good performance and conforms (more or less) to my much less scientific subjective experience with alpaca.

I think it's fair to say that alpaca is to blankets what goose down is to bags -- only without trade offs (i.e. alpaca is warm when wet, etc.)

With a decent pad, my guess is you could get down to extremely low temps very comfortably with the alpaca and your jack r better quilt.

What is your subjective impression of the quality of the alpaca -- good weave? well made? soft?

As you know I've been waiting to get your report before I order from these folks you found -- it sounds as if you're pretty pleased wit the product. True?

Also, I can't see the photo -- can you check that, I'd like to see the side by side.

 

[andybysea]

Now as summer is on the way(dont laugh) and having just bought 2 wool blankets, i think i will give them a go when on my 3 day beach trip in April.

 

[myotis]

Graham,

Fascinating results.

It looks like the alpaca is ~77% percent as effective as the wool, at 1/4 the weight -- which means on a weight per weight basis the alpaca is a little more than three times more effective than the wool blanket.

That's extremely good performance and conforms (more or less) to my much less scientific subjective experience with alpaca.

I think it's fair to say that alpaca is to blankets what goose down is to bags -- only without trade offs (i.e. alpaca is warm when wet, etc.)

With a decent pad, my guess is you could get down to extremely low temps very comfortably with the alpaca and your jack r better quilt.

What is your subjective impression of the quality of the alpaca -- good weave? well made? soft?

As you know I've been waiting to get your report before I order from these folks you found -- it sounds as if you're pretty pleased wit the product. True?

Also, I can't see the photo -- can you check that, I'd like to see the side by side.

I am pleased with the blankets, the weave seems even and tight and the stitching even with no loose threads etc. Much much softer than the wool blankets I have. I intend buying another two.

I have been sleeping at home under the alpaca blanket instead of the Dutch Army blanket and my subjective opinion was that they were both about the same, with maybe the Dutch Army blanket a little bit better. Much as the test suggests.

I have also on colder nights either used two wool blankets or both the new Alpaca blankets. Here the biggest difference is that the two wool blankets come to about 6kg compared to the 1.3kg of the two Alpaca blankets. This is a massive difference, in that the two Alpaca blankets are lighter and about the same bulk as the sleeping bag I carried before I got my new JRB. With a silk sleeping bag, and a jacket over the top, I reckon this arrangement could also be as warm as my old sleeping bag.

Graham

 

[myotis]

As a bit of an aside, but during the last few weeks of trying out blankets at home, instead of a down quilt, I have been sleeping better than I have ever slept.

The temperature in the bed seems far more stable, and there is a weird effect that the bed never gets hot, only a comfortable warmth.

There is a fair amount of stuff on the web (so probably to be taken with a pinch of salt) about the thermoregulatory properties of wool blankets for beds giving in all sorts of benifical effects, deeper sleep, reduced blood pressure etc etc.

However, very subjectively, I feel the better for using wool blankets and will not be going back to a down quilt.

Graham

 

[myotis]

In my comparison post I should have two images, one of the blankets and one of a graph.

Dogwood couldn't see the blanket image, and I have played around deleting it and adding it, with it always appearing for me, until now, when it appears to have vanished. But logging in again has brought it back.

So, is anyone else having a problem seeing both images?

I have never added images before, so this is a bit of an experiment.

Graham