Paul, it is certainly possible to hike or travel with an emergency blanket in lieu of a sleeping bag. You could buy the Space All-Weather Blanket ($14), wear all of your clothing to sleep, and in many cases stay warm.
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But if that were a good option, everyone would do it. It’s not: Emergency blankets are designed to reflect body heat back toward you, and they don’t have any insulation. Nor are they comfortable. They’re crinkly and stiff.
But here’s the real problem: They don’t even save much weight. The All-Weather Blanket weighs 12 ounces, or two-thirds of a pound. But Mont-Bell’s 30-degree U.L. Super Spiral Down Hugger #3 bag weighs 1 pound 5 ounces, only nine ounces more. And with 800-fill, the Mont-Bell is far warmer and more comfortable. It’s not an act of desperation to climb inside—it’s an act of coziness. It gets cold in Bolivia, and staying warm counts for a lot when you’re traveling.
It’s true that the Mont Bell bag costs $294, so the e-blanket wins big economy points. You could save a few bucks with Marmot’s Arroyo ($260), also rated to 30 degrees, though it’s a few ounces heavier. Mountain Hardwear’s $190 Ultralamina is rated to 32, but it has synthetic filling and is neither as light nor as compressible as down. It weighs two pounds, although that isn’t bad.
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These days, I also always recommend a silk bag liner like the Cocoon Silk Mummy Liner ($50). It adds five degrees or so to the bag rating, or stands alone as a light bag in warm weather. But the big advantage is that it keeps your main bag much cleaner, extending its life.
Have a great trip!
—Doug Gantenbein
@OutsideGearGuy