I love the new attention you have been giving to the music and theatrical aspect of your videos. Great work.

I've spent a night with an SOL Emergency Blanket before. I went out on a solo canoe overnighter in early July a few years ago and completely forgot my wool blanket in my car (I didn't have it strapped to my bag.) This was the first time I'd ever done an overnighter away from the woods on my property. By the time I got my hammock and tarp set up, a fire built, and was settling in, I realized I had forgotten it, and it was getting dark. I brushed it off and thought to myself, it won't get too cold tonight. It ended up dropping down into the low 50s and the wind was blowing. Around midnight I remembered I had the blanket in my bag. And it worked really well for a few hours, and I was able to sleep for a short period of time. Then it started to build up with condensation, and it got really cold. I only slept in half hour increments for the rest of the night. By the time the sun had came up, the blanket was torn and wet with condensation. I wouldn't say it was a survival situation, but it was definitely uncomfortable and could have been avoided.

Absolutely love seeing “survival” gear put to a real test by an unbiased professional.

Wow, I’m stunned and blown away by the quality and sound of your video. Seven minutes into the video I switched from my phone to my tv and hifi stereo set. It’s captive, informative and thoroughly enjoyable. Great job and keep it up 👍

I always hear people telling me about having to carry an emergency shelter when I'm hiking but no body tells you which one is the best I'm so glad that you are actually giving a honest review about actually having to spend the night in one and which will best keep me safe

For years, I used contractor trash bags as a major part of my survival kit. They are durable and can be used as a mattress when stuffed with debris, rain gear with a few added holes, a tarp shelter when sliced open, and a spare backpack when hauling supplies. More recently, I carried a Mylar blanket and found it didn’t add much warmth when used to a fleece blanket. The Mylar bivi bags are too small and tear quite easily. I was looking as the Mylar tube tent. Thank you for demonstrating the Mylar bivi and tube tent. I think they may be useful in situations where you won’t be carrying better gear. Maybe use the Mylar as added layers around a wool or polyester fleece blanket, or as a signaling device. I believe the reflective surface would serve well to provide shade in sunny desert or alpine tundra, or to reflect a campfire back toward you. I am going to add a few more contractor bags to my survival bags, after seeing how fragile the Mylar bags were. I’ll keep the Mylar, but won’t rely upon it as a structural material. Thank you for demonstrating both the benefits and disadvantages of the Mylar shelters and bivi bags. I look forward to seeing more in the survival series!

Yes more content like this. You just saved me money as I was about to buy an emergency bivvy. Thank you Luke.

luke, as I was watching the vid I almost wrote early on that you should split the bivy and use it as a blanket...glad I watched all first because that's exactly what you did. I have never needed to use mylar but thought it was a miracle material...glad you cleared that up! Thanks!

The over-nighters and survival adventures are my favorites.

Thank you for this video. I knew absolutely nothing about Mylar!

Luke, great to see honest opinions. Mylar sheets / blankets / bags can be a great bit of kit. I've been hill walking since the late 80's, 15 of those years was as a member with my local mountain rescue team. I think of mylar as a mirror. If you are hot, you stay warm. If you are already cold.....you will definitely get colder! When the weather is bad here, I drive a snowplough and guess what is in my provided survival kit..... a mylar " survival bag " to keep me warm if I get into difficulties. Thank God for desk bound experts.

Thank you for this review. I am in the middle of getting materials for the homeless. I was excited about the Mylar product and wanted to add it to the mix of things I want to hand out to them. I live in Florida and thought it might be a great thing to help during the cold nights that we have during the winter. Your review changed my mind. Thank you again for the review. Ive been watching you for the last 2 years and love your channel. I don’t miss an episode. ❤️

I've always wondered how effective mylar would be in an emergency sheltering situation. Now it's time to rethink my emergency gear. Thanks for the great info!

Another great video Luke. Also, “everyone deserves to be happy”. Spot on. The golden rule.

This is exactly what I needed to see (and hear). I have a couple of these for my family in our bag, I'd taken the thing out to inspect it and thought, "THIS? Is gonna work?". Thanks for sharing.

I've got one of these emergency tents in my daypack, with the understanding that it'll keep the rain off me for the night, and be otherwise fairly useless.

I've had success using mylar lining on the inside of a lean-to for the purpose of reflecting heat from a campfire. Worked great. Never really took the condensation as a consideration and I'm glad you brought it up in this video. I've never had to use a "space blanket" in an emergency, but if I ever do ill be mindful of possibly becoming wet because of it. Great video as always and look forward to the next one!

Thanks again Luke, shooting down the marketing hype, keep showing the reality of these so- called "survival" products, more power to you!

Luke... gotta say I love seeing your artistic ideas coming out in your videos over time. I love the old school videos for their realistic ambiance too. I like the way you blend the two together now. You motivate me to get out and do more of the stuff I love.

Enjoyed the video. I would love to see you do more like this. Its nice to see someone really take the time and realistically try out products and give honest opinions. I have purchased and not purchased items because of reviews like this. The fear some have is the host exaggerates the product to make it look good or make it out to be a great product when it actuality its not, just because they get products for free to try out. This review was genuine. Please continue to do honest reviews on survival gear. Thank you

That's what I was thinking, split the Mylar bivy down the side and turn it into a blanket. It's also good you didn't have to deal with rain or heavy wind since that Mylar seems pretty flimsy. For my day pack, I think I'll stick with 7x5 tarp and fleece blanket.

10:28 ... The spirit of John Denver singing "Sunshine On My Shoulders".

A tube tent is what that is. String a ridgeline through and weight it down with rocks. I used one as a kid when they first came out(plastic, not mylar). A novel concept, waterproof(to an extent), lightweight for backpacking, but closing one end was tricky and they're really not the best thing to spend a week in. At least I had a sleeping bag. Your set up makes more sense. Thumbs up on the video.

I'm not a a camper Luke, but I do like watching you and all the great stuff that you do. Your latest clip was truly fantastic and no doubt many real campers learned much from your experience. Let's hope many of the manufacturers have have found food for thought and hopefully come up with better ideas to advance the cause! I was wrapped in mylar as I just hit the finishing line during the 1984 London Marathon and was also handed about 6 Mars chocolate bars! I kept the mylar wrapping in my wardrobe for nearly 10 years😁😁 I wish you well and the best of luck!! Keep doing what you're doing! There's not much inspiring things going on these days, but your contribution is welcome.

I recommend keeping a tube of krazy glue in there with the misc. first aid. Perfect for many wounds but can also be used in normal glue applications.

Think I just found my new favorite outdoor channel. The cinematography is on point

You are right when it comes to the mindset. A lot of people freek out when things don't go according to plan and start to lose it when a situation changes. Good to take count of what you have and use is to your advantage. There is no way that is a survival shelter though. Glad you make these videos. Gives people a idea of the BS that is out there and how it performs.

I like your creative method of setting up the mylar tent and the way you cut the bivvy to mitigate some of the condensation. It would have served you well if it was raining. This video really showed how important a fire is to help you in a survival situation. In a dry situation like you were in, the mylar would have reflected the heat on you nicely. Thank You.

I duct tape mylar sheets to slightly larger tarps. That setup makes the mylar considerably more durable and still acts like a great reflective surface with actual tie downs.

OMG that owl is so cute! Oh, and I'm glad you survived Luke 😉 Thanks for the realistic reviews for this stuff.

Great video. This is the first time I heard cons about mylar. I've seen bushcrafters use it in conjunction with what ever material they brought with them for a shelter but never by itself like you did. I learned a lot from this video. I'm a hiker, I know how far I can hike before I need to turn back to be home. I take a backpack with some overnight gear and food just in case but staying out overnight is not an option for me. No cars available for me, so I can't just "hike back to the truck." Thank you for your videos I'm learning so much from you just in case I ever need it.

-4Carl, Excellent presentation of information that causes some of us to go and retrieve them from the big dark scary woods when ignored cases no end of issues. Much Thanks.

I have to say that the camera use, the ambiance created with the music, the editing, have all reached a new level of quality. The light in this vid is absolutely beautiful. Two thumbs up! Keep them coming! Thanks!

Luke, have to admit; you have access to some amazing wilderness. Here in Munich we have endless hiking trails and the Alps- but they're just that - hiking, not intended for overnighting. (yes, for those in-the-know, there are overnight hiking opportunities, but not like in the US - planned, booked, reserved - months in advance, etc.). Many-a-time my wife and I would notice the 'perfect' site, but, had to keep on... However, I also carry a so-called survival kit especially on the longer day hikes, so this vid is keenly interesting to me......I have now watched the vid. THANKS! My kit is Mylar based. Have to re-think it now. Will look through the comments. Maybe someone has found something more performant. I assume you will continue with this series. GREATLY appreciated!

Seeing this reminded me of the one I have in a pack keep in the truck . Came with something I ordered. Just pulled it out and looked . Silver on both sides , no holes and 20’ of cheesy cordage. Thanks for posting

Your videos are great, Luke. I can always count on a standard of quality in everything you put out and that's speaks volumes for your skills as an outdoorsman, product reviewer, and content creator. Thanks for another great video.

That was very good, thanks for doing it. Please do more. SOL Escape and Escape Lite bivvy is working quite good. They are breathable and durable. I slept in the Lite at 10C - one layer clothes, but with a foam sleeping pad. These ones worth to carry for normal overnight camping too, You can put in or outside the normal sleeping bag to improve comfort.

Yes Luke, Thank you for all this great information! I never woulda thought about all the wetness formed from condensation from the mylar! Now I will look at my emergency blanket differently. Please keep sending us more good videos like this! Love em

Love this! For those who are interested in true wilderness survival, not the stuff on T.V., I recommend the book Camping And Wilderness Survival by Paul Tarwell as a start. Learn the basics and then take a course from a reputable instructor who will push you out of your comfort zone. Eventually you will gain confidence in yourself and will understand just how far you can push your body "more mental toughness thing". Two things to learn first, fire making and water purification, and in that order. Fire and water are life! The people I am often most concerned about are my ultralight backpacking friends, they typically have the least amount of supplies on hand and get into trouble. Learn what a 48hr fire is, why you should take the time to make two of them. As for the Mylar bivvy, I keep one with my bag at all times with my sleeping bag and mss sleep system bivy, its for those times that the weather man really screwed up. If you have ever been out in the wilderness alone, wet, cold and shivering, then you will NEVER forget it. Happy Trails

I love how this man keeps it real and rejects sponsorships so he can keep it honest. S&H

Ok, so we know what to avoid. What do you recommend? Really enjoyed this like all of your videos.

More episodes like this one would be great. It’s good to know the pros and cons of some of these products.

I like the Arcturus style blankets or tarps. With the reflective side, and ripstop sides, and multiple tie outs, they have the options that you mentioned you preferred

I have a similar bivy and also carry a mylar blanket. They are utterly horrible to use but, as long as you can avoid the wet, they are light and could help in an emergency. My preferred way to using the mylar blanket is as a tar or tarp liner and I also carry duct tape to help with achieving that. A light weight silvered foam mat is also useful. I actually use it as a 'liner' to my rucksack but it is there is I need it

The music choice was so suiting to the video! Well done! Really enjoy the real life videos and the performance of basic equipment

"visine from my Colorado trip" hahahahahaha good on ya Luke

Yes please! More videos like this one! I definitely learned a lot! Thanks for the great content as always!!

Hey Luke, doubt you'll read this but just want to say thanks for doing what you do. The outdoors is passion for life with some one the most beautiful and testing places on earth. Also, the style that you did this video in was very nice. Would like to see more of it. Be safe, strong and keep at it. Thanks.

Hello Luke, thank you for testing the tent ⛺ and bivy for your viewers. You always produce a very informative and entertaining video. The very best of good health to you and Susie. 🤗

Awesome helpful vid ! I think you should do more of these kinds of survival type situation vids. It's been very helpful and I love TOGR part of all your vids. Keep em coming Luke.

In terms of ventilation, it might be safer to use the tube tent as a bivy. A Mylar “sleeping bag” guarantees to transition you from warm to wet to wet & cold. I think I’d carry a Wiggy’s zippered poncho liner (you really need to discover Wiggy’s and Lamilite) and maybe the Mylar tube. Truly a very informative video, Luke. 👍

I can see that it's absolutely better than nothing. Thanks for taking one for the team :D

Luke, I almost made this a drinking game for whenever you said "mylar". And your HellBoy imitation while you were in the tube tent with the red light headlamp on was entertaining! Good info, as always.

Really enjoyed the review thanks! That said, I think there are number things you could’ve done to enjoy your experience more, and, in a true emergency, improved your chances of survival: 1) pile many more leaves underneath the shelter. There were virtually limitless dry leaves in the area and you could have easily made a much more insulating base underneath rather than just kind of accepting what was there. Also when you woke up and showed the shot of where you had slept during the night, there was a 12 inch stick right in the middle that you must’ve felt throughout the night. Removing that would’ve given you a much better nights sleep I’m sure, and also, is that where the tent had torn? 2) You could have open med the opposite end of the tent somewhat to allow cross air ventilation and easing of some of the condensation that was forming. 3) you could have piled many leaves inside the tent as well such that it could serve as a bed in and of itself and then use the mylar blanket, cutting in the middle as you did later in the night, to wrap/unwrap or lay on top and cover in alternation as needed depending on your condition. Again, Great job really enjoyed the video and would like to see more of these emergency type shelters that could be carried either in a Deepak or possibly a car.

This review was just what I needed while looking for an emergency shelter. Great practical advice and info, thank you.

It sounds like it did it’s specified job. Survival is not comfortable. It’s ultralight to get the right-minded through. I appreciate your work.

This was a great video. Really enjoyed it. Your filming, editing and music selection just gets better and better. Top notch quality.

The best advise I’ve heard is from the Reallybigmonkey. He said “if you think this stuff will work, try it in your back yard.” It looks like it doesn’t work and if it were raining, you’d be dead, but it looks like it might make a nice rain tarp for a hammock. Great review. Good thing McDonalds is only 5 miles away. Get yourself a warn cup of coffee.

I think some people tolerate the cold better than others. I always wake up very cold when I’m camp. I actually sometimes use a arctic sleeping bag in summer and the feel comfortable. I think these shelters have more advantages ie keeps the wind and rain off you is very important. Great video really enjoyed it.

Excellent review on a misunderstood and misadvertised product. Two years ago while on an extended camping adventure in fall, I took the opportunity to use a "space Blanket" to help keep me warn when I let my friend sleep in my one man tent with the sleeping bag. I was left with a hammock and a Mylar blanket. I put spare clothes under and over top of me and used the Mylar loosely on top to keep out the wind and reflect heat back down. Filling the double layer hammock bottom with dry cottonwood leaves made a big difference. On other nights I've found that Mylar is most effective when it is close to the body but not touching, so I don't wrap myself tightly with them so it can breath and reflect.

SUPER helpful video Luke! I learned a lot! I’d LOVE to see more realistic survival scenario videos like this! Awesome job as usual!!

I found this very interesting, Luke! Would love to see more survival style like this...always good to learn more!

You're absolutely right, Mylar isn't the be-all end-all of staying warm. My emergency car kit includes a Mylar blanket, but also a milsurp wool blanket and a set of coveralls.

I like to sleep in my backyard with just a tarp. Pretending to survive is so exhilarating.

True story while backpacking. When I was about 18, I am now 62, went on one of many backpacking trips with three of my buds. Eight days in the Smoky Mtn National Park. We drove from Atlanta and it took forever because we took two cars and parked one at each end of the hike. Started out of Cades Cove. My brother and two others took off up the trail ahead of me and a friend Steve. Our first day was only 3 or 4 miles to a shelter. One other detail, it was February several of the nights were 10 degrees F. Steve and I made it over 2 miles up the trail and I noticed Steve lagging behind. He went slower and slower, and I stopped a couple times knowing we only had a mile or so to go. It was getting very cold and very late in the afternoon. Luke will tell you when the sun goes down in the mountains it is sudden. Steve finally ground to a halt and said he needed to sit down. I went over to him and tried to get him to move forward. He was lethargic, and suddenly I realized he was probably suffering hypothermia. That is when Steve plopped down on the trail in the freezing cold and I commenced to panic! I had been into at least reading about survival, but had never experienced an actual emergency. I got real stupid for a few minutes. I ripped stuff out of my pack and started trying to light my stove. By time I realized how stupid that was my hands were numb. I realized I needed to get him and myself warm. I got his sleeping bag out and my hands were so cold I could not untie it and I was about to cut it open but with my teeth managed to get it opened and then I made him stripe some of his wet clothes off. I got him to climb into the bag and then I managed to get mine out and got in. I barely managed all of that. I was half frozen my self and had to lay there and recover for awhile. I asked Steve if he was OK and he said yes. I was able to get both of us a Snickers bar. I made him eat one and I the other. We survived the night. The next morning we woke to a half inch of snow on top of us. We had slept on the trail. We got up and packed all of our stuff scattered on the ground and Steve seemed fine. We went on with or hike. The other guys had thought we had just stayed in the car. The last day on the AT we hiked 10 miles in 13 inches of show, some of it driving sideways. Later Steve admitted that he had not eaten anything all that day. What a trip!

Great information and review by experience! When I'm hiking, I always (ALWAYS) plan to be stuck overnight. Woobie, poncho and at least two ways to make fire. Single wall water bottle and a filter of some sort. Hopefully new hikers see your work and learn to plan for the worst so they can relax and enjoy their hike.

Again another great adventure and educational good to see someone bring attention to products that are aloud of bs keep the videos coming 👍🏻

Great video and a great lesson for life. Thanks Luke. Yes please do some more videos about survival kits. That would be great

I agree that wet and cold is a killer and that many of these “survival shelters” are just marketing junk. This video was great, thanks for the testing. How would you design a portable survival shelter?

The product may have been intended to be set up as a tube tent with a line running all the way through with both ends open. That definitely compromises the heat retention but ups the ventilation. Maybe there would be some compromise with a smaller opening on one end. It does look like it would be pretty uncomfortable. Good video.

2:05 I think that is actually full-grown a 'Rough Earth Snake'. Completely harmless and even a child can pick them up if you want to. They will like the warmth in your hands, just treat them as gently as possible and let them go afterwards. We have them here, a couple hundred miles East of your location. Garter snake would be much larger by this time of year and have full garter markings. Cheers

What a view! Magnificent color contrasts, and what a sky! filled with big clouds. Love the music. Great review Luke.

Luke, that was an excellent adventure. Excellent footage, and edits. Very creative. Excellent music and narration with explanation. An excellent test of the products. Very impressed.

Great adventure,,, love the music too..thank you for sharing.

Incredibly well made video, thank you for sharing such a high quality work!

A five star review with important information that can save lives. Absolutely continue along this vein. So many, not just those out for a walk in the woods or intentionally engaging in back country activities, but those out for a drive, or just out and about who unexpectedly find themselves lost or stranded in adverse conditions, can benefit from being more realistically informed about what survival items should be in their edc bag, or trunk of their car, even city dwellers. And perhaps especially city dwellers without vehicles. So many acquire and carry these mylar products thinking that in doing so they are sufficiently or at least significantly prepared for survival situations they are likely to encounter. As you have pointed out, they do indeed need to obtain a greater understanding that it is only very small part of the equation. You are in a prime position to educate others on a pragmatic approach to survival preparedness in any number of situations. I hope you and others in your position will continue with and expand your interest and efforts in doing just that. Godspeed.

This was so informative. Really good advice and tips. Beautiful trail. Would enjoy seeing more of these survival type gear reviews, Your best advice was spot on, mindset is everything,

I've only ever used mylar as a reflector behind a fire. works pretty well as a long wave IR reflector. Great info for the beginner, well done. Music and B-roll are really getting good too. You definately have a good eye. Thanks for taking the time to help the wolf cubs on their journey of discovery.

Little tip my grandfather taught me. He was a coon hunter, lots of walking in the forest at night. Have a pair of clear safety glasses. Nothing worse then getting a stick in the eye walking around at night.

If I could give two thumbs up I would have!!! Fantastic 😀💪💪💪That looked like an awful night but I'm sure it could have been much much worse. Currently watching this from the field in a hot tent.

I wanted to add/reinforce that Mylar blankets are only maximally effective while directly against your skin, or in conditions that don't favor clothing removal, against your clothing. Exactly as you said, Mylar blankets are not insulative-- they are reflective for radiant heat. The theoretical best usage would be a Mylar suit, and practical best usage is a Mylar underlayer/poncho underneath your clothing.

18:00 Somewhere in the woods, someone had their first Bigfoot encounter... "You hear that knockin'? That was Bigfoot"!

Yes more survival tips and tech that will keep even a lone wolf safe and secure from all alarms

Thank you for going through the pain of trying it this! The truth is it these are not meant for comfort, it is merely made to be the missing layer to keep you alive if used right. No one should expect it to last more than a few hours. Buy the cheapest space blanket and fool around with it yourself. At the first sign of tear on an edge, the whole thing can become 3 pieces! They're still great at blocking wind, rain and snow!

Good info. Would love to see more survival gear under all conditions.

I've seen these types of products recommended in FB groups. I'd rather take thermal underwear and make an emergency shelter out of my poncho.

Hey Luke, great video! I would definitely like to see more videos like this, especially on these survival blanket/tents.

Finally! A no-nonsense explanation of mylar’s shortcomings. I’ve been leaving rude comments about it for years! Actually it performs even worse than you say, the human body does give off about 50% of its heat as radiated waves but only from bare skin! Clothing absorbs the radiated heat and passes it on via conduction and convection. Mylar doesn’t stop that at all. Ironically your bare legs were the only large part of your body radiating heat to the mylar! The only thing it can really do is cut down on wind chill, but unless your clothing is warm enough for the ambient air temperature you’ll still get cold. Its fragility alone makes it unsuitable for an emergency shelter. Imagine if that night had had strong winds and rain, that tent would have ripped apart. Any emergency sleep/shelter system which doesn’t provide a warm, dry, comfortable night’s sleep is a failure. Conserving energy, healing the body and clearing the brain, ready for the next day, that’s the gold standard of survival; not shivering and pumping iron all night to keep warm and snatching a tiny amount of REM sleep here and there. The next day will require clear thinking, alertness and stamina. And it’s not hard to do. A good foam mat (which also allows a dry rest any time during a hike), a warm sleeping bag and a large, breathable bivvy bag can be set up in a minute, in any weather, on any ground. This is the message I’d like people to understand: Even carrying an extra 10 pounds of gear all day only uses an extra 150 calories of energy. That’s half a Snickers bar. And if things turn bad you’ll sleep warm and dry all night. One last thought: anyone buying emergency gear of any sort should test it before they pack it, but test it in the back yard, or close to home with a back up tent and sleeping bag in case it fails. Don’t just buy gear, toss it in your day sack and hope it’ll work in the rain, wind, dark, when you’re tired and lost and scared with a twisted ankle and busted hand.

I'll take a MIL-SPEC poncho and woobie any day.

Great vid, I would like to see the same test with mid range products such as an sol escape bivy and a UST tube tarp . They are mid range in price , a bit bulkier , and are said to handle condensation better. I’ve actually used both items but never together in that same situation. Great vid again thanks

Thank you very much for sharing knowledge!!!! We love to see your videos , blessings!

Yes that was very interesting & informative! I would like to to see more like this or how to survive in different situations. Thanks for sharing!

Excellent video. (As always!) You tested yourself and the equipment - no hot meal, no fire (for morale), also little water. I learned a lot from this, so a big Thank You for giving me this knowledge.

Hey Luke this is Tracy would love to see more survival gear on your Outdoor Channel

As a retired SAR volunteer, we used emergency blankets on cold subjects all the time. Not by itself but in conjunction with other warming techniques. The only time your body is not producing heat is when you're dead.

An actual Space Blanket is Heavy Duty and takes a beating, I've been using one for over 20 years and has several patches of Duct Tape for repairs....Still good to carry the Emergency Mylar Tent or Blanket......Good video

Every outdoor going person needs to watch this. Thanks for doing this about the Mylar and positive thinking

...good one, a real test of basic gear..stay safe and enjoy..

My oldest son uses those when he goes camping. He folds one side to a point with cordage staked to make the ridge. He then ties the "high side" and using a couple small rocks to make a tie down point stakes out the corners, throws his sleeping pad and blanket in, and we make a fire out front of our set ups for cooking/heat if it's cold.

Yeah, those sweaty tube tents are legit only good for keeping the rain off, & that's pretty much it. Thanks for your commitment to the cause! *lol*