A "Technical" Blanket - The Rumpl
Who hasn't spent an evening around a campfire with a cold breeze blowing at your back? Or sat on a boulder watching the sun go down, along with the temperature? The blanket that you wish for in those moments just might be the Rumpl!
The Rumpl OG - or Original Puffy
Sleeping bags are great for keeping us warm in the tent, but they are not ideal for typical blanket situations. The Rumpl is a blanket that will keep you warm, but fit into that outdoorsy situation just perfectly. The fabric is a 20D ripstop nylon, treated with DWR. That's a fancy way of saying that it will be lightweight, durable, and water/odor/stain resistant. The nylon also keeps dirt, leaves and random bits from sticking to it when it is on the ground.
We have the synthetic "Original Puffy", and it has become a regular addition on most every overnight adventure. Ours is a BIG queen size. It stuffs into a sack that is 20" x 13", though it can be further compressed and squished from that sized. It's good to stuff between things in the car to prevent rattles! It weighs in at 4.8 pounds.
Clearly the size and weight don't make this blanket ideal for backpacking. For car camping, and easy coziness, it's a great blanket.
The idea behind Rumpl is something along the lines of creating a blanket that fits a "technical" need. It's an ideal solution for camping and being outside. The ripstop nylon adds durability. The synthetic filling is easy to care for, but also warm. Despite it being thin and lightweight, it does a good job of keeping your body heat near your body. Add in the creative stitching - which makes it look a bit like a topographic map or waves or wind streams - and it's just ready to go play outside.
Our blanket is one of the larger sizes they make, but it still tends to tag along on many adventures. We have field tested this blanket while car camping in Yosemite at winter - it fills the back of our Subaru with extra blanket to spare. It has been tent camping in Mojave in pouring rain - it helped us stay warm, but did get a little wet on the end as our tent just took on too much rain to withstand. It also went on a trip to a cabin in the mountains for a family holiday - cozy to curl up in on the couch with a fireplace, and an added blanket for chilly nights in bed. It even went all the way up to Canada as checked baggage to keep us warm in a tiny house - we were glad we packed it for our rainy, cold week there. It has worked well in every situation.
Our Rumpl works great for warmer weather camping, too. When it's too warm to be in a sleeping bag, this blanket is a great lightweight option for staying just warm enough, but not too warm.
If it gets damp from rain or condensation, the blanket quickly dries out with a little sun or a breeze. It has loops that can be used for hanging it. The fabric naturally repels most water, but if it sits in a puddle of rain overnight, it will get wet. But then it will dry quickly.
The only downside we've found about the blanket is that the fabric is a bit slippery. We have trouble keeping the blanket on us in a bed, as it tends to just slide right off at some point. It worked out okay in the Subaru, because the blanket had no place to escape to. But that slippery fabric has a list of perks, so it's a trade off that is worth it.
The blanket is a great addition for car camping, tent camping, cold cabins, fireside moments, and chilly evenings watching a sunset.
Rumpl also makes Beer Blankets, because if you have a cozy blanket, maybe your beer wants one too! These are tiny Rumpl blankets, but made to be beer koozies. They stuff into their own attached pocket, take up almost no space, and keep your beer chilly, while your matching blanket keeps you warm. We got a Beer Blanket in our Cairn box several months ago, which is how we discovered this cool company and product.
Take a look at their stuff - they offer frequently changing styles, colors, and patterns - and expect great quality and a fun product! Hey, even our cat Zoe loves the Rumpl!
