Camping blankets are among the most versatile pieces of gear you can take to the campsite. When it’s cold at night, you can wrap it over your sleeping bag for even more warmth. In the morning, you can wrap it around your body for warmth while you do chores around the camping table. Some are even designed to be wearable, so you can keep it on hands-free. Later in the day, you can lay it on the ground to plop down on when you don’t have any chairs around. During cold days in a hammock, you can use it as an insulating top quilt or underquilt, too.
Like other things you take with you at camp, the best camping blankets should be durable enough to withstand the rigors of the outdoors. It’s going to get exposed to the elements, after all, so you want one that can shrug off abrasions, tearing, and other potential damage.
Many of the best camping blankets will use synthetic insulation, as they handle water so much better, making them suitable for year-round use. Some people, though, prefer down blankets, as they offer incredible warmth-to-weight ratios, allowing you to travel just a little lighter, while others go for wool due to its natural warmth and incredibly qualities. Most people we know will opt for synthetics, as they get warm enough to compete with wool while being better at handling water and coming at more affordable prices, though your own preferences may vary.
All of the best camping blankets out there will come with their own upsides that make them an attractive option. Some will put a premium on warmth and comfort, while others will make weather-resistance their priority. There are those that focus on weight and packability, as well as those that focus on overall utility. Some will come with loops that let you stake them to the ground, while others come with facilities for wearing them like a poncho. Whichever you choose, you need to find a good balance in the qualities they bring to the table and that’s what makes the process of choosing a camping blanket a bit more involved than usual.
These are the best camping blankets to bring versatile comfort to your outdoor adventures.
Rumpl Original Puffy Blanket
Pros
- Durable and cozy
- Integrated cape clip makes it wearable
- Lots of fun colorway options
Cons
- Packs a bit big
Size: 75 x 52 inches (length x width)
Packed size: 16 x 7 inches (length x diameter)
Weight: 2.2 pounds
Rumpl has had a big hand in the way camping blankets have evolved in the last decade. That’s why it’s not surprising they have one of the best options in the list. This model, in particular, does a lot of things well. The synthetic insulation delivers a lot of warmth, making it very suitable for three-season use, while the fabric shell does a great of shedding both moisture and debris, allowing you to stay dry and clean with ease. There’s an integrated clip that lets you to secure it over your shoulders like a cape, so you can wear it around camp hands-free, as well as corner loops for anchoring it to the ground during windy days. We love the roomy size (75 x 52 inches), too, giving you enough room to sprawl on the ground if you decide to lay it down. Overall, it’s just a thoughtfully-designed blanket that does a lot of things well, making it very appealing to a wide swath of folks.
Kammok Field Blanket
Pros
- Very warm
- Wearable as a poncho
- Lined stuff sack can be used as a pillow
Cons
- Not as water-resistant as we expected
Size: 84 x 50 inches (length x width)
Packed size: 15.5 x 9.5 inches (length x diameter)
Weight: 2.35 pounds
We love how warm this camping blanket feels, despite the fact that it doesn’t seem all that heavily insulated. Seriously, it felt just as warm as some of the down blankets we tried out. They pair that insulation with the same DWR-coated 40D nylon shell the outfit uses in their camping hammocks, so this thing resists dirt, water, and rips with the best of them. Even the microfleece is DWR-coated, by the way, so it delivers multiple levels of water repellence. Granted, the waterproofing isn’t as solid as some other blankets in the list, but it gets the job done. The blanket has four snap loops for staking on the ground to keep it secure during windy days, while a snap-button opening in the middle lets you wear it like a poncho for getting around the campsite hands-free. The included stuff sack is lined with the same fleece inside, by the way, allowing you to fill it with jackets and spare shirts for use as a pillow when you tuck it in at night.
Nemo Victory Blanket
Pros
- Integrated carrying straps when rolled up
- Heavily waterproofed
- Sheds debris very well
Cons
- Uninsulated
- Heavy
Size: 88 x 50 inches (length x width)
Packed size: 12.5 x 6.5 inches (length x diameter)
Weight: 4.3 pounds
This camping blanket comes in three sizes and we went with the smallest one (medium), as the others just seem way too big for single person use. First thing we noticed is that it’s heavy as heck, tipping the scales at twice the weight of some blankets in the list. Yeah, it’s no picnic lugging this thing around. However, it more than makes up for that heavy weight with everything else it brings to your stash. Both the top and bottom sides did incredibly well at shedding water and debris, with the bottom even being welded to ensure impenetrable waterproofing. It also gets corner loops and grommets for securing to the ground on windy days, a built-in stash pocket for small items, and integrated straps for rolling up by itself. What this blanket doesn’t have, though, is insulation, so it’s not going to keep you warm all that much. We still wrap it around during mornings and it feels great, but it’s probably not something you’ll want during colder days in the mountain.
Therm-a-Rest Honcho Poncho
Pros
- Excellent poncho mode
- Extremely warm
- Stuffs into built-in pocket during collapse
Cons
- Feels bulky when worn as a poncho
Size: 79 x 56 inches (length x width)
Packed size: 16.9 x 11 inches (length x diameter)
Weight: 1.5 pounds
While the Kammok blanket above can be worn like a poncho by using the hole in the center, this camping blanket actually takes the poncho design up a notch by integrating a hood, sleeves, and even kangaroo pockets into the proceedings. Seriously, it looks like an outerwear that can transform into a blanket, rather than the other way around, making it a lot better for wearing around camp than other options in the list. Even better, it opens into a pretty flat blanket as soon as you unbutton the sleeves and tuck in the hood, making it suitable for placing over your body during sleep or laying down on the ground for lounging. It’s actually the warmest, too, both when worn as a poncho or used as a sleeping blanket, which is impressive because it’s also one of the lightest at just 1.5 pounds. The blanket even packs down into its own integrated pocket, so there’s no need to keep a loose stuff sack around.
Yeti Lowlands Blanket
Pros
- Heavily waterproofed
- Padded and insulated
- Cleans easily
Cons
- Heavy
- Noisy when used for sleeping or wearing
Size: 78 x 55 inches (length x width)
Packed size: 10.25 x 6.75 inches (length x diameter)
Weight: 5.8 pounds
Similar to the Nemo above, this camping blanket is designed primarily for laying on the ground, giving you a place to rest your legs without getting your clothes all covered up in dirt. As such, it’s also heavily waterproofed, allowing it to easily shed water and debris. Even when it gets damp or muddy, it wipes down pretty easily and dries quickly, making it very convenient for those camping during wetter seasons. Plus, it’s machine-washable when you get home, which makes it very convenient. Unlike the Nemo, though, this one is padded, so you can lay it down on rocky grounds and still feel pretty comfortable. It’s also insulated, so you can use it for warmth in a cinch. The downside is, of course, it gains extra size and weight, so it’s bulkier and heavier than other options. If you want a warm blanket that can handle wet ground and keep you comfortable, though, it’s probably worth lugging around that extra heft and size.
