Arcturus XL Heavy Duty Reflective Survival Blanket/Tarps: Budget/High Quality! - Preparedmind101 

Further information from the company: To answer your questions: We've made two major changes to the blankets (both XL and standard size) since that Grunt Proof video: We're using fabric that's 75% thicker than our original blankets (70 grams per square meter [GSM] V 40 gsm). Most other blankets on the market are 40 or 45 gsm. This matters because every stitch in the blanket (all the edging, reinforced corners, etc.) add tiny holes that essentially start the blankets ripping even when they're new. We found that the thicker material was the key to reducing (not eliminating) tears. We're using a clawed grommet to hold onto the fabric rather than a pressed grommet. We found this allows the tension on the grommets to spread rather than concentrating the tension into a single point. We don't want to promise anyone that these blankets are going to be indestructible. They will eventually rip, likely at the reinforced seams or grommets, but we're trying our best to make the best blanket we can at this price point and weight. We've tried dozens of iterations of sewing techniques and fabrics over the years to try and make this the best blanket in its class. We did make a prototype of the survival blanket that everyone would want, but it was cost prohibitive. For about $200 we made a nearly indestructible blanket but it was super heavy (15 - 20lb) and the economics didn't make sense. There's not a large enough market for it that we can sell it. So, we're doing the best we can inside this price point.

These tarps have been around in Australia since I was a kid . We call them silver tarps . For obvious reasons . You can get cheap and expensive versions. Which is just the quality of the tarp and reinforcing of the grommets. For camping a good one will last for years .

Hey Will , its always great to see the A Team out in the woods 🤘👊🏼

Im for sure doing the toggle and knot camping again come spring. Thank you for showing this.

Lean-to's suck, man. The wind-direction changes all of the time and you wake up with all of your stuff soaked. There's no need to keep-dry lots of real estate, when you have a net -hammock. All you have to keep dry/warm is YOU. I just use a plastic sheeting "envelope' around a 2GoSytems XL size Trifecta bivy. Rig drip lines at the ends of your hammock, where rain can travel down the clews and end up under you. if it's cold, I rig the hammock just 6" off of the ground and kick debris under it to stop air from flowing under me. I also run the hammock and a ridgeline thru the bivy and another ridgeline between the bivy and the envelope. It's important to not have your face inside of the bivy, because moisture from your breath will create condensation problems for you. It's important to keep the envelope from touching the bivy. It's also important to use a light to look for any pinholes and tape them over before turning in for the night. Having a layer of "trapped" air around you is what provides insulation from the cold, wind and rain. I added a full length sleeping bag zipper to the plastic "envelope. I use a pair of Amazon's 1/4 lb each full body bugnet suits and a pair of their 1/2 lb each "cut-leaf" style of camo nets I combine these 4 things and wear them as longjohns. Whith such longjohns, cammies, balaclava, 3 pairs of sock liners, unlaced shoes, gloves and shemagh, I can sleep ok at 34F in wind and rain. If I add a lb of polypro longjohns, I can sleep ok at 20F, too. For colder temps, I can either use dry debris as stuffing/insulation between the bugnet suits and camo-wraps, and/or heat up rocks/water bottles and put them inside of the bivy with me. For REALLY cold temps, sub 0F, I can "aim" the morning sun or the one way projected head of a Siberian fire lay at the 3x4 ft oval of clear PEVA shower curtain (Wally's) that I have taped over the open end of the bivy. I use both a buttpack and a daypack, 1 and 1.5 lbs each, respectively. I empty them out, fill them with debris and use them as sleeping pads (normally up in the hammock). The hammock can be rigged as a "slingchair" when you only have one point of suspension, or you can rig a tripod for the foot end of the hammock and guy it out to some stakes.

Arcturus makes a really good wool blanket!

Their customer service is awesome too. Take care

I do silly little videos for Instagram and I seem to have adopted your mannerisms as I have watched so many of yours! lol

Looks really solid

mantap..sukses selalu.saya selalu mengikuti petualangan anda..❤❤❤❤

Link to this particular tarp: a.co/d/e9Lxuqe

I've got one of these, and I like it pretty well. ✅️ 👍🏻

Where are you located? That looks like the woods on my property, ends on a creek and there are houses across the creek.

cool❤❤

Looks like it started out as a nice day

I want to know more...lol

👍👍👍.🇺🇲🔪🔥🌲

Nice sneaky" thats what she said".

The Arcturus tarp is the real deal. If you compare weight of the 5x7 to that of the SOL 5x7, the weight is 1.42#, compared to 1#. The materials is night and day different. Definitely good to have a few of the tarp clips to expand the usage of the tarps. Not sure if I would want to lug that big boy around in the woods, but it is nice to have all the real estate available.

My main issue with these "emergency tarps" is that they are as heavy as half a tent. Then there is the set up. Personally I camp in an area where it rains all year round.... so I would never set it up like some "shelter". I would close it down into a much smaller rainproof rathole where I could get in and be sheltered by the elements. FYI the kid using the metal bellows to stoke the fire, he is legend. I bought one of these recently this kid certainly knows where the win is.

Excellent. Glad to see you and Will have reunited. Best to both of you.

WB Will so good to see ya

Chris, Those are really great outstanding tarps! I had mine for years without any issues or problems with them what so ever. I also have the tarp clips. Thanks to you! I first seen them on your channel and not on anybody else's channel. So thank you very much for that! I use them alot and they work great. Infact I actually bought 2 dozen of them after seeing you using them in various ways. 17:55

Awesome tarp video and tarp bro

I have two of the smaller ones in my survival bag. Used for a ground cover and a lean to. But I also have two for my large canvas tarp. I used them with a wood stove inside last fall camping quite a few times. I tightened them a lot. No issues with grommets or melting.

I have two Blow Sticks with clear rubber hose on the end one blows through. So much easier to boost a fire because the hose adds another 24" length. Really helps because I have Stiff Person Syndrome that makes getting into position to use the stick without the hose a bed experience.

Thanks for the great review, you guys!! 👊

STILL CRAP.... DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY

Tarp Companies.... Take Notes💯

This is not a good tarp for anything. They rip on a windy day. They're not a good quality and very unreliable.

Just got the 5x7 thanks to you and Will 🙂

Good to see will but that Scarf

Thanks for the life lessons!

Been wanting one of those

I still have a Aquaquest camo kit 10x10 it still holds up really well.

Hi Will!

Gruntproof tested this tarp and it failed miserably (twice).

@preparedmind101 They are not confusing Arturas with the grabber. There are videos out there of people reviewing the 5 x 7 and showing the grommets ripping out. However, they are hanging the tarp up and hanging weights off of grommets and then yes they do rip out the reflective material tears. I think the tests are unrealistic or worst case scenarios. These were marketed for emergency use initially, not necessarily heavy duty all the time camping. Pinned comment from Arturas, they’ve made improvements to both material and stitching. Now it appears to be something that could be used more frequently than just emergency use. I love my 5 x 7 which is a couple years old

Love my Arcturus tarp. Where did you get your hoodie, I like it?

Where did you get your coat or hoodie from ?

Greetings, Chris and Will I would to see the different configuration along with the clips. I think this Arcturus XL can be an emergency super shelter on its own. Please do another video with the different configuration... You guys are the 1st to show this XL...

Excellent truck kit or cat camping but it's huge and seems heavy for other camping ir survival. I'll probably get one for the truck

Hello Chris, thanks for offering the Bailout, have wanted that since they came out! Hope all's well with everyone/thing! Be safe and take care, "God Bless", sincerely, Randy. 😇🙏👊

Arcturus makes awesome grommet corners but my blanket edging ripped from the Mylar, I did what Will mentioned to the grabber, gorilla tape an better grommets an it holds up well. I wish they did a grommet in the middle, not hard to add your own though.

I know I hate to sound like a whiner But I was hoping That you would put a link to your friend's channel Somewhere cause I couldn't find it Thank you

In the movie castaway Tom Hanks used a plastic porta John as a sail but anyone could use that tarp as a sail for a boat for real. Nice heavy duty tarp. I like it.

What is the name of the product they use to attach the tarp to the line?

Chris, I like side kicks, the more the better.

Just looked at the link to your store. Not there.

Warm and Toasty 🔥

Threw away my Arcturus XL, too heavy and tears too easily, it is a horrible product.

Glad to see both y'all back at it

It looks a little too bulky to carry in my pack, but I could see having it in my car for emergencies or in my utility sled for snow campouts. I'll probably start with one of the smaller ones to replace my old Grabber (which does indeed have torn-out grommets).

You know, out of all the fires I've built with all kinds of materials in as many conditions I have never found a use for a fire bellows. Blowing on it when it seems necessaryhas always been sufficient. You're right about the Grabber too. I currently own 3 and at least one grommet on each have torn out. An easy enough fix though.