Compact Camp Comforter: Klymit Horizon Backpacking Blanket Review
Camp blankets may be added weight, but they are also added comfort. For frequent backpackers who value comfort, Klymit’s new backpacking blanket is for you.
Hike 8 miles into the wilderness, drop your pack at a campsite, and what’s the first thing you want to do? Probably make camp. But top of my list is to usually break out a camp blanket or chair and take a breather first.
Especially when backpacking, I tend to opt for a camp blanket — they can be just as light as a backpacking chair, and are more versatile, as you can use them for warmth, comfort, protection from the ground, or extra insulation when sleeping.
One of my favorite gear items I tested this summer is Klymit’s new backpacking blanket — it’s super packable, comfortable, and durable. And, there aren’t quite many blankets out there like it (we’ll compare it to camp blanket leader Rumpl below).
In short: Comfort level on the trail has nothing to do with someone’s age or backpacking experience. Some folks prefer to pack as light as possible, some prefer a few backpacking-friendly comforts, and some don’t care about the weight in their pack.
No matter which category you fall into, here’s why Klymit’s Horizon Blanket is worth trying — for camping or backpacking, or both. It offers insulation, a great size as well as packed size, durability, and price.
Klymit Horizon Backpacking Blanket Review
The first test of any blanket, for me, is durability. The synthetic insulation is enough for padding and comfort, but not too much to be bulky. I haven’t lost any fill or seen any escape along the seams (as is sometimes the case with down).
Finally, the size — 58 by 80 inches — is impressive for its packed size, and perfect for one person or two. In my case, I used it hiking, camping, and backpacking with my pup and myself.
Overall, I found the blanket’s warmth enough for nighttime temps in the range of 35-55 degrees. For anything colder, I would maybe want more insulation. Though, the point of the blanket isn’t to provide the right amount of warmth when sleeping (that’s what my sleeping bag is for).
It’s more supplementary, whether I’m looking for cuddly coziness or to cut the chill of a stiff alpine wind.
The Details: Fabric, Materials, and Insulation
The first thing I noticed when hiking and backpacking with this blanket, was the fabric. It’s definitely light, but still durable (with a 20-denier exterior). It packs down well in the included stuff sack, and you can tell that Klymit went light with the fabric here as well.
Another note: I am very picky when it comes to synthetic blankets that are swishy or slippery — Klymit’s avoids that texture for me.
So far, I’ve had no issues with the bag, and the compression straps are a must for compressing down when carrying in a pack. I like this blanket’s stuff sack a lot, as opposed to stuff pockets or blankets with simple cord or rolltop bags.
How the Klymit Horizon Stacks Up
Aside from fabric, the Horizon Backpacking Blanket has a 170gsm synthetic fill insulation. Yes, this is slightly less compared to, say, the Rumpl NanoLoft Puffy (with 200 gsm), but this blanket is also more packable, slightly larger, and $70 cheaper than the NanoLoft.
Stacked against a blanket of comparable price, like the $129 Kelty Galactic Down, the Klymit Horizon is larger total along both sides, and packs down to the same size and weight. For $20 more, you are getting 550-fill down in the Kelty, as opposed to Klymit’s synthetic fill.
We won’t compare it to a bunch of other big-name blankets like the Original Rumpl, L.L.Bean’s Stowaway, or REI Camp Blanket, because those aren’t marketed for backpacking.
But at a brief glance, the Klymit Horizon offers a huge unpacked size (over 6 feet long) in relation to a fairly small packed size.
Klymit Horizon Backpacking Blanket
- Fabric: 20-denier polyester
- Fill: PrimaLoft Silver, 170gsm weight
- Size: 58 x 80 in.
- Packed dimensions: 11.5 x 7 x 7 in.
- Verified weight: 1.76 lbs.
- Price: $109
Size and Value
Let’s finally address the obvious — a blanket isn’t essential, unless you are opting for a quilt option instead of a sleeping bag. So yes, this means we are talking extra weight.
For many, this won’t be a deal breaker. For some who only backpack a few days at a time, you may not be sold on why adding a camp blanket to your kit can be so great. But this review is for all the rest — people who aren’t necessarily counting ounces but are traveling light, and who are spending lots of days backpacking and sleeping on the ground.
This, personally, is the category I fit into. I’m not thru-hiking or going for some crazy record, so I can afford the small luxury of a blanket. And being someone who spends lots of time on trail means I want to be comfy when we do pitch that tent at the end of the day.
Like most of us who have accrued gear over the years, I have a few different ways I can configure my pack — and sleeping kit — depending on the trip and season. For anything between 3 and 7 days, at least in the summer and fall, I’m definitely going to make the choice to bring this blanket along.
And here’s the best part, if you don’t want to carry the extra weight, then don’t. You can still take the blanket with you!
For example, take a 30-degree sleeping bag instead of a 20; forego that second or third pair of pants; opt for this blanket instead of maybe a pad seat or backpacking chair.
There are lots of ways to shave your pack weight elsewhere to make room for the Klymit backpacking throw. For those who don’t care about the extra pound, just chuck it in.
Conclusion
We loved this blanket in testing from early spring up until now. It’s been packed down, wrapped up, cuddled with, slept on, and stepped on, and it’s still getting the job done. It may not be the warmest, but for a backpacking-friendly weight, it’s packable, comfortable, and best of all a great size.
If we had to pick a con? The synthetic 20-denier exterior wrinkles easily (but so do most things once shoved into a compression sack).
Bottom line: Make the room in your pack for this blanket and you’ll have a much better time when you are finally at camp after a long day on the trail.
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