Kelty Biggie Tenting Blanket Evaluation

Backside Line

Made by the well-respected legacy model, the Kelty Biggie blanket is a long-lasting, inexpensive, cozy, and versatile addition to your gear assortment (albeit a cumbersome and heavy one). Resulting from its 2+ pound weight and enormous packed measurement, this blanket is greatest fitted to glamping, automotive tenting, hammocking, seashore days, or yard campfire classes.

This generously-sized 2-person blanket is manufactured from thick CloudLoft insulation, a DWR-coated outer shell, and a comfortable polyester internal lining that’s delicate to the contact. Being wrapped within the Biggie offers utmost consolation, being far more snuggly than a number of the thinner artificial puffy blankets in our lineup. To not point out, additionally it is one of many warmest types we examined this season. 

Total, the Biggie is a extremely really useful product for many who worth affordability, heat, consolation, and blanket measurement over packability, weight, and additional options.

To check this blanket to different top-performers within the class, try our full gear information right here for probably the most up-to-date options.

How We Examined

We examined the Kelty Biggie out on the chilly and foggy Northern CA shoreline to really feel out its heat, packability, and luxury. As an outsized blanket, we examined its measurement to be used as each a one-person and a two-person blanket. 

We additionally carried out a shake check to find out particles cling, in addition to a water check to find out water resistance. To standardize our heat rankings, we heated up a scorching sock to 136F and left it within the blanket for half-hour to find out how a lot warmth loss occurred.

Sturdiness

The Kelty Biggie handed with flying colours for almost all of our sturdiness exams. The thick, hefty materials is long-lasting and may stand as much as common out of doors use. Whereas we did discover a number of free threads once we first pulled the blanket out of its packaging, they have been simply snipped off. In any other case, no put on and tear was famous after we took it out within the area for in depth testing. The blanket doesn’t have any particular washing directions and requires a lot much less care than others in our lineup, reminiscent of these made with down.

When on the seashore, we examined the Biggie out as a floor blanket and, after protecting it in sand, we have been happy that the fabric shed particles simply with out catching in or clinging to the material. Nonetheless, after getting the blanket moist, we weren’t impressed with the DWR coating on the outer shell. 

Water briefly beaded off the fabric, solely to soak into the blanket a lot faster than others with DWR remedies. The internal liner on the Biggie shouldn’t be coated with DWR, which was noticeable as a result of how the material instantly absorbed moisture. It additionally stayed moist longer than desired.

Heat

We have been pleasantly stunned by how heat this blanket felt! After our scorching sock check, the place a scorching sock was wrapped in every blanket for half-hour, the Kelty Biggie solely skilled a drop of 4.1F. This makes it one of many hotter blankets in our lineup. At the same time as a finances decide, the Biggie’s CloudLoft insulation has a powerful efficiency and is definitely hotter than a number of the dearer merchandise that we additionally examined within the nice open air.

Within the area, this plush blanket proved its heat to our gear analyst when out on a cold morning alongside the Northern California coast. As an outsized blanket with beneficiant protection for 2 folks, physique warmth is trapped successfully to chop the chilliness. The Biggie can be noticeably thicker than different blankets in our lineup, offering each extra insulation and cushioned consolation.

Measurement to Packability

The Biggie is marketed as a 2-person blanket. When specified by our 2-person tent, the Biggie crammed up the tent house completely and offered full protection. When lounging on the blanket on the seashore, two folks have been capable of lie down side-by-side and even in reverse instructions with out touching the sand. 

Whereas we discovered the blanket to additionally work comfortably as a throw across the shoulders or over the lap, its squarish form wasn’t our favourite. We’d have most popular rectangular dimensions in order that one facet of the blanket could be longer for extra protection round two units of shoulders.

Whereas the Biggie is a big blanket at 81.89” x 79.92,” it is among the least packable choices in our lineup. When stuffed into its stuff sack, it’s nearly the scale of our day pack itself – not an excellent mountaineering companion. The Biggie is significantly better fitted to automotive tenting, seashore days, or enjoyable open air nearer to the frontcountry. The blanket is so giant that it takes some effort to roll it as much as a measurement that adequately suits into its stuff sack. To not point out, the blanket weighs over 2 kilos, making it one of many heaviest choices we examined.

Consolation

With the Biggie’s thickness and enormous measurement, this blanket is comfortable and comfy for chilly climate. When testing it out on the seashore, our gear analyst famous how its plushness and DWR outer shell additionally make it an ideal possibility as a floor blanket, much more comfy than different seashore mats in our lineup.

Nonetheless, our favourite consolation function is the internal lining on the Biggie. It’s manufactured from a really delicate polyester, a lot softer and extra comfortable than artificial puffy blankets. Although the Biggie weighs over 2 kilos, the additional weight provides an extra sense of consolation when wrapping it over and round your self. It does prefer to cling canine hair…

Options

The Kelty Biggie blanket is among the easiest blankets in our lineup – no cape clip, no nook loops, and no further options. With that being mentioned, the heavyweight blanket doesn’t require loops for staking, and it might be a bit uncomfortable to put on hands-free, anyway. 

It comes with a stuff sack for storage, and the sack features a carrying strap to make it simpler to cart round from the automotive to the grasp spot. We additionally admire the flexibility of the blanket to be used on the bottom or draped over the physique.

Ought to You Purchase the Kelty Biggie Tenting Blanket?

The Kelty Biggie is a superb heavy-duty and budget-friendly purchase for these prioritizing consolation, heat, measurement, and affordability over options, packability, and water resistance. With its delicate internal lining, thick insulation, and 2-person protection, this blanket is ideal for enjoyable open air, lounging on the seashore, or automotive tenting – wherever that’s simply accessible and doesn’t require a trek to get there.

Outside lovers who want a packable go-to blanket for any and each kind of journey will probably be disillusioned by the burden, bulk, and lack of packability the Biggie provides. It’s not designed for backcountry trails, stashing in a backpack, or minimalist-style adventurers. 

What Different Tenting Blankets Ought to You Take into account?

If the Kelty Biggies isn’t fairly what you might be on the lookout for or if you wish to examine it to different blankets earlier than buy, try our full up to date gear information to the very best tenting blankets. 

Glorsign Outside Puffy Tenting Blanket Evaluation: This blanket is much more budget-friendly, comes with a plethora of options, and packs down barely smaller and fairly a bit lighter than the Kelty. Nonetheless, it isn’t fairly as heat or as prime quality. 

Rumpl Authentic Puffy Evaluation: Though dearer, Rumpl is a traditional blanket model within the trade – prime quality, plush, feature-friendly and a bit extra packable than the Kelty. 

REI Camp Evaluation: Just like the Kelty Biggie, the REI Camp is a quite simple blanket. It isn’t as cozy or as giant, however it’s far more packable for wherever the path takes you.