The Rumpl puffy blanket is one of those products that when I first saw one, I really didn’t know what to think. I mean, a down or synthetic down puffy blanket is cool, but it’s still just a blanket, right? Then Rumpl sent one for me to check out for myself, and after the first long road trip – everything started to make sense. Thanks to its compact design and versatile warmth, this could be the perfect accessory for anyone who spends time camping, in their car or otherwise.
Most of Rumpl’s catalog is all about blankets. Specifically, the puffy blanket. These are made from many of the same materials as your favorite sleeping bag, only they’re in blanket form which makes them lighter, more compact, and probably more versatile.
There are essentially two versions: the Original which uses 3D hollow fiber synthetic insulation, and the Puffy Down reviewed here which uses 600 fill duck down insulation. Both are made with a 20D ripstop nylon fabric with a DWR coating to help keep things as dry as possible. For even more water proofing, they offer the Ground Cover which is a blanket on one side and a water proof nylon backer on the other.
Since the blankets are made with printable nylon panels, there are so many awesome colorful designs that it will make it hard to choose your favorite. However, the actual size of the blanket might make that decision for you. There are three different sizes offered – the Throw, the 1-person, and the 2-person. The most creative designs are largely limited to the Throw size which measures 50 x 70” (127 x 178cm). A few, like the Voyage print shown here are available in the 1-person which measures 54 x 80” (137 x 203cm). Then there are very few (mostly solid colors) that come in a 2-person which measures 88 x 84” (224 x 213cm).
As their premium option, the Puffy Down blanket is both lighter and more compact than the Original Puffy Blanket. When packed in its stuff sack, the Puffy Down 1-person comes in at 619g. Compared to my Marmot summer weight sleeping back, it packs pretty small – and if space was a greater concern, a compression stuff sack could make it even smaller. It is nice though that the included stuff sack is roomy enough that it is very easy to stuff and remove.
Which brings me to its first use. On our way out to the Philly Bike Expo, we were pushing hard through the night to get to the beach in Maryland with enough time to camp and ride fat bikes. That meant that around 4am, we pulled over and found a spot in a park to try and get a few hours of sleep before finishing the drive the next morning. Previously, this would have involved getting out my sleeping bag which is fairly bulky – which is why I keep it in a compression sack.
With the Rumpl close by, it was way faster to pull it from the bag, recline my seat, and toss the blanket over myself to try and keep warm. While I didn’t sleep much that night, it wasn’t the blanket’s fault. I was perfectly warm and toasty even though temps got down to the 30’s that night.
When it was time to hit the road, the blanket packed up impressively well and we were on our way.
Once we got to the campsite, the blanket emerged yet again – this time to supplement my sleeping bag. It was fairly cold that night, so my summer weight sleeping bag was just on the edge of being comfortable so I threw the blanket over top for good measure. To be honest, it was way warmer than I needed which makes me think I probably could have gotten away with just the blanket and my sleeping pad – something I might try on future bikepacking trips in warmer conditions.
The Puffy Blanket also works great if you’re hanging around camp and it’s a little chilly. Actually, before we left for the show I was hanging out with some friends on our deck on one of those glorious fall days where the sun is out but it’s just a little too cold for some, and the Puffy Blanket saved the day. I gave it to a friend who found it a little cold, and she was perfectly content.
Clearly, the Rumpl is an awesome piece of gear for those who like to play outside which leaves us with the price. The Original Puffy blankets start out at $99, but the Voyage Pubby Down shown here is $249. That’s a lot for a blanket, but when you consider how useful and compact it is (and compare that price to many high end down sleeping bags), it may just be worth it. As for me, this Rumpl is finding a permanent home in my car since it’s compact enough to take up hardly any space and you never know when you might need it!
