Ever wanted to sit down in a park, at a beach or near a lakeside but couldn’t find anything to sit or lie down on and enjoy the perfect scenery nature presented to you?
If so, you’re on the right page, and here we will discuss the Matador Pocket Blanket 2.0 and why we choose the best blanket possible for any outdoor adventure.
Ever found your picnic mat to be space consuming and too heavy to carry around? A perfect blanket for 2-4 adults and weighs under 3.8 oz and did we forget to mention that it fits perfectly into your pocket?
Camping, hiking, backpacking or spending a day at the beach, whatever the occasion might be, we recently stumbled upon online the perfect solution to all these problems
Matador Pocket Blanket 2.0 at a Glance
Dimensions:
- 3.8 oz (108 g)
- 63 X 44 in (160 X 110 cm)
Features:
- Fits 2-4 adults
- Pattern included for easy re-packing
- Built-in corner stakes
- Weighted corners & sand pockets for windy days
- HyperLyte Nylon; water/puncture resistant
- Integrated storage pouch
- Two colors: Original Red, Alpine Green
Certain factors are critical to an outdoor blanket’s success, namely:
Material
The material of the blanket directly relates to the feel of it, whether coarse or smooth which is why it is important to get a blanket with just the right material that is smooth to the touch. The Matador Pocket Blanket (“MPB 2.0”) stands out in its choice of material as it uses Hyperlyte nylon making it feather-light, almost water-resistant and smooth to the touch.
HyperLyte Nylon is the proprietary fabric of Matador. According to Matador, “It’s a rip-stop blend with a polyurethane coating on one side only. That single-sided coating prevents water from coming through but allows the top surface to feel silky and soft, instead of feeling like a plastic sheet like you will find with cheaper copies of the product. ”
Size
Of course, the more individuals a blanket can fit, the better it is, but at the same, it needs to be light and portable as well. For this to happen, the blanket should just be the right size, making it ideal to carry the blanket around and unfurl it with ease when the time comes.
The MPB 2.0 comes in a handy wallet-sized cover making it ideal to move around with. When the time comes to spread it out, people have reported that it is ideal for 1-2 people as it can manage to fit 2 people comfortably, and it can squeeze in 3. The dimensions of the blanket are 160 x 110 cm. One can consider getting more of these if one goes out with a larger group. It fits comfortably into a jeans’ pocket, as it is lightweight at just 108 g, making it the ideal choice for backpackers as mentioned by one of the consumers.
Waterproof
Keeping yourself dry at all times is necessary, whether it is a rainy day, or whether you are just munching snacks on damp grass at a park. In order for this to happen, your blanket needs to be water-proof.
Hyperlyte Nylon being used as the main material in this blanket’s construction makes the blanket almost water-proof.I use the word “almost” here due to the fact that among the multiple reviews I’ve read praising the blanket about how dry it stays when used on a damp surface, there was one particular reviewer who said that the blanket didn’t hold up the water from seeping onto the surface of his MPB 2.0 when he used it on a wet surface while watching the Disney parade.
Apparently, in some instances when used on wet surfaces the MPB 2.0 doesn’t hold up water from seeping onto the surface of the blanket. Despite this single review, we can safely say that the blanket does a decent job of keeping itself dry under moist conditions, making it at the least “moisture-resistant”.
Portability
If you can’t move around with it, because it does not fit in your bag, or it does not fit in your pocket or you cannot throw it in your car’s glovebox, then should you really buy that picnic blanket? Portability is a major concern for backpackers and many others, as traditional picnic blankets do a bad job by either taking up too much space in a backpack or by ending up being too heavy to carry around.
Let’s turn our heads back to the primary material used in the construction of the MPB 2.0, Hyperlyte nylon, this very material allows the blanket to be light weighing only as much as a deck of cards and folding it back into its palm-sized pouch is super easy. There are red seams stitched into the underside of the blanket. Reviewers have noted that these red seams make it easy for them to know where exactly to fold the blanket to get it back to its palm-sized portable form.
Durability
Picnic blankets are susceptible to getting torn through gradual use or through contact with the rough terrain. The kind of terrain the blanket is used on is, for example, one factor which leads to the wear and tear of a blanket. The amount of usage is another. Both of these factors are countered by the MPB, thanks to its puncture-resistant fabric, the very Hyperlyte nylon.
The puncture-resistant fabric as apparent from the reviews proves to be extremely durable making it the perfect long-term companion (Yes, you will be able to pass it on to your grandchildren).
Versatility
Any she
et, in essence, holds multi-functionality, as it can be used in numerous ways from keeping one’s self-warm, laying it down on the ground to sit on, or just using it as a tablecloth and much more.
But here’s the catch, not every blanket/sheet is impermeable to water or puncture-resistant. Nor is every blanket easy to carry around and lightweight. This is where the MPB makes for an effective multi-purpose sheet. The MPB can be useful in numerous situations,
- It can be turned into a cape during the rain to protect yourself from getting drenched
- It can be used as a clean and dry place to sit or lie down on
- An impromptu picnic
- Relaxing at the beach
- Could be worn like a poncho for an extra layer of warmth
- Backpacking anywhere (Read below a beautiful review from a user and his experience)
- I was looking for a very lightweight addition to my backpack that can be used for multiple purposes. This blanket has many uses, paying for it’s lightweight and small use of space.
– During mid-day hiking breaks when I use my tent footprint as a temporary tarp for sunshade or wind or rain protection, I needed something to use as a ground cloth. This is perfect. I can prepare and eat lunch in shade and on cover and take a nap.
– For warm nights when my sleeping bag is too much cover, I still like to have a cover – like a bed sheet. Again, this works perfectly.
– For colder nights when an extra layer is needed for warmth, I can use this.
– When I need a lightweight blanket to use to shield myself from rain while hiking, I use this draped over my head and backpack.
– When sitting on a cold, windy mountain peak or bluff, I can grab this blanket and wrap around myself for a little extra warmth and wind protection.
Summary
Overall, in our view, the Matador Pocket Blanket is one of the best blankets that one should definitely take out when going adventuring or just for a picnic at the garden with the family because of the above features.
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article and you should definitely consider getting the Matador Pocket Blanket or have an idea of what to look for when getting a new blanket and do let us know your thoughts in the comments below, what do you like about the Matador Pocket Blanket or what product do you use.
Do check out our other great articles and guides. Be sure to signup for our newsletter to get future updates on great guides, and other outdoor inspirations and gear from Settle Outdoor.
Final Verdict
To wrap it up, the MPB 2.0 is the most portable, lightweight, palm-sized blanket we’ve come across that unfolds into more than 5” long and a 3”4’ wide multi-purpose fabric that seats about 2-4 people. All of this while not having that plasticky feel, and being soft and smooth to the touch.
Although, “blanket” could be misleading as it does not really do the job of keeping a person warm in the cold if wrapped around one’s self but it definitely can come handy in protecting a person from getting drenched in the rain if wrapped around as a cape, thanks to its water repellant fabric.It can also serve as an extra layer of warmth when one needs it.
The blanket primarily serves as a splendid tool to sit or lie down on almost any terrain.
- Material
- Size
- Waterproof
- Portability
- Durability
- Versability