insulating your portable?

[NCLaker]

Has anyone tried using the silver Emergency Blankets or Space Blankets that you find in the camping, hiking, hunting areas? I thought someone had posted something about that before .... I always wondered about that idea because it's thinner and less bulky than Reflectix????

I posed this question near the top of this thread - For my HUB style shacks ... I think I found a possible option at the big "C", called "Sportsman's Space Blanket". I wish it were a little wider, measure 56"x84" and has reflective material on one side. I'll probably stop by Gander to see what they have.

To fasten it, I am thinking of using velcro. Put it on key locations on the pole system and sew matching locations on the blanket. I could sew the velcro on the tent fabric, but am phobic about poking holes in it. I would cut a hole in the middle so my Frabill velcro hooks can get through. It seems easy enough to do, and I could take up and down pretty easily, maybe even leave it in place when I take down/put up.

I am considering testing this out in my Clam Hub. The poles are so tight against the fabric, I don't think I can put it between them. Hence the velcro idea.

Interested to hear other idease people have on insulating a hub shack.

[Walleye Guy]

I didn't attach mine to the tub in the back. The vertical pole in the back of my Otter holds it in place very well. Its attached on the front and runs over the roof support poles in the middle and the rear.

[leroy77]

I put reflectix in my OLD fish trap 2 lastnight and gave it a try, it made a BIG difference thanks for the info everyone! I just have one question, i used the regular buddy heater and it seems like the reflectix gets pretty warm above the heater has anyone ever had a problem with the stuff melting?? I just don't want to have any problems when I head out fishing for the first time of the year friday morning!!!!

[berke99]

The first time I tried to insulate my portable I used the Emergency/Spaceage Blanket (real thin foil stuff) because it was not expensive. That stuff is real noisy in the wind! Reflectix is the way to go! I edged mine with duct tape and then started in the back and put the bolts through the bottom edge and worked up from there. I cut slits in the reflectix where the velcro was that goes around the poles and then put duct tape around those slits. That has been several years ago and it's still good to go! I just did the back and the top, not the sides or front, so I don't know how well that works.

[leech~~]

The space blankets reflect heat, but they do not insulate from the cold. The reflectix does both.

[Jim Almquist]

I have done both of out Otters and my CanvasCraft 8 X 8 with reflextix. I also put a floor in the 8 X 8 that consist of 2 sheets of 1/4 plywood with 2" of foam sandwiched in the center.The coldest I have slept in is -15 and it was really is toasty. Here are some pics.

[JimBuck]

Holy Cow Jim. I've never seen reflectix used in a big canvas craft before. Looks awesome! Nice work.

[leech~~]

Very Nice, almost looks like a Perm house in there! Nice and toasty!

[lakevet]

Jim,

How did you attach the reflectix? How does it takedown/store when you close up your 8x8? Especially if the wind is blowing. I have an old clam suitcase style the I would like to revive using the Reflectix. The Fabric fits very tight against the poles so would be hard to get the reflectix behind it. Maybe trim the poles so they are a little shorter? Anyone else used reflectix in the clam suitcase style shelters?

lakevet

[DaSwede]

Same question. How does it fasten to a portable? Is there a special tape or is the back side sticky?

[Jim Almquist]

The refectix is not that thick so I am able slide it over the support poles and tuck it in and I have 3 extra poles that I put on the sides without the door to hold the refectix in place. I put those poles about a foot off the floor and it seems to hold it in place. At night when I put it across the door I will just push stuff against the refectix to keep it in place. Remember to have a can or jug so if nature calls you will not have to undo everything just to step outside. There are 2 strips for the ceiling and those will cover the back wall and the door side and the other 2 walls are just separate pieces that I tuck into the ceiling. When I put it away I just roll them up and hold them in place with some wire. It takes a good hour to set up so I only use this when I plan to spend a few nights and really just use it as a base camp. I will just run around the lake with my Otter and snowmobile and come back when its dark. When the wife comes along it is a lot more crowded with 2 cots but still pretty darn comfortable and a heck of a lot cheaper then a motel room. I bring along my single burner Coleman stove and I am able to cook on the vented heater so breakfast and supper are done in the house plus I always have my little gas grill for burgers and brats on the ice. In the one pic you can see my coffee pot on the floor next to the tub of coffee. All the junk that you will need bring adds up to a lot of stuff so that's why I try to make it at least 3 days on the ice. I use a 30000 BTU vented heater and it was on low when the outside temp was -15.

Camping on the ice--you have got to love it

[OnAFly]

I took the stripping off the back the the porty and tucked in under the tent and put the stripping back on. This secures the back of the sheet.

I have it going to the top-front bar, so it ends just before the front of the tent. Here, I looped it around the bar and taped it to itself on the inside and outside of the loop using duct tape. This way it is not really attached to tent anywhere and can not create any stress points but is held against the tent while the shelter is up.

[bak2MN]

How wide does this stuf come?

[Jim Almquist]

The stuff that I put in was 48" and I think the other size is 24".

[lakevet]

Good info.

Can you stitch it to another fabric or is it mostly a tuck and tape deal?

lakevet

[Jim Almquist]

I think that a contact cement would work a little better then tape but the material is not strong enough to stitch. I used 3M Scotch storage tape and if you put a couple of strips it would hold but if you only used 1 strip it would work apart after a few setups and take down's. The next time mine come apart I am going to try contact cement or some of the 3M Super Strength Adhesive.

[Esox_Magnum]

Comes in a variety of widths from 16" for between studs to 4' wide. I had no option but the 16" but worked great in my Eskimo, hopefully will save me some in propane and get rid of the annoying condensation you get fishing at night or real cold days. I got mine at maynerds.

[OKIE]

HOW MUCH IS IT AT MAYARDS

[OnAFly]

It was about $15 for the 16" roll and 30 for the 48" roll.

[Esox_Magnum]

yep $15 for a 16x25' roll.

[gonehunting]

I was a little skeptical about the ability to fold my shelter down once I installed the reflectix. I took the plunge today and put it in the ceiling and back wall of my otter lodge fishhouse. I ran the length of the roll from the front of the shleter to the back. I needed to add 18" to the 48" roll that I purchased. It came in a 25 ft length so I had plenty to do so. I pieced it together using commercial grade duct tape. I have to say I am extremely impressed with how it folds up. The weight of the reflectix naturally folds the pieces as you lower your polls. I ran the reflectix between the poles and tent and cut small holes for the velcro straps. I ran duct tape through and around the holes before installing it just to prevent the holes from tearing. Once installed I fired up the big buddy heater and I can already tell it was well worth my time and money. Very impressed with this product. No need for the $1000 insulated models