I thought “Bloncho” meant “blanket poncho,” but is it a poncho if it only has one side? As it turns out for me, I found two novel uses for Helinox’s lightweight Bloncho, so it doesn’t really matter.
Cover It
I’ll start at the beginning. At first I was completely confounded by the Bloncho because I thought it was a wearable blanket. It’s not. At 55 inches long and 39 inches wide, the Bloncho can be used as a chair warmer or as a body warmer, but not both at the same time.
The thin, lightweight Bloncho is made out of a recycled polyester material filled with recycled polyester fiber. It’s essentially a blanket with a hood at one end, and the hood has a neck hole in it. I can slip my head into the hole and place the blanket across and along my body as I recline and watch movies or work on my laptop. Cozy. Exactly what I’d want to take along on a weekend away.
Another use, shown on the Helinox site, is using the Bloncho to cover a chair or seat that might be cold. Makes sense, but I thought once I put it on a chair I would be able to wrap it around myself. It’s not wide enough for that, but I have thought of a perfect use for the Bloncho: cover your airplane seat. Planes are full of germs, and there’s a pandemic out there. The Bloncho comes in its own little stuff sack, which would fit in a carryon bag. It’s also machine washable (but don’t put it in the dryer or use fabric softener).
Cover Up
In spite of my initial confusion that I wouldn’t be able to wear the Bloncho, I have found an ideal use for it: post-swim coverup. I am one of those crazy people who loves swimming in lakes even during the winter months. All my neoprene gear protects me from the cold water, but those minutes after I get out of the water are critical for getting warm. The Bloncho has been an essential part of my post-swim routine.
First, I remove my head gear and put on the warmest cap I own. Then I unzip my wetsuit and remove it down to my hips. I put on the Bloncho so it covers the front of my body. Then I remove my swimsuit down to my waist, dab dry with a towel, then pull on a wool shirt or zip-up wool top/jacket. (Depending on what I use as a base layer and if I have help getting dressed, I might remove the Bloncho to pull on a crew-style top or put on a zip-up top on top of the Bloncho.) Then I put on another insulated layer, then a huge winter coat. Next, I sit down and struggle to remove the wetsuit. The ankles are very snug, so I always takes me a long time. The Bloncho covers me down to my ankles, and provides warmth and protection (as in, modesty so nobody get’s flashed). Once the suit is off, I dab with a towel and pull on track pants or long underwear. Then socks, then shoes. Then I dash to my car and sit there for 10 minutes or so, drinking water, waiting for the heater to kick in.
The Bloncho has been such a useful item of gear because I have to move around so much to remove my wetsuit that I need just a top layer. Also, because of the neck hole I can keep my Bloncho on top of my body and use my hands to remove my gear; the blanket doesn’t move around. Sometimes I just head straight to my car and go through this routine while lying on the back seat of my car. Either way, it’s a flurry of desperate movement and the hands-free Blancho has been quite useful.
Black with navy and gold pattern on the inside. Bloncho has fasteners to make it shorter to accommodate different chair heights. It also has a secret pocket.
Bottom Line
The Bloncho is a little bundle of lightweight warm when you don’t have room or don’t want to carry a full-sized heavy blanket.
Manufacturer’s Site: https://helinox.com
images provided by Helinox
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