Walmart's Ultra-Budget Survival Item Offers Emergency Protection For Less Than Five Bucks

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If your idea of a great vacation means trekking through remote forests, scrambling over rocky terrain by day and sleeping under the stars by night, then you will understand the importance of being ready for whatever the wilderness can throw at you. Outdoor adventurers and backcountry explorers know how crucial having the right gear can be, not just for dealing with adverse weather and conditions but in the event of unexpected circumstances or emergencies. Being properly prepared and packing the safest hiking gear for all eventualities can literally be a lifesaver.

The problem with getting ready for anything is that good gear doesn't always come cheap. While it is easy to see the benefits of things like a lightweight, fully waterproof tent, great walking boots, and breathable outerwear, it can be hard to justify the expense of stuff that you probably (hopefully!) will never need to use.

That's where ultra-affordable survival gear comes into play. Gear that doesn't cost a fortune and you can sling in your bag without too much thought, but that could make all the difference in an emergency situation. And if you really want to save money, it is hard to look past the Ozark Trail Emergency Reflective Survival Tent, available from Walmart stores for less than $5.

The Ozark Trail Emergency Reflective Tent is essentially a foil blanket taken up a level or two. Created for total portability, it folds up into a tiny rectangle and fits easily into that last space in your backpack, your truck's glove compartment, and even in your back pocket. It is an emergency shelter of last resort, designed to keep the wind and the rain off in an emergency survival situation, and to keep you warm enough to survive if you get lost on a hike.

It's made from fire-retardant, reflective silver polyester and measures 96" x 56" x 96". It comes with a 14-foot suspension cord, which allows you to construct your shelter without poles, making it a quick, fuss-free set-up in almost any landscape and situation you find yourself in. The incredible reflectivity of the tent brings an additional bonus to this piece of gear, as it means you are more likely to be spotted by other hikers, hunters, or campers, which can help in a rescue situation.

It should be said that this is not designed to be a standard part of your kit or to replace other, more fundamental bits of gear. It is definitely not meant to be used instead of an actual tent. The idea behind the Ozark Trail Emergency Reflective Tent and all other mylar blanket/tent combos is to offer a last resort in a situation when you've got nothing else, something that will keep you warm enough and dry enough to make it through a night in the wilderness.

When it comes to adventure equipment from Walmart that costs less than $5 and could save your life, haggling over value for money seems like a waste of time. Finding the best hiking gear on a budget usually means compromising, but there's very little not to like about this tent. It costs almost nothing, barely takes up any space, and gives you that little extra bonus peace of mind to help you make even the most serious and wildest adventures stress-free.

It is worth pointing out that there are some downsides to the Ozark Trail Emergency Reflective Tent. It is not the easiest piece of kit to assemble, as it is so lightweight and simple that it does need a few extras (stones to weigh it down, clips to keep it attached to the rope, trees to suspend it from) to make it genuinely practical. Inexperienced hikers or explorers might struggle to make use of it in difficult or extreme conditions. But even if you can't make it work as a tent, having a waterproof, windproof mylar blanket you can wrap yourself up in is better than nothing, and if you find yourself lost in the woods or in trouble on an outdoor adventure, having this in your kit bag is going to be a relief!