YETI Lowlands® "Blanket Small" Outdoor Blanket (Small) 1 piece

The blanket that lives in your boot

What is the YETI Lowlands Blanket Small? A 72 by 96 centimetre outdoor blanket with a waterproof underside that rolls up with a strap like a yoga mat. Room for one person or one dog, not for two adults.

The YETI Lowlands Blanket Small is YETI's small outdoor blanket for people who want to sit down next to their car without checking the ground first. Waterproof underneath, quilted and padded on top, 72 by 96 centimetres, about 650 grams. No carry bag, just a strap that holds it together. It's half a Lowlands, and for everything around the car it's the right half.

Half six, a car park on the edge of town, the grass next to it still dark with dew. You pull it out from behind the passenger seat, unhook the strap and roll it out at the open tailgate. From then on your coffee mug isn't standing in the grass, and your knees stay dry when you crouch down by the wheel arch.

• It rolls up like a yoga mat. There's no bag, just a strap and a small pocket it tucks into while you're sitting. Rolled up, it stands behind the passenger seat or in the side pocket of the boot, and at about 650 grams nobody notices it's there. That's the difference between a blanket you remember to bring and one that's simply always with you.
• It couldn't care less what's underneath. The bottom is the waterproof Hydrobarrier layer, and whatever's below doesn't come through. Wet grass, cold concrete, sand, gravel. At 72 by 96 centimetres one person sits comfortably, or a dog stretches out full length, or the toolbox stands on dry fabric instead of in the mud.
• Dog hair doesn't stick. Sand comes off with one good shake, mud dries and drops off with it. When it really does need a proper clean, wash it cold in the machine and tumble dry on low. YETI backs it with a three-year warranty. Three colours to choose from: Navy, Olive and Cape Taupe.

Detailing1's tip from the shop: The strap is convenient, and that's exactly why it's the weak spot. Roll the blanket up damp in the evening, cinch the strap tight, and two days later you've got a clammy blanket in the car, because nothing dries when it's strapped down hard. On the big sister the open bag saves you; here there isn't one. Roll it loosely, just hook the strap on and drape it over a chair once you're home. Two minutes of effort, no smell.

The second trick is the direction. Always roll it with the dark waterproof side facing out, so the damp quilted side sits protected inside and the boot carpet stays dry. Roll it the other way round and it hands its moisture to everything next to it.

It's already in the car before the day starts

You don't pack the small Lowlands, it's just there. It stands rolled up behind the passenger seat and is spread out in five seconds, with nobody having to pack anything beforehand.

At an early-morning meet the ground is the enemy. The grass next to the car park is wet, the tarmac is cold, and anyone who kneels down for a second to check the inner barrels of the wheels gets back up with two wet patches. The YETI Lowlands Blanket Small lies right where you're working and moves with you as you walk round the car.

It does more than lie flat. Draped over the boot sill it protects the paint when you lean against it while unloading, and it keeps the cool bag's buckle off the edge. Laid across the back seat it becomes a seat protector for the wet dog after a walk by the lake. In the footwell it catches whatever comes off your shoes.

In the paddock, or waiting between two sessions, it's simply the place you sit. The folding table stands next to it, the camp chair doesn't sink in, and if you haven't brought a chair you just sit down. On a thin picnic rug you're sitting on cold concrete after twenty minutes; here you stay warm.

On a road trip in the weekend car it changes the plan. A car park with a view is enough for a break, because you no longer have to perch on a cold crash barrier. The boot lid becomes the table, the blanket the floor, and twenty minutes later you're off again. Without it you stay in the car and balance your cup on the dashboard.

In the evening it goes back in the same order. Shake it out, fold it once lengthways, roll it up, hook the strap, back behind the seat. That's all the handling it needs, and precisely because it's so quick you actually use it every single time.

72 by 96 centimetres is one person not two

The small Lowlands is a seat, not a camp. At 72 by 96 centimetres one person sits comfortably; two adults end up shoulder to shoulder and are soon back on their feet.

That answers the size question, and it's the only real buying decision. If the blanket needs to cover the boot, the back seat, a dog or a child, this is the one. If two people need to sit on it or it's meant as a family base camp, go for the large outdoor blanket at 140 by 198 centimetres, which weighs 2.6 kilos and needs its own bag.

The remaining limits come down to the material and apply to both sizes. There's no flame retardant in the fabric, deliberately and for health reasons. Sparks from the barbecue or the fire pit burn holes that don't close up again. Sharp stones, screws and metal shavings puncture the fabric, so walk over the spot with your foot first. Sounds fussy, saves you a warranty claim.

Only one side is waterproof, too. The dark underside keeps the ground out, while the quilted top only has a water-repellent finish. A knocked-over drink beads for a moment and then soaks in, and once the quilted side is properly soaked, the padding underneath drinks it up like a sponge. Constant sun fades the colour, so it doesn't belong on the patio when you're not using it.

Two more quirks so nobody's caught out. The waterproof layer rustles when you roll it up or move it around; you can hear it and it doesn't go away. And there's no temperature rating like on a sleeping bag, because it isn't one. As a cover in high summer it's too warm; its season runs from autumn to spring.

For dog owners passengers and the quick solo outing

This blanket pays off if you're out alone or with the dog more often than with the whole family. For a big base camp it's too small.

The clearest case is the dog. Hair doesn't stick, mud dries and shakes off, and the rest disappears in the wash. If you've been hoovering the back seat after every walk, you can stop. The second clear case is the child who sits down somewhere nobody checked first.

At about 650 grams it even fits in a daypack, unlike its big sister. Still, it's not a hiking blanket, it's something to sit on. It warms you from below, not from above, and if you're after a cover for the tent, you're better off with something thin and breathable. It lives in the car and nobody misses it there.

How it ages is the real reason for the price. After three seasons of boot floor, road salt, sand and dog paws, you can tell where it's been, and that's all. The quilted side loses a bit of its pile, the underside stays watertight. All three colours sit side by side in the YETI category: Navy and Olive are the dark ones, Cape Taupe the light one of the three.

Two small ones instead of one large is a serious calculation, by the way. To cover the load floor of an estate, lay two side by side and you can still take and wash each one separately. A big blanket is always all or nothing. If you need one continuous base for two people, though, two pieces won't make you happy, because the seam in the middle gets in the way.

The trick no manufacturer writes down: precisely because the small one fits in any household machine, it ends up in there too often. Every wash takes a bit off the water-repellent finish on the top, and it doesn't come back. Shake it out, hose it down, let it dry. Once a season in the machine is plenty, and fabric softener never goes in with it, or the quilted side will soak up water like a towel afterwards.

What is the small YETI Lowlands blanket?

The Lowlands Blanket Small is an outdoor ground blanket from YETI with a waterproof underside and a quilted, padded top. It measures 72 by 96 centimetres and weighs about 650 grams. Instead of a carry bag it has a strap that lets you roll it up like a yoga mat.

How big is the difference from the regular Lowlands blanket?

The small one has roughly a quarter of the area and a quarter of the weight. 72 by 96 centimetres against 140 by 198 centimetres, about 650 grams against 2.6 kilos. For the boot, the back seat, a dog or one person, the small one does the job. For two adults or a family base camp you need the large outdoor blanket.

Does the small Lowlands blanket come with a bag?

No. YETI ships it with a webbing strap and a small pocket the strap tucks into while you're using it. You roll the blanket up and secure it with that. A bag with a shoulder strap only comes with the regular size.

Is the small Lowlands blanket waterproof on both sides?

No, only the dark underside is the waterproof layer. The quilted top only has a water-repellent finish, so a knocked-over drink beads briefly and then soaks in. Nothing comes up from the ground, though, not even on wet grass or freshly rained-on tarmac.

Can I wash the small Lowlands blanket?

Yes, and at about 650 grams it fits in any household machine. Wash cold and tumble dry on low, as YETI itself specifies. No fabric softener, no bleach, no ironing, no dry cleaning. Day to day, a shake or a rinse with the garden hose is enough; once a season in the machine does it.

Can the small Lowlands blanket go next to a campfire?

Better not. YETI deliberately leaves out flame retardants for health reasons, and sparks burn holes in the material. Sharp stones, metal shavings and screws also puncture the fabric. Walk over the spot with your foot before rolling it out, and you'll save yourself a warranty claim.

What colours does the small Lowlands blanket come in?

Three colours: Navy, Olive and Cape Taupe, each with a black strap. The seasonal colours of the regular size aren't available for the small one. All variants sit side by side in the YETI category.

On site: unhook the strap, roll it out, dark waterproof side down. Tuck the strap into its pocket so it isn't in the way while you sit.

Ground: walk over the spot with your foot first. Sharp stones, screws and metal shavings puncture the fabric.

End of the day: shake it out, sand and pet hair drop off on their own. Rinse off heavier dirt with the garden hose and let it dry.

Packing up: roll it with the waterproof side facing out and only hook the strap on loosely. Damp and strapped down tight, the blanket won't dry and starts to smell within a few days.

Washing: only when it's really needed, about once a season. Cold in the machine, tumble dry on low. No fabric softener, no bleach, no ironing, no dry cleaning.

Storage: dry and not in direct sun for long periods, or the colour fades.