YETI Lowlands® "Blanket" Outdoor Blanket 1 piece

Sit dry where the ground is wet

What is the YETI Lowlands Blanket? A 140 by 198 centimetre outdoor blanket with a waterproof underside and a padded top that's allowed to get wet and then goes in the washing machine. Not a sleeping bag, not a picnic blanket for your rucksack, nothing for the campfire.

The YETI Lowlands Blanket is YETI's outdoor blanket for people who want to sit down outside without checking the ground first. Waterproof underneath, quilted and padded on top, 140 by 198 centimetres, 2.6 kilos, with its own carry bag and shoulder strap. Five colours, from Olive and Navy to Torch Orange. It's the only YETI in the range that doesn't protect your drink, it protects your paint.

Seven in the morning, the grass next to the tarmac, and it rained overnight. Everyone else is standing. You roll the blanket out, set the folding chair on it, and the rest of the morning happens on dry ground. In the evening, shake it out, roll it up, into the bag. That's all there is to living with it.

• It couldn't care less what's underneath. The underside is the waterproof Hydrobarrier layer, and whatever is below it doesn't come through. Wet grass, cold concrete, sand, gravel. On 140 by 198 centimetres two adults sit with room to spare, or one lies across it and still has space for the cool bag alongside.
• It goes in the washing machine, not to the dry cleaner. Sand comes off with one shake, dog hair doesn't cling in the first place, and the rest disappears with the garden hose. If it ever needs a proper clean, wash it cold and tumble dry on low. YETI gives it a three-year warranty.
• It stays where you put it. 2.6 kilos plus a 0.23-kilo bag is a lot for a blanket, and that's exactly why it's right. In the wind no corner flips up. For when it really blows, there are six grommets on the corners and sides so you can stake it down. Pegs aren't included.

Detailing1's tip from the shop: The one mistake that really ruins this blanket happens in the utility room. YETI puts no fabric softener on the label, but doesn't say what happens otherwise. Run it through once with the normal wash and a splash of softener and the quilted side loses its water-repellent finish for good. The underside stays waterproof, but from then on the top soaks things up like a towel.

The second mistake happens at packing-up time. Rolled up wet with the quilted side out, thrown in the boot, and three weeks later the bag smells. Roll it with the waterproof side out, leave the bag open and spread it out once when you get home. Two minutes, and that's sorted for years to come.

The Lowlands is down before the folding table is up

The blanket is the first thing out of the boot and the last thing back in. Rolling it out takes under ten seconds, and after that everything else stands on dry ground.

At an early morning meet, the ground is the enemy. The grass next to the car park is damp, the tarmac is cold, and anyone who crouches for a moment to check the wheel arches ends up with wet knees. The Lowlands goes down by the open tailgate, the toolbox sits on it instead of in the grass, and the camping chair doesn't sink in.

It does more than lie flat. Draped over the boot sill it protects the paint when you lean against it while unloading, and keeps the bag's zip away from the edge. On the back seat it becomes a seat cover for a wet dog. In the paddock between sessions it's simply the place to sit.

For the wind there are the six grommets. Four tent pegs in the side pocket of the boot cost next to nothing and fix the problem before it starts. If there's no grass, four stones from the edge or the cool bag in one corner will do the job. With nothing weighing it down, even a 2.6-kilo blanket goes walkabout once it gets gusty.

Winter is where you notice the difference from an ordinary blanket most. On a thin picnic blanket you're sitting on cold concrete after twenty minutes and standing up again. Here you stay warm, even if the ground still had frost on it that morning. The top is quilted and padded, and the whole build is just under a centimetre thick.

In the evening it goes back in the same order. Shake it out, fold it once lengthways, roll it up, into the bag. The shoulder strap is why that works when both hands are already full. Throw the blanket loose into the boot instead and next time you'll be digging for it under everything else.

Sparks sharp stones and high summer are its limits

The YETI Lowlands Blanket is waterproof, not indestructible. YETI is unusually upfront about its limits in its own product FAQ, and you'll run into all three of the big ones sooner or later.

There's no flame retardant in the material, deliberately and for health reasons. Sparks from the barbecue or the fire pit burn holes in it, and they don't come out. Sharp stones, metal swarf and screws will also punch through the fabric. If you're rolling it out on a gravel car park, go over the spot once with your foot first. Sounds fussy, saves you a warranty claim.

The third point is the sun. Constant exposure fades the colour, so it doesn't belong on the patio for weeks unused. And padded is padded: as a cover in high summer it's too warm, it comes into its own from autumn to spring. For sitting on, the season doesn't matter.

Also, only one side is waterproof. The dark underside keeps the ground out, the quilted top only has a water-repellent finish. A knocked-over drink beads for a moment and then soaks in. And there's no temperature rating like a sleeping bag has, because it isn't one.

Two smaller quirks are worth knowing so nobody is caught out. The waterproof layer rustles when you roll it up or shift it, you can hear it and that doesn't go away. And the bag is a roll bag, not a box: scrunch the blanket up and it won't go in. Fold it once lengthways, then roll, and it fits first time.

That leaves the size question, which is the only real buying decision. If two people are going to sit on it or it's doubling as the family base, go for the regular one at 140 by 198 centimetres. If it only needs to cover the boot, the back seat and the dog, the small outdoor blanket at around 72 by 96 centimetres and 700 grams is plenty, and it rolls up with a strap like a yoga mat.

For dog owners family camps and the open boot sill

This blanket earns its keep if you sit outside next to your car more than three times a year. For everyone else it's too heavy and too expensive.

That's a verdict, not a criticism. The clearest case is the dog. Hair doesn't cling, mud dries on and shakes off, and whatever's left disappears in the wash. If you've been hoovering the back seat every Sunday, you can stop. The second clear case is kids at a meet where you don't want to keep an eye on where they sit down.

It isn't meant for a rucksack. 2.6 kilos and a rolled size of about 51 by 22 centimetres is too much for a hike, every test agrees on that, and there are thinner blankets for a third of the money for that job. This is a car blanket. It lives in the boot and nobody misses it there.

How the YETI Lowlands Blanket ages is the real reason for the price. After three seasons on the boot floor, with road salt, sand and dog paws, you can see where it's been and nothing else. The quilted side loses a little pile, the underside stays waterproof. All five colours sit side by side in the YETI category, with Olive and Navy as the permanent ones.

The move no manufacturer writes down: don't wash it until you really have to. Every wash takes a bit of the water-repellent finish off the top, and it doesn't come back. Shake it out, hose it down, let it dry. We've seen blankets soaked through after two summers because their owners washed them every week. Once a season is plenty.

What is the YETI Lowlands Blanket?

The Lowlands Blanket is an outdoor ground blanket from YETI with a waterproof underside and a quilted, padded top. It measures 140 by 198 centimetres, weighs 2.6 kilos and comes with a carry bag and shoulder strap. It's built as a groundsheet to sit on, not as a sleeping bag or tent tarp.

Can I wash the YETI Lowlands Blanket?

Yes. Machine wash cold and tumble dry on low, that's what YETI itself says. No fabric softener, no bleach, no ironing, no dry cleaning. For everyday use a shake or a rinse with the garden hose is enough, and once a season in the machine does the job.

Lowlands Blanket regular or small, which one fits better?

The regular one at 140 by 198 centimetres takes two adults and works as a family base. The small outdoor blanket measures around 72 by 96 centimetres, weighs about 700 grams and rolls up with a strap. For the boot, the back seat and the dog, the small one is enough.

Is the 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 for a moment and then soaks in. Nothing comes up from the ground, though, not even on wet grass or freshly rained-on tarmac.

Can the Lowlands Blanket go next to the campfire?

Better not. YETI deliberately leaves out flame retardants for health reasons, so sparks burn holes in the material. Sharp stones, metal swarf and screws also punch through the fabric. Walk over the spot once before you roll it out, and you'll save yourself a warranty claim.

How big is the Lowlands Blanket rolled up?

In the bag it comes with, it measures about 51 by 22 centimetres and weighs around 2.8 kilos including the bag. That's too much for a rucksack and no issue for the boot. Fold it once lengthways, then roll, otherwise it won't go in.

On site: roll it out with the dark waterproof side down. In the wind, stake it down through the six grommets on the corners and sides, pegs aren't included.

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

Packing up: fold it once lengthways, then roll it with the waterproof side out and slide it into the bag. Rolled up damp, it'll smell after three weeks.

Washing: only when it really needs it, about once a season. Machine wash cold, tumble dry on low. No fabric softener, no bleach, no ironing, no dry cleaning.

Storage: dry and not in constant sun, otherwise the colour fades.