When I first booked my camper van road trip over a weekend this past May, I made a list of all the things I’d needed to pack for a weekend camping in the UK. Based in London, I was looking to hit the countryside—and no stranger to festival life, I had pretty much everything I’d need already. Obvious additions like a folding wagon and a night light, as well as niche items that experience has taught me I’d appreciate once on the road, were all in check. What I didn’t bargain for was a heatwave. Nothing in my meticulously packed weekender bag was going to help me stay cool in plus 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Like the rest of those who live in the UK, I frantically started googling how to stay cool in a heatwave, namely while spending four days and nights in a van, a.k.a. a roaming tin can. Chargeable handheld fans, reusable water bottles that promise to keep liquids cold for long stretches of time, and—bizarrely—a cooling blanket were among the recommendations. The irony of adding a layer of bedding when you’re already feeling too hot is not lost on me, but against my better judgement, and in a state of slight desperation, I hit purchase on this $30 item from Amazon.
The promise was simple: This single-layer, machine washable blanket is designed to reduce skin temperature. It’s made with Japanese Arc-Chill 3.0 cool technology fabric—known to quickly absorb and release heat for an instant cool-to-the-touch feel—and the reviews online are glowing. The next day, and just in time for my trip, it was perfectly placed on top of my luggage and I had high hopes. Worst case scenario, it wouldn’t work, but at least I’d know I’d tried.