Review and New Favorite Thing: Rumpl Puffy Down Blanket

I've mostly focused on tech products in my reviews here, but I'm straying a bit with this one. This is one of my new Favorite Things and I wanted to share how awesome it is.

First, I'll give a bit of background. Feel free to skip ahead a few paragraphs if you're not interested in how I came to buy three––well, technically four, Rumpl blankets. Rumpl makes premium sleeping-bag like blankets that are great to use both outdoors and indoors. I'd first heard of Rumpl products through a co-worker. I checked out out Rumpl's site and came across this beauty, the Pyro Fade blanket. I've always liked gradient color schemes and this one appealed to me immediately. I added it to my Christmas gift list in a not-so-subtle way and Santa, AKA my boyfriend Chris, delivered! And I was hooked.

That blanket became my go-to to relax with on the couch. It came with us on a 2-week mid-summer road trip and saved our bacon on an unexpectedly cold night while sleeping in our truck bed tent in Minnesota. I was taking that blanket everywhere, including back and forth between home and Chris's every weekend. So then I thought, what if I get another one to just leave at his place? And maybe this would be a good time to try a down version, to boot. This led to the purchase of Rumpl #2, the down puffy in black.

The down version feels warmer than the synthetic-filled Pyro Fade blanket, even though they're both rated to be comfortable down to 40ºF, and it's lighter and can compress down smaller in its stuff sack. This became the blanket that stayed at Chris's while I enjoyed the Pyro Fade at home.

But to tell the truth, I wasn't as enamored with the black color compared to the beautiful vibrance of the Pyro Fade blanket. And, Chris began using the black Rumpl a lot––enough that I started bringing my Pyro Fade blanket with me again each weekend so we could each have our own. One of us is not a big cuddler, so sharing a single blanket was not the best idea.

Oh, and that one of us is Chris. Sorry to out you like this, babe.

So I started wondering. Did Rumpl have a down version in a similar gradient color scheme that I could get? Yes. Yes, they do. It's the Baja Fade. So we struck a deal: Chris keeps the black down blanket and got me the Baja Fade. It's light and warm and gorgeous. In Marie Kondo's words, it brings me joy to see and use.

There's one more Rumpl in this background story. Before I bought the black down blanket, I bought a Puffy Fleece blanket in Deepwater Blue in the 2-person size (88-inches by 84-inches) for Chris for Christmas. With a soft fleece side that's not water-resistant or particularly rugged, it's less outdoor oriented than the other blankets.

I figured we could use it on his bed and it would be much easier to keep free of dog fur than the cotton duvet cover. While it is enormous–large enough to just cover his king size bed––it's also heavy and bulky. And the fleece side seemed to pick up smells way too easily (slow cooker chicken soup and wet dog, to be precise). While it was still warm and cozy, it has been my least favorite Rumpl. It’s no longer even listed on Rumpl’s site anymore, so this may have been common feedback that caused its discontinuation.

I'm not a big hiker or camper, but all three outdoor-oriented Rumpl blankets have been sturdy, stain and dog fur resistant, and warm in every situation so far, indoors and out. The ripstop nylon exterior of the down blankets and the polyester exterior of the synthetic fill Pyro Fade blanket have not torn, stretched or ripped, even under the dog's claws. If I had to nitpick, I'd say that the blankets are a little noisy, making that papery crinkling and slithering sound with every movement. But this is normal for every down jacket and sleeping bag I've ever used and is par for the course for the material.

The down versions can pack down very small in their included stuff sacks. According to Rumpl's site, the 1-person size (54 inches by 80 inches) weighs 1.2 lbs can pack down to just 7" x 7" in the stuff sack. I haven't tried to compress it down this small, but I believe it's possible. The synthetic fill blankets weigh a little more, with the 1-person size tipping the scale at 2.1 lbs. Also, it doesn't compress down as small, getting to 6.5" x 14" according to Rumpl. If you want the lightest and most compressible blanket possible, you'll need to get a down-filled Rumpl.

Rumpl's aren't cheap, which is the only negative in my view. However, they're a luxury item, not a life necessity. The throw-sized synthetic fill Pyro Fade blanket costs $129 (the solid color blankets cost a little less at $99). The down blankets start at $159 for throw sizes in solid colors and $199 for printed or patterned blankets.

Rumpl offers a 10% off coupon code if you sign up for their email list. And I've seen that they usually offer 20% off coupon codes to email list subscribers in October and November to help you get ready for the holiday season.

You can also purchase Rumpls from Amazon. Here are links to the Rumpl blankets that I have and covered in this review:

• Rumpl Down Blanket in Baja Fade print, 1-person size
• Rumpl Down Blanket in black, 1-person size
• Rumpl Original Puffy in Pyro Fade, Throw size

These are affiliate links and I'll earn a tiny percentage of any sales made using them. All of the Rumpls covered in this review were purchased with my (or my boyfriend's) own money.

If you're gearing up for holiday shopping in general, I'd recommend shopping through eBates.com. eBates is essentially a massive affiliate referral site – they get kickbacks from stores you buy from online, and then they share some of that money with you. If you sign up using my referral link, you'll get at $10 bonus when you make your first purchase through them. They mail you a check or send money via PayPal quarterly. Yes, it's easy. No, it's not a scam. 🙂