Friday, March 29, 2013

Get Picnic-Ready with the Best Lightweight Picnic Blanket


We're getting ready for a trip to Paris, where we plan to spend a lot of time in the parks.  Also, spring and summer in New York City with 21-month old Greyson is going to mean lots of picnics and playdates in the park.  Last summer, I used sarongs, an old tablecloth and a fleece picnic blanket as  ground covers and nothing worked out.  They were too small (why is 5' x 5' considered a standard size for a picnic blanket??), picked up too much foliage and dirt or were too bulky.

So, I hit the internet to find the perfect picnic blanket.  It wasn't as quick and easy as it should have been, but I found it!  Actually, I got two types...a lightweight one for travel and the beach and a thicker one for use around New York, where I want more cushioning from the twigs and hypodermic needles.  But today, I want to talk about the perfect lightweight picnic blanket because I'm super excited about it!



What drew me to the Parasheet on Amazon was that it was big (7'x7'!!!), lightweight (they said 16 ounces) and that it stuffed into its own bag for portability.  I thought this would be perfect for picnics in Paris and amazing for the beach. 

When the Parasheet arrived in the mail, I wasn't disappointed as I compared it to what I had imagined it'd be like.  You never know with stuff you order online.  The whole sheet stuffed into its pouch was actually smaller than I thought it'd be, the construction seemed to be of high quality and the colors were nicer than on the Amazon page.  One thing I'd change if it were my company is just having more modern color combinations.  Teal and yellow?  Orange and yellow?  Is this the Sesame Street collection?  No like.  But, I thought the bright blue/dark blue combo was the nicest.

So, here's my review after not even once having yet used this multi-purpose blanket outside:

-I love the size, 7'x7'.  You could easily fit four adults and a bunch of tupperwares full of delicious food on it.
-It's lightweight and compact, so I won't have to think twice about traveling to Paris with it
-The Parasheet stuffs easily into its own little pouch, which stays attached.  Nothing to lose!
-This thing doubles as a parachute, which makes an appearance at every playspace  goes to.  Greyson loved playing with the Parasheet and yelling "parachute!"
-Doubles as an emergency blanket!  
-It wouldn't be ideal on a harder surface or area with twigs and pebbles poking into your butt.  This sheet is probably best for smooth surfaces.

 The other picnic blanket we got was the XL Picnic Time Blanket Tote.  It's also huge (80"x70"), has a water-resistant backing and it's fleece on one side, which gives it just enough padding.  It's not as compact as I had hoped (but how could it be...it's really large and has fleece), but I still think I'll keep it in the bottom of my stroller this spring and summer.  The fleece could be thicker, but then the whole thing would be thicker.  I think it's the best big picnic blanket on Amazon, so I'm glad I got it...along with the Parasheet!

Actually weighs 13 ounces, not 16 ounces.  Great!

The Parasheet stuffs into this pouch that stays attached to the sheet
What kid doesn't love a parachute?  Same idea, just square!
Huge.  Love.
Many picnics will be had on this blanket.  Outdoors.

Weigh down the sheet with sand if you want!



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