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The 5 Best Picnic Blankets To Use At The Park, The Beach & Everywhere Else
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For a better outdoor picnic, the best picnic blankets are the perfect place to set up shop. These blankets are made from soft, comfortable, and durable materials — and ideally they should have a water-resistant lining or backing to help you stay dry on damp ground. They should also be simple to clean, either in a washing machine or by wiping or hosing them down. Picnic blankets come in a variety of different sizes, so choose one that can accommodate your group.
What To Look For When Shopping For The Best Picnic Blankets
Material
When purchasing a picnic blanket, pick the material that best suits your needs:
- Fleece is really soft, so it’s cozy to sit on, especially in colder temperatures.
- Nylon is water-repellent and breathable, and it’s a nice option for the beach since sand will essentially fall right off it.
- Polypropylene isn’t necessarily the coziest material, but it’s usually quite cheap and plenty durable.
Easy-To-Carry Design
You’ll also want to ensure that the picnic blanket you choose is easy to tote around. Features such as straps (to keep the blanket securely rolled up), a carrying bag, or a built-in handle can be useful. Some picnic blankets fold down to ultra-compact sizes, too, so they're easy to throw in your bag. Most picnic blankets are lightweight, so if you’re worried about it blowing away, look for one that comes with stakes to secure it or built-in pockets that you can fill with sand to keep it weighed down.
Shop The Best Picnic Blankets
In a hurry? Here are the best picnic blankets on Amazon:
- A Padded Picnic Blanket With A Chic Handle & Straps: PortableAnd Extra Large Picnic & Outdoor Blanket
- A Fan-Favorite Durable Picnic Mat: Camco Handy Mat with Strap
- A Warm Picnic Blanket For Cool Or Damp Weather: Oceas Outdoor Waterproof Blanket
- An Extra-Large Picnic Blanket For The Beach: WELLAX Sandfree Beach Blanket
- A Compact & Ultra-Lightweight Picnic Blanket: Matador Pocket Blanket
These five picnic blankets are all super comfortable to sit on and easy to carry around. And Amazon reviewers adore them, too.
1A Padded Picnic Blanket With A Chic Handle & Straps
When it comes to comfort, it doesn’t get better than this PortableAnd picnic blanket. The blanket’s soft and cozy fleece top layer is great, but the real difference maker is the sponge middle layer — it gives this pick the perfect amount of cushioning. The polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA) bottom layer is totally waterproof, too. To clean the blanket, just wipe it with a wet towel.
When you’re done enjoying your picnic, this blanket rolls up and can be securely closed with two faux leather straps. The built-in faux leather handle makes for easy carrying. Amazon reviewers adore this stylish blanket, awarding it 4.7 stars on the site.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “Love this cute picnic blanket. It’s large, folds up/rolls up easily and I love the straps for containing and transporting the blanket. This blanket is a great addition to our summer picnic adventures.”
Size: 69 x 59 inches | Water resistant: Yes | Available colors: 3
Also available on: Walmart, $49
2A Fan-Favorite Durable Picnic Mat
Amazon reviewers love this Camco picnic mat, which is made from a woven polypropylene material that’s durable enough to last. The mat has a knockout 4.6-star rating on the site, among 5,000 and growing reviews. The entire blanket is made of weatherproof material and should resist mildew. The picnic mat has built-in handles for easy transport, plus pockets to help you stow away necessities when it's all folded up. To clean it, simply give it a good wipe with soap and water.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “I love this mat. It’s a must bring for all my picnics and visits to the beach. The material is great for easy cleaning with a wipe, and its great for any surface (grass, sand, even concrete). The straps and folds make this mat so easy to carry around and it can comfortably fit a few people on it no problem!”
Size: 78 x 60 inches | Water resistant: Yes | Available colors: 1
Also available on: Walmart, $17, Home Depot, $17, and Camping World, $13
3A Warm Picnic Blanket For Cool Or Damp Weather
This picnic blanket is simply the coziest. It’s made of an ultra-plush fleece material, and it even has insulation to provide extra warmth. The polyester backing is double coated with polyurethane, so it’s totally waterproof. When not in use, the picnic blanket folds down into a compact, water-resistant bag that has a handle for carrying. And just in case the blanket gets dirty, it’s machine-washable — a convenient feature that most picnic blankets don't share.
With a solid 4.7-star rating on Amazon and hundreds of reviews, it's a superb blanket that comes in your choice of three colors.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “Great for an assortment of things outdoors! We have loved it and gotten lots of use out of it! Perfect for a family picnic or to keep you warm at a sporting event! Super easy to clean!”
Size: 79 x 58 inches | Water resistant: Yes | Available colors: 3
4An Extra-Large Picnic Blanket For The Beach
Sand is no match for this WELLAX picnic blanket. It's made of a durable and breathable parachute nylon material that sand won’t cling to; simply give it a shake, and it’ll fall right off. Four built-in sand pockets and four stakes combine to securely weigh down the lightweight 16-ounce blanket so it won’t blow away. And the other great thing about this pick? Its extra-large size can accommodate up to seven people, so your whole family can enjoy it together.
To clean the blanket, machine wash it in cold water and hang it to dry. This pick comes with an integrated travel pouch for easy carrying and measures only 8 by 4 inches when collapsed. It also comes with a waterproof case for your belongings.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “Great for the beach or park for picnics! Easy to fold or roll up into the attached bag! Has pockets for weight in each corner. Great product!”
Size: 118 x 108 inches (9.8 x 9 feet) | Water resistant: Yes | Available colors: 2
Also available on: Walmart, $54
5A Compact & Ultra-Lightweight Picnic Blanket
When folded into the integrated storage pouch, this picnic blanket is 4.5 by 2.7 inches in size, making it the most compact blanket on this list — it literally can fit in your pocket. The lightweight blanket is made of a nylon material, and it has a polyurethane coating to prevent water from coming through. Sand pockets and metal ground stakes weigh down the blanket, so it'll stay put.
To clean this one, most Amazon reviewers noted that they just wiped it down with a wet towel or cloth. Choose from three colors, as well as a mini version should that better work for you.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “I love having this super lightweight blanket in my backpack. It comes in so handy to picnic on the trail or beach and weighs nothing. The lines to fold it are a great idea but honestly you can just stuff in back in the case. Brilliant product!”
Size: 63 x 44 inches | Water resistant: Yes | Available colors: 3
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