Opinion: I’m not ashamed to say that the best $20 I’ve spent since BC (pre-Covid) was on a Kmart blanket.
I don’t know what this thing is made of, other than polyester, but it’s pretty much indestructible.
Since its somewhat brutal transition from a cozy winter blanket at the end of the bed to a huge outdoor cushion (living mostly in a crumpled, sandy, wine-soaked ball in the trunk of my car), this blanket has saw something.
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It’s been through multiple summer festivals, road trips, spontaneous sunset hikes, and freedom camp postings.
It’s dipped in pretty much every $10 booze, hummus, and melted cheese that (wo) people know.It came out of my washing machine faithfully, every time like new, without any stain remover or elaborate TikTok technology.
Whether we like it or not, 2021 will be the year of vaccines and the summer of picnics.
The government’s “roadmap” to gradually reduce Auckland’s lockdown restrictions allows people to gather outdoors and will eventually reopen retail shops, hotel premises and schools.
Under the first step of the roadmap, outdoor “catch-up” is allowed in groups of 10 people in no more than two households.
“The natural ventilation provided outdoors makes it harder for the virus to spread, making outdoor gatherings the safest option,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.
Just as National MP Judith Collins was quick to refer to the initial alert level 3 for 2020 as “level 4 for KFC”, Aucklanders were quick to label the first step of Ardern’s roadmap as “level 3 and a picnic”.
Compared to our dashed hopes of returning to level 2, Tāmaki Makaurau residents may have gotten their hands on lemons, but many of us are still determined to turn it into some kind of lockdown lemonade.
This was evident from where I sat in Grey Lynn Park last Friday night, when a small group of reunited, socially distanced friends sat together and chatted until dark.People are just happy to be with each other, even if it means crouching awkwardly behind some bushes due to closed public toilets.
Cases are still climbing, and it looks like we’re going to be on a picnic for a while.So we might as well be comfortable.
Camping chairs and bean bags are good and inexpensive outdoor seating options, but need some lifting.Plus, if you get caught in a sudden shower, you may be forced to abruptly drag them back from where you came from.
There are other durable picnic blankets: There’s a summery floral quilt from Cotton On ($50) that comes in several different patterns and has buttons for easy packing; Swandri’s two-person tartan cardigan ($80) ), which has the advantage of being water-resistant and makes you look very eye-catching; this funky-looking faux-leather buckle and fringe option from Dick Smith ($39); a large patterned blanket from Shein (57 $); or these fun-printed but inexplicable little cushions from Adairs ($69).
Most of these options force you to choose between something that measures 1.5m-2m and is very thin, or is quilted (read: washable) and really only fits a bum or two at max capacity.
Even “large” picnic mats tend to max out at about 2m, although “a friend is somehow kicked off the island” might be fun.
Meanwhile, House of K’s grey blanket is 2.2mx 2.4m and is a much better neat value at $11.
So if you’re a socially deprived extrovert and plan to spend most of the next few weekends outdoors, this soft, cheap blanket will do the trick, and it’s definitely what you’ll spend at Kmart Best for $11.Roll it up, tuck it into a spare reusable shopping bag, next to a UE boom and some plastic cups, and you’re good to go.