Best picnic blankets

As a former professional cook, I take picnic season seriously, but even a great spread falls apart fast if you're sitting on damp grass. So I recruited my Reviews team coworkers to help find options that hold up to al fresco dining, days at the beach, and camping trips.

Together, we tested 14 picnic and beach blankets in real conditions, evaluating them for size, comfort, water resistance, and ease of packing, carrying, and cleaning. Because a picnic blanket is not just a nice-to-have. Even if you only use it once or twice a year, it's the difference between a relaxed afternoon and one cut short by discomfort (and possibly, ants).

Learn more about how Insider Reviews tests and researches home and kitchen products.

Our top picks for picnic blankets

Best overall, for a crowd: NEMO Victory Picnic Blanket, XL - See at Amazon

Best overall, for 1-2 people: Baggu Puffy Picnic Blanket - See at Baggu

Best budget: Scuddles Picnic Blanket - See at Amazon

Best beach blanket: Wekapo Waterproof Beach Blanket - See at Amazon

Best for camping: Rumpl Everywhere Mat - See at Amazon

Most comfortable: Yeti Lowlands Blanket - See at Amazon

Most portable: Matador Pocket Blanket 4.0 - See at Amazon

How to choose the right picnic blanket for you

Best overall, for a crowd

One hallmark of a true winner is that testers gravitate toward it even after the official evaluations are over. For my picnic blanket testers, that product was the NEMO Victory Picnic Blanket. Its roomy surface, cool-to-the-touch top, and plush cushioning made it the obvious choice for lounging and catching up after an afternoon of testing.

The blanket easily fits four lying down or six sitting, with room for everyone to stretch out or share snacks in the center. The waterproof backing keeps any wetness from seeping in from the ground, and while the top isn't quite as waterproof, it does offer some water resistance against spills. The acrylic top is thick, comfortable, and stays cool and dry, making it the ideal spot to hang out for a whole afternoon.

The NEMO also has some built-in portability features: the blanket rolls up and is secured with built-in buckles (that double as bottle openers). I also appreciated the extra flap for storing your phone or other small valuables. It has loops for tent stakes, though you'll have to buy those separately. While not the lightest or most compact blanket, its thick handle is comfortable to carry and feels less cumbersome than others we tested.

I've continued testing this blanket in my everyday life, and it always garners praise from my fellow picnic-goers. It's manageable to fold by just one person, but comfortable enough for a crowd. Some folks online have reported the top snags; I haven't experienced that, but I'll be keeping my eye out throughout the picnicking season and will report back.

Best overall, for 1-2 people

Ideally sized for you and one other pal, the Baggu Puffy Picnic Blanket is a delight. It comes in several fun designs to appeal to the aesthetic picnicker who wants a blanket that performs and looks cute. Limited-edition patterns make each Baggu blanket feel unique — you're unlikely to see one of the same out in the park.

Aesthetics aside, this blanket has many technical features that earned it a top spot in this guide. At just over a pound, it's incredibly lightweight and compact enough to easily fit in a backpack or tote bag if you don't feel like carrying it by the integrated handle.

The blanket is plush, but it stays cool even in the sun. It's also decently waterproof, though in our tests, the water tended to spread rather than pool on the surface like it did in the most water-resistant blankets. The spreading meant spills were a tiny bit more of a hassle to clean up on this blanket, but you definitely won't be stuck with a wet blanket — or worse, a wet butt.

Best budget

I was very surprised to see just how expensive picnic blankets are. The average price of the blankets we tested was $90, which is a lot to pay for a product that likely only gets used for a few months of the year. Fortunately, the Scuddles Extra Large Picnic Blanket performed strongly in our tests and costs under $30.

The blanket comes with an integrated carrying handle and two stretchy straps to keep it rolled up and in place. However, not all purchasers seem to receive the design I tested. One of my coworkers bought this blanket, and it came with velcro straps, which she says often came undone. Reviewers on Amazon also report receiving different designs, which is frustrating but not unexpected from a third-party brand.

If you can get beyond the ordering issues, this is a solid blanket that has held up very well considering its price. It's lightweight, roomy, and decently plush, though it stops short of being as comfortably padded as the NEMO or Yeti blankets.

Best beach blanket

Not all picnic blankets are ideal for the beach. A beach blanket needs less padding and absorbency since sand acts as a natural cushion and the sun dries wet spots. Instead, the key factors we look for in a beach blanket are wind and sand resistance, plus a stay-cool fabric that doesn't trap heat in the sun.

Any of our other top picks would work decently at the beach, but we really loved the Wekapo Waterproof Beach Blanket as a dedicated beach blanket, especially for a crowd. It was one of the largest blankets we tested and could fit eight to 10 people sitting or six lying down. It also offered the best wind-resistance features of any blanket we tested: you can fill its pockets with sand or use the included tent stakes to really anchor the blanket to the ground. It folds up surprisingly compactly for its size and comes with a handled carrying case. Best of all, it's just $30.

The blanket is very thin, which is just fine if you're using it as a beach blanket, but not ideal if you're planning on taking it elsewhere. I could feel every bump and rock in the ground while lying on it in the park, and even got pricked by some "spiky balls" from a sweet gum tree that poked right through the fabric. Its size also makes it a chore to fold — you'll have the best results with a helper.

Best for camping

When you're camping or hiking, every ounce of space needs to be used wisely and every detail accounted for — it's especially important that your gear stays dry and dries quickly when it gets wet. The Rumpl Everywhere Mat is one of the most technical picnic blankets we tested and by far the most waterproof. Like the Baggu, it weighs a little over a pound and spreads out to about 27 square feet. However, unlike the Baggu, its top has a durable water-repellant (DWR) coating that completely resists liquid.

We spilled a whole cup of water on this blanket, and it never seeped in, even after letting it sit for a half hour. The water pooled and then slipped right off the blanket. There was a tiny bit of residual wetness, but it dried quickly in the sun. However, with this water resistance comes some tradeoffs: the brand recommends spot cleaning the blanket only, and it should not go in the dryer. Otherwise, you risk removing the DWR coating.

The mat is on the thinner side; it's definitely not as plush as the Baggu, but it has corner pockets where you can stash valuables (or fill with sand to keep the blanket grounded), stake loops (stakes aren't included), and a carrying bag. Overall, we think this blanket is a solid option for situations when weight and waterproofing matter most, like camping, hiking, and backpacking.

Most comfortable

If price is no object in your picnic blanket quest, let me introduce you to the Yeti Lowlands Blanket. This plush blanket was by far the most comfortable I tried; like lying on a mattress pad in the middle of the park. It's truly a delight to sit on — if you can stomach the $200 price tag.

Like other Yeti products — including its signature coolers — the Lowlands Blanket is designed more for performance than portability. It was the heaviest blanket I tested, at about 6.5 pounds, and it comes with its own carrying case. If you're carrying this to the park, you'll probably want someone else to be lugging the picnic basket.

Given its price and overall impracticality, I wanted to dislike this blanket. But, wow, once I laid it out on the grass, I wanted to spend all day on it. During testing, I inadvertently set up under a sweet gum tree, known for its "spiky balls," which littered the ground below. I felt nary a rock or spiky ball poking through as I lay on this blanket, and the soft fabric felt cool even after sitting out in the direct sun. It's thick enough that I wasn't worried about it blowing away, but the corners and sides do have loops for tent stakes (not included).

It's also one of the most waterproof options we tested. Water pooled on the surface and easily rolled off when we tilted the blanket, instead of absorbing into the fabric. I'd recommend getting one of the darker-colored options, since the light-blue version we tested quickly accumulated dirt stains. Fortunately, it is machine washable.

Most portable

It doesn't get much more compact than the Matador Pocket Blanket, which can literally fit in the palm of your hand. This is a phenomenal option if you want a blanket to keep in your bag for impromptu picnics. I can also see its value for hikers and travelers who are thinking critically about space and weight.

Weighing just 3.5 ounces, this was the lightest blanket I tested by far. Of course, that comes with some tradeoffs. It isn't particularly thick or roomy. It's a decent size for one person lying down or two people sitting, but it's basically just a ground cover to protect your body from dirt and wetness. I could definitely feel every rock and bump in the ground while lying on it. Still, its compactness makes it worth considering, and I now keep this in my purse when I explore the city, just in case the urge to picnic strikes.

It also has several smart design features built in. Each corner contains a small metal bar that you can remove and use as a stake to keep the blanket rooted to the ground. These corner pockets can also be filled with sand if you're using it on the beach. I really appreciated the printed fold lines on the reverse side of the blanket, which made it super fast and easy to fold the blanket back up into its attached storage pocket.

Our top picks compared

Other picnic blankets we tested

Big Blanket Co. Big Beachy Blanket: At 100 square feet, this was the biggest blanket we tested and comfortably fit a group of six testers with room to spare. However, at $150, it did little to justify its price over the similarly-sized Wekapo Beach Blanket, which had tent stakes, sand pockets, and a carrying case and cost a fifth of the price.

Big Blanket Co. XL Outdoorsy Blanket: We like this thick, generous blanket for camping or movie nights, but its polyester exterior gets hot in the sun. During our water test, liquid seeped into the blanket's seams, which could lead to mold growth if not properly dried.

Nomadix Blanket Towel: This oversized towel quickly absorbed dampness when we tried it on grass, but it is a decent option for the beach.

Nomadix Festival Blanket: This roomy blanket comes in several fun patterns, but it is thin and lacks the portability features of our top picks.

RedCamp Picnic Blanket: At $12, this was the cheapest picnic blanket we tested. Its texture is similar to a plastic tablecloth, but it's very easy to wipe clean, has built-in carrying straps, and is a solid budget option.

Rumpl Original Puffy Blanket: This outdoor blanket is plush but not very breathable. It got hot in the sun and was quite slippery to walk on.

Tesalate Bora Bora Sand-Free Beach Blanket: This beach blanket had a very odd texture, similar to a thick paper towel, which made it unpleasant to sit on.

How we test picnic blankets

Portability: I weighed each blanket and noted any helpful features, like built-in straps or carrying cases. I also carried each blanket for one mile to and from the park, tested how well they fit in a backpack, and evaluated how easy they were to fold back up.

Comfort: A team of eight testers sat on each of the blankets and evaluated how comfortable they were, how easy it was to feel the ground below, and whether the blankets got hot sitting in the sun.

Waterproofing: We spilled water on each of the blankets and let it sit for several minutes, noting whether water pooled on the surface, absorbed, or scattered. We also checked for waterproofing on the undersides by observing if we could feel dampness from the ground while sitting on the blankets.

Cleaning: We observed how each blanket handled ground debris, whether dirt clung or slipped off of it, and how easy (and successful) it was to shake out after a day at the park.

Durability and long-term testing: Each blanket went to a different long-term tester for use throughout the season. We'll report back with any notes on durability and performance as the summer progresses.

Picnic blanket FAQs

What is the best material for a picnic blanket?

A good picnic blanket has two sides: a water barrier and a comfort layer. The waterproof layer should be made of a polyester lining that doesn't absorb moisture. For the comfort layer, we like acrylic, since it's breathable, durable, and easy to clean.

What's the difference between a picnic blanket and a regular blanket?

Any blanket can be a picnic blanket in a pinch, but not all picnic blankets can be used as regular blankets. The best picnic blankets have a waterproof backing to prevent moisture from transferring from the ground to you. As a result, they aren't very comfortable to use as a bed or throw blanket. Many picnic blankets also have built-in straps or handles for easier portability.

What is a good size for a picnic blanket?

It depends on how many people will sit on it. A good size guideline is around 25 square feet (5' x 5') for 1-2 people, 42 square feet (6.5' x 6.5) for 3-4 people, and 64 square feet (8' × 8') for more than 4 people.

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