March 25, 2008

DO YOU WANT TO BE WARM?                 

    Do you think the question is “dumb”? If so, just go to any outdoor activity web site and peruse the subjects discussed and you are sure to find one dealing with what clothing and/or sleeping bag  works best and what about water or being wet, etc. Recently I came across the following title on one hunting oriented web site “Surviving a cold wet night”. What if I told you if you have the proper clothing and or sleeping bag your survival in such a situation would be a mute point? Well it is true, you never again have to be concerned about getting wet or being wet while out in the bush.

     Lamilite the exclusive insulation made by me (Wiggy’s Inc.) is your salvation, plus the addition of my fishnet underwear. These two products can/will save your life.

     Water is the life blood of our planet, it occupies between 70 and 75 percent of the earth. However, water is an unforgiving foe. Any who has had the opportunity to sail has seen the ocean become unforgiving and if you make a mistake as a seaman and sometimes even that doesn’t matter; the best sailors and boats in the world are no match for a storm at sea. That is but one example you can envision many more. But let us concentrate being on land; hunting, fishing, military, mountain climbing or just recreational camping, or any activity that is chosen to engage in that will necessitate sleeping outside in the elements. 

     What I have been reading in all cases is being wet. The water can come from the elements; rain, snow that melts, getting wet from spray while running a river or perspiration that is generated by the human body. The reality is a simple one; water is the most efficient absorber of heat on the planet and it does not have a conscience; it will take heat from wherever it is available which includes the human body when that is the only source.

     There are many retail stores that sell a variety of underwear products that claim to have the ability to shed water which will mean you stay dry and therefore warm. Each and every person who has purchased any of these forms of underwear finds out that they do not work/perform as advertised. The only two forms of underwear that do not make that claim are made from cotton (you’ve heard cotton kills, well it can and sometimes does) and wool; but the wool merchants say that even though wool does absorb water since it stays lofty it does retain body heat (there is some truth to that claim but it will ultimately perform as cotton does). Then you have the silk merchants; they do not recognize or even accept that silk is as natural a material as cotton and wool and it too absorbs water equally as well as cotton and wool do. So I guess you can say silk kills. If you are wearing any of these three forms of underwear and the temperature is 40 degrees F or lower you will be wearing from one to four layers over them. Therefore, when your silk underwear gets wet; the water that is absorbed by the underwear fabric touching your skin surface will move to the opposite side of the fabric where it will stay. It will not be able to escape into the atmosphere until you remove the layers of clothing over them. In the mean time the fabric becomes saturated with water. While you are active you will be warm, but when you terminate the activity; i.e. sit down and rest in a matter of a few minutes you will get a chill. The water being generated via perspiration is doing exactly what it is supposed to do “cool you” by conducting the excess heat from your body to keep its temperature in balance. However, once your body temperature is where it is supposed to be (skin surface temperature of 91 degrees F) the water doesn’t know it is time to stop conducting the heat, so it continues to absorb heat and eventually you get a chill. As much as some companies that produce fabrics claim that they are “smart fabrics”; the claim is as bogus as the companies that the claim they have a fabric or coating that has the “water-proof/breath-ability” capability. The rate or speed of conduction does not change; it just continues to occur until there is no more heat to absorb. If you can not get into a place that is warm so you can dry your skin and clothing you may die.

     How about the synthetics? I do not believe them to be any better. Synthetic fiber does not absorb very much water so one would think it is a step up from the natural fiber underwear; it is to a minor degree. The basic problem with all of the synthetic underwear (fish nets are synthetic; nylon, but they do work which will be explained later) is the knit. All polypropylene and polyester underwear share a common construction with cotton, wool and silk; it is all the same knit. Therefore when you generate perspiration even a small amount which occurs when you are at rest it stays inside the garment. When the perspiration hits the natural fiber underwear it is absorbed and it moves via the wicking method to the front side of the garment. When the same perspiration hits the synthetic it stops. Some companies advertise that they have a synthetic which will wick perspiration (moisture); how (?) if absorption does not occur. It is my understanding the fabric is treated (bathed) with silicone. Since silicone will not attach to water they claim the moisture simply slides past the yarns that make up the fabric through the holes between the yarns. I will readily admit some of the moisture while it is still in a vapor state will move through these spaces but I am sure the amount of moisture movement out of the garment is insignificant. I have spoken with enough people over the years that have purchased my fishnets and told me they experienced chilling in their polypro or polyester underwear. Now it will dry quickly if you are in a heated structure; but it will not dry if you are in a tent and the temperature is 40 degrees F and lower.

     The posters who have commented on these forums just don’t get it. They are always trying to find ways of dealing with the water or wet situation. Why bother trying when you can eliminate having to deal with it in the first place by wearing a first layer of clothing; i.e. fishnets that completely eliminates the affects of water in your clothing. The fishnet knit has large holes; 3/16ths of an inch in diameter which allows ALL of the perspiration that is body generated to move very rapidly while in a vapor state away from the skin surface. If your skin surface is dry you will stay warm so long as you are wearing the appropriate clothing over the fishnets. Also, note that the fishnets will cause what ever is worn over them to perform better. If your skin surface is wet unless you have extra insulation (clothing) surrounding your body protecting you from the elements the moisture will cause a chill to occur. However, when your skin surface is dry a lesser amount of insulation will do just fine because your skin surface is dry.

     Now for the insulation used in the clothing you are wearing and the sleeping bag you are using. If the insulation is Lamilite all concerns about water can be thrown to the wind. Water does not adversely affect Lamilite’s ability to retain heat. ALL other forms of insulation used in the manufacture of clothing or sleeping bags are adversely affected by water; down becomes literally useless; all of the other synthetics lose some or all of their loft as well as absorbing some water. It is common knowledge and as such if there are products available with an absolute proven record of not being affected by water, why not own/use these products so you will not have to have any concerns if you or your jacket or sleeping bag were to become wet. Lamilite does not absorb any water; nor does the water that does get to it cause it to collapse which would reduce its ability to insulate. Actually Lamilite’s ability to insulate does not change at all even if it were to get wet. There is a preponderance of experiences that prove this claim beyond any doubt.

The conclusion is simple; if you wear fishnet underwear and use Lamilite insulated outerwear and a Lamilite insulated sleeping bag you will never have any reason to be concerned about getting wet while you are out in the wilds.

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Wiggy's Inc. P.O. Box 2124, Grand Junction, Colorado 81505
Wiggy’s Alaska 8225 Old Seward Highway, Suite A, Anchorage, AK
1-866-411-6465   Fax: 1-970-241-5921    wiggys@wiggys.com