From Hypothermia to Warm on an Alaska Glacier

LAMILITE

For as long as I have been in the field of synthetic insulation I have seen the fiber companies such as Dupont, Celanese (now Kosa), and several others try to improve their product so it is as good or better than down. It is and has always been my contention that continuous, filament fiber batting, now a product of Kosa Company, is the premier fiber for use as insulation. It was originally made as a non-resin-bonded batting, however, nobody, myself included, knew how to work with it. Therefore, it was resin-bonded to facilitate ease of handling in manufacturing. In 1986 I learned how to work with the non-resin-bonded fiber, and that became Lamilite.

Over the years Lamilite's uniformity and resilience have been improved. Another improvement is its launderability. Until now, laundering the bag was fine, and that hasn't changed, but the drying has. Until now, all we could do is line-dry or use a no-heat setting on the dryer. But now the fiber is being preshrunk for me, which means you can put the bag, jacket, or any Lamilite insulated product in a hot dryer.

I have also noted in all testing that there is an increase in the loft of the bag, not significant but still noticeable.

Isn't it nice to know that even the best of products can be improved upon.

LETTERS FROM CUSTOMERS

An e-mail from Cathy, May 18, 2000:

Hello Mr. Wiggy, Well, my friend and I have each been using one of your -60 degree sleeping bags over the winter. We both ice climb and glacier travel here in Alaska. Your sleeping bag is amazing. One day about four weeks ago, on our last glacier trip, temperatures were about -20, which around here is warm. Anyway I was a fool that day and just didn't take off layers as I got hot while hiking. Consequently, when we set up camp for the night, every piece of clothing I brought was soaking wet from sweat and when we sat still to make dinner I started shaking uncontrollably from the cold. This was a bit scary since the only way off this glacier was to fly off and the plane wasn't coming for four days. Anyway my friends told me to just undress and get in the sleeping bag for the night. I also have your hot socks and always wear them when sleeping at night. Well, within about five minutes I went from fear of hypothermia to being completely warm and snug. I even decided to put all my clothes on top of my body in the sleeping bag in hopes they would dry by morning from my body heat. Pretty much by the next morning everything was almost all dry.
Anyway this was a pretty extreme case, but even on regular trips at -40 degrees over the winter and condensation all over the outside of my sleeping bag by morning produced by all of us in the tent, I would be totally warm and dry in the sleeping bag.

I was very pleased to receive this letter, since it was from a female. As we know women, due to having less muscle mass than men, produce less heat; their sleeping bags need a greater amount of insulation than men's bag at equal temperature. In this case, the temperature being as low as it was, Cathy could have been in serious trouble. However, due to the Lamilite's ability to retain heat and allow moisture out, she was fine.
I did write back to her to look into getting the fishnet long underwear, which would never allow moisture to build up against the skin surface.

Received this e-mail June 5, 2000, from J. Aspensen:

Jerry Wigutow:

I have talked to you on several occasions over the phone (I called you from Boseman, MT). I just got back from a week-long trip to Zion and the Kodachrome Basin. I took one half of my FTRSS bag, and it served me well.
In Zion I camped above 6000 feet, and although I only had the overbag with me, a few layers of clothes kept the cold at arms' length. It dipped below freezing. However, while camping at Lee's Ferry (Hell without the fire), the unzipped overbag was a terrific blanket. What a great bag!
I do not know whether I told you, but this winter I used my FTRSS with a thick closed cell foam pad and comfortably slept on a seven-inch slab of ice in the snow. All that were witness to this thought I was out of my mind. Perhaps, but the bag worked well-too good!
As a matter of fact, I had to vent the bag several times during the night. It was only 25 degrees F. Likewise, when we camped, and a snowstorm blew in, the temperature dipped to 10 degrees F, and once again I had to vent the bag.
I look with considerable eagerness toward next winter and using my FTRSS.
Thanks, Jonathan

Received this e-mail June 6, 2000 from David Jankowiak Jr.:

I am just writing to say how much my wife and I enjoy your sleeping bags. My wife has a Wiggy's Ultra Light bag and I have a Super light. We live in Mid-Michigan and do a lot of camping in the northern areas of our state. Since purchasing the bags we have not had a cold, uncomfortable night yet. I certainly believe in your outstanding products and will most certainly spread the word that you have the BEST sleeping bags available! Thank you for helping to make our outdoor trips so comfortable!

Sincerely,
Dave and Lena Jankowiak