Made In America

We, the working class of America in my opinion can produce any product in the world and probably as good as or better than can be produced in any other country. Toyota and Honda are perfect examples of companies that set up production in America; you know how particular the Japanese market is about quality; and these companies are making cars in America and shipping them to Japan.

Wiggy’s uses the finest fiberfill insulation made in the world for all of its insulated products and the company that makes the fiberfill; Western Nonwovens is an American company making their products in America. It is for this reason that the Wiggy’s products are the best products of their type made any where in the world. They are made in America.

Something interesting is starting to happen in China; the work force wants more compensation for their labors and all other costs are increasing. I have read as much as 30 percent increases particularly for textile products. I guess capitalism has really taken hold.
This being the case I am told some companies are starting to return to the USA for their production as a result of the cost increases. How much is still questionable as these companies are also looking at Vietnam and India for work. Even in those countries I expect the labor and material costs will increase. This is a situation that was inevitable as far as I am concerned.

My opinion; the American consumer will be better off once more production is here. The quality of the products will again in my opinion be better.

Three cheers for CAPITALISM.

INSULATED COOLER

The new insulated carrier we are now producing has shown in testing that about four pounds of ice stayed frozen for over 30 hours before significant melting occurred while the cooler was in my office with the ambient air temperature at 75 degrees. A second test was to place three beverage containers (12 ounce size) taken from the refrigerator and placed in the cooler. 24 hours later they were basically just as cold as when taken from the refrigerator.

This cooler is lighter in weight and simpler to use as well as being more efficient that the plastic coolers. When it is empty it also takes up significantly less space.

STAINLESS STEEL WATER BOTTLES

I mentioned in the April 2008 article about the problem with the plastic water bottles that occurs when chemicals are leeched from the plastic. I heard that all of the retailers around the country have removed them from their shelves. I have also received an influx of orders for the stainless steel water bottles I have.

Some have asked for a 16 ounce size. I expect that I will have them in inventory no later than June 2008. At this moment I do not have a price. As soon as I know I’ll post it on the web site.
WEB SITE FORUMS

I enjoy reviewing the various outdoor forums that exist today. The subject of sleeping bags is the most controversial of all. If ever a poster says they use a Wiggy’s bag all hell breaks loose. The reason is due to me going on some of the sites dispelling erroneous information being posted. In one case I made bags that were to the specifications of several of the posters. I made them knowing they would not perform, but they chose to buy them at a premium price and not a one to the best of my knowledge was happy with the product. I chose based on their reporting to eliminate making the bag. When 100 or so people tell you it does not work I think that’s a good enough reason to stop making the product. These guys went ballistic with me. It made no difference that I suggested it would not work in the first place and if they were to buy a product that I made with their input it did not come with any guarantee; that made no difference to them I was still wrong. They lambasted me with out mercy. However, I had the last laugh because they paid me a premium price for a non-functioning product. What they wanted was a sleeping bag that would work if possible at a low temperature of +20 degrees with clothing if necessary and a weight of 2 ½ pounds to 3 ½ pounds depending upon size. I lightened the bottom layer of the bag because they said they would be on a ground pad. I lightened the fabric from 2 ounces per square yard (70 denier taffeta that I use) to a 1.1 ounce rip-stop nylon that is made from 40 denier yarn. These ideas were theirs. I was their humble servant. I was thinking all of the time; if they are so smart why don’t they make the bags themselves and go into business. After all if their ideas worked they would make a fortune as everybody wants the lightest most compactable warmest bag they can get. Well as I said these bags didn’t work.

The upshot of their fiasco was the owner of the forum who has a back ground in manufacturing decided he “knew” better than me how to make sleeping bags. He wanted to buy Lamilite. I would not sell him any. If you think they were ballistic before you wouldn’t believe what went on, on the forum after my refusal. You would think that a bunch of third graders were at work. The forum owner has ultimately produced what I categorize as a dross (something that is worthless or of low standard or quality) bag. He calls it a sleeping bag so to speak. I will be very surprised if anyone can actually sleep in one of these dross bags in a tent on a ground pad in their underwear. That is how I recommend my bags be used versus under the stars. I have followed the progress as he has reported and reviewed the advertising on his web site.

My unsolicited advice to anyone seeing these bags is to pass them up. I hate to see people waste their money on dross products.

This is not the only web site that deals with camping; there are probably two dozen. The one consistent subject when it comes to sleeping bags is the weight. As I said everyone wants a bag as light as possible for a specific temperature. When a company presents one to the market place some get sold and lo and behold comments appear on these web site forums. In almost all cases the bags do not perform as advertised. The exception is the comments about the Wiggy bags. They work but they are heavy. I do not go on any of these forums; but if I did I would ask; if the 2 ½ pound +20 F rated bag from any other company doesn’t work and my +20 F 3 ¼ pound bag does work; is my bag heavier? When I have asked that question the responding party try’s to wiggle around with an answer. At that point I end the conversation.

Our military is again searching for a new lighter weight sleeping bag. These people in charge should get with these guys on these web sites. They would be birds of a feather.

They too reject reality. In the case of the Marines they may give a company in New Mexico An award through the SBIR; SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH.

The owner of the company states his “goal is to produce a bag that is 30 to 50 percent lighter and 20 percent warmer”. This fellow was directed to speak with me last year. We had very pleasant chats and he even visited. He found out that I had substantial knowledge of insulation and I found out he had no knowledge of insulation. Therefore, he is an excellent candidate to present the award too. The Marines specifically desire a bag that will meet the criteria described above. When you tell them you have tried to accomplish the manufacture of such a bag and all efforts have proven to be failures it falls on deaf ears.

So the continuity of wasteful spending continues to continue. Our tax dollars at work, the reality here is a company possibly getting this award (I do not know if it has been consummated, I hope not) to develop a product that the owner of the company and any of the employees have no knowledge as to what materials to use and why this or that fabric should be used. Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!