a testimonial, a new product and the orshow

DUCKSBACK PARKA REVIEW

This ducksback Antarctic parka is by far the most beautiful coat that I have ever bought!

Its warm wonderful and my "sweater" and fishnets are fantastic under it

Thank you!!!!!

Chad Blanke

Best compliment of my design of a garment that I have ever received. Maybe Columbia will read this and want to higher me as their new jacket designer.

FISHNETS IN A DRY SUIT

Jerry

Last weekend I was kayaking in cold rainy conditions. I always wear my dry suit when the water is cold and adjust the number and thickness of layers under the dry suit to keep warm. Usually we change out of our dry suits when we finish paddling - usually beside the vehicles. It can be a chilly few minutes once the damp layers are exposed to the wind, and before I have a chance to put on some dry clothes/jacket. Last weekend was the first time I'd worn my fishnet shirt as the first layer. No more clammy feeling next to my skin, so a big improvement. Of course, inside a waterproof dry suit, the layers cannot 'breathe' and become a bit damp, but my skin was dry.

I plan to order some fishnet pants soon.

Regards

Jason

Several years ago I introduced the fishnets into the market place for people who use dry suits in general as well as the US Navy since I learned that the British Navy divers use fishnets when wearing dry suits; I had limited success, actually no success, although the Navy did buy some booties for the divers to wear.

I did at one time offer an insulated dry suit underwear set; top and bottom versus a one piece suit also with limited sales. This is in my opinion the best insulated underwear product you can wear in a dry suit.

The layer against your skin is the fishnet fabric; the second layer is the Lamilite and the third layer is cotton.

Your moisture goes through the fishnets as normal; it also goes through the Lamilite as normal. The moisture during this movement is a vapor. When it gets to the cotton which is cold since it is against the dry suit material the moisture will condense and be absorbed. The moisture will therefore not run down the suit and accumulate in the foot area of the suit causing cold feet. Speaking of feet wearing Lamilite socks will keep them warm.

If you are a diver for either work or play using a dry suit this product will certainly benefit you by making you more comfortable. Any who are interested should call me for pricing.

“OUTDOOR RETAILER TRADE SHOW”

For the first time that I can remember in the history of the show they did not report one word about sleeping bags. I am sure companies that sell sleeping bags exhibited them. There is a reason in my opinion.

When I first started selling sleeping bags sales peeked each year for me from September through February. Spring and summer sales were always small; this situation is and has not been the same for many years; sales are constant all year long but the winter months are still the strongest months for Wiggy’s.

What I observed was that the retailers never promoted sleeping bags during the colder months because they did not have cold weather bags available to them. The companies that they bought from were much more concerned about producing outerwear during the summer manufacturing season rather than sleeping bags so the retailer did not order any since they couldn’t get them. That meant people who wanted to winter camp became my customers.

The summer campers were able to find warm weather bags available at retail so Wiggy’s suffered. Fortunately for Wiggy’s the summer bags sold by retailers aren’t very good so as time has gone by Wiggy’s lighter weight bags became popular. All of this did take some time, but it did happen.

It appears that the main focus at this time of the companies that are considering themselves sellers of outdoor clothing are for the most part concentrating in two areas for their products; running and biking.

I receive several on line magazines that service the outdoor industry and 90 percent of their articles and advertisements are about these two activities. People who are active in these activities want to wear formfitting clothing so they do not have drag while active and the temperatures for the most part are warm. But these companies recognize that some also participate during the colder months and show form fitting garments that supposedly will also keep you warm and that is in my opinion a pipe dream on their part. It suggests to me they do not ever use the products they make.

My observation of the direction of the outdoor industry is shared by a number of the suppliers to these companies is its penchant for fashion versus function. The suppliers I am referring too are friends of many years who I have or do buy from today. They tell me the biggest problem they face in selling these companies has to do with weight. These companies are always looking for the lightest weight materials they can get. It seems these companies compete with each other on how light they can make a jacket or what- ever the product maybe. Of course when they make jackets using waterproof fabric they claim the fabric will also in some manner keep in the heat which is what I read today about a company located in England. When I read promotional comments like this it gives me pause to ask; “don’t you ever use your own garments to find out if they will perform as you are now stating?” The answer is resounding NO! So are they disingenuous or pathological liars!!!

If you were to wear this garment around town in relatively warm weather big deal, but as has become the normal I believe the employees of these companies do not wear the garments they make or do the fabric suppliers wear the garments made from their materials because if they did and were honest they would know what they sell does not work as they perceive the garments to do.

And that is the state of the outdoor industry; an industry of fashionistas