an incredibly informative article about gore sent to me that appeared in outside magazine

WHY GORE IS SO SOLID IN THE MARKET PLACE

I received the following email from a customer. The article attached is very lengthy and I think quite accurate history of gore and how they rose in the industry.

Jerry, the problems with GoreTex have been all over the internet, mostly in the blogs, for at least 20 years, maybe 30 years dating back to the old usenetrec.backcountry. Many knowledgeable people know that GoreTex doesn't work nearly as well as Gore advertises. It's somewhat better than polyvinyl if you are sedentary. (Correction doesn’t work!!!)

Even the Gore business practices have been covered. This is from my GoreTex file, posted by outside magazine of all people.

https://tinyurl.com/y32zt3y9

or

https://www.outsideonline.com/1898541/insane-membrane?fbclid=IwAR3f07_UTHJNjwKzqc-EQwF7BaxkC_67_APnlJv8Nut1sd3WKs5dtBcOt6o

The FTC investigation of GoreTex was closed without findings in 2013 I think. I don't know what happened to the EU investigation.

I know you're not an Andy Kirkpatrick fan, but I think he said it the best:

"If you're active outside you're going to get wet. Pick what deals with that the best for you."

As much as I comment about some of your design aspects I have never had anything except high praise for your insulation. I wrote you about a 50 mile horse ride through cold rain and sleet I did with your sweater. It was soaking wet and cold on the outside, dry and warm on the inside.

Barry.

Barry’s last sentence supports my thinking that the Lamilite insulation is acting to keep the moisture from getting into the garment and at the same time the heat from his body is driving the moisture as a vapor from his body out of the garment. I believe Barry has one of the original sweaters made with a single ply taffeta shell. In the identical situation wearing the same garment only made with the Ducksback shell fabric it will not get soaking wet.

These fabrics Lamilite insulation, single ply taffeta lining, and Ducksback shell fabric acting in concert will yield a garment that is truly as water resistant and vapor permeable as can be made.

While I was writing the article I received a call from Kirk a customer and in the course of conversation he told me his experience with the Ducksback sweater he owns and I asked for a letter from him. Below is that letter.

Hello Wiggy,

I've owned the Ducksback Sweater for a few months now, and I wanted to give you some feedback.

Here in the Mid-Atlantic, we get a lot of cold rain (mid-30s Fahrenheit). In years past, I always wore an insulation layer + a Gore-Tex shell. I was never comfortable; always a game of closing it all up and keeping the rain out (and my perspiration in) or opening things up to and letting the rain in.

On top of that, those Gore-Tex jackets always wetted out, which always feels uncomfortable to me.

The Ducksback Sweater is so much better. It's extremely comfortable and it doesn't get wetted out. The water just rolls off. When I come out of the rain, I find that there is very little water on the surface. Whatever water is left, I can shake off with one shake. I love it.

Thanks for another great product.

Sincerely,

Kirk

I have received several letters from customers who own Ducksback jackets and the experience of wearing them in cold rain conditions is universal, all see the same result. Kirk’s comment about being uncomfortable in the goretex garments he has purchased is also universal.

Please note when you read the article at no point does it say unequivocally that goretex or any other brand of material claimed to be waterproof and breathable works!!!

As you will have learned from the article gore has convinced companies that they cannot live without having the gore product in their mix of products. This sheds light for me to understand why the British company Rabb finally incorporated goretex in their mix after not using it in the first 30 years of their existence. They were probably told their business would increase with it in their garments. However, I wonder if that is true because the cost of the goretex garments increases. Maybe the Rabb ownership should read the article I have attached.

The boot manufacturers have really been duped (according to the oxford universal dictionary; dupe—to make a dupe of; to delude; to cheat; one who allows himself to be deluded; a victim of deception.) I suppose the same applies to one and all companies that choose to make so called waterproof breathable products. But the boot manufacturers are steadfast in continuing to use goretex.

I now believe the use of the proper insulation (there is only one insulation made and that is Lamilite/Climashield, so it is the only proper insulation) is layered in a rain or wet weather garment with most any fabric but specifically the Ducksback fabric will yield the most water resistant vapor permeable of garments. The evidence for my conclusion has been developing for the 30 years I have been in business making Lamilite/Climashield sleeping bags and over the course of the 30 years I have received a significant number of testimonials about wet surface bags that dried and some who actually slept in rain not seeing water come into the bag. The same has been very true of the jackets. In all situations the common denominator has always been the Lamilite insulation.

So if you really want a jacket that is as water resistant and completely vapor permeable you want a Ducksback shell garment with Lamilite insulation in it. This also explains why people who have purchased Lamilite insulated boots have the same experience as people with Lamilite jackets and sleeping bags.

So all of the smart marketing people for all of the companies on the waterproof breathable band wagon can now understand why they are snake oil salesman anytime they open their mouths and spew the lies stating the benefits of the waterproof breathable garments they sell.

So if you do not want to be duped do not buy any of the brands of waterproof breathable garments because they are neither.

One last thought; if you read the article you now know why many gore customers don’t like them.

A late arriving testimonial

A Test Of Wiggy's

When I purchase something from a company new to me I like to start with something inexpensive, to determine things like build quality, materials, suitability for use and customer service. Having purchased booties previously from the largest internet retailer, that basically fell apart within a few months, and really never kept my feet warm. I thought Wiggy's booties would be a good first purchase. Let's just say I was not disappointed.

Build quality appears to be excellent. They keep my feet toasty warm, and delivery was timely.

In short, Wiggy's passed the test. Placed another order in confidence.

– RICHARD ZOLLA