hot tubes and a new product

I ordered a 20 degree Hunter and a Nautilus (40 degree) on Jerry's advice to use in a small 4x4 Campervan camping in all-weather with my wife and in future for boat camping in New England. Jerry advised to get the two different weight bags, zip them together and put the 40 on top in warmer weather and flip it over in cold weather. It works very well.

When I first unpacked them I was a little dubious because my only bags before were all down, light and very compact whereas these are pretty bulky and heavier. However, at 62 years old ultralight backpacking is not in my future although lots of camping and camp cruising I hope is, so small and light is not important to me but rugged and being warm even when wet absolutely is. As soon as I started using the bags several unusual quality standouts were obvious:

1. The zippers are massively built and will withstand rugged use, including my fat fingers yanking on them the first time I zipped the bags together.

2. The baffles along the zipper line are thick and keep out any drafts better than any bag I have ever used. They are so thick they cushion your knees if you sleep one knee up like I do.

3. The stuff sacks are built tough and well designed to make stuffing and compression easy. You can cinch these bags down very tight without fear of breaking the 4 nylon webbing straps that wrap all around the bag (not just sewed on in a few places)

4. The two different thickness bags zip together very easily and the heavy zipper with tags and loops on both sides makes them easy to operate once you get the hang of the initial join

5. One night the temperature dropped unexpectedly from 60 to 40. We had the bags cool side up but did not notice the temp until the next morning - these bags are warm!

6. I sweat in most sleeping bags - in these, it does not matter because they appear to let the vapors pass through so you never feel clammy or wet.

7. We traveled and slept in these bags for 7 weeks throughout Atlantic Canada, with two small dogs my wife always lets sneak onto our bed at night, yet the bags did not evidence any odor - never seen anything like that. And the fact that you can throw them into a standard washer and dryer after a trip instead of dry cleaning them? Awesome.

7. The length and width - I am 6'2" and sleep sprawling best. No other bags ever were long enough to cover my head or wide enough to allow full movement - these do. My 5'4" wife (never been camping before now) is so lost in them that cold never touches her and these bags are so well padded and comfortable she is wondering what the big deal is about "rugged camping" and figures men just exaggerate discomfort, as usual. (Men, who want to encourage your mates to camp with you, buy Wiggy's bags).

Thank you Jerry. I will never buy bags anywhere else. Now I am lusting after a pair of your Lamilite boots I really do not need but am impressed by Lamilite with my sweaty feet!

Regards,

Chris

HOT TUB COVER

First I want to thank Chris for his testimonial.

Now for the hot tub cover. Pictured is my hot tub. It is the smallest made by Jacuzzi hot tubs. It measures 6 feet by 6 feet by 3 feet tall. I purchased it during the summer and once turned on the factory temperature is preset to 100 degrees, and I left it. It has run continuous since then until the other day. After I go out I looked at the temperature which was still 100 degrees and turned it off and put the top on which is 4 inches thick and then the cover I made for it. I turned it off at 6:30 PM and turn it back on at 8:30 AM the following morning, the temperature of the water was 98 degrees. The ambient air temperature during the night was no lower than 45 degrees and there was no wind to speak of as far as I know so wind chill was not a factor either.

I expect that the temperature drop if the ambient air temperature were 20 degrees would not be much different. What I do believe and that I will see once the temperature does get into the 20 degree rand each night is how much energy the cover saves maintaining the 100 degree temperature during the winter months, I expect it to be significant. Also note that my tub only holds 200 gallons of water.

As it is known I believe based upon fact that the Lamilite Climashield product I use is second to no other material on the planet as an insulation medium. The use of this insulation for a product of this type is new and once again will demonstrate its benefit to save money. The weight I use for the hot tub is the L-15. The shell fabric is the same as I use for the ground pads; 600 denier coated nylon. The entire combination of materials is impervious to water. Note that having a cover that goes to the bottom of the hot tub is added insulation against wind movement that can take heat away from the tub, which is wind chill. Also the fact that it is black in color means that it will absorb the radiant heat from the sun which is beneficial during the winter months. If you happen to have a hot tub the same dimensions as mine the cost is $650.00.

Anyone interested in acquiring a hot tub cover should send me a schematic so I can see the shape and have the dimensions in feet and inches so I can give you a quote. Obviously each cover is made to order. I expect that one will last for many years so you can look at it as an investment since the cost of electrical power will not be getting less costly anytime soon. Due to the size while the materials are launder-able it will not fit a washing machine so the next best way to clean it is with a hose.You will also get a stuff sack for storage.

UP DATE

I have received a number of calls for the experimental garments. I have also been given suggestions for other uses such as for kayakers. I do not kayak so I did not think of it as a potential market. The jacket can be worn over the light weight flotation vest keeping you warm from the generally cold fast moving water kayakers encounter. I also heard form a fellow who does water skiing in the Pacific where the water is in the 50/60 degree range. He told me the wet suits just don’t cut but he had nothing better to use. So I will be making a pant for him as well. The number of uses for Lamilite Climashield is only limited by one who doesn’t think of what can be made better. Thanks to those who call or write asking if this or that can be made better.