is it a conspiracy

The following articles come from what is read published in the news from the outdoor retailer trade show.

TIPPING THE SCALES Lightweight is still choice, but people are willing to trade a few ounces for space and durability. BY CAROLYN WEBBER Synthetics on the Rise Historically, goose down has been king in terms of weight and compressibility. But that’s changing fast, says James Herrod, salesperson at Ozark Outdoor Supply in Little Rock, Arkansas. He says synthetic fills are catching up: “They’re more hydrophobic, which means that that they’ll retain heat value when wet, whereas goose down will not.” As companies up their synthetic insulation game, campers can still walk away with the warmth of a down fill without making sacrifices in weather protection. Mummy bags are great at maintaining heat, but they can feel claustrophobic to some campers. Laura Hays, assistant manager at Rock/Creek Outfitters in Chattanooga, Tennessee, says companies are adding space only where it matters so bags can remain lightweight. “Some are making toeboxes taller so that your toes and your whole foot have room to chill out,” she said. Increased shoulder space leaves room for rolling around.

I find this article revealing about the size of sleeping bags as well as this salespersons comment about synthetics “catching up” with down. James must be very young because he does not know that that Lamilite or continuous filament fiber made down obsolete in 1968 when it was first introduced to the market place.

James and Laura are the latest retail employees at outdoor shops who have noted that their customers want roomier sleeping bags. This is I suspect a result of the Wiggy’s bags being the roomiest on the market. The difference between Wiggy’s bags and all the rest is that Wiggy’s bags do not give up insulating capability when the others if made wider do give up more of the limited insulation they have to begin with.

As for Laura’s comment about the foot box being larger so your foot can chill out does not sound very good; if your feet get cold that affects the rest of your body as in not allowing you to sleep.

2. NEMO’s new synthetic, patent pending FeatherCore insulation in the Kyan and Women’s Azura 20° ($220) is compressible and warm, but still has the benefits of synthetic materials. The mummy shape keeps heat inside while zip-down sections help regulate temperatures.

The two bags noted I assume since I could not find specific information are filled with a blend of down and polyester. How they think they can get a patent surprises me since down and polyester have been blended for several years and sold to other companies that sell sleeping bags, but the patent office will probably never know that. Once again I suspect that the polyester is recycled so while these bags have their problems they have included one more; fiber degradation faster because the polyester is made from recycled plastic. What these nemo people do not know has to do with the moisture absorbed by the down will also weigh the polyester down; so the end result is a flat bag with additional weight; that is the water weight. And finally the added zippers to regulate temperature will be unnecessary since you will not want to let excess heat out since there will not be any. I am quite sure the 20 degree rating for these bags is pie in the sky.

5. The Lost Dog 15 from Big Agnes ($190) features its new FireLine ECO Synthetic Insulation, which is 100 percent recycled. The footbox is not attachable to the pad, as most Big Agnes bags are, to allow for comfortable movement.

As I wrote in Tuesday’s article the people who run the Swedish children’s clothing company have no knowledge of insulation the same holds true for big agnes. They have created their own brand name for recycled polyester fiber which again deteriorates faster than virgin polyester fiber. The end result is a sleeping bag that will number never perform at 15 degrees which is what I assume the 15 means. And the insulation like ALL recycled polyester fiberfill will deteriorate quickly. However, it is interesting to learn that they are thinking about foot comfort by not having the bag made to attach to their ground at the foot end.

The following article was published in Advanced Textiles on their on line magazine 7/25/18.

HeiQ’s newest thermoregulation technology, Smart Temp, is activated by the wearer’s body heat to enable instant cooling and long-lasting cooling on fabric. According to the company, HeiQ Adaptive AC-06 is designed to mimic the body’s evaporative cooling system, perspiration, and adjust to body heat so users don’t get a chill.

At this time I have not been able to find out precisely what “Adaptive AC-06 is. I do know that HeiQ is a chemical company therefore the AC-06 product must be a chemical that is added to the fabrics in some manner. They are very specific as to what it does. However, as far as I know when we are active and our core temperature increases the body via an involuntary action sends the excess heat to our skin surface. Therefore whatever material happens to be in contact with the skin surface will start to absorb the heat. This is a natural physical action. Shortly thereafter the body again performing an involuntary action starts to send moisture out of our pores. The moistures specific purpose is to condense which it does very quickly and coats our skin surface also for the specific purpose of absorbing the excess heat and contributing to cooling us. All of what I have just described takes place regardless if you are wearing a cotton, wool, silk, acetate, polyester, nylon, polypropylene or any other garment made for any other material regardless of what ever chemical is added to it during the finishing process.

In my opinion this company has taken a page out of as have numerous companies serving the outdoor market the Gore library of lies about what they are selling. They are all birds of a feather and the main direction is to screw the public.

Designed to give an instant cool sensation via a melting action when body heat rises, the action is independent from moisture (i.e., before the first sign of sweat) and is meant to increase cooling efficiency by delaying the buildup of body heat and sweat.

“Designed” how about formulated since it is a chemical, but what is melting, the fabric or your skin from contact with the chemicals applied to the fabric? They are correct whatever the action is, is independent from moisture since the moisture that is present comes from the person wearing the garment. The thought that their chemical can delay the buildup of body heat and sweat is a demonstration of their lack of intelligence.

The product’s predecessor, AC-03, have the temperature control feature and provide either instant cool, long-lasting cooling or both effects. The two cooling actions work independently, so active wear manufacturers can choose to add one or both effects depending on fabric type and intended use of the final product.

Any manufacturer that chooses to have these chemicals applied to the fabrics used for active wear is only doing it because of the advertising dollars, as well as a lack of integrity.

Founded as a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), HeiQ’s goal is to create effective, durable and high-performance technology for today’s textile market.

HeiQ’s goal as far as I am concerned is too profit is any manner they can from the sales of their chemicals even though they do not function as advertised. Just read what follows and ask are the people who work at HeiQ intelligent? They are stating what is impossible to happen.

INTELLIGENT THERMOREGULATION TRIGGERED BY BODY HEAT

Keeps you cool and comfortable

Revolutionary 2-action dynamic cooling technology for optimal cooling performance

Cooling is activated by rising body temperature and deactivated once your cooling is complete (This is my favorite, in all of my years of living as well as working in the outerwear and sleeping bag area of the business world I have never of a chemical that could carry out this function. Of course when you are active your body gets rid of excess heat and as you cool the body’s mechanism that gets rid of heat slows down, aren’t they brilliant to point this out).

Up to 2.5°C/4.5°F cooler fabric temperature (depending on fabric weight and composition)

Exceptional efficiency and durability (100% cooling performance up to 40 home launderies)

Independently tested as safe for the skin

Complies with EU REACH, US TSCA, JP METI, ZDHC and most RSL regulations, bluesign approved and OEKO-TEX confirm. I always think it’s great when a company uses “independent” companies that do not make anything verify what you make does what you say it does. These same companies have historically supported the unsupportable, that is to say they support Gore and every other company claiming waterproof breathable materials. They represent a band of thieves as far as I am concerned.

Applicable and customizable to fit any fiber type: natural, synthetic and blends

Of course they are ready, willing and able to soak your material in their chemicals.

I view the relationship between the fabric suppliers, chemical companies, those who actually manufacture their own products in their own factories which are probably a very small number, the various marketing companies and finally the retailers as being sort of a conspiracy against the consumers. They all carry the same mantra of presenting products referred to as technical and in the simplest language they aren’t. Believing me is optional.