lets try dying

UP THE CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE

Yesterday I published an article about a 50-year-old man who found out that he would die if not rescued because his down bag became worthless because it was wet, and he was caught in a snowstorm.

This fellow could be a poster boy for why you need several Wiggy’s products when you adventure out, regardless if it is a monumental activity such as walking the PCT or an over night camp out you should be prepared for the worst condition that can suddenly develop.

I am sure this fellow was not wearing fishnet underwear that would allow 100 percent of his body produced moisture to get a way from him. He was most likely wearing a close-knit top that some company like Patagonia claimed would “wick-a-way” all his body produced moisture. If not, Patagonia there are probably 50 other companies who sell the same garment making the same claim. Even though he started in May when the weather was warm, I am quite sure he had some uncomfortable nights due to his sweat being retained in his clothing.

I am also sure that his clothing in general was always moist. The PCT follows the western side of the mountain range in California, then Oregon and finally Washington state. For the 2650 miles it is subject to moisture coming off or from the Pacific Ocean. Being from Philadelphia I am sure this aspect of the weather conditions he was going to encounter he never gave any though to. I am sure he wasn’t the first.

After my fishnets there are a few different garments I make that would have made his life on the trail much more pleasant because it would not have mattered how much sweat he generated, and I am very sure it was significant. All the garments from Wiggy’s would never have retained any moisture, such as the liner vest and liner jacket. But I am sure he was wearing fleece garments and most likely a final jacket made from a goretex laminate fabric or something just like it. A final layer that was made to keep body produced moisture within the garments he was wearing. Since he probably had a couple of spare garments that he kept in his backpack they had no opportunity to possibly dry out. So, when he did change clothes, he was exchanging an old layer of clothing that had moisture in it for a new layer that also has moisture in it, not as much but certainly some.

I also suspect he was wearing goretex lined boots, why because I do not think it is easy to find hiking boots that do not have goretex linings in them.

Now when the weather changed dramatically, he really learned how well unprepared he was to deal with it. Not only did he have wet clothing, but he had a wet sleeping bag, or as was said, in the article and I quote; “He was soaked (his clothing), freezing and curled up in his wet (down filled) sleeping bag”. he was probably cinching that down filled sleeping bag as close to his body as possible. What he did make possible is for the moisture of his clothing and sleeping bag to more efficiently absorb the heat his body was producing to keep the vital organs from freezing. You know he was in the process of going hypothermic because as the article states and I quote; “Part of his feet and toenails had turned blue”. By his own estimation and I quote; “I wouldn’t have survived another night”.

Now if he was traveling with a Wiggy’s sleeping bag he would have been able to wait out the storm because he would have just gotten in the bag stayed warm and his clothing would have dried as has been the case with thousands of Wiggy’s bag users while he was sleeping. When you are warm you can and will sleep.

As Wiggy’s has grown to become the largest producer of sleeping bags in the world more and more of the lightweight backpackers have come to Wiggy’s, why? because they have not been comfortable to say the least with their extremely light weight highly compactible “no sleep sleeping bags”. Some who have made purchases call telling me the bag doesn’t fit in their backpack, so I say tie it on, oh no they say. They are very happy to suffer the 25 percent restocking charge.

The old boy is apparently hell bent on resuming his trek to Canada probably in the late spring of next year. Maybe he will do his due diligence and find out what he should be wearing and carrying that will be in his best interest.