miracles?

THE MIRACLE ON SNOW JACKET

Core77 design awards notice recent grad’s adaptive mid-layer

29/06/2020

A recent graduate of Canada’s Kwantlen Polytechnic University has been recognized for his design of a ski jacket that adapts to temperature and exertion levels.

Tell me that this isn’t a miracle jacket. I t just knows when the temperature changes and when you are really exerting yourself.

Riley Scott’s jacket, the Stratus Ski Touring mid-layer is said to vary its insulation to the thermal needs of the user. Mr Scott said the idea for the jacket came from his own skiing experiences, during which he was often frustrated by the time spent altering his layering system.

Riley knows before you put on the jacket what the needs of the wearer are. MIRACULOUS!!! Maybe Riley should have been wearing a ski parka that has a zipper. In that manner all he would have to do is unzip it when he was exerting himself. I skied for 40 years and the zipping and unzipping method worked really well.

“I wanted to create an ‘invisible’ layer that could adapt to different temperature and exertion levels, without removing any garments,” Mr Scott told the university’s online news. “To realize this goal, I took inspiration from window blinds as they transition from a 2D object to a 3D object when either side of the baffle is pulled in opposite directions.”

Riley wanted to create an “invisible” layer of what? How can you create what you can’t see? Or, did he take a visible layer of something and make it invisible? (Now that would be quite an accomplishment and the Canadian military as well as the US military would like to know about.) This invisible layer “could adapt” to different temperature and exertion levels, without removing any garments. I know why you wouldn’t be removing any garments; because you couldn’t see them. Now I am beginning to understand the invisible aspect of what Riley has done. Just imagine cords like you have in blinds causing them to go flat or horizontal. Since Riley is obviously a college student, he has no knowledge of manufacturing.

The jacket was Mr Scott’s capstone project in the technical apparel design program.

What Riley has created would be a nightmare to manufacture. It is a technical product that is by no means technical at all.

The Core77 Design Awards 2020 cover 18 design disciplines; Mr Scott was a student runner-up for the sports and recreation award.

Runner up suggests to me there were only two products offered, if there were three, he would have been number 3.

His instructor Dan Robinson praised the jacket’s additional features, such as vent zips that are often missed in a mid-layer. He said Mr Scott conducted engineering tests to show changes in insulation and user tests to demonstrate effectiveness in simulated use.

It is quite obvious that Dan is equally devoid of manufacturing knowledge. The further make the nightmare more intense he has added pit zips. All the tests in the world can not show that this garment can do what Riley has dreamt; his nightmare.

The technical apparel design program was developed in collaboration with employees from Vancouver-based technical apparel companies such as Arc’teryx, lululemon, Mountain Equipment Co-Op, and Mustang Survival, along with top academics and researchers.

I called Arc’teryx and inquired if they as a sponsor of this program would now make the garment. The fellow I spoke with had no idea of even the program or the core777 awards company. I did not call lululeman since they make nothing, mountain equipment co-op the last I read may close and they also are retailers not manufacturers and finally mustang make marine survival equipment; so, I wouldn’t call them. And finally, the “top” academics and researchers have as much knowledge of manufacturing as a gnat. Riley your product will never be manufactured.

I am perpetually amazed at the recognition given to individuals as in this case who have no knowledge of what it takes to make a garment and even less knowledge of how their own body works. As in the case of Riley he does not know let-a-lone understand what materials should be used to make a garment that will be used with an outerwear garment, although the picture of the garment shows what I would consider an outerwear garment. But Dan suggests that this garment is a “mid-layer” garment. I am discounting his comment because I believe it is an outerwear garment. This is not the first- time recognition is displayed upon a person whose theoretical invention never goes beyond the recognition stage. The primary bit of information Riley lacks is what materials should be used that will allow sweat to go through the garment. So much for the miracle garment.

TRAVELING WITH A SLEEPING BAG

I was conversing with a friend last night and he touched on an interesting bit of information about people traveling these days. He said that people are driving 300 miles or less to get to their destination. And as such they may be staying for a night or two in a motel/hotel before going into say a campground or wherever.

Staying in the motels/hotels some may very well sleep in their sleeping bags rather than on the sheets even though all has been sanitized. For those who will prefer the use of their own sleeping bag we have a choice that could be of interest.

The first one I recommend is the Nautilus bag. this is what I used on my boat for 3 years the last almost two years (whenever I think about living on the boat I remember in my mind the trip) when I was a live-a-board and the temperature was always 70 degrees or warmer. Two can be zipped together to make a queen size pocket.

In addition to the Nautilus we have the various poncho liners, the all-purpose summer bag, slumber bag, and the youth travel bag.

All of these bags have some of the same characteristics; they are all machine washable; they can be stuffed in their stuff sacks and left that way for who knows how long without damage, they are all insulated with Lamilite, and they all come with a lifetime guarantee.

I am sure the motels/hotels today are for the most part doing the job of sanitizing the rooms but you can never be 100 percent sure so being safe versus being sorry maybe the best course of action.