More of a Scam + Sleeping Bag Sale

One of my customers sent me the ad from the bean web site about this jacket because they advertise it has a NASA developed product used for insulation called aerogel which is blended with the fiber that primaloft company calls primaloft. The new product is called cross core.

Bean is disingenuous with the information that they are spouting about this fiber and the warmth characteristics.

If you go to the bean web site and locate the aerogel cross core jackets you will see for your self how thin the quilted garments are. They also show a couple wearing them in theoretically cold condition. The reality is these are at best late spring jackets. They are no different than the flat quilted jackets you see people wearing all winter and being cold in them.

As a manufacturer I believe I have every right to educate the consumer of products similar to what I manufacture pointing out the differences between my product and theirs.

It is my educated opinion that all of the companies that actually make or have made for them in Asia to their specifications are more fixed on the fashion aspect of the garments. They have again in my opinion no concern as to the garment’s performance capability. If they actually used these garments in the real-world condition’s they like to allude to they might not be so aggressive to offer them as they do.

Primaloft company has over the past few years become fixated on attaching the primaloft fiber which is a fiber that has almost no lofting capability to down or they got involved with the old Dupont product of fiber balls that they sold to north face company and now of course the aerogel because somehow nasa has used it. In all three instances each of these products offered no insulation of any merit. So, they have tried to fashioner them.

My opinion is that all of these companies are actively scamming people as gore has done for years.

The outdoor industry has morphed over the years from an industry that tried to produce products that would work for people who had the desire to head into the bush to an industry of fashionistas. Not only are the products poorly made with materials that are in my opinion shoddy people discover that they are not made for the rugged use required by someone in the bush.

I think one of the activities that will become more popular this summer is going to be camping since people will hold off from getting on airplanes. We are seeing so much emphasis on the coronavirus that people will be very weary of crowds and look to the woods.

That said, I have looked at my sleeping bag product mix and have reduced the prices of the 35º Sleeping Bag to $130.00 from $145.00, the 40º Sleeping Bag has gone from $95.00 to $80.00, the closeout royal blue sleeping bags have gone from $160.00 to $135.00 and, last but not least, the Backpacker Sleeping Bag in all colors is $145.00, reduced from $175.00.

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The following article is reprinted from sporting goods business. How many of the companies of the 75 percent are associated with the outdoor industry does not say, but i suspect all of the companies related to the outdoor industry are part of the 75 percent. I do not believe this information is easily available through the "normal" news sources.

"According to a survey from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), nearly 75 percent of companies report supply chain disruptions in some capacity due to coronavirus-related transportation restrictions, and more than 80 percent believe that their organization will experience some impact because of COVID-19 disruptions.

Of those, one in six (16 percent) companies report adjusting revenue targets downward an average of 5.6 percent due to the coronavirus.

The survey represents the first-round results of a survey focused on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) business and supply chain impacts.

“The story the data tells is that companies are faced with a lengthy recovery to normal operations in the wake of the virus outbreak,” said Thomas W. Derry, chief executive officer of ISM. “For a majority of U.S. businesses, lead times have doubled and that shortage is compounded by the shortage of air and ocean freight options to move product to the United States—even if they can get orders filled.”

Primary reported supply chain impacts include the following:

• 57 percent noted longer lead times for tier-1 China-sourced components with average lead times more than doubling compared to the end of 2019;
• Manufacturers in China report operating at 50 percent capacity with 56 percent of normal staff;
• More than 44 percent of respondents do not have a plan in place to address supply disruption from China. Of those, a majority (23 percent of respondents) report current disruptions;
• Of the companies expecting supply chain impacts, the severity anticipated increases after the first quarter of 2020;
• Six in 10 (62 percent) of respondents are experiencing delays in receiving orders from China;
• More than half (53 percent) are having difficulty getting supply chain information from China;
• Nearly one-half are experiencing delays moving goods within China (48 percent); and
• Almost one-half (46 percent) report delays loading goods at Chinese ports.

“We’re seeing that organizations who diversified their supplier base after experiencing tariff impacts are potentially more equipped to address the effects of COVID-19 on their supply chains,” said Derry.

More than 60 percent of companies that ordinarily travel to China have no plans to do so over the next six months. Additionally, nearly one-half (47 percent) noted travel to other international areas is subject to extra scrutiny or limitations with the most mentioned areas being Korea, Italy, Japan, broadly Europe, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

Conducted between February 22 and March 5, the survey’s 628 respondents largely represent U.S. manufacturing (52 percent) and non-manufacturing (48 percent) organizations, 81 percent of which have revenues of less than US$10 billion. Respondent roles range from emerging practitioners (4 percent) to chief procurement officers (6 percent), with 73 percent being experienced practitioners, managers and directors in a supply chain management role.

Another round of data collection will be conducted by ISM to continue to assess the coronavirus’ evolving global and regional supply chain implications."