one more fictitious insulation

INSULATION REVOLUTION?

I have been selling synthetic fiberfill since 1961 specifically for the use as insulation in all forms of outerwear and sleeping bags and in all of these years I have never heard the term ‘insulation revolution” used until, that is now. I just read a press release from Outdoor Research Company that high lights ‘INSULATION REVOLUTION”.

Having observed what this company has done in the past making sleeping bags I know they do not have any employees who have knowledge of insulation that is synthetic other than knowing what it is when they see it. Now for some history!

In 1993 I believe Cascade Designs/Outdoor Research decided to enter the sleeping bag business. I was at the time still showing at the Outdoor Retailer (OR) trade show. One of their engineers came by my exhibit with a young woman wanting to trade catalogs with me and also to introduce this woman as she was their sleeping bag designer. I put my arm around this young woman as if she was my daughter and gave her a copy of the catalog and told her after she read it she would know why she and Cascade should not be in the sleeping bag business. I think the guy who brought her to my exhibit was named Bob and he went berserk when I told her that.

In 1994 I did not exhibit at the OR show but received the OR booklet that Cascade Designs Inc. advertised their sleeping bags in. The headline for their advertisement was “Simply the Best”.Having seen this ad I called them and spoke with the CFO at the time, maybe still there Lee A. Fromson and told him if they did not retract the ad we would meet in court. That put an end to them using the phrase. Their line of sleeping bags was discontinued a year or two later. About 3 or 4 years ago they decided to get back into the sleeping bag business with ridiculous models which I cannot believe sold very well. A view of their web site does not show any sleeping bags at this time. That is good for the consumer so there will not be anyone buying one of these bags since they are not made any longer.

When I did view their web site I noted that they are selling outerwear garments. Most appear to be down garments and some with synthetic/polyester fiberfill. I will not comment on the non-sense they say about these garments but rest assure they are not for the cold weather conditions they claim.

Their new line of jackets for 2016 is noted as “Active Insulation” jackets. They have and I quote; “a comprehensive line of 13 pieces.The Razoredge Hooded Jacket offers breathable insulation”. I have never heard of insulation spoken of in terms of being breathable so how did they come up with it? One of their subpar geniuses in the field of insulation or just an employee who thinks they are clever.

The lighter the weight of the polyester fiberfill insulation the more porous the faster the heat from your body can escape so they believe if you are active this is a good thing, so they refer to it as breathable. Like waterproof material that is also coined breathable which it isn’t because the material does not have lungs the fiberfill also is devoid of lungs so it is incapable of breathing.

It seems to me that all of the companies that are now selling outerwear garments for use during the winter season are ignoring what has been proven to work quite well for 40 years. They strive to come up with miracle materials for winter garments that they embellish beyond belief as far as I am concerned. People buying these garments just want what they believe they will look well in regardless of how uncomfortable they maybe; i.e. cold.

In January the OR show will take place in Salt Lake City, Utah and these garments will be on display for the retailers from around the country to see and buy. I would be shocked if one retailer questioned them as to how they came up with “Insulation Revolution” breathable insulation when no other company selling synthetic outerwear ever has. These retailers will simply just get on the fictitious band wagon like they did with waterproof breathable and all of the other synthetic insulations that do not perform other than continuous filament which the outerwear companies walked away from since it is only made in the USA and they will not import it to the factories in Asia that produce the outerwear garments they sell.

Merry Christmas