shocking story

A TESTIMONIAL FOR THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT TO READ

My Wiggy's stuff

Wiggy, I just wanted to write a quick note to tell you how pleased I am with my Chukka boots. They fit well, and frankly look better than I thought they would base on the website photos. I am still on the fence regarding the socks and booties but that is due to the difference in feel to a lifetime of standard, cotton/wool/nylon style socks and slippers. In terms of warmth they are working as described. I have worn the Chukka's into the office on wet days in CA and up to northern Alaska 2 times now, the third coming in a few weeks. My feet are warm. I have several of your products now, a Single person bivy shelter being my first purchase, which kept me warm in a 60mph snowy wind in the mountains of CO on an elk hunt, a fantastic game carrier you have from the Aussies I believe and now a couple of -60 sleeping bags that are just friggen as serious of a piece of kit one can find. I have a few odds and ends too and I really find your products do as you claim and are a fan. I do wish that you would have your website redone as it visually does not display of your great products with the bravado they deserve. Anyhow, Wiggy, thanks for making and delivering a great product Sir, I am spreading the word. – Rick

I wish to express my gratitude to those in the employ of the Canadian government for assisting in the promotion of Wiggy’s sleeping bags to the members of the Canadian military!

About 2 years or so ago I received a call from the Public Works section of the Canadian government wanting to discuss sleeping bags for use in the high arctic region of the country due to the fact that the Russian military was building or has built a base on their side of the arctic. Therefore, there was a need to have sleeping bags capable of keeping their soldiers warm. They setup with me a secure skype type of conference call. I showed them the ULTIMA THULE FLEXIBLE TEMPERATURE SLEEP SYSTEM which has a conservative -60 degree temperature capability. I went through all of the properties of the Lamilite insulation for approximately 3 hours. Two of the members of their group were active military, both officers, and the rest I think 4 or 5 other people civil servants.

About 1 ½ years later they published a solicitation to bid and my representative called me about this solicitation. Since the Canadian government wanted to have all production in Canada we found a government contractor who could easily do the work. The only part of the bag not Canadian would be the Lamilite. To make a long drawn out story short the bag that the Canadian government went with after we spent time and money is a contraption bag system from the old Integral Designs now a division of a company called Fellfab. The result for us was a waste of over $2000.00 for no reason. They did not even consider what we were offering.

According to the literature published by Fellfab the recipient of the contract this bag has received the “red dot design award””. The award is given out by a German company Design Zentrum Westfalenin Essen. I have personally never heard of this company and as far as I am concerned I know they being each and every employee have as much knowledge of insulation for use in sleeping bags as a gnat. The same holds true for Fellfab employees and my proof of that is the fact that they have accepted an award and proudly display it based upon their lack of knowledge.

What they made was a chopped staple fiberfill outer bag probably using Primaloft since Integral Designs years ago switched from Lamilite to Primaloft so now that Fellfab owns them Primaloft is probably what is in the over bag. If not Primaloft it is still a chopped staple fiberfill which has shown for 50 years is not good for sleeping bags used below 45 degrees (7 DEGREES C) weight is 2.6 pounds.This bag goes over a down bag that is 4 pounds, no temperature is given, but a 4 pound down bag might be okay for 25 degrees for a night or two. That said as I recall the temperature capability for the two bags combined was supposed to be probably -30 F or lower. However, they wanted bidders to give a CLO value rating, of course they do not understand that CLO HAS NO VALUE.

There are people in Canada that will be affected by the actions of the Canadian government. The first person (s) will be each and every individual soldier who is issued these bags. When the soldier discovers that he is freezing in any arctic location not necessarily the high arctic he will trash the bags. I have been told numerous times by Canadian soldiers that is what they do and then are buying a Wiggy’s system. The next person (s) to be affected is the Canadian tax payers because their tax dollars will have been spent on product that simply put “DOES NOT WORK FOR THE PURPOSE INTENDED”!

So I am very grateful for the Canadian government driving customers to Wiggy’s.