support from within the industry about goretex not working

SEEN IN THE SECTION HIKERS BACKPACKING BLOG "BREATHABLE/WATERPROOF"

The following comment was seen by one of my customers in this blog written by the editor Phillip Werner.

“Message Body: Sheep Submission

I like ivon chaunard spelled wrong I know and Wiggy’s outdoor clothing manufacturer have said for a long time you cannot have both waterproof and breathable. Is not it about we stopped lying to the general public and actually told them the truth. That if you think its waterproof would you bet your life on it. Stand in a very cold wind with gore tex and then put on a really waterproof shell and feel the difference. Sit in the snow and see how fast you get a wet rear end with gore. Yes their nice for a stroll but don't bet your life on it.”

An editor of an on line publication stating the commonly known truth in the outdoor industry that waterproof/breathable materials do not work! That this fellow chooses to name Yvon C. as one who publicly has stated as much years ago and names gore-tex as one of the culprits since there are many more materials claiming the exact same capability. That he also notes my position is incredible for me to read. But as one friend in the industry has told me I am widely read by people in the outdoor industry. So the truth is finally starting to get some legs, and it is long overdue.

Reality as I see it has to do with what the retailers want, and they want products that are heavily advertised so they do not have to do any work. In the early years of the outdoor industry retailers would actually use products that they brought into their stores and discover if they performed as the manufacturer claimed. Those days are long gone. In this day and age the retailers do not care if a product does what the seller claims. So long as it sells based upon the advertising propaganda. If a customer is unhappy depending upon the store they will either take it back or tell you to contact the brand directly. Terrific!!!

As I have noted in the past, it is all about the money!!! Retailers are basically lazy and truly have no interest long term in the quality of the products they have in their stores. They just want as many different brands of every item so the customer can make a decision without any input from the retailer, who generally does not know a thing about the products to begin with. They like the easy sale.

PATAGONIA NONSENSE

The following comment comes right off of the Patagonia e mail I received this morning.

“Colder temperatures are invigorating and nearly impossible to dress for. Too much clothing and you run the risk of sweating, which is uncomfortable and possibly hypothermia-inducing. Not enough and you’ll never reach that sweet spot between warm and working.”

They at Patagonia know how to dress people so regardless of what you are doing you will be comfortable. For thousands of years people have according to Patagonia been dressing incorrectly because it seems to them that it is “nearly impossible” to dress for dealing with colder temperatures. It boggles the mind to be realizing that the people who run this company will try and publish anything that will elevate them in their own minds with their knowledge which really is a “lack” of knowledge. They are a very bad joke, but people will and do buy their garbage products. These people sit in their cubicles and just dream up verbiage that is nonsensical.

Will there ever be a point in time that these companies will as Phillip Werner wrote “will stop lying to the general public and actually tell them the truth.” I think not because they do not know the truth or more than likely they do not want to know the truth, because that would mean they would have to think and then again most of the products they sell would be removed from their product lines.

The Patagonia verbiage is not uncommon coming from companies who offer clothing products for people to wear when venturing into the great outdoors, so one should never be surprised by the wild a** claims made by these companies.

I have been noting that many companies in the outdoor industry are creating programs to get the youth of America to get outside and experience what it is like but I am not so sure they are seeing success. One reason which I believe is the faulty products that they may buy that do not work. Once bitten, don’t go back. Then there are all of the electronic gadgets that they buy or are bought for them by their parents who should be the guiding force taking them to the great outdoors. I read recently about the great outdoor experience you can have in a tent on one of the islands in the east river or maybe the Hudson River off of Manhattan Island. It is probably a good get away from the hustle and bustle of the very crowded island but is it like going into the Catskills, Adirondacks, Green or White Mtns, hell no. Even here in western Colorado you can get into the mtns anytime and never see another person because not many go.

All of the companies that sponsor these activities should give that same concentration to the products they sell so when a youngster buys one he/she finds it actually works. Pipe dream on my part.

Phillip Werner keep up the good work and expose more of the bogus materials out there.