Posted by Jerry Wigutow on Dec 13th, 2007
In 1986 when I started making the Wiggy’s brand of sleeping bags I started with what I called Lamilite; a continuous filament fiberfill product that I laminated to the materials I chose to use for my sleeping bag product. It was the insulation which I still use today 22 years later. The company that makes the continuous filament fiberfill; Western Nonwovens has improved their product over the years by virtue of upgrading the equipment they use to separate the individual filament. What this means is a loftier product as well as a softer product. The benefit to me and those who buy my products; sleeping bags or clothing receive a better product with respect to the insulation factor; no change in weight but greater insulation as a result of greater fiber separation.
As I said I continue to use the same product year in and year out for a very simple reason; it works and it works better than anything used before and everything that has come about since, this includes without question the highest quality of down that is harvested from geese or ducks; Lamilite makes down very obsolete.
However, I continually observe the other companies who chose to market sleeping bags (they don’t actually make them, they contract with companies in China who do the actual fabrication) who endeavor to present to the buying public their newest and greatest insulation in their bags. Each and every year they present these newest and greatest and why; because they want your business and they think all consumers are less than intelligent and do not see through the advertising hype. Yes, hype is what they are giving out to the public because the companies who supply them with their newest and greatest form of insulation also provide advertising dollars. You have all heard the expression “money talks and BS walks”, well these companies are presenting BS with their money.
Lamilite talks and it is speaking louder than ever. People who do the research on the internet find volumes of comments from users who have learned via use how well the Lamilite insulated product they purchased works and write about it. Of course if you go to the Wiggy’s web site www.wiggys.com and click on the archived newsletters there is massive information about Lamilite and why it is superior to ALL other forms of insulation presented.
So why change to something that has no history of working since virtually all of the “new” insulations are nothing more than the old chopped staple fiberfill’s that proved long ago they couldn’t perform as continuous filament does. As time goes by the proof of continuous filament fiberfill’s performance capability will become even more pronounced. It is the only insulating medium that allows the shell and lining of a sleeping bag or outerwear item to be made without the need of quilting to hold together. Having a uniform loft with the density of the fiber between the two materials presents the greatest amount of insulation on a weight for weight basis versus every other form of insulation available and I do not believe there will ever be a change to render continuous filament fiberfill second.
It has been my experience and that of so many Wiggy’s customers to find out regardless what is made that is insulated with Lamilite whether it is a sleeping bag or any form of clothing from head to foot the Lamilite product performed better than anything they or I has ever used. Eventually Lamilite will be the insulation of choice by manufacturers who truly want to make a superb insulated product.
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