the law

INTERESTING RESPONSES TO THE THURSDAY ARTICLE

Jerry,

"Saying that a 20 degree sleeping bags rating implies you are wearing all your clothing while inside it. But hey, it's light!"

I was thinking about this statement and your reply and I agree with the both of you. I've been trying to figure out the temperature rating I see on "sleeping bags" these days, the ones I see in big box stores and people on Youtube using. I keep seeing these fit in your pocket sized "sleeping bags" with ratings of 20 degrees and watching Youtubers complain about being cold even though they crawled into the bag fully clothed. The comment above makes perfect sense for the temperature rating, assuming that your clothing is clean and in perfect insulating condition (brand new, right out of the box). Now I understand the temperature ratings - if you're dressed for 20 degrees and climb into our 20 degree bag you'll be warm. In other words, their "sleeping bag" has no insulation value at all.

If you are warm it is because there is adequate insulation in the sleeping bag and it allows your body heat to drive the moisture out of the clothing you are wearing and ultimately the bag. If that does occur you are using a Wiggy’s Ultra-Light 20 degree bag. No other of the no sleep sleeping bags will accomplish this.

I know the temperature ratings on big name outdoor gear are pure marketing BS designed to do nothing more than separate me from my cash. I know that when I buy Wiggy's products that I will be comfortable at the temperature rating they come with and a little lower. I know that my Nautilus over bag and Hunter Antarctic will keep me 100% comfortable from +35 to -80 and I expect that I'll still be able to sleep at 10 to 15 degrees below that... if it's any colder than that I'm in a lot of trouble.

A damp June weekend in Minnesota at 34 degrees may be asking a bit much from my 50 degree Slumber Bag for 100% comfort, but the fact that I was able to sleep at all impressed me. I'd be comfortable using the Slumber Bag at 40 degrees, and I know that the 34 to 32 degree range won't be the best sleep but I will sleep. That's just the sleeping bag and a pair of shorts, no other clothing. Damn impressive for a sleeping bag of under three pounds without a hood. Now contrast that with a big name 50 degree "sleeping bag" and I wouldn't have been able to sleep, even fully clothed, unless you want to consider slipping into hypothermia "sleep".

Jack

Jerry,

I am writing to inform you of my recent discovery regarding one of your products.

For a few years I have been using your FTRSS super light bag and Wiggy’s ground pad. I have nothing but good things to say about them. I recently had the thought to use your ground pad as a shooting mat when laying down and hunting coyotes. During the winter coyote breeding season here in Oklahoma I have always struggled to stay warm while hunting laying prone on the dirt. I stayed completely warm while laying on your ground pad, and it makes a nice place to lay binoculars and magazines while hunting. Compared to many shooting mats on the market your ground pad is both cheaper and a better value while functioning much better as well in my opinion.

Thanks for making a great product.

Jesse

A number of men have been using my ground pad for this purpose as well. Thank you Jesse for your comment.

Hey Wiggy

It's funny you mention some of the big retailers being disingenuous (that's a high falutin' way of saying "Liar" by the way ha ha) because (I'm sure you know this already) there is concept in law that is called something like "merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose" otherwise it has to be sold "as-is". Of course everybody gets away with about anything these days.

Ted

Ted’s comment was an eye opener for me. His noting “there is a concept in law that is called something like ‘merchantability for a particular purpose’ etc. has as I see it many implications. But first I had to learn about it. The internet almost never fails to provide me with all of the information I am researching. The following is the definition of the law. Ted you made my day.

Merchantable

Salable; of quality and type ordinarily acceptable among vendors and buyers.

An item is deemed merchantable if it is reasonably fit for the ordinary purposes for which such products are manufacturedand sold. For example, soap is merchantable if it cleans. In general, a seller or manufacturer is required by law to makeproducts of merchantable quality. In the event that the items do not meet with the proper standards, a suit can be broughtagainst the seller or manufacturer by anyone who is injured as a result.

I wonder if the world of waterproof breathable materials manufacturers as well as the companies that either manufacture or have manufactured for them garments with these materials. Do the garments made from these materials actually meet the proper standards that the materials manufacturers claim such as gore or event etc. and do the garment makers deliver garments that meet the proper standards? I believe the proof of these standards has for 40 years demonstrated that they do not meet the proper standards.

What we know is the very fact that vapor permeability (commonly referred to as breathable) of any garment jacket, boot, glove or whatever does not occur. We have further learned that the waterproof characteristic of these fabrics is compromised once the water repellent treatment applied to the fabric washes away. At this moment what happens is termed “wetting out” which means the water from any source is absorbed by the fabric and it seeps into the garment via deleterious water action.

When the product is a boot they can be made to be completely water proof but from experience we know that water does appear inside the boot. Where does it come from if the boot is completely water proof from the foot in the boot? This demonstrates that the water in the boot has not moved out of the boot via the breathability action claimed by the waterproof fabric manufacturer or the boot manufacturer. So we now know the water in the boot comes from the foot in the boot, which never gets out.

Therefore according to the law;

“In general, a seller or manufacturer is required by law to makeproducts of merchantable quality.”

To show someone has sustained an injury from a garment is a stretch however to show foot sores have increased since the manufacture of boots with these materials is not a stretch at all. The military has numerous cases of men developing fungus even trench foot due to wearing footwear made with these materials that retain the water in the boots.

All of the companies that offer insulations never temperature-rate their capabilities, nor do they ever mention weights with a temperature capability applied. By doing this they have basically lucked out with respect to complying with the law.

However literally 100 percent of the chemical companies that make wildly outlandish claims about their chemical keeping you from smelling, staying dry and in some instances warm also do not meet the proper standards.

Maybe who ever brought the case against gore to the federal trade commission can go back to them. I suspect the way the government works they view an action against gore might cause say 1000 jobs at gore to be lost. Of course the 1000 people working in the goretex division are only there to promote the bogus product. So if they were relieved of their responsibility nothing would be lost since they don’t do anything of value in the first place. The ftc would be helping several million people by letting them know not to waste money on products that have no chance of working in the first place. Since gore pays these people for nothing they can just keep paying them. In my opinion that would be a good thing.

I don’t know how many companies this law would apply too but I am suspect more than you can count on all of the toes of a centipede.

As Ted says “everybody gets away with about anything these days”. And all of these products should be sold “as-is”!!!

The following article was sent to me today.

https://www.breitbart.com/radio/2019/03/07/greenpeace-founder-global-warming-hoax-pushed-corrupt-scientists-hooked-government-grants/

Testimonials placed on the web site today.

Like No Sweater I Own.

It’s called a sweater but it’s warmer than any other sweater I've ever owned. I have the Ducksback and have only had it out in a fine mist. The water did bead up on it but dried pretty quickly once inside. It’s really warm and comfortable. The pockets are a nice size and are cut in a way so that stuff doesn't fall out while sitting or moving.

– Dan

The Ducksback material does what the materials I just wrote about claim to do, like no other material I know of. Thank you Dan for your commentary.

Great Bag!

My 1st ever Wiggy's bag I ever used...got to use it in my brother's COLD place after returning from the Philippines! I plan it use it in my tent come this weekend....I will be writing another review...stay tuned!

– Bruce Morrow