the OR show

A COMFORTER TESTIMONIAL

Queen Size Comforter, Toasty Warm

I live in So. California, so I don't experience the cold weather as other parts of the country does. However, year round I sleep with my window open to get fresh air, and when our weather cools down; I pull out my Wiggy's comforter, and enjoy it. I never have cold feet, and you warm up under the comforter in less than a minute and are warm all night, even my feet. Thanks for such a great product - I enjoy using it every winter!

– Doug McKinnon

Thank you, Doug

FOUR DAYS OF THE OUTDOOR RETAILER TRADE SHOW

Each day there is an 80 page on line magazine report of what went on at the OR show that day.

The most striking of things to me was the conspicuous absence of any mention of sleeping bags. They show backpacks as well as a variety of clothing items with fancy explanations of how well the backpack fits and how well the clothing items will keep you warm and dry.

However, it seems to me if you are going into the field carrying a backpack aren’t you planning on being out at least for one night necessitating the need of a sleeping bag? But, maybe the backpack is only for show or has a baloney sandwich and a six pack; after all each day the on line magazine shows exhibitors and attendees drinking beer, wine or hard liquor. Being legal in Colorado maybe they are also ingesting MJ in one or more of its forms.

As for the insulated garments shown; 100 percent are quilted to insure that body generated heat will escape through all of those stitch lines and the fit of these garments is of a slim fit. They obviously are not thinking beyond fashion. To make a cold weather garment you must eliminate as much as possible all quilt stitching; have some bulk, and a lose fit so the insulation is not compressed.

Now I ask why have they left out high lighting sleeping bags or at the very least one model from some company? My suspicion is that they do not think much of the sleeping bags available from these companies that exhibit at the OR show because they know they do not perform at any temperature that they are rated for. I am also of the opinion and have been for 30 years that these companies have only offered sleeping bags to demonstrate that they are in the outdoor products business and that the sleeping bags are a loose leader item for them. It should also be noted since the bags are made in Asia where the highest quality fiberfill for insulation continuous filament fiber Climashield is not made. These companies voluntarily chose not to buy it and ship it to Asia so they accept the cheapest poorest quality fiberfill available in Asia.

The emphasis they at the show stress is urban activities and staying in motels or a premade tent sites such as the one I wrote about on an island off of Manhattan Is., N.Y. In this type of camping situation the need of a sleeping bag is very unnecessary since the outfitter supplies them and it is only for one or two nights during June to August. These outfitters are not concerned that the bags they put people in are made in China or some place in Asia. At the end of the season these bags are in such bad condition that they throw them away.

Or maybe, just maybe they have conceded the sleeping bag market to Wiggy’s. Actually they are not aware of the position that Wiggy’s enjoys and has for many years and that is being the largest manufacture of high quality sleeping bags in the world. Why is that so, because the bags that are made in the Wiggy’s factory use the best materials available for sleeping bags specifically the insulation; Lamilite/Climashield. The bags are the most accurately temperature rated, are oblivious to water, so they work wet or dry, can be laundered endlessly, can be stored in their stuff sacks, have a lifetime guarantee, they are made in the U.S.A. from fabrics that are not now nor have ever been subjected to chemicals of any type. This is particularly important for chemically sensitive people to be aware of.

With all of these features about the Wiggy’s bag it makes sense that the companies showing at the OR show who also have a line of Chinese made sleeping bags not want to talk about their products since they do not compare to a Wiggy’s bag.

And to think that I offered every company that made sleeping bags in this country in the late 1960’s the knowledge that I have and have had since then to make bags as I have for the past 40 years, and the all turned me down. Their lose and my gain.