what one special forces group thought of a bag

SPECIAL FORCES BAGS

The following email was received on 9/28/2017 that I found in my files while researching for information for a representative of a European military interested in buying Wiggy’s bags. What you are about to read are comments that I have heard many times from individual soldiers who had been issued these bags. I find it hard to believe they did not go back to their units with these comments because in although in a few instances I have been told by a unit they would not buy them again. However, I suspect that the gsa sellers say that the bags have been improved, that is a lie. The following reprint of the email I received mentioning the bag brand.

Wiggy:

We need to source several sleeping bags for long range, unsupported special operations deployment. We must have a quick release center zip capability.

We have been very disappointed with the Snugpack Special Forces Bag. Frankly it is civilian grade garbage. In addition to generally inferior quality for the robust stresses of extended deployment, the zipper jams easily on the zipper baffle. To clarify, the zippers often jam when first zipping up and/or adjusting zipper containment for temperature control. Thus, if a partially zipped bag requires immediate exit and the zipper jams on the baffle during "up-stroke" of the zipper to actuate the quick release--the bag jams and there is no quick release function. We have had to cut our way out of bags.

We prefer a bag with a lower cold comfort rating--the approx. 25-degree rating of your Military bag is barely capable for some of our alpine or desert ops. We rarely sleep in tents: usually go to ground under tarp and bug net (as required). Often in humid zones because we shelter outside natural lines of drift or open areas; thus, often shelter low profile in damp concealment zones. Most listed comfort ratings expect sheltering in a tent and arid conditions. However, we need approximately 10-degree F rating in our real-world conditions without tent and in humid conditions.

Can you rapidly provide quantity 10 bags for rapid cash purchase?

It appears that your Military bag with more loft may be start point for your considerations.

Size: Regular height soldier, however often fully clothed including boots (for immediate contact capability). Clothing often damp and sometimes wet due to limited clothing change inventory. High Abrasion resistance needed. Robust capability, no gimmicks more important than light weight. Best color is mid-way between Olive Drab and Coyote Brown. Second choice is Olive Drab.

Standing by,

Thank you

JH

We did supply them with the center zip military model bags. They were told their damp clothing would dry over night.

The comments from JH were not a surprise for me to read. Years ago I took one of their bags apart as I have the north face bag that I made a video and found that they also single needled the components together, which they may have changed since then, this was in the early 2000’s.

At that time, I examined the chopped staple fiberfill used for insulation and found that it was held together with a binder fiber. They also use a scrim over it to give more structure to the fiberfill if laundered, but it will still start to break apart anyway. An interesting fact about slick finish chopped staple fiber we observed of the slick finished DuPont hollow fill and Quallofil is that the fibers would wind into themselves in laundering. The same as when you pick up a hand full of snow and roll it to make a snowball. The result is a loss of what ever loft existed in the first place and lumps appearing.

As for water retention all chopped staple fiber fill has an excellent water retentive quality, meaning when water gets into the fiber it stays in the fiber.

I learned all about fibers and the fiberfills made with them working with the testing facilities at Sears, J.C. Penny and Montgomery Wards when they were major sellers of children’s outerwear. These companies wanted to make sure the outerwear garments they were selling children’s snow suits could go through two to three launderings a week.

Today I am sorry to say there are no manufacturers or employees of companies that sell polyester insulated products with this knowledge and in my opinion, they probably do not care to get it.

“Knowledge” is …. A mental grasp of a fact (s) of reality, reached either by perceptual observation or by a process of reason based on perceptual observation.” Ayn Rand

These people who are in the business of making fiber-filled products have never bothered to observe what happens to the products they are making or having made as far as the fiberfill is concerned. If they did bother to observe what happens to the chopped staple fiberfill, they would have changed to continuous filament fiberfill years ago. So, it is obvious they haven’t observed what they are doing.

The following comment appeared on my u-tube channel.

	Wiggys Two Bag System Sleeping Bag
	BEN DOVER If your bags are good enough for Navy SEALs then they will be OK with the manbun & grande caramel latte mochaccino folks!!!!!