you will not believe what exists

PRIMALOFT® INSULATION TECHNOLOGY INSTRUMENTAL TO NASA-SPONSORED ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH STUDY

JULY 8, 2011

ALBANY, NY

ALBANY, New York — (July 8, 2011) — PrimaLoft®, the world leader in performance insulations, recently supplied its top of the line performance insulation, PrimaLoft® ONE, to scientists studying air quality in Fairbanks, Alaska. Yet rather than simply outfitting the scientists working in Alaska, PrimaLoft®’s unmatched performance characteristics were needed to maintain warmth for a high tech spectroscopy instrument in freezing temperatures.

The primaloft owner has delusions of grandeur! For him to think that a chopped staple fiberfill that this company sells makes them the “world leader of synthetic insulation” is in my opinion the ranting of an idiot. There are possibly 50 to 100 companies in the world that make and market chopped staple fiberfill for insulating purposes. Every other insulated fiberfill product made with a chopped staple fiber matches them completely. What follows is the explanation of exactly what primaloft one is.

PrimaLoft® One

Comprised of 100% specially treated polyester micro-fibers (1 denier or less). Has the highest col value per weight of all PrimaLoft insulations at 0.084. It also has the softest hand and is the most compressible of all PrimaLoft insulations and absorbs 3 times less water, and is 24% warmer than the closest competitive insulation. The human body uses energy to keep warm PrimaLoft uses a patented microfiber structure to help the body retain warmth and conserve energy. PrimaLoft is as warm as down, compressible, breathable and offers superior water repellency so you remain dry, warm and comfortable even under the most extreme conditions. These performance qualities and technical benefits make PrimaLOft the thermal insulation of choice for outerwear and sleeping bags.

The above explanation is so erroneous (I am being kind with my reference to the lie presented) that it is remarkable. Historically when DuPont and ICI of England developed polyester fiber the tested the different deniers (thicknesses) to find out which thickness worked best for various textile applications. The ideal thickness for insulations (at that time referred to as battings) was 5.5 or 6 denier. When 3-M came on the market with Thinsulate they shouted from the roof tops that it was made from micro fibers 1 denier or less. It was a failure because it collapsed and stayed collapsed. The same thing is going to happen to this product.

The 5.5 denier continuous filament fiberfill I use for Lamilite does not absorb any water; period! It may have the highest clo per weight of the different primaloft products, but it isn’t even close to Lamilite. One Lamilite weight tested by Natick labs showed a clo reading of maybe 12.0. That would be the equivalent of the Ultima Thule -20 degree F sleeping bag.

To use this fiberfill in any product in an extremely cold condition; note they just say extreme condition; would mean as far as I am concerned you are taking your life in your hands especially if this stuff is in a sleeping bag.

In general the explanation that I took off of the web site of one of their dealers is a crock; I trust all know what I am referring too?

The Multi-Function Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (MFDOAS) is a NASA-sponsored instrument that measures atmospheric gases, enabling scientists to study air quality. The spectro-scoptic instrument measures light intensity from the sun that is either directly arriving at the instrument or is scattered by the molecules in the sky. From there, scientists can derive the absorption from such molecules as nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, formaldehyde, bromine monoxide, and some others.

While the MFDOAS works fine in average temperatures, below-freezing winter weather can quickly compromise the performance of its electronics. Creator Elena Spinei wanted to protect the device from being cold and dysfunctional while collecting data in Alaska, so she searched out a lightweight alternative to down insulation that wouldn’t lose its heating capacity when wet and wouldn’t weigh down the instrument’s careful mechanics.

I have written to Elena Spinei to find out when this testing was done; such as the months of the year. I will be shocked to find out it was January. I suspect warm weather since she speaks of wet conditions. She has not responded.

“We came across a comparison chart of multiple insulation materials, and PrimaLoft® was named the top of the line in synthetic insulation,” explains Spinei. “So we looked on the PrimaLoft® web site, read the description and properties, and that settled my decision to go with PrimaLoft® ONE.”

Unfortunately she didn’t do enough research, like Wiggy’s or Climashield. The comparison chart must have been on the primaloft web site.

PrimaLoft® offers premium insulation products that are engineered for performance, and the brand is recognized globally as the benchmark leader for world-class brands in the outdoor, home, military, fashion, hunting and workwear markets. PrimaLoft® is the premier supplier of insulation to the Army, Marines, and Special Forces because of its proven dependability in the field.

Are you wearing your chest waders and have a shovel now? You should since the premier supplier of insulation to the UNITED STATES MILITARY AND THAT INCLUDES ALL BRANCHES IS THE CLIMASHIELD PRODUCT. When the government puts out a solicitation they do not use brand names just generic descriptions and the insulations are always CONTINUOUS FILAMENT FIBER. They receive Climashield from all companies and Lamilite from me which am made from Climashield.

“PrimaLoft® offers the most advanced fiber technologies in the world,” noted Eileen Berner, sales and marketing director for PrimaLoft®. “We take great pride in supplying the U.S. Military and the world’s best brands with insulations that can be counted on to perform – and we can now add aiding atmospheric research to our list of accomplishments.”

I have been in the textile business since 1961 and as far as polyester fiber for the purpose of insulation and I have seen everything that has been put on the market. It all started with chopped staple fiber and over the years since nothing has changed very much. Reducing the thickness of the fiber just made the chopped product worse than it was once the continuous filament was put on the market. The primaloft products have been tried in a multitude of products from jackets to sleeping bags. The jackets work when they are used in temperatures from 45/50 degrees and up and the sleeping bags work in temperatures from 60 degrees and up.

Several months ago I read that primaloft had created a new insulation using their fiber and aerogel and had sold it to ll bean for use in sleeping bags. If I remember correctly I called and spoke with someone at bean advising them as a courtesy not to offer such a product. Well guess what they have several bags with the combination of materials as insulation in sleeping bags. Please read what I reprinted from the bean web site.

The Technology

This is the only sleeping bag in the world to feature Cross-Core, an industry-changing innovation that fuses NASA-developed aerogel technology with existing PrimaLoft Gold insulation, for more warmth without adding an ounce of weight. Sean McCoy, Managing Editor of GearJunkie.com had this to say: “Why is this a big deal? Well, aerogel is the lightest insulator on Earth.” It allows us to build a roomy, comfortable rectangular bag that's more than light enough to take backpacking.

Sean has less knowledge of insulation than would fill more than half the space in a gnat’s rectum.

Size & Fit

Regular fits users up to 6'; Long fits users up to 6'6".

Specs

Regular

Weight: 2 lb. 15 oz.

Packed size: 14" x 6.5".

Long

Weight: 2 lb. 14 oz.

Packed size: 14" x 6.5".

Cost $299.00

Having read the literature I asked the woman whom I was given who tested the bag or how many tested the bag. Obviously she had no idea.

Also asked, how could a 6 foot bag be one once heavier than a 6foot 6 inch bag? She acknowledged the contradiction and again had no explanation.

I then decided to tell her that there are companies who make bags with the same rating using down that are heavier. Bean might even have some, I did not check, of course they do not perform either.

I then told her who I was and that it is a travesty that bean sells products that have no chance of performing as advertised and that LL BEAN himself would be turning in his grave if he knew about this nonsense. I also told her she should tell her bosses what I said and that it was me who said it. Whoever buys one of these bags should only use it in their house during the summer months. That is if they like contributing to being a highway robbery victim!!!

And there are people out there who take exception to my accusations about the amount of dishonest advertising that is prolific in the outdoor industry. I believe it is all due to you guessed it the lies about waterproof breathable never working but being a cash cow for a number of companies.

Welcome to the great outdoors where if you play your cards right you can own a multitude of products that will never work!!!!!!