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September /
October
2002
"America's abundance was created not by public
sacrifices to "the
common good," but by the productive genius of free
men who pursued
their own personal interests and the making of their
own private
fortunes. They did not starve the people to pay for
America's
industrialization. They gave the people better jobs, higher
wages,
and cheaper goods with every new machine they invented, with
every
scientific discovery or technological advance- and thus the
whole
country was moving forward and profiting, not suffering, every
step
of the way."
--Ayn Rand
BACKPACKER MAGAZINE, A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR
SHORT
The December 2002 issue of Backpacker has an
article “Zero to Sixty in Two Bags or Less!” It is about a two
sleeping-bag system, like the Flexible Temperature Range Sleep System that
I produce. However, Wiggy’s system, the first produced, is not mentioned.
I guess I should be honored that at least six companies have attempted to
copy me, and Backpacker has seen fit to write about
them.
Historically, I made the first two-bag
system with my first company, Olam Outdoor Sports Products, in the late
‘70s. It consisted of adding a liner to any of the mummy bags, however,
they did not attach to each other. For a few years I also did the same
thing at Wiggy’s. The change to a two-bag system where the bags are joined
occurred in early 1993. I made the FTRSS for the Marine Corps in March of
1993.
In February 1993 a Marine Corps captain
attended the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City. He worked in
the materials command section, which examined sleeping bags and the
various materials used in their manufacture. I also attended the show, but
not as an exhibitor. At the time I had been involved with the captain’s
boss, who was the officer who requested the Desert Bag. It was a success,
and so they were always interested in working with me. It should also be
noted that no other sleeping bag company cared to work with our military
at the time, and I believe that is still the
case.
I had occasion to call the captain in
March and he told me he had spoken to all of the exhibitors about making a
two-bag system that would perform from summertime conditions to –20
degrees. He further told me that not one of the companies he queried had
any interest. I asked why he hadn’t come to me, and he said that I wasn’t
at the show and he let it slide. I told him that I would work on the
project, and four days later I told him I had it finished, gave him the
price, and he ordered twelve, sight unseen.
During 1993 I supplied the Marine Corps with about 1,000 bag systems. I
received a call during that year from a Sr. Chief based in San Diego, with
the Navy Seals. I told him of the work I was doing with the Marines, and
he told me that –20 degrees was not adequate for him, he needed –40
degrees. I substituted the Super Light for the Ultra Light in the system
and we had a – 40 degree system. The Seals bought so many of them
that they requested a national stock number to eliminate having to go out
on bid. That was in 1995. Suddenly, I started getting calls from the Air
Force-- not all members of the Air Force are pilots it was for their
ground forces.
And finally I started getting calls from Army Special
Forces Units.
Eventually the Army’s Natick
Labs, working with a sewing contractor, bastardized my system to reduce
the price. In doing so, they also reduced the bag’s performance capability
and its durability. This is what is issued to the grunts and they are not
pleased. Many of them spend their own money with me for my
system.
According to Michael Lanza, the writer
of the article, all of the bags were rated to zero, weighted less than 5
pounds and cost under $600.00. What I don’t believe is that they worked at
that temperature.
What Lanza should know is
that my Antarctic FTRSS, which is rated to –80 degrees, or as cold as it
can get on the planet, costs $484.00. Also, my Super Light FTRSS is the
single largest-selling sleep system in the world, as it is the
largest-selling product for Wiggy’s. He should also know that Wiggy’s is
the largest producer of quality sleeping bags in the United States, a fact
that I am very proud of.
STICKING IT TO THE
PUBLIC
For many years I sold my bags to Brigade
Quartermasters, Inc. They are a mail order company selling to the
military, military-after market and hunters. I terminated doing business
with them when they started selling “sleeping liners,” or some such item,
even though they were advised that the insulation would not last through
laundering.
As a result of my pulling my bags
from their product mix, they went with Snugpak, the British-made sleeping
bag (?) that I exposed as a terrible product a couple of years ago. It
astounded me to see trash of this nature in their catalog. I guess they
want to be in the returns business. Not only will each and every buyer of
one of these bags find out that the temperature ratings are a lie, but if
the bags are laundered, the fiber will deteriorate. When this happens they
will start getting the bags back.
Why I find
it amazing that they have taken on the line is because they knew all of
the history of my exposing Snugpak for the trash it is. The British
military doesn’t buy them. The British military has been evaluating Wiggy
bags for the past year, and I fully expect that they will soon become a
customer. Their soldiers are working with ours, as are the Aussies, who
use Wiggy’s almost exclusively. One other thing that the ownership of
Brigade should remember is that their father was a career military man
and, I believe, a hero of sorts, so I can only imagine he is turning over
in his grave knowing his sons are selling sub-quality merchandise to the
military.
MORE CLOTHING FOLLY IN THE
MILITARY
Malden Mills has been given a contract
worth 12.4 million dollars for the development of their fleece fabric,
which will contain electronic sensors. The fabric will be worn against the
skin. The fabric will have sensors that will monitor respiration, pulse
rate, skin temperature and blood pressure. Discrete antennas to medics
behind the line of battle will transmit all of this information.
According to the CEO Aaron Feuerstein, “Our
soldiers will continue to experience improved safety, comfort and
effectiveness as a result of wearing garments made of Polartec fabrics.
Nonsense.
First, Polartec is “fleece” and
fleece is fleece. It has been around for 60 plus years, and it is almost
impossible to tell the difference between Malden fleece and any other
mill’s fleece when they are the same weight and made of the same fiber.
When you wear a fleece garment against your skin, as these garments will
be, all of your perspiration is definitely going to be trapped against
your skin surface. That, of course, will cause you to chill. Some
improvement.
In the final analysis the only
thing that will be accomplished is the stalling of Malden Mill’s demise.
At this writing they are in Chapter 11 reorganization. By getting a
12.4 million-dollar contract the courts will grant the reorganization
plan. The end result of their work in this area will be a failure. They
should join the party I wrote about a few months ago probably taking place
at MIT. You may recall that MIT received 50 million dollars to develop a
came lion uniform.
Another thing to consider
is that Malden is moving product to China to be more competitive. So,
there will not be any benefit for workers here in the America.
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