selling to foreign militaries

SELLING TO FOREIGN MILITARY

Because of all of the warring taking place several foreign militaries are creating a sleeping bag they believe will serve their purposes. Unfortunately, those in charge of developing the sleeping bag do not have a clue to what they are doing.

These individuals do not know anything about the insulating materials, they do not know about the shell and lining fabrics and last but not lease they know nothing about zippers.

What they do to compensate for their lack of knowledge is get on the internet and look at popular brand names and chose one of their “no sleep sleeping bags”. Since these individuals have no knowledge of the performance of these “no sleep sleeping bags” they do not know they are “no sleep sleeping bags”.

One military chose all of the specifications of a model from Mountain Hardwear named Boseman 30. The first information I read was it is meant for car camping. Will the soldiers be car camping, I do not think so!

I then noted that it is quilted and since it is made in China the fiberfill is as cheap a product as can be made, so the fiber loft will deteriorate quickly and will definitely clump in various places.

Then I read the spec for the shell and lining; 75D polyester. If a soldier is cold in the bag as I am sure will be the case, he may get closer to a campfire to get warmer. Having done that if the polyester fabric gets to hot it will combust. Polyester fabrics are combustible. Once it stars burning getting out of the bag can be a serious problem.

The zipper in this bag is a coil zipper and they are known to break easily. In a burning “no sleep sleeping bag” you would hope to get it open.

A word to the wise; to all of you parents who have called me wanting to know if I apply fire retardant chemicals to the fabrics I use, the answer is an unequivocal NO!!! You see nylon is not a combustible material that is why race drivers wear nylon Nomex racing suits from their underwear up. You can also see the video I made demonstrating what happens when I put a blow torch to one of my bags. Keep this in mind when you look at other so called sleeping bags for your children, camping season is starting. The mass of bags available today at rei, Moosejaw, sheels, or any other outdoor retailer will have polyester shell and lining bags. I do consider these bags a danger when there is fire like camp fires.

The reality is these foreign militaries have people in their employ with very little knowledge and are not interested I

in getting educated. Just today a customer in Chile sent me specs for 450 bags. polyester shell and lining. I told him to quote the bags he bought from me 5 years ago since nothing has changed with my bags.

in the real world these foreign militaries are wasting their money and the loser is always the soldiers in the field.