a very appreciated plug for a wiggy product

Why Readers Had Us Googling Fishnet Underwear

By Andy Snyder | November 8, 2017

Hmmm… are we looking at Manward’s first-ever endorsement opportunity?

After digging through the mailbag this week, we’re seeing the same company and its unique products mentioned throughout.

While we’ll remain fiercely independent, we will share some of the tips and tricks readers have sent us over the last few days… including a couple of links to a company with some unique and very helpful products.

With the weather turning cold throughout the country, it’s a good time to follow up – once again – on our recent (highly popular) essay on the immense qualities of wool.

But this time we’re not looking at only the natural fiber. Once again proving the value of our Connections, readers have clued us in on a synthetic product that just may give Ma Nature a run for her money.

Here’s what your fellow readers had to say.

I have spent several years working off Adak Island and then some more time out of Haines, Kenai and north of Wasilla. My job required that I spend almost all my time outside hiking long distances and climbing up and down the sides of volcanos. Adak Island is known as the “Home of the Winds,” and a sign up there says it’s not the “End of the World,” but you can see it from there.

I used wool a lot. When we first went up there we had our military expedition weight long johns and Gore-Tex. My first time over the mountain in those long johns with that pack on my back made me think I was going to die of heatstroke. The Gore-Tex was great to stop wind, but when that rain came sideways, it went straight through the stuff.

I replaced the synthetic long johns and polar fleece with Wiggy’s Fishnet Long Underwear and I was amazed. Like the wool, the fishnet uses trapped air to insulate and you could ventilate it with all the zippers on the Gore-Tex. I used the wool for layering so my clothes would breathe and stay dryer. When the rains hit, I kept a good Helly Hansen rubber rain slicker with me, as rubber was the ONLY true block to that wind driven rain. If your clothes got soaked, that wind would put you in hypothermia quickly.

We also operated and lived out of a 143-foot landing craft and operated in RIBS (inflatable boats) for beach landings and retrievals. (Sometimes we were next to such high cliffs that we had to be extracted by sea.) No rescue was coming for us, so we had to take care of ourselves and not allow ourselves to fall into a needed rescue situation that would take hours to days to get to us. The fishnet underwear, wool clothing, Gore-Tex, rubber rain gear and balaclavas were our survival gear and were never far from hand. – Stephen P.

Good stuff, Stephen. I’m not sure what job you had, but it sounds like a fun one. Nothing will make a man appreciate good, warm clothing like a windy, rainy day in Alaska. Once that rain gets through, it’s trouble.

I’ve never heard of Wiggy’s products before. In fact, I would have been worried if somebody at our camp wanted to show me their fishnet underwear. But as luck would have it, I’ve found the stuff online and, with such a strong endorsement, I’ll surely order a pair.

Here’s a link.

And here’s a similar note from the mailbag.

In respect to the info on wool, an arguable deterrent for some adventures is weight. I had the opportunity to explore the interior of Alaska by dog sled following the Iditarod Trail route 15 years ago – nine days, about 400 miles, eight dogs each, 50 pounds and 50 below were the guide’s criteria.

I experimented in my backyard with various materials and name brand items that wouldn’t work. Then I discovered Lamilite (also from Wiggy’s). It’s lightweight, compact, efficient with warmth retention qualities and lets moisture pass through.

I broke through ice one morning, getting soaked up to my waist until dogs pulled me over an embankment. Managed terror crept in. Frostbite? Hypothermia? I was traveling last in the group with no fire materials, and it was 60 miles to the next rendezvous camp. I had a parka, jacket and bibs with Lamilite fill. Through the day, the boots bore a crusted glaze, which insulated me from the minus 15 sunshine.

Remarkably, the soaked garments retained their promised insulating features as they dried while mushing. I never worked up a sweat as body heat equilibrium was accomplished. No frostbite! No hypothermia! Nor discolored feet!… and yes, my feet traveled soaked that day for 60 miles adorned in wicking wool socks. – Gary S.

Once again, I’m jealous.

I’ve spent some time in dog sledding camps but never did anything nearly as grueling as the Iditarod. What a great story and testimony for having the right gear. Thanks for sharing.

Here’s a link to more info about Lamilite. Again, we’re not getting a penny from the folks at Wiggy’s. In fact, they don’t even know we’re talking about them.

The above article appeared on the “manwardpress.com” web site.

A fellow called me this morning ordering a set of fishnets and told me about the web site and the article. As the day has gone on the number of orders for fishnets has been extraordinary and I am very sure the article has been the catalyst.

I spoke with one fellow later in the day who was ordering the fishnets and I asked how he knew of them; he is a receiver of the manwardpress daily emails. However he also ordered other items, so the effect of the article is very positive which I am very appreciative of.

What comes to my mind is if I will ever get any recognition from people who write for publications that are directed to the outdoor community, like backpacker or outside magazines. I could name more but why bother, they all seem to be of the same belief, they know more than me. How that could have happened is a mystery.

Some years ago there was a tragic loss of life on Mt. Everest. I wrote an article back then stating that had I dressed those people they would have had a significantly better chance of survival. The reason is simple, fishnet long underwear. Then Lamilite insulated clothing. All of the clothing they were wearing very effectively retained ALL of the moisture that they were emitting and as the cold temperature penetrated into their clothing it was freezing the moisture and eventually the cold reached their skin surface so they froze from the inside out. The article was attacked by many in the industry saying that I did not know what I was talking about. I was lost in a blizzard and I am here because of how well my clothing works, so much for their anger.

I have on occasion spoken with mountaineers and in ALL cases when they stop to rest they get a chill, why because they are wearing close knit first layer garments; regardless if they are natural or synthetic fiber there moisture does not get away from them. Many of these mountaineers are being sponsored or actually paid to wear these garments so the company can promote these garments to the general public. Any climber who claims that these garments wick moisture is in my opinion blatantly lying. Therefore the company making these garments is disingenuous. But as far as I am concerned the number of companies that have an attitude of being disingenuous is not new. They number in the dozen’s or more.

I am very pleased with the article published by manwardpress.com and suggest that one and all look at the site as I am seeing a new site that is very interesting.