long term military user

LONG TERM MILITARY USER

Hello, my name is Steve Goins. I am a retired Petty Officer First Class - US Navy. I am also a huge fan of Wiggy's, best on the market, and still my favorite apparel and sleeping bags, perfect for the outdoors, and I love that they are made in the USA. 

After my last deployment to Afghanistan with VAQ-135 Growler Squadron I was stationed in Whidbey Island Washington and took up hiking and climbing. Luckily, I started with the best. The love for climbing only grew after spending time in Colorado Springs and Sugar Grove WV. 

I am writing to see if you could send me some swag or promotional items to show my love for Wiggy's.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration
Very Sincerely
Steve Goins, CTR1(IDW/SW/AW) USN RET

Much as I would like to have had the promotional items he requested but what I did have is long gone.

I have supplied a few thousand sleeping bags to the military since 1990 when they were first sold through Brigade Quartermasters located in Kennesaw, GA. They used to get them from The Northface, their shingle construction model. It took forever to get delivered. That method of construction was a money losing method and caused them to go to China. The result was BQ coming to Wiggy’s. Eventually the military came directly to me and then the military went to GSA contractors.

It was more productive to have the GSA contractors bidding against each other, so I had more sales. I believe since there were no other manufacturers in the USA and the sleeping bags had to be made with Berry amendment materials as well as being produced here.  

I believe I have become the major supplier over the past 35 years; the only bags made in greater numbers are the government created bags.

I refer to them as bags not sleeping bags because they fit in the category of a “no sleep sleeping bag.”

I have been contacted by numerous retired soldiers who were issued Wiggy’s bags telling me they still use them and have purchased Wiggy sleeping bags for family members as well as telling others, for me word of mouth advertising, you can’t beat that.

The tariffs are helping me because the imported no sleep sleeping bags are becoming more expensive. One Biggy is looking for domestic manufacturing, good luck.

We are now working on a significant order for the military. I just love it when I see the contracts stating must be Berry amendment compliant.

Such is the case of this order.

At one point you heard if it’s good enough for the military it’s good enough for me. Today their own designs do not fit that statement, but Wiggy’s does.