The second picture is from a foreign language survival forum, so reading his review was spotty thanks to google translator. But my research left me with more questions then answers, for instance, why the heck is his hood a different color? From what I could tell he didn't request it and I think Wiggy's has a narrow view on custom work anyway. Also my research indicates that the reason Wiggy's lists the insulation as "lamalite/climashield" is because the two types of insulation are from the same company and are very similar, but at least one source claims Wiggy's uses a non-hollow fiber with a heavier silicone coating. But if lamalite is similar to climashield why on earth does the poncho have such intense quilting? One of the main advantages of climashield is that you don't have to quilt it, eliminating cold spots (such as Kifaru's woobie and slick bags). None of Wiggy's main sleeping bags use quilting, only their cheaper summer bags and blankets. I've been told that Wiggy's glues (laminate: lamilite) their insulation to the sleeping bags but quilting is used in their cheaper options to keep prices down. This makes sense but if Kifaru can get away with NO quilting at all, couldn't Wiggy's at least get away with very wide spaced quilting? The quilting on the new USMC 3-season bag (which uses climashield) is spaced horizantally in about 12" intervals, and the MSS black bag (which also uses climashield, or at least a similar insulation from the same company) has vertical quilting in about 8" intervals.
When I'm actually ready to buy the poncho I think I will call Wiggy's and see if I can talk them into a custom poncho with no quilting, or at least half as much. I will update as the adventure continues.
No comments:
Post a Comment