Greetings gang,
Thanks for the plugs. I'm grateful you appreciate my efforts. This has been a very pleasant (if distracting) adventure, only made more pleasant by the people I am dealing with. The LF community is terrific to work with, and I believe the pursuit of quality and making the world a little more enjoyable is a trait we all have in common.
But, I can only take credit for what is within my control. With the speedy deliveries (when product is in stock) the kudos go to the much maligned United States Postal Service. I have found working with them to be tremendous. Reasonable prices, excellent service. In think their bad reputation was earned long before FEDEX revolutionized package delivery. To their credit the USPS has paid close attention to how it was done and now offers very competitive service.
And, Gary, even I was amazed at how fast the Global Priority Mail package got to Japan. Promised service to any international destination is 4 to 6 business days, plus whatever additional time it takes to clear local customs. So, perhaps you should also thank the Japanese postal service for efficiency.
I guess it is also a sad commentary on the state of customer service in the world that what I take as the minimum level of service that should be offered, would be considered exceptional. I treat you all as I would hope to be treated by any vendor, as individuals.
As for which model to choose, Alex, they are all correct. That is to say, it comes down to your tolerance for heat. I used the very first one (The ORIGINAL) for four years in the mountains and deserts of California, and never had a problem with heat. I think that may be due to a number of reasons. I wear a hat. I don't sweat much. I tend to work in the shoulder hours of the day (morning and evening). I also am confident that there is no better solution (creating a dark environment, access to controls, workability in wind, weight/function).
But when I began to ship them to more humid environments, customers were looking for a fabric that breathed. So, I developed the HYBRID. So you can imagine my surprise when a customer in Great Britain remarked that they found the ORIGINAL too stuffy. It is a personal thing. How much you sweat. What conditions you typically work in. I now make it a practice that anytime someone orders an ORIGINAL to verify that that is the model they truly want.
Both models work the same, they cost the same, the HYBRID just weighs a little more (still only just over a pound). So for all but the most dedicated backpackers, the choice is fairly simple. Go for a little more comfort at the expense of a little more weight.
As for comparison to other hood-style cloths on the market, they all have the same issues with comfort in heat. In selecting the fabric for the HYBRID model, I made a decision to work with the most opaque, uncoated, water resistant black I could find. The fabric is a very tight weave, but does breathe. Toss in the sleeves for windy conditions (and ventilation to some degree) and the BLACKBAG(TM) feature, and I think it is pretty nifty, even if someone else had been the one to think it up.
Thanks again folks. It is a pleasure to serve you.
