New Inflatable Thermal Layer - Thoughts?

Tonytrumpet

New member
Hi guys 'n' gals,
I have been wearing this prototype inflatable thermal layer for a couple of months now:

BLACK-WITH-LOGOsmall.jpg

It works *really* well, provides lots of controllable warmth, and is expected to be available for around $90 /£65. I'm really interested in your feedback, and any questions you might have before I start spending large on materials and tooling to bring this to market.

So do you like the concept? What is it missing? Would you buy one (why/why not)?

Thanks so much for your feedback; as a 'thank you' for your help, I'm offering launch discounts if you register at exotogg.com :)
Tony.
 

Tonytrumpet

New member
I'll probably register as a vendor once we reach that stage. But at the moment I'm just looking for feedback on the concept, price point, thoughts from the crowd, etc...
Thanks for your interest.
 

perterra

Adventurer
Looks like a PIA to take on and off, but much cheaper than the Rukka or Aerostitch (though the stitch has electrics in it)
 

biggoolies

Adventurer
I don't quite understand the concept other than thermal to keep you warm? Is it protection from impact? Life vest???!! Unless we know its purpose, why would you ask for feedback?
 

Tonytrumpet

New member
I don't quite understand the concept other than thermal to keep you warm? Is it protection from impact? Life vest???!! Unless we know its purpose, why would you ask for feedback?

Sorry for slow reply - I didn't get a notification. But to (finally) answer your query, yes, it gives adjustable warmth. Wear it under your jacket, and when the weather turns colder, blow a couple of breaths into it for an extra layer of insulation. It's light, packs really small, and really keeps you warm. It can also function as an inflatable mattress, should you find yourself camping in the wilds somewhere.

Hope this helps to explain. But I'm interested in what *you* make of the concept..
 

jkam

nomadic man
I had a Rukka Airpower suit that had a liner that did that. The technology isn't new, my suit was from 2008.
I don't remember what it was called at the time but it worked OK. Overall, I'd rather layer up my clothing as needed.
I found the Rukka suit too complicated and sold it.
 

Tonytrumpet

New member
Hello again!
2 years on, and the Exotogg inflatable bodywarmer has finally emerged, blinking into the sunlight. As per the design brief, it's lightweight (9 oz), packs small, and is incredibly warm and comfortable to wear. We even won an award from the Outdoor Industry Association for Best Clothing, as judged by 120,000 outdoorsy members of the public!
The price has crept up a little, due to the expensive materials and UK manufacturing costs, but it's a robust, high-quality product that performs better than I had hoped. If you want to learn more, it lives at exotogg.com
Thanks for your interest early on, and enjoy your travels :)
Tony.
 

AbleGuy

Officious Intermeddler
So, you asked for some potential end user input.....

This is an interesting, rather strange, kind of expensive new product.....but I can see some possibly additional values and uses to it.

1. You could also use it as an inflatable pillow for camp nights,
2. It could be used as an unapproved PFD for extra floatation under one’s rain shell or jacket while out boating,
3. You could try inflating it with bear spray, so if you’re ever attacked by a large predator, when it bites you and punctures the inflated vest, it would get an mouth full of unpleasant pepper spray.

The biggest limiting factor in comfort I’d wonder about initially, is the lack of fabric breathability in wearing this, such that one might find a problematic moisture build up from sweating, which would be undesirable in very cold weather use. Also, obese people probably couldn’t fit this vest underneath their clothes without first buying new, larger sized outerwear. It should come with a hole patching kit too.

I’d give it extra points for being so small and packable.
 
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Tonytrumpet

New member
Hi AbleGuy,
Thanks for your ideas! Though I'm not sure the bear spray would work that well - you control the amount of insulation by adjusting the amount of air in the jacket, and you might give yourself a face-full of toxic nastiness!:eek:
Versatility was important for adventure bikers, and tourers actually - anyone who will be in changeable conditions and who has to justify any weight & bulk - coz you can't just nip home for a sweater. So I designed it to be as useful as possible; it does make a really comfortable pillow, sleeping pad (remove the side attachments to lay it flat first), float, splint, camera protector, seat comfy, etc.
Breathability is a good point. Obviously, the material can't be breathable by design (it holds air) but the design allows an amount of air circulation via the open sides. But it's also kinda self-limiting, in that if you're sweating, you're probably warm enough to not need it on. The other point around this is if traditional layers get wet, you get cold due to evaporation; the Exotogg keeps insulating like a boss, even if it gets wet. So whilst that's not a strong marketing message ("you'll be clammy but warm"), it's useful to know when you're out in the wilds.
You won't need a larger jacket - this is really slimline when deflated (0.4mm), and it only needs 3 or 4 breaths to give a layer of air, which fills the natural gap between you and the jacket.
Repair kit - could do that, but as it's worn under your jacket it is fairly well protected. But you're right if you use it as a sleeping pad on a thorn. I know tenacious tape sticks to TPU, so that would be the basis of the repair kit. I'll look into that - thanks again! (y)
 

perterra

Adventurer
Interesting but in my opinion obsolete technology. BMW had the AirVantage vest back around 02 that was a much better looking vest that zipped up the front. Air tube was inside the vest and it would pass for a fleece vest when work by its self. Price was higher, but it looked considerably better.
 

Tonytrumpet

New member
Interesting but in my opinion obsolete technology. BMW had the AirVantage vest back around 02 that was a much better looking vest that zipped up the front. Air tube was inside the vest and it would pass for a fleece vest when work by its self. Price was higher, but it looked considerably better.
Hi Perterra,
I'm familiar with the BMW AirVantage, and agree it's a nice looking jacket (as you'd expect for £500). The Exotogg is targetting a different market niche, and has some useful advantages over the BMW version; it's far cheaper, it packs smaller and lighter, it's more versatile - use it as a pillow, a sleeping pad, a seat comfy etc. It's an entirely different beast, with one small similarity in the physics involved, which I wouldn't describe as obsolete; I would say it's low-tech, which is another plus point, in my opinion.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, I appreciate all input!
 

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