PMCI - October 2014

performance of Snugpak sleeping
bags and insulated clothing and it
was not long before olive green options
of the products were widely
available. When first launched in
1989 the Softie 3 Merlin sleeping
bag caused a sensation. A combination
of state of the art insulation
and a highly breathable space age
reflective barrier technology giving
0°c performance with a minimal
weight of just 750g and packing
to the size of a of a 24 hour ration
pack was a revelation! The Original
Sleeka jacket now being used
worldwide by tens of thousands of
forces personnel is also from this
era and is probably still the most
popular jacket in the Snugpak range;
although it has been updated over
the years it still offers an ideal balance
between warmth, weight and
pack size.
With some superior products
and a reputation for performance
Snugpak entered the 2000’s in a
massively strong position, moving
from being a well reputed British
manufacturing company into being
an internationally recognised brand,
twice winning the Queens Award for
Enterprise in International Trade. In
2009 Snugpak were visited by Princess
Anne. Armed Forces minister
Andrew Robathan followed and
visited the company in 2013.
Key Models
and New
Technology
With such a vast range of
products, from sleeping bags to
bivvis and shelters, rucksack covers
and accessories, clothing and hats it
would be impossible to cover what
Snugpak offer in just a single article
so I’ll break things down into two
parts, clothing and then sleeping
systems to give sufficient detail.
I mentioned earlier that the
original Sleeka jacket first came
into being nearly thirty years ago
now but this jacket model has a huge
reputation and fans worldwide. Designed
with every possible benefit
in mind, the Sleeka Original has become a
best-seller and for good reasons. The Paratex
Light outer shell makes this jacket lightweight,
windproof and water repellent but importantly,
it’s also breathable with great moisture wicking
away from the body. The inside is filled
with Softie Premier for warmth with a finer,
softer, more durable insulation. Fondly known
simply as “The Softie”, this jacket has been
tried and tested in every kind of outdoor activity
and in every conflict since the Falklands
War. Many have tried to emulate it, but there
is only one truly original, high performance,
mid layer insulated jacket. I would guess that
many of you reading this will have a “Softie”
of your own already!
Not content with this though, Snugpak
were soon making jackets and salopettes
that would become market leaders in their
own right, and we’ve seen such models as
the Sasquatch, the Blizzard and the Ebony
enter the range over the years. A new series of
products brings things bang up to date with the
very latest fabrics and technologies available.
Building on the success of their thoroughly
“tried and tested” jackets Snugpak
have worked hard to bring an inspired new
innovation to its clothing collection. The latest
generation of insulated jackets are manufactured
using their exclusive Softie Premier
insulation. The mid-layer jackets are warm,
water resistant and windproof, making them
the ideal choice for a variety of situations.
The warmest jacket in the collection is
the SJ9, which uses “Softie 9” Insulation.
It features a full time insulated hood and
Snugpak’s Softie® Premier insulation for
ultimate warmth, making it ideal for extreme
winter conditions or when stationary for long
periods of time. It is available in olive, military
black, MultiCam and A-TACS camouflage.
I’ve been really pleased to have this model
on test and it’s fast proving to be a “keeper”.
Over the winter months 2013/2014 I was able
to try it in various conditions and, especially
when the temperature has plummeted it’s really
performed!
Two other models are also available. The
SJ6 uses “Softie 6” insulation and has a roll
away hood with a brushed polyester inner; it
is available in olive, military black, MultiCam
and A-TACS camouflage, and is designed to
keep the wearer warm in temperatures down
to -5°c. The lightest jacket, which keeps the
wearer comfortable down to 0°c, is light
enough to keep in a pack for use when night
falls. The SJ3 uses “Softie 3” insulation and
it is available in the same colours as its “big
brothers”. The new range is full of innovative
features and all have some unique design slants
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