Derek Ryden of Blizzard – Stolen from this Daily Post news item
If you have ever watch the Dragon’s Den then you are aware that it seems like everyone has a business idea, and that the majority don’t ever see the light of day. Several years ago I could imagine Derek Ryden the inventor of what is now called Reflex-Cell technology of walking into the Den to get some financial backing. Instead Derek develop the company on a small scale, and started to sell these unique and technologically marvellous survival bags to the ‘Outdoor Sector’.
Now I have had the pleasure of knowing Derek since he first started to prototype the idea, made in friends garage in Llanberis. I worked in the factory as well putting together the products. Back in those days we were making 100 a week, they have to make more than that a day now, that it is in the emergency bag inside every US military vehicle to help save lives across the world.
The funniest story was remembered to me last night, it starts when Derek was lodging at a friends and having built a prototype needed to test it. His original tests showed that it worked, however it has since been tested to the various sleeping bag standards, showing itself to be more efficient warmth to weight against both synthetic and down bags.
The funny story comes from when my friends daughter found a ‘adult doll’ in the loft. Thinking her mum had a right weirdo as a lodger, it wasn’t until Derek mentioned that he had used the doll, by filling it with hot water and comparing the rate at which it cool by using one of the busy professional ladies three working offices.
Blizzard Protection Systems has taken off in the last year, and that is why they were recognised in the Queen’s Award for Innovation. Now imagine that you were an inventor, creating one device would often be satisfying achievement, but before the Reflexcell technology Derek invented the Ropeman now manufactured by Wild Country.