It's Here!

A year ago, two guys in my office made a big deal about something they had found called a Slanket, which was apparently a blanket with sleeves. And when one of them had his Slanket shipped directly to the office, and he wore it, we gave him a hard time for the way it looked on him. Well, fast forward a few months and suddenly that Slanket didn't seem like such a bad idea after all. So, I asked for one for Hanukkah and I'm excited to tell y'all that it finally arrived today (yes, a bit belatedly).

I saw the box waiting for me at my door when I got home from work and as soon as I brought it inside, I tore it open, took a picture to show you (of course), and put on the Slanket to see how well it fit. Let's just say I won't be cooking or eating dinner while wearing it, but tonight, when I'm watching American Idol and Lost, I'll be mighty comfortable and warm laying on my couch, wrapped up tight in my Slanket. Wow, is this thing comfy and cozy — and big!

Now, maybe you're wondering, I've heard all about the Snuggie. How does the Slanket compare? Well, screw the Snuggie. That cheap ripoff isn't even worth writing about. But since you're asking ... The Slanket was created by Gary Clegg in 1998 when he was a freshman in college. The Snuggie was "created" by the Allstar Marketing Group more recently to try and siphon away Clegg's very successful business. Whereas the Snuggie only comes in three colors, the Slanket comes in 11 (I got it in beige, but I also considered castlerock). Whereas all the proceeds from the Snuggie go to some greedy folks (the aforementioned Allstar Marketing Group), Clegg donates a portion of the proceeds from every sale to one of three worthy causes (mine went to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation). The Slanket is longer (60 inches by 95 inches versus 54 inches by 71 inches), thicker, and heavier than the Snuggie. It's just a higher-quality product (and thus, a more expensive one). As a result, when you buy a Slanket you get just the Slanket (plus a nice thank-you note from Gary). On the other hand, when you buy a Snuggie, it's half the price, and it's so cheap that they have to give you two blankets and two reading lights (because you really need those) to make it worth the purchase. I also like this comparison:

"If you take a look at both the Slanket and the Snuggie, one difference that stands out is that the Slanket actually looks like a big blanket, whereas the Snuggie makes you look like you are returning from the evening vespers at your monestary — or that you have just been brainwashed into joining an apocalyptic cult."

So for me, really, there was no choice or discussion. If I was really going to get an oversized fleece blanket with sleeves, I was going to get a Slanket. I'm not embarrassed by this in the least, and I hope that, like my old coworkers, I'll convert you and you'll feel compelled to buy one too. I love my Slanket. Like the Web site says, it's "the best blanket ever!"