The best temperature to weight ratios.
Technology and art merge.
Let the tubular bells ring out!

Imagine a down gear construction technique that is based on pure geometry, leaving nothing to chance. Using the human form as a guide, fabric is formed into shapes that surround every part of your body, minimizing excess weight while keeping consistent levels of insulation at every point of your body. This is the foundation of Tubular Bell construction.

Starting with a cylindrical form that follows the human form perfectly, we cover that shape with a second, larger cylinder. This is where the Tubular Bells start to ring! Connect the smaller and larger cylinders with precisely cut baffles, or ribs, that follow the contour of the inner and outer cylinder. Now we have a construction technique that is miles/kilometers ahead of everyone else. We save weight by being precise, and we increase the temperature/weight ratio to unheard-of levels.

Why isn’t everyone doing this? Frankly, it is too labor intensive for most bag manufacturers. Valandré is the only specialist in the world willing to elevate down gear production to a technologically influenced art form. Down products that contain as many as 91 individually cut pieces deliver the ultimate fit – more insulation around the torso and foot box, and full insulation around the head and forehead. In short, nothing performs as well in terms of weight and packability as a Valandré product.

All our fabrics are sourced from Asahi-KASEI in OSAKA-JAPAN. In a typical japanese production organization, the Asahi-KASEI yarns are woven and dyed in independant factories, according to strict traditional japanese quality standarts. BANZAIIIII!

Asahi, is a japanese chemical giant, who is well known for their exclusive production in Japan of their polyamide 6.6 yarn. Never heard of Asahi? Forget your KODAK insta-matic, this is a NIKON.

The fabric used outside, is a Asahi-KASEI WR impact 6.6 polyamide rip-stop, who's primary quality (next to being light 37g/m² and extreamly strong) is balanced breathability (0.6cucm/cm²/s) in relation to it's excellent Water Repellency. The inside polyamide rip-stop fabric however (40,8g/m²), has a breathability that is way higher (0.8cucm/cm²/s). This is the best technical fabric solution, a solution we exclusively use world wide.

Valandre does not use a laminated membrane fabric. Why would we want to ad bulk, weight and a hundred bucks to the price of a sleeping bag for a solution that is inefective in cold weather, and  can be dangerous in some situations, and then let you pay for it?

As the temperature lowers, the air holds  less humidity. So in low temperatures, be it 20.000ft  or 15 miles, you are in a very dry condition. So no there is no need for a waterproof membrane.

Waterproof membranes are designed to be used in warmer temperatures, not in freezing conditions where our products are meant to perform.

So, take a water molucule, and try to let it pass through a frozen membrane. That  molucule will intantly freeze once it comes in contact with the membrane, and this will eliminate the breathability, and turn the waterproof membrane fabric into a sort of plastic bag by sealing up all the pores.

As water is turned into a solid mass of frozen ice, the volume of the mass expands. This is the caise of a molucule of humidity, that frezes in the pores, and by expantion blocks the breathability. It's the same effect, that can create a delamination of the fabric (Ice expansion between membrane and fabric).

The elements of a correctly set up camp site greatly improve your comfort and safety, with a well ventilated tent,  pitched correctly and a sleeping bag that is kept as dry as posible. In a cold environment, this is the only way to roll. Welcome to the core.

We do not advise overfilling down. Down is not warm by itself. What insulates is the exceptional capacity of down to trap  body heat. In our products, we are using a certain density, which is the relation between compartment volume and injected quantity. Overfilling changes this balancing point, and creates compression. And compressed down will not trap more body heat.

 If you would like more technical information on Tubular Bell construction or the choice of fabrics we use to buid our products, please contact us at technic@valandre.com.  Tubular Bell construction, the new summit for down gear.