In the line of technical goose down sleeping bags, the Shocking Blue stands out in its own category. Nick named “Saint hot as hell” in the USA, this bag has always surprised its users, as it offers a performance that a bag in its category normally would not offer. Field test confirm that the bag can resist –25C (limit of comfort) with 781g of down and 1380g total weight.
So just for fun we just “SUPER SIZED”a Shocking Blue with a 30% increase in baffle height, from 7,5cm to 10cm, and hence the down load from 781g to 1041g. The total weight passes from 1380g to 1680g And, that is a BIG Bag!
Enough is not enough, so we rolled another one and “MAXIMIZED” a Shocking Blue with 60%. Baffle height from7,5cm to 12cm, and down load from 781g to 1249g and hence a total weight of 1951g.
The two bags will be presented at the OUTDOOR trade show in Friedrichshafen and later at the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City, and are due to replace the expedition bags Odin and Thor.
So to be well-prepared for the shows, Valandré will conduct a field test at the Mountain Festival with tent maker SlingFin from USA, putting 3 Odin NEO and 3 Thor NEO into field test on the massif and in altitude. 3 two men tents from SlingFin will be available for the test.
The object of the test is to get confirmation that the bags can resist –30C (Odin NEO) and –40C (Thor NEO). Naturally we do not expect these kind of temperatures in June in Chamonix, but testers will get a pretty good idea about the performance that they are expected to report back to us.
Valandre – Bifrost
High tech light weight short mountaineering down jacket. Replacing the Kiruna jacket in the Valandré product line. Compartment system: “Non down shift system” on body and arm section.
Cut: Totally articulated offering free arm movements. Anatomical bended sleeves.
Hood: Down filled hood, incorporated into the hood pocket in the collar.
Hood compartimation: 3 lower compartments, fixing the down against the
neck, and 3 top/hood compartments. Collar compartments: One compartment on the front of the collar on the left and right side. (See inside black liner fabric)
Body section compartments: 37 non shifts. (Total 45 compartments)
Pockets: Two “tunnel” hand warmers, sewn on to the inside liner fabric. Two inside breast pockets.
Fill weight: 250g gray fatty goose in the size Medium.
Total weight: 709g in the size Medium.
Zip system: YKK custom zip system in Open left for the US market and Open right for the EU market.
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Denali and the Cassin ridge (20.320ft/6773m)
Ralf Dujmovits and Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, returned from a training session in Norway this week to their home in the black forest in Germany.
During their stay in Norway we at Valandré cranked out two custom combi’s for both. We embroided “Team Valandre” across their backs using silver thread and placed their names under the Valandré logo, and sewed on their sponsor logos…..and that was the biggest job….there are so many of them.
Ralf and Gerlinde was kind enough to try the combi’s out before their next challenge and have today sent a photo of how it looks. To us they look….how can I put it….like happy professionals! Incredible we did 13 of the 14 8000’ers with Ralf and all Gerlinds remaining 8000 since she met Ralf.
This time they have a different aim, as they both have no 8000ers left to challenge: The Cassin Ridge on Denali in Alaska. They leave the German spring summer to challenge the rough and bitter cold in Alaska. I can imagine the buzz at the Denali BC as they set up their tent!
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And the big news to our friends worldwide is, that Ralf & Gerlinde will be present at this year’s OR show in SLC at the Liberty Mountain booth. I can only recommend to our US friends not to miss the chance to meet both in person……
See you all at the OR!
Back to the races
OutDoor and Outdoor Retailer is in the pipeline.
The EuropeeanOutDoor show runs from the 12 to 15 July, and Valandre will exhibit in Hall 7 booth A7-307.
From August 2th to 5, the second round is off in Salt Lake City with the Outdoor Retailer show. We will exhibit at and with Liberty Mountain at booth # 10007.
So what will be new? As usual, not a lot…….but what we have tends always to hit the center, and this time it will as well!
L'enfer Blanc | Iadul Alb | A Feher Pokol
Field testing the Immelman
The winter 2012 saw here in Europe, polar cold decent from Siberia covering the western European continent completely. Heavy snow blocked road transportations all over Europe, and temperatures hit serious negative values.
In the north east of Romania, there is a gorge called Bicaz and in this gorge, there is a face called “Hells neck”. In the days of February 15 to 22, Emil Camerzan and Leslie Fucsko, opened a new route named “ZEITGEIST” – A German word for “TIMESPIRIT”. Briefly it’s 420m of overhanging limestone, with 11 pitches of artificial climbing and 2 pitches of A4, some free climbing and two pitches of alpine mix at the end of the route.
The perfect conditions to test the articulated Immelman concept down jacket, as it is designed to perform in these, technical climbing conditions. And the holy ghost, sprayed freezing conditions of daytime -10°/15°C (15°/5°F) and night time -20°/26°C (-5°/15°F), on these 420m (1377 ft) overhanging limestone, allowing a serious field test.
Leslie and Emil exited the 420m (1377 ft) overhanging route after 7 days. And as they did not report having a cold at the exit, we presume that the Immelman did well in the daytime once needed, and that the Lafayette and Mirage, allowed them to rest well at night.
Hats off to Emil and Leslie, for this remarkable artificial winter climb.
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