Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Valandre La Fayette > Stephanie Martin > Field Report

Field Report: 2006 Valandré LaFayette Sleeping Bag

Contents
- Product use and performance
- Continued Test strategy
- Summary

Details in this Field Report are intended to be read in addition to the more detailed product information as listed in my Initial Report.

Product Use and Performance
I was happy to receive the Valandré La Fayette just in time for some much needed extended time outdoors.  Throughout the test of the La Fayette, I was well fed, properly hydrated and went to sleep with bare feet while wearing lightweight base layers and a fleece hat.  Testing was conducted inside a dual walled tent and my sleeping pad during this portion of the test period was a full length self inflating mattress. It should probably be noted that I typically sleep very cold, and tend to toss and turn from side to side.

Overall, I have been impressed and pleased with the versatility and performance of this sleeping bag.  Thanks in part to the very nicely designed draft collar, I have not yet had to resort to the addition of different layers inside the bag to stay warm.  Temperature regulation has taken some getting accustomed to, but the sternum zip has proven to be fairly effective.  As I mentioned in my test plan, I was interested in testing and evaluating various aspects of the La Fayette during the course of the test period:

Versatility - The La Fayette did indeed take a bit of getting used to, as I have never used a sleeping bag with a 1/3 length zipper - nor have I used a sleeping bag with the zipper placement over the sternum.  At first I wasn't so certain of what I thought of this arrangement, but thru the nights I spent in the La Fayette, I have noted some advantages to having the zipper placed in this manner.  For one thing, having the zipper over my chest allows me to quickly vent off heat.  In addition to facilitating quick temperature adjustments, the zip over the chest meant that I was able to easily vent heat, no matter what position I found myself sleeping in - this was not so easily done in my more traditional side zip bags - usually because I was either sleeping on the zipper (being predominantly a side sleeper) or opening the zipper would result in the bag gaping open bleeding off too much heat.  The best thing, I discovered about having the zip centered over my chest though, was the fact that it facilitated my being able to sit up and read while my shoulders and head were swathed in down.  I would get in my sleeping bag, draw up the hood, and fasten the collar - I would then stick my arms out the zipper, put on a jacket or other insulating layer (right on top of the bag), and could happily sit up and read while staying plenty warm.  Gone were the nights of having to simply lay in my sleeping bag just to stay warm, even if I wasn't ready to go to sleep.  The downside to the design of the La Fayette is that I was unsuccessful in using it as a quilt.  I attempted to do so, but found that with my legs in the bag, and the zipper to my back, the zipper was too short, resulting in uncomfortably laying on top of the zipper pull.  In addition, the hook and loop closure that is used in place of a baffle was sticking to my clothes and was also rather uncomfortable to lay on.

Comfort - I did find the La Fayette to be very comfortable to sleep in.  The fabric was soft, did not make excessive noise while I tossed and turned and did not become clammy with perspiration.  The DWR coating seemed to repel droplets of water, though I did notice that the fabric close to my face seemed to wet through from condensation that collected during my sleep.  I did notice a fair amount of static sparks when I brushed the interior fabric, even with its anti static treatment.  The sparks were not strong enough to notice the discharge to my fingers, but they did provide some entertainment in the darkness of the night.  I did not note any issues with the hook and loop closures catching on my clothing or irritating my skin when using the bag in normal configuration - however, when I had the zipper open for reading, or when I tried using the sleeping bag as a quilt, I found myself detaching the hook portion from my clothing several times. The only other annoyance that comes to mind is the zipper pull that was noted in my initial report.  True to the initial investigation, the zipper pull had a tendency to land squarely on my nose when I was bundled inside the sleeping bag getting ready to sleep.

Ease of use -  I think I am still going through a learning curve when it comes to making adjustments to the La Fayette.  I found it difficult to differentiate between the various cordlocks inside the hood area by touch alone, which I feel is important, especially when trying to make adjustments in the middle of the night.  In addition, while the hook and loop closure that is used in place of a baffle is successful in keeping drafts out and preventing me from catching fabric in the zipper, it makes using the zipper a bit difficult, and can be noisy at night.  While I was able to successfully vent heat out of the bag without waking my tent mate, I did find it more difficult and frustrating that I would like.  I would first struggle to release the toggles of the hood and collar, then I would have to struggle with both getting the zipper down and the hook and loop closure open quietly.  I never knew how loud the sound of disengaging hook and loop closure was in the middle of the night until this test!  Unfortunately these same issues made it challenging to get the bag closed back up again to my liking once I had cooled back down to a comfortable temperature.  Packing the La Fayette is easy and struggle free.  The provided stuff sack seems to be of good size, and even allows me to further compress the bag should the need arise.

Durability and Care - So far, I have not had any issues with the manufacture of the La Fayette.  The zips, cordlocks and hook and loop fasteners all still work well and don't show signs wear.  The fabric of the bag has remained clean, down-proof and dust free, though the interior fabric does seem prone to holding a static charge. I have noticed quite a few fine sand grains stuck to the interior of the bag (a result of camping in the desert, I'm sure).

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Continued Testing Strategy
During the remainder of the four month test period, I will continue to use and evaluate the Valandré La Fayette on all of my over night trips.  I do most of my backpacking and camping in the desert southwestern United States, and expect temperatures to dip below freezing at night, with temperatures down to the low 20s F (-6 C).  I expect to continue to evaluate the La Fayette on the same lines as I highlight above, and will hopefully have an opportunity to test it in both warmer and cooler temperatures.
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Summary: Woo Hoo's and Boo Hoo's  
While I have an overall feeling of contentment with regards to being able to sleep warmly and comfortably in cold conditions while zipped inside the La Fayette, there are some features I feel could be improved upon. With that said, here are my "Woo Hoo's" (likes) and my "Boo Hoo's" (some room for improvement).

- Woo Hoo: I am very happy with the Marie Antoinette collar - it's proven to be draft free, even with all of my tossing and turning from side to side
- Woo Hoo: I do enjoy having the zipper placed over my sternum/chest.  In some ways, it has proven to be more versatile than traditional side zip bags
- Woo Hoo: It's warm!  Even with my tossing and turning, I haven't noticed any cold spots or drafts while zipped up inside the La Fayette.
- Woo Hoo: Easy to pack - the stuff sack is appropriately sized, and does not seem overly large or ridiculously small
- Woo Hoo: The fabric is soft and comfortable to the touch, and seems to breathe nicely
- Woo Hoo: The zipper functions smoothly, and does not seem prone to catching fabric
- General Comment: There is a learning curve to being able to both settle and escape the bag quickly
- General Comment: I have not found use for the hip/waist level drawcord - the position of the cord does not correspond to my body.  For the cord to land at my waist, I have to scootch down in the bag, but then there is excess volume on the top portion of the bag - it seems the position of the cord is for someone with a longer torso length than mine
- Boo Hoo: I continue to confess my dislike for the extensive use of hook and loop closure on this bag - it has the tendency to catch on my clothing or scratch at my skin when sitting inside the bag to read or while using it as a quilt and it can be noisy when trying to make temperature adjustments at night
- Boo Hoo: I dislike the fact that the zipper pull seems to always land on my nose when zipped fully
- Boo Hoo: I find it difficult to differentiate between the cordlocks for the hood and the collar, especially in the dark
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My thanks to Valandré and BackpackGearTest.org for this testing opportunity.

Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Valandre La Fayette > Stephanie Martin > Field Report