Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Valandre Shocking Blue > Jim Sabiston > Initial Report

Valandre Shocking Blue Sleeping Bag

Reviewer Information:

Backpacking Background: 

Product Information:

Manufactures Specifications: 

Specifications as Measured:

Initial Impressions:

The Valandre Shocking Blue was delivered with a black nylon stuff sack and a mesh storage bag. My first impression upon removing the bag from its storage bag, in which it was shipped, was the light weight, very soft feel and loft. Much to my surprise, the color of the sleeping bag was not 'Shocking Blue', but a much softer grey. A quick visit to the Valandre web site provided information regarding a change in the materials used in the bag shell. Instead of Pertex Endurance, Valandre has switched to a 'similar' fabric made by Asahi Kasei, a Japanese textile manufacturer. I emailed Valandre to inquire about specifics on the newer fabric. I received a prompt reply, which explained that the replacement fabric was superior to Pertex Endurance, having the "Same tear strength and durability but with lower weight. Also, Asahi Kasei is able to deliver more “contemporary” colors, taking Valandré away from the 'Lego look'". The emailed response goes on to say that, unlike Pertex, which only performed the weaving of the fabric, Asahi Kasei manufactures their fabric completely from start to finish. This implies a more consistent finished product.   Lower weight is always good, especially if there is no sacrifice in fabric performance on other fronts. As far as the color issue goes, I consider the softer colors much preferable to the original intense blue, but this is a personal choice.

Marie Antoinette never had it this good - I spread the sleeping bag out on the floor and started examining it. It became immediately clear that this was a very different sleeping bag from those that I used in the past. There are a number of new, at least to me, and thoughtful features. The one that stands out the most, and gets a great deal of attention at the Valandre web site is the Marie Antoinette collar. This is a fancy name for a rather clever draft tube designed to fit snugly around the user's neck. There is an upper and lower half to the collar. The right side halves are mated with a zipper. The left side halves are mated with two hook & loop panels. I questioned the need for the different methods of securing the collar, but when lying in the bag, the purpose becomes immediately clear. The right side zipper is a 'set and forget' arrangement. The left side hook & loop is closed easily by pressing the upper and lower halves together once in position. I had a concern about feeling locked into the bag when the collar was closed, but the hook & loop closure pops open easily with a push, hence its advantage over a more secure zipper closure. The bag delivered to me is a left hand zip, so the hook & loop closure faces the main zipper for ease of access. The final adjustment is a cord lock and string, located on the upper half and right side of the collar and is marked by a red plastic loop (see photos).

  Fig. 2: The Marie Antoinette collar. The red 'button' is the collar pull cord.       Fig. 3: Collar Detail - note zipper on right, hook and loop on left.

The collar has over two inches of loft in each of its individual components and makes a startling difference when closed. When set up, the collar securely locks ALL the warm air inside the sleeping bag. I tend to move about while sleeping a fair amount and can immediately recognize the advantage of not having to re-heat the air inside the bag every time I roll over. The soft material used to line the bag makes the collar quite comfortable, at least in the short time I used it, the name of the collar design notwithstanding! I should mention that I started overheating in the bag in short order after closing everything up while in my living room.

 The Hood - The hood is cut with a differential cut, just like the body of the sleeping bag. The hood has a natural wrap-around fit but is comfortably roomy when not cinched down. This assures that there will always be substantial loft, and warmth, available around the user's head. I measured approximately 5 in (13 cm) of loft in the hood while the bag lay empty in the floor. The hood closure is adjustable in the usual fashion, by pull cords, but Valandre saw fit to make some interesting improvements even here. There are two cords, one for the hood proper and one for the 'chin' panel (actually the top of the body of the sleeping bag). The cords are anchored near each other on the right side of the face opening. Each exits at the opposite side in its own cord lock. Here is another detail that I really liked. Instead of leaving the cord locks independent of each other, Valandre has supplied a design which allows the cord locks to lock together when the bag is closed (see photo). This allows the pull strings to act in concert with each other, making for a more linear and controllable fit when the face opening is closed down for cold weather. Nice. The pull cords are made of a high quality black braided line, instead of the more common shock cord.

 The Footbox - Another area where it seems clear to me that alpinists had some input in the design of the Shocking Blue is the footbox. Two things are immediately obvious here. First is the huge amount of down committed to this area of the bag. The footbox has the highest loft of the bag, at 9 in (23 cm). I checked to ensure that this was not a result of an air space created by the cut of the footbox and it was not, it is all lofted down. I am a warm sleeper, but the first indicator to me that my bag is reaching its limits is that my feet start getting cold. Valandre intends to keep my feet warm with this sleeping bag! The footbox also has an anatomical cut to it, shaped to match the natural angle of the foot when lying down.  This, combined with the extra down loading in the foot area should make for warm feet.

There are also two black nylon hang loops sewn to the foot of the sleeping bag.

Temperature Rating - Welcome to the Land of Mystery. If there is a favorite topic of debate amongst backpackers and their kin, it is sleeping bag temperature ratings. The Europeans have made a concerted effort to define a standard. This standard was developed by the European Outdoor Group (EOG) and is referred to as EN13537. The test involves a heated mannequin and measuring caloric expenditure under specific controlled conditions. More information can be found the EOG web site: www.europeanoutdoorgroup.com. The good news is that at least a standard has been set. The bad news is that the results are really useful only as a reference. This is due to the fact that many variables affect comfort in a sleeping bag, including, but not limited to the temperature rating of the bag, the sex of the user (females tend to sleep cooler than males), the metabolism of the user, whether the sleeper has eaten a meal recently, humidity levels, etc., etc.

That being said, the temperature rating of the Shocking Blue as presented by Valandre won't help the average user much. The only temperature information provided refers to the 'extreme rating' which, to quote EN13537: "The EN13537 rating is a survival only rating for a standard adult woman." The Valandre site provides no other information on this point. It appears as though the bag is new enough that the ratings may not have been established by the EOG yet. Valandre does provide anecdotal information indicating the extreme rating is around the -25 C and -30 C. This equates to approximately -13F to -22F survival rating for the bag. This will likely equate to a lower comfort rating of approximately 0 F (-18 C). The specifications of the bag also point to a comfort rating in this neighborhood in my experience.

One thing to bear in mind is that the Shocking Blue is intended as an alpinist's sleeping bag. Alpinists (mountaineers) tend to put a higher priority on light weight over comfort, as lighter weight equipment contributes to the increased likelihood of a successful summit bid. This is why the 'survival' rating takes on more importance. Mountaineers run a greater likelihood of actually experiencing these limits. Of course, these ratings can be extended considerably by using additional insulation, whether in the form of a sleeping bag liner or extra layers of clothing.

Packing the sleeping bag - This area was a concern for me, as all my backpacks are relatively slim and small, as I tend to travel fairly light even in winter. The Shocking Blue is provided with a light, basic stuff sack in black nylon. The 850 (one of the highest in the industry) rated down is very compressible and the stuff sack does a pretty respectable job. I was able to fit the compressed sleeping bag into my Osprey Ceres 38 without too much shoving. Whew!

Summary: 

This is one impressive sleeping bag. The quality of the materials and construction is impeccable. Thoughtful details abound. If the temperature rating estimates prove to be accurate, this will be one of the lightest bags for the temperature rating on the market.  

Likes:

1 – Really light weight for a fully featured sleeping bag.

2 – Size Large is a good fit, with enough room to allow some movement.

3 – Small pack size. 

Dislikes:

 1 - Nothing at all at this time. 

Test Plan:

General Notes:

I tend to sleep warm. I’m also known for pushing sleeping bags well past their ‘normal’ limits. I do this by using my clothing as part of my sleeping system, which allows me to use a lighter bag, saving room and weight in my pack. My sleeping bag is typically rated twenty degrees or more above what my group members use. I prefer to sleep in my long underwear in cold weather, but this grades up to include a fleece layer, a fleece sweater and lastly, a down jacket, down pants and down booties.

 Of particular interest to me is the real-world applicability of the European Temperature rating system. The Extreme rating apparently relates to the level where the sleeping bag will keep you alive, but not comfortable. The Valandre Shocking Blue Sleeping Bag is reported to have a rating of -25 C to -30 C (-13 F to -22 F). This is a temperature range that I am likely to see on several occasions during our winter trips. Experience will determine how far down I can take the bag before I have to add my additional layers.

 Naturally, the primary focus and goal of the testing program will be to test the effectiveness of the Valandre Shocking Blue Sleeping Bag in keeping me warm. Beyond the basic issue of warmth are various other points to be considered:

•  Packability – I tend to keep my pack as light and small as possible. Will the Valandre Shocking Blue Sleeping Bag compress as small as my TNF Superlight, a down bag with roughly equivalent temperature rating using my Outdoor Research stuff sack?

• Wear and tear – winter backpacking and skiing is rough on gear. Extreme cold and exposure to sharp climbing tools put delicate items like sleeping bags at risk. Are the light weight inner and outer shells up to it?

• Down stability – can the down be shifted around or are the compartments baffled to keep the down in place?

• How comfortable will the ‘Marie Antoinette’ Collar be after a long winter night's sleep

• Foot box design – will the angled foot box make a noticeable difference in warmth and comfort?

• Condensation and wetness – How do the inner and outer shells hold up to exposure to condensation inside a tent and general exposure to wet, icy gear? Will I feel comfortable using the bag as a blanket while cooking in the morning or evenings or is it too delicate for such rough use.

• Fit – I’m a big guy. The girth looks roomy enough, but I should be just under the maximum size limit for the 200 cm size bag. Will the sizing affect the ability of the bag to keep me warm?

• Shelter – The Valandre Shocking Blue Sleeping Bag will be used primarily in a tent, but it may also see occasional use in lean-tos and a bivy.

• General performance – Do the zippers operate smoothly, or does the draft tube tend to snag in it when opening and closing. Are the cord adjustments easy to use and can they be easily located in the dark? Does either item cause discomfort by ‘getting in my face’ when I’m snugged down and I’m trying to sleep?

Naturally, any other items of note that come up during the test period will be reported.

Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Valandre Shocking Blue > Jim Sabiston > Initial Report