 My apologies, Niels, for spelling your name wrong a couple of times in the above posts. I'll blame microsoft & a head cold for now! CP, I think you'd have found a kindred spirit if you ever got over to Belcaire! In fact, I mentioned you to Niels in regarding your paper tent mockup and finding ways to prototype kit. Mike, looking forward to hearing who and where (and how much!!!) John
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 It shure was a pleasure to recieve your visite here in Belcaire John, and anyone on this forum, will be welcomed with open doors. As the MASSERATI brand of Himalayan High Altitude since 1980, we have totally failed the UK market. Check out the manufactoring list on the blog. Valandre DO NOT EXHIST. Exhistance, is actually the key question, beacause how can you get a product, from a company that doe's not exhist? To Valandre, or not to Valandre, that's the question. Niels
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To Valandre, or not to Valandre, that's the question.
Very good, Niels, especially coming from The Dane!!!
I'm convinced that you'll find a receptive market in the UK once a few users have had a chance to spread the word. Mike (above) has a twitching credit card already!
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I'm in the market for a down bag to go to the peruvian Andes next year and Nepal the year later. I'm currently hovering between RAB and PHD, slightly more on the PHD side.......but if Valandre was availible in the UK they would certainly be on the short list if they were in the same price bracket.
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 Oh there's definetly room at the top end of the UK down market in shops (especially clothing perhaps?) - maybe RAB were legitimately there ~5 years ago but they've since changed a lot of course. Still nice and solid - as ME are too- but you can certainly see the difference if you compare to PHDs stuff. They only sell direct of course. Actually one advantage that Valendre should have right away is that the only box wall down stuff in the UK (besides a few LIV smocks) is really very warm/expensive. For some odd reason everyone seems to be bent on putting more and more cold spots on their jackets instead 
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Martin, I can't compare the full range of PHD products with Valandré as I've only seen a couple of things from PHD that I own... namely the Yukon smock and the Minim 300 sleeping bag. The Yukon is a fantastic bit of kit but much less technically cut than the Split S. Similarly, there's a big step forward in design between the beautifully simple Minim 300 and the cunningly devised Valandré Mirage. As for workmanship, I'd say Valandré has a significant edge but the items I have from PHD are from the sale and are targeted to the adventure race market so I don't know what, say, a Hispar range item would look like up close. I'm with you on the box walls. Which is why I didn't get a vest from the PHD sale this year despite wanting one; and why I snapped at the chance to get one from Valandre after I'd seen them up close and being filled. I'm looking forward to giving it a good testing! What should be understood, however, is that Valandré aren't looking to shave every gram for the pre-fight weigh-in. They aren't carrying any extra weight, but with, say, the Split S or Looping you are looking at robust zips two way zips and a design that comes down from the high mountains rather than from the US lightpacker market.
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Well stitch through seems to have a legitimate place in really light, relatively inexpensive, down stuff like PHDs minimus/ultra ranges. Often enough for the UK of course, if perhaps not for stuff like the Alps, thus explaining the different (primary) focus of the two companies. Another small thing is that Valendre seem to use an coated endurance style fabric on everything. Extra weight again but often handy. Of course once you start going for lots of warmth then box wall does seems to make a lot of sense, although of course costs more to make. Actually it'll be nice to have a warmer down vest option. Right now seemingly little really warmer than the ultra vest..... Its minature baffles which really baffle me  (Sorry!)
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| Edited: 21/10/09 16:47 |
I totally agree that there must be a point at which box wall doesn't make sense; there's just not the down fill to merit it. I'm not sure where that point is, though!
I tried on a Crux Halo at the weekend too; now that's a prime contender for stitch-through and is incredibly light as a midlayer. As with all Crux kit I've handled, it just screams pedigree and I don't know of any other brand besides, perhaps, Montbell who are doing UL midlayer kit in down. Obviously the weight/cost penalty of box walls in those garments is prohibitive.
On the other end of the scale, you take the Rab Neutrino Endurance or Summit that have 220g/250g of down and stitch through construction... I suspect those kinds of fill weights merit box wall methods.
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Well there is of course stitch through like an ultra vest with a few big baffles, and quilted like the halo/montbell stuff. There's no doubt which is warmer as insulation but of course the halo is built to be a midlayer. Crux very much non stupid The ultra stuff is just scary really. Despite weighing only about as much as the down fill in a ME Xero vest (145 vs 150 ), the ultra vest really doesn't seem to lose anything in loft terms. It could be interesting to stack that up against Nunatak shaka (also ~150g but box wall.). The NE is interesting, in that I think it was originally meant to have a really good warmth/weight when produced due to over stuffed baffles or something. I don't think it really illustrates the idea so well anymore having seemingly lost a bit of loft to mass production. Haglofs LIM down vest/jacket maybe a better illutration of the idea - the vest (315g in large) has a lot of loft and looked seriously stuffed. Almost certainly > than the current batch of NEs actually.(and >> than the Neutrino vests.).
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Well, we've had our Valandré Looping vests in our hands for a couple of weeks now and they are things of beauty!  Thanks Niels & the girls for sending them out so promptly and nicely packed too... none of this heavy compression for postage nonsense. I just need to find some weather cold enough to get out and use them...
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| Edited: 03/11/09 15:16 |
Hi John and all, you'll be delighted to know that Valandre is available now in the UK from extreme cold weather specialists sub zero boots www.sub-zeroboots.com they have a reputation for supplying only the best. More retailers will be following shortly, but don't expect to find it on every high street!
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BARGAIN ALERT : http://www.sub-zeroclothes.com has EVERYTHING at half price using the discount code ROYAL50. As well as having Valandre's catalogue they have Baffin, Woolpower, Pinewood and NexTorch on offer. I have openly expressed my feeling that the UK prices of Valandre were a bit on the high side (just as the prices of Rab in France have a premium). But at 50% off they are very very attractive for the quality they offer. John
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... my wallet is glowing... 
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The coupon code doesnt seem to work for me?
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I'm very sorry, Botany Bay, I forgot to say that the coupon was only valid until 2000 UK time yesterday (to celebrate a rather obscure and irrelevant wedding ) John
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No problem, I will give them a call and see if they will still honour the deal.
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They might. Speak to Bob. I think they had a pretty good response to the offer (the first of its kind that I've seen from this retailer/importer). What were you hoping to get? I treated myself to a lafayette just in time for the summer  John
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I called but got voice mail, then had to go out and because I live in Canada and the time difference etc I missed him!.
Im looking at the Bloody mary
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Bottany Bay, It was a national holiday here today (Monday) so you could try on Tuesday.
Incidentally the Bloody Mary is a very interesting bag. I took a good look when they were first on the market in France but haven't tried one. It's one of the better ways of solving the problem of creating 'one bag for all seasons' but I personally have a good bag with 300g of 800fp down so didn't need something for +15 to -5C range (which is what I'm happy to use that in). I ordered a Lafayette to replace my ageing 2kg synthetic winter bag. Because I'm worth it ... and had squeezed 15 years out of the synth already!
John
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http://www.facebook.com/valandre.expeditions
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