Valandre Swing 700

[winter fortress]

Cross a super-warm bag and a weatherproof bivy and you get the Wraith,” says one tester. “The shell on this 800-fill bag was a lifesaver,” said another after spending five weeks on Denali. “It was impervious to the rain-snow mix I subjected it to while sleeping outside my tent, but it dried quickly once I returned to shelter.” Credit Mountain Hardwear’s waterproof and windproof Dry.Q shell fabric, which employs a membrane with superior breathability. The Wraith also has a “hidden baffle” design—a mesh bag-within-the-bag acts as baffle anchor points.

This eliminates top seams (potential cold spots) in the outer shell; our tester stayed toasty down to -20°F. The bag earned praise for livability, even from a claustrophobic tester. Downsides: After 35 days of continuous use, one tester noticed a slight reduction in loft, and the zipper caught routinely on the fat draft tube. Also, it’s on the heavy—and pricey—side. $760; 4 lbs. 15 oz.; reg. and long; mountainhardwear.com

The Swing 700 offers a solid three-season bag for the person that wants to push the boundaries of light trekking and still stay comfortable. The Swing 700 is filled with 24.5 oz (700 g) of Pyrenean duck down, delivering a duvet-like feel in your camp.

The Swing 700, like all Valandre sleeping bags, is designed to excel at its temperature rating. All three seasons are now open to you, thanks to the Valandre skill at designing sleeping bags. From the harshest environment to a summer night spent in the woods, our designs provide the best temperature-to-weight ratio on the market.