SOME STUFF EXISTS IN A PARADIGM OUTSIDE NORMAL USE, USING MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION METHODS, AND MADE TO SPECIFICATIONS AND IDEAS, THAT ARE MORE CONCERNED WITH PUSHING A NICHE THAN FILLING IT.
WE LIKE THIS KIND OF THING BECAUSE IT INVERTS THE USUAL GEAR-TO-FUNCTION PROCESS. IN THIS CASE INSTEAD OF HAVING AN IDEA AND FITTING IT OUT, OR BUYING GEAR YOU LIKE THEN INVENTING A NEED FOR IT, STUFF LIKE THIS YOU FIND AND REALIZE IT MAKES PREVIOUSLY UNFEASIBLE THINGS DOABLE. OTHER THINGS ARE IN THIS LEAGUE – SAMAYA TENTS, ELITE CLIMB TOOLS, PARBAT PACKS – WHERE THE DIFFERENCE THEY MAKE ALONE IS IN THE DOUBLE DIGIT PERCENTILES, THEN WHEN COMBINED THE SUM BECOMES GREATER THAN THE SUM OF THE PARTS AND SOMETHING NEW OPENS UP.
FEW COMPANIES HAVE THE PEDIGREE MALACHOWSKI DOES, AND IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE FREEDOM CLIMBERS FROM THE COLD WAR ERA, THEN THIS IS THE DIRECT DESCENDENT. MALACHOWSKI WAS A PRIMARY PLAYER IN THE TRADING OF EASTERN BLOC MATERIALS FOR WESTERN EQUIPMENT, SWAPPING THEIR ELITE GOOSE DOWN FOR THINGS LIKE BOOTS SO WESTERN CLIMBERS COULD HAVE THE BEST STUFF.
THIS IS THE SAME COMPANY THAT SUPPLIED WIELICKI AND KUKUCZKA’S EXPEDITIONS, INCLUDING TO THE NORTH SIDE OF K2 IN WINTER WHERE THEY SET THE STANDARD FOR WHAT EXPEDITION CLIMBING WOULD BE ABOUT.
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THE SUPER ULTRALIGHT SLEEPING BAGS
THE RANGE CONSISTS OF THREE BAGS CALLED THE 600, 400 AND 200, WITH TOTAL WEIGHT/FILL POWER GOING AT 756/584g, 559/395g AND 324/200g RESPECTIVELY. IN EVERY OTHER INSTANCE, STRINGING SUPER-ULTRA-LIGHT TOGETHER IS CORNY SUPERLATIVE, BUT THIS IS THE ONE CASE IT ISN’T. RATHER THAN CARRY ON WITH NAMES FROM QUANTUM PHYSICS OR ORGANIC CHEMISTRY (SUPERLATIVE IF EVERY THERE WAS AN EXAMPLE) MALACHOWSKI HAVE SIMPLY STATED THE DESCRIPTION AS IT STANDS.
FROM THEIR RANGE OF ALREADY CUTTING EDGE BAGS COMES A SERIES OF THREE THAT ARE SO ADVANCED, THAT THEY DON’T NEED ANY FUZZY LOGIC OR BLAH BLAH TO MAKE THE QUALITY OF WHAT WE HAVE CLEAR. THE BASIC COMPONENTS MEAN THESE BAGS WILL GO HIGHER, COLDER AND FOR LESS ENERGY TO CARRY THEM, NOT IN SOME PERIPHERAL AND HYPOTEHTICAL WAY BUT IN REAL TANGIBLE ELEMENTS.
THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE HERE;
- 1000 FILL POWER POLISH GOOSE DOWN
- FULLY 3D BOX BAFFLED
- DIFFERENTIAL CUT
- FULLY FEATURED WITH 3D HOOD, DRAFT COLLAR AND 3/4 ZIP
- 5d FABRIC
- ALL WITH TEMP RATINGS TO TOTAL WEIGHT RATIOS ABOUT 30% BEYOND ANYTHING ELSE.
PLENTY OF OTHER BAGS HIT THESE NUMBERS INDIVIDUALLY BUT NONE COMBINED, AND NONE THAT COME CLOSE HAVE THE SAME FEATURES. 400g BAGS CERTAINLY EXIST BUT ARE UNBAFFLED AND WITHOUT HOODS, FULL ZIPS AND DRAFT TUBES. THOSE THAT HAVE ALL THESE THINGS AND HIT THE TEMP RATINGS ARE CONSIDERED LIGHT EVEN WHEN THEY WEIGH DOUBLE.
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WHAT’S GOING ON THEN?
SIMPLY PUT, MALACHOWSKI HAVE TAKEN ALL THE FINEST INGREDIENTS AND COMBINED THEM IN A WAY THAT MAKES THE MOST OF THEM. THE DOWN LOFTS AS MUCH AS DOWN CAN, THE FABRICS WORK WITH THE SORT OF DOWN USED, THE FEATURES DO WHAT IS NEEDED FOR HIGH BIVYS AND NOTHING IS COMPROMISED ALONG THE WAY.
THIS IS THE ORCHESTRATION OF CONSTRUCTION, MATERIALS AND DESIGN IN WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE HIGHEST PERFORMING RESULT OUT THERE, BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE OF THE COMPANIES PRODUCTION AND THE SERIOUS USE OF THEIR RELATED CLIMBERS.
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THE DOWN
1000f POLISH DOWN SHOULD EXCITE ANYONE WHO CARES HOW WARM THEY ARE BECAUSE THIS IS THE EUROPEAN STANDARD THAT THE AMERICAN COMPANIES WOULD CALL 1100f THOUGH THEY WOULD MORE LIKELY SAY IT DOESN’T EXIST. BEYOND THAT THOUGH, THIS DOWN IS TESTED TO THE JAPANESE STANDARD WHICH AFFORDS A FURTHER 3%, SO ON TOP OF THE EUROPEAN ALLOWANCE MAKES FOR DOWN THAT COULD BE CALLED 1150f.
THIS IS MENTAL.
DOWN LIKE THIS IS RELEASED IN LESS THAN 100kg PER YEAR, WHICH AT ABOUT 400g OF DOWN PER BAG THAT’S A DAYS OUTPUT FOR THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY WHICH IS BASED ON HAND SELECTION THAT GOES ON ONLY IN POLAND. THE GEESE ARE MATURE SO NOT RAISED FOR EATING, RAISED OUTDOORS SO THEY DEVELOP PLUMAGE FOR THE COLD. THIS IS DOWN RAISED TO THE HIGHEST ART, NOT THE BYPRODUCT OF SOME OTHER INDUSTRY, AND HAS BEEN A NATIONAL PRIDE GOING BACK CENTURIES.
MALACHOWSKI IS VERY OPEN ABOUT THE DOWN THEY USE AND HOW IT IS GATHERED AND THE WAY IT’S TESTED, WHICH INSPIRES A LOT OF CONFIDENCE AS IT CAN BE SOMETHING SUBJECT TO DISTORTING AND MISREPRESENTING THE FACTS. IT’S NO SMALL THING TO STATE THESE NUMBERS IN POLAND, THE ACCEPTED WORLD CENTER OF DOWN, WHERE EVEN OTHER COMPANIES REFER TO THESE PRODUCTS AS REMARKABLE.
IF YOU HAVEN’T FELT DOWN LIKE THIS BEFORE BE PREPARED TO BE SURPRISED, BECAUSE THE VOLUME IT LOFTS TO IS SOMETHING TO BEHOLD. MALACHOWSKI HAS BAFFLED THESE BAGS FINELY TO ALLOW GOOD EXPANSION, AND THEY PUFF UP REMARKABLY MORE THAN A NORMAL BAG.
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THE BAFFLES
IT’S A WASTE OF EFFORT TO CONSTRUCT WITH THIS DOWN IN ANY WAY OTHER THE FINEST BAFFLING. IN THE CASE OF SLEEPING BAGS THIS MEAN KEEPING THE DOWN WHERE IT’S NEEDED IN THE WAY A BAG IS USED, WHICH DIFFERS FROM A JACKET, MITTS OR SUIT AND EVEN A QUILT.
MOST METHODS CONSTRICT THE DOWN WHERE IT IS COMPRESSED BETWEEN BAFFLES, MEANING GOOD DOWN ACTS LIKE AVERAGE DOWN BECAUSE IT CAN’T FULLY LOFT. THIS IS AVOIDED BY BOX BAFFLING THAT HAS NO PINCH POINTS, BUT NEEDS TO BE DIFFERENTIAL CUT, OTHERWISE ANY LATERAL TENSION WILL JUST PULL THE BAFFLES TIGHT.
3D CONSTRUCTION LIKE THIS IS NOT EASY AND IS THE HEAVIEST OF ALL METHODS, BUT MALACHOWSKI HAS DONE IT WHILST STILL PRODUCING THE LIGHTEST BAGS IN CLASS. IN FACT THESE BAFFLES ARE ALSO DOUBLE-SEAMED WHICH MEANS AN EXTRA LAYER WHERE THE BAFFLES ARE SEWN TO THE FACING FABRICS, TO FURTHER INSULATE A SOURCE OF HEAT LOSS AND MAKE THE CONSTRUCTION STRONGER.
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THE DESIGN
BE CLEAR – THESE ARE NOT SKINNY LITTLE RACING BAGS MADE TO SHIVER THROUGH A SINGLE NIGHT WITH A TEAM SLEEPING ON BALLOONS, HUDDLED FOR WARMTH. THESE ARE FULL SPEC ALPINE CLIMBING BAGS WITH ALL OF THE BITS LIKE 3D HOODS, FOOT BOXES AND CUT FOR WEARING ALPINE CLOTHES INSIDE.
SUPERFICIALLY THEY HAVE THE WOW OF ANYTHING THAT APPEARS AS A FUTURISTIC VERSION OF A COMMON OBJECT, BUT THE STUFF THAT REALLY MATTERS IS HOW THESE BAGS HAVE BEEN BAFFLED. DESIGNED FOR MAXIMUM LOFT AROUND A 3D OBJECT THE DESIGN TAKES INTO ACCOUNT MAINTAINING A SPACE FOR THE PREMIUM DOWN TO DO ITS THING, BRINGING A NEW LEVEL TO THE MEANING OF PUFFY AND KEEPING IT IN PLACE WITH ADVANCED BAFFLING.
WHAT YOU HAVE IS SOMETHING THAT FEELS DESIGNED USING CAD, NOT THE HUMAN HAND, FOR THE PRECISE WAY THE BAFFLES FILL AND CONFORM TO THE HUMAN SHAPE. MALACHOWSKI THEMSELVES DISPLAY FOOTAGE OF THE COMPUTERIZED METHOD THEY USE TO INJECT DOWN, SUGGESTING THE ENTIRE PROCESS IS DONE DOWN TO THE MILLIMETER SO EVERY GRAM OF DOWN WORKS. THIS MEANS ALL THE DOWN HAS THE SPACE NEEDED TO REACH OPTIMUM POSSIBLE LOFT, AND THAT COMPRESSING PART OF A BAFFLE DOESN’T SKEW THE REST OF IT.
AN OBVIOUS DESIGN FEATURE OF THESE BAGS IS THE PUFFY 3D HOOD, THAT HAS VOLUMINOUS BAFFLES FILLING IN AROUND THE NECK AND FACE WHEN THE HOOD IS CINCHED IN. THIS IS A MUCH GREATER USE FOR DOWN THAN ANY OTHER ULTRALIGHT BAG GOES FOR, AND SOMETHING THAT SECURES ITS PLACE FOR COLD ALPINE BIVYS WHERE THERE IS WIND AND SPIN.
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THE FABRICS
IN THESE BAGS 30% OF THE TOTAL WEIGHT IS IN THE FABRICS AND ACCESSORIES LIKE ZIPS. IN MOST BAGS IT’S ABOUT 50%.
THIS IS ON TOP OF THE RIDICULOUS MASS OF THE DOWN ITSELF, AND YOU ARE LOOKING AT MATERIALS COMING IN AT ABOUT 165g. THIS WOULD BE LIGHT FOR A JACKET, LET ALONE FULL SPEC BAGS WITH BOX BAFFLES, SO CLEARLY NO ORDINARY FABRICS ARE BEING USED.
THE MAIN FABRICS ARE 5d AIRTASTIC. IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT DENIER (d) MEANS IT MEANS HOW MANY GRAMS A 1km LENGTH OF FIBRE WEIGHS, SO HERE THE STUFF THE FABRIC IS WOVEN FROM WEIGHS 5g FOR A BIT THE LENGTH OF 10 FOOTBALL FIELDS. BY COMPARISON MOST SLEEPING BAGS ARE MADE FROM SOMETHING AROUND 10d OR HIGHER.
BECAUSE THIS GRADE OF DOWN HAS EFFECTIVELY NO FEATHERS – BEING PICKED OUT BY HAND – THERE’S NOTHING TO POKE THROUGH SO EXTREMELY LIGHT FABRICS CAN BE USED. HERE THE STUFF WEIGHS 16g PER SQUARE METER, AND A BAG USES ALMOST 6m, SO THE SHELL FABRIC COMES IN TO BE HALF OF THE WEIGHT OF THE COMPONENTS THAT ARE NOT DOWN. THIS TOO IS MENTAL AS IT MEANS IT WEIGHS THE SAME AS THE ZIP, SCRIM, DRAW CORD AND CARE LABEL, SHOWING JUST HOW OUTSIDE-THE-CUBE SKEWED THE BASIC MAKEUP OF THESE BAGS ARE.
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AMONG THE FIELD
THE WAY TO OUTLINE THE MALACHOWSKI SUPER ULTRALIGHT 400 IS TO COMPARE IT TO THE THREE OTHER COMPARABLE BAGS IN THE SPACE THAT MANY CLIMBERS WILL KNOW, THE RAB MYTHIC ULTRA 360, THE NORTH FACE AMK SUPERLIGHT 10F AND THE PH DESIGNS M.DEGREE 400 K. ALL ARE DAMN LIGHT BAGS MADE FROM TOP SHELF MATERIALS A CUT OR TWO ABOVE WHAT REGULAR BAGS USE. ALL ARE EXPENSIVE BECAUSE THESE THINGS ARE MASTERPIECES FOR EACH COMPANY, AND BAGS WILL ALWAYS BE BIG TICKET ITEMS BECAUSE THEY ARE WHAT GETS YOU THROUGH THE NIGHT.
WHERE THEY DIFFER IS IN HOW EACH BAG PUTS ITSELF IN THE NICHE, WHAT THEY CAPTURE AS AN OVERALL PACKAGE AND WHAT THEY HAVE OPTIMIZED ON. IN SOME WAYS THESE BAGS DON’T ALL EQUATE BECAUSE THE BASIC FACTOR OF THE DOWN FILL ALL DIFFERS, WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS WAYS TO PRODUCE BAGS AROUND THE SWEET SPOT OF FUNCTION TO TOTAL WEIGHT, AND HOW THAT AFFECTS THINGS LIKE DESIGN, CONCEPTS AND FEATURES.
THESE CATEGORIES LIST THE THINGS WE THINK MATTERS TO THE ALPINST, THAT RELATE TO THE WARMTH-WEIGHT RATIO YOU THINK ABOUT AS YOU PULL THE THING OUT OF YOUR PACK ON SOME FREEZING BIVY.
WE ARE WELL AWARE OF THE ISSUES AROUND TEMPERATURE RATINGS PER SE, BUT SEE THEM AS A WAY TO CATEGORIZE BAGS BASED OFF EXPERINCE SHOWING THAT THESE DAYS 1500g OF COMBINED INSULATION WILL GET YOU TO ABOUT -25c. HERE WE HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR MINIMUM 1000g OF DOWN CLOTHING AND WANTING A BUFFER FOR THE EFFECTS OF ALTITUDE, CALORIE DEFICIT AND MOISTURE.
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| MALACHOWSKI SUPER ULTRALIGHT 400 | RAB MYTHIC ULTRA 360 | THE NORTH FACE ADVANCED MOUNTAIN KIT SUPERLIGHT 10F | PH DESIGNS M.DEGREE 400 K | |
| TOTAL WEIGHT | 560g (L) | 660g (L) | 737g (M) | 550g (M, AVERAGE) |
| FILL WEIGHT | 395g | 360g | ? | APPROX. 400g |
| SHELL & FEATURE WEIGHT | 165g | 300g | ? | APPROX. 150g |
| FILL POWER | EURO/JAPANESE 1000+ | US 900 (EURO 850) | US 1000 (EURO 900) | EURO 900 (PHD 1000) |
| BAFFLE TYPE | BOX ALL ROUND | BOX ALL ROUND | BOX ALL ROUND | BOX FRONT, SEWN THROUGH BACK |
| TEMP. RATING (LIMIT) | -7c | -8c (INC. EFFECT OF LINING) | -12c (INC. EFFECT OF LINING) | -9c |
| FEATURES | 2/3 ZIP, FULL ZIP BAFFLE, FULL COLLAR BAFFLE, FULL 3D HOOD BAFFLES | 1/2 ZIP, FULL ZIP BAFFLE, FULL COLLAR BAFFLE, REFLECTIVE LINING | 1/3 ZIP, FRONT COLLAR BAFFLE, REFLECTIVE LINING | NO ZIP, NO COLLAR BAFFLE, MULTIPLE CUSTOM OPTIONS |
| NOTES | MADE TO ORDER (5-6 WEEKS) | EASY TO ORDER | OUT OF PRODUCTION | MADE TO ORDER (6-8 WEEKS) |
| PRICE | €1,012 (INC. DYNEEMA STUFF SACK) | €770 | €1245 | FROM €945 |
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WE THINK IT’S PRETTY CLEAR THAT THE MALACHOWSKI SUPER ULTRALIGHT 400 IS A GRADE ABOVE THE REST, SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY PACK THE MOST INTO A PACKAGE, COMPROMISE THE LEAST AND RELY THE LEAST ON VARIABLE CONCEPTS*. IT’S NOTABLE THAT THE WEIGHTS FOR THE SUPER ULTRALIGHT ARE FOR THE LARGE WHICH THROWS LIGHT ON THE POTENCY OF THE DOWN USED AND WHERE THEY PUT IT. IT IS ALSO NOTICEABLE HOW THE 400 HAS 3D PUFFY HOOD BAFFLES, SOMETHING THE OTHERS LEAVE OUT AND WHICH IS USUALLY A FEATURE OF MUCH HEFTIER BAGS.
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COST
THESE BAGS ARE EXPENSIVE. LIKE SAMAYA TENTS AND ELITECLIMB TOOLS AND PARBAT PACKS, YOU ARE GETTING SOMETHING THAT DOESN’T FIT A NORMAL MARKET AND IS NOT AIMED AT NORMAL USERS. IF YOU HAVE THE NEED, ie TO PUSH UNASSISTED AGAINST GRAVITY AND ALTITUDE IN EXTREME COLD THE PRICES MAKE SENSE BECAUSE THESE PRODUCTS INTERACT WITH THINGS LIKE MORTALITY AND HUMAN ABILITY, WHERE 100g INCREMENTS ARE MATCHED IN DOLLARS.
THE SEVERAL HUNDRED GRAMS SAVED IN THESE BAGS ALONE BECOMES FOOD CARRIED, WHICH EXTENDS THE TIME YOU SPEND CLIMBING AND THE OBJECTIVE YOU CHOOSE. THE DOLLARS HERE QUITE LITERALLY REFLECT EXPERIENCE AT THE SHARP END, ALLOWING YOU TO DO MORE.
MALACHOWSKI TOO DON’T SELL ANY BRAND NAME. YOU ARE NOT PAYING FOR A LOGO OR ANY SYMBOL OF STATUS. THE COOL KIDS DON’T CARE ABOUT THIS BRAND SO YOU DOLLAR DOESN’T GO TO BRANDING AND HIPSTER MODELS, IT GOES TO POLISH WORKERS WITH HEALTHCARE WHO ARE EXPERTS AND THIS IS THEIR MASTERPIECE.
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WILL A $1000+ BAG BRING YOU CLOSER TO SUCCESS ON A HARD, COLD ROUTE IN THE KARAKORAM? WE SAY YES WHEN IN THE EQUATION WITH OTHER FACTORS AROUND IT. CONFIDENCE YOU CAN GO COLDER AND LIGHTER WHICH IS BASED ON TECHNIQUE AND EXPERIENCE, CONVERTING THOSE SAVED GRAMS TO FOOD TO KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING AND WARM, AND A CLIMBING STYLE THAT LETS YOU EXPLOIT CONDITIONS ALL CONVERGE TO MAKE CHOICES LIKE THIS WORK.
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*TO BE CLEAR. WE DO THINK THE REFLECTIVE LINER CONCEPT DOES WORK – WITHIN CERTAIN PARAMETERS OF USE THAT THE SUBJECT MATTER HERE INCLUDES, ie COMBINING THE BAG WITH A DOWN SUIT.