Vango Venom 300 2016

www.vango.co.uk

FEATURES

The low price is deceptive as the Vango Venom 300 is well-featured with 700 fill power hydrophobic down so it performs relatively well if it gets damp. There is a full-length side zip and a shoulder baffle. The shell is made of ripstop nylon. The temperature rating is 0 deg C and so at 915g this is relatively heavy, but it does have a good packed size of 15x24cm. 4/5

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FIT

This bag is 220cm long and 80cm wide – so it’s bigger than lighter bags and therefore better for those with larger frames. The hood drawcords are colour-coded and they very neatly pull in the hood and top of the bag to fit snugly around the head. The shoulder baffle is also easily adjusted, and that side zip gets a decent anti-snag strip. This is very good. 5/5

COMFORT

The Vango Venom 300 is comfortable down to 0 deg C, which is ideal for summer in the UK; and it feels very cosy. The shoulder width is particularly nice as it allows some space to move but importantly the zip, shoulder baffles and hood are also all well-insulated. The down is the more water-resistant hydrophobic variety so this should maintain performance better than some bags if it gets damp from condensation. 5/5

IN USE

For the temperature rating this is relatively heavy at 915g but it does have a small packed size of 15x24cm so it is easily stashed in a rucksack. The shoulder baffle, zip and great-fitting hood all make this practical for a wide range of temperatures. The stuffsack is a roll-top design that is also waterproof, so ideal for backpacking. A great bag in many ways. 4/5

VALUE

The price is superb for the overall performance, as you need to pay a lot more to get a lighter bag. 5/5

VERDICT

For the price the Vango Venom 300 is an ideal backpacking summer bag; but the weight is the drawback, and other bags are warmer and lighter. It won Trail’s ‘Best Value’ award. 4.6/5

Review by Graham Thompson

First published in Trail magazine Aug 2016