Joint Suisse/German expedition, summits Everest 2003, celebrating the 50 anniversary of the Sir Hillary/Tenzing first assent of Everest 1953. (Dr Eike Mrosek, Christian Rossel and Thomas Zwahlen).

Since the creation of Valandre in 1980, the Bering jacket has been our flag ship in High Altitude. Conceived in the beginning at the work shop in Belcaire-France under the code name "the B", this parka was developed by Maurice Barrard, president of the Himalayan section of the French Alpine Club.

At that time, in France and in the rest of the world, no parka was usable in an ultra light High Altitude assault without oxygen.

So, Maurice sat down with André Vandeputte (Val-André) and together they started the design project of "the B", B as in Barrard. A jacket designed from the start, with high altitude non ox assaults in mind.

The base of the "B" was a 32 compartment construction, with a lateral compartment separation (front/back) continuous compartment on the sleeves. One of the great achievements in this construction was and still is the 5 different geometrical triangles constructions in the shoulder section.

These 5 different compartments are "over filled" (extreme high density), giving the "B" the look of a Ice hockey shirt, but offering a perfect upper shoulder fit.

Finally 32 compartments fixes the 17.7oz (502g) exactly where it should be, with a density variation from the "over filled" shoulder section, to a lower density filling in the lower part of the jacket.

A double front zip system, backed by a storm flap waste system, and semi-elasticated draw cord in the collar, offers a effective protection against violent winds and drifting ice, (Smashed 'glass" particles - you know what we are talking about), keeps the body heat where it should be! Several adjustment systems, allows to ventilate as temperatures raises, as "over heating" is no fun as well.

Oh Eun Sun; Korean Alpine Club - Seoul section; first women to compleet the 14 8.000m peaks April 27th 2010.

A detachable semi-tunnel hood is fixed to the collar by a zipper. And this fixation system is backed up by a second fixation system of Velcro, running just below the zipper. The advantage of this system is double: the zipper can't freeze and no violent wind blow can rip it off.

The hood has a reinforced peak that can be adjusted on the back of the neck, allowing an optimal integration of the goggles, with only very little direct exposure of the face skin to the cold winds.

Check Maurice and André's "B", reach the summit of Annapurna April 27th with Mrs. Oh Eun Sun inside, reaching her last and final 8000 peak. This performance closes the long lasting question; witch woman will enter the legend of High Altitude climbing next to Reinhold Messner completing all XIV 8000.

Watch Mrs Oh Eun Sun summit Annapurna broadcasted direct in Korea by the KBC.

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