For more than 50 years, Swedish gear manufacturer Fjallraven has been making functional and durable products for use in the outdoors. A highly respected brand in Europe, Fjallraven is starting to make inroads in the U.S., offering everything from sleeping bags and tents, to travel accessories and duffels to go along with its clothing. This fall, it will expand in a new direction, offering a full line of mountaineering specific gear.
Designed to be versatile, durable, and warm, the new Bergtagen line includes everything a climber needs. It is made up of a technical layering system built to keep the cold air and moisture out, and warm air in. Every piece of clothing is built to work in conjunction with all of the other garments. This should result is a synergy that simply isn’t possible when you cobble together garments from various gear manufacturers.
A merino wool base, and synthetic insulator jackets
Any high-performance layering system begins with good base layers and the Fjallraven line is no different. Made from a merino wool blend, the mountaineering base layers come in two sweaters (with or without a hood), as well as a set of long johns and short johns. These are the garments that are meant to sit closest to the skin, where they regulate temperature by wicking moisture away from the body. And because merino features natural anti-microbial properties, neither the sweaters nor underwear will collect a funky smell after you’ve worn them for a few days.
Fjallraven will offer the Bergtagen Insulation Parka and Lite Insulation Jacket, both of which are designed to keep the wearer comfortable during demanding climbs. The two jackets serve as excellent mid-layers, working well with Bergtagen baselayers to allow moisture out, while trapping warm air close to the body. The Lite jacket is designed to compress down to a small size, making it packable, while the Parka is more bulky and provides higher levels of warmth too.
2 shell jackets and pants
Finally, Fjallraven will also offer two shell jackets and two shell pants. These layers are meant to keep moisture at bay while providing a measure of protection from the wind too. The Bergtagen Jacket will be both wind and water-resistant and is a great option for aerobically intense climbs. Meanwhile, the Eco-Shell version of the jacket will be wind and waterproof for use in demanding bad-weather environments. This jacket even comes equipped with Recco reflectors for added safety in avalanche-prone areas too. The matching Bergtagen Trousers and Eco-Shell Trousers will mirror the two jackets in terms of performance against the wind and rain as well.
It all comes together
What sets this particular layering system apart from others is how well everything has been designed to work together. On top of that, all of the fabrics and materials used in the creation of the Fjallraven mountaineering line were specifically selected because they complement each other. That means climbers will get garments that breathe better, repel moisture more efficiently, and keep them warmer at altitude.
Pricing for each of the pieces is still being finalized and Fjällräven won’t ship the mountaineering line until the fall.
