Fjällräven una jacket test
Hone your winter mountain skills with our December issue. Mountain weather phenomena: fogbows, inversions, Aurora, Brocken spectres and more. How to stay dry when hiking. Discover the North-West Highlands in our November issue.
Onebag: Fjällräven Sten Jacket
Back in Fjällräven launched its first garment, the Greenland Jacket. This is still around today with the same design but also, say the company, an improved fit. G is windproof, breathable, and water-resistant. The fabric is also quite thick, and the jacket is suitable for year-round use. The Greenland Jacket has four stud-closed pockets. The lower ones are bellows pockets and much roomier.
The lower pockets also give more protection to the contents as the top folds over the inside when the flap is closed, and the latter has two studs. The top pockets have single studs. There are open slots behind the lower pockets for your hands. Unless I wear a thick hat underneath it impairs visibility. In strong winds it blows back on my head. Fjällräven says it has improved the fit of the hood by adding a panel of material.
The original just had a single seam down the centre. To really improve the fit and the functionality it needs a drawcord. So how does a year-old design hold up today?
10 Best Fjällräven Jackets Reviewed: A Swedish Brand For Your Outdoor Adventures
First, the jacket does work as a tough, breathable windproof. The fabric is a little stiff at first but becomes softer with use. The fabric, then, is as good as ever, which is why Fjällräven use it in many other garments. I have mixed feelings about the design. I like the handwarmer slots too. The hood is a big disappointment though. Drawcords would make it much more efficient.
The other big drawback is the weight.
The Greenland Jacket is heavy. It is adequate for hill use but would be so much more practical if the hood were adjustable. Chris Townsend is known globally as a writer on hiking and backpacking skills and equipment, the author of 25 books — many of them award-winning — and as a record-setting long-distance hiker. He was the first person to complete a continuous round of all the Scottish Munros and Tops and the first person to complete a continuous walk the length of the Canadian Rockies.
He has also walked the Scottish Watershed and walked coast-to-coast across Scotland 18 times. Other walks include south-to-north through the mountains of Norway and Sweden and miles through the Yukon Territory.
Fjallraven Greenland Jacket: Full Review
He has also worked as a Nordic ski tour leader in Scandinavia and other places and as a trek leader in the Himalayas. Find out why the Sierra Designs Gigawatt 60l pack comes recommended by our gear editor and expert backpacker Chris Townsend. Manufacturer: Fjallraven.