Fjallraven Bergtagen windproof jacket - Test

The Fjallraven Bergtagen jacket is advertised as an all-season windbreaker. You will find below my return after a few weeks of use in real conditions.

The jacket has been tested on two trips:

• The first in the heart of the Dovrefjell National Park in Norway. A total of 100km of hikes covered in 10 days in June in a terrain alternating short tundra, snow and rockery. In terms of the weather we had great weather and heavy rain. The bag was initially loaded at 17-18kg
• Second trip: Iceland in two parts: Laugavegur, 4 days for 55km of trek on the Icelandic highlands. Lots of rain and wind! Bag initially loaded at around 16kg and then 2 weeks of “classic” travel with a few day hikes.

These two trips made it possible to test the jacket in all conditions and long enough to have a good feedback.

Always difficult to judge this argument as it depend of each. However, we can be sure that the jacket is beautiful and fairly sober. There is no fuss and everything in it is useful. Personally, I find it aesthetically successful. The orange model throws in and you will not go unnoticed in the mountains!

The jacket offers a real mountain fit. That is to say that it descends low on the buttocks to protect the lower back and thus does not rise when walking with a bag. The sleeves are a little long which allows not to have the arm which is uncovered during movements of the arm in extension for example. In addition, the collar and the top of the jacket are well covering in order to protect the neck and the bottom of the face from bad weather.

The overall cut allows good freedom of movement and the jacket does not interfere. I have the model in M for a template of 1.70m and 75kg. It also leaves room for wearing a protective layer underneath.

The jacket is mainly made of the flagship material from Fjallraven the G1000 which has the reputation of being resistant and durable.

We will mainly find G1000 Lite Eco as well as G1000 ECO, thicker, on areas with high friction such as the lower back and elbows. A pledge of additional durability.

The seams are not lined which could have been appreciable but they all have a sealing tape on the inner face.

The jacket looks solid and does not show any wear after 150km of walking and almost 1 month of non-stop use in bad conditions

Fjallraven knows how to build jackets and we find all this know-how in the small details of the Bergtagen:

• The sleeves are wide enough to be worn over a pair of gloves. They can also be easily closed thanks to large scratch easy to use even with gloves.
• There are two ventilation zips on the blanks which have the function of circulating air. Their size and positioning are adapted and well thought out. They can be easily handled even when carrying a backpack.
• The sliders used on the zips and cords are particularly practical, especially if you wear gloves. We don’t look for them for 3 hours. The zippers are also of good quality and slide well without blocking (YKK brand).
• Note the presence of soft tissue at the areas that will rub on the skin, that is to say at the chin and nape of the neck. Significant detail!
• The jacket has two large front pockets in the high position. They do not interfere when carrying a bag and remain accessible and practical. The opening is done by a zip located towards sternum. They both offer a small net inside to store his laptop for example. From a volume point of view you can easily store a card and small equipment.
• The hood is a wonder! It covers the head perfectly and insulates you from wind and rain (even if the waterproofing is to be reviewed as we will describe later). It is easily adjustable by a system of cords that allow it to be securely attached to your head without disturbing you.
• The jacket is equipped with a RECCO reflector, a system that will facilitate your search by the emergency services if necessary.
• To protect yourself from the wind, a drawstring tightens the bottom of the jacket.

We are dealing here with a windbreaker jacket. In other words, you shouldn’t count on it in the rain. I was able to experience it in Norway and Iceland and I confirm it. Even the addition of Fjallraven “greenland wax” does little to seal it, especially since the wax leaves relatively quickly. On the other hand, the jacket performs very well against the wind, in particular thanks to its well covering cut. It is therefore necessary to favor its use for mountain outings in good windy weather for example. A waterproof alternative from the same family exists at Fjallraven, the Bergtagen Eco Shell.

The jacket is offered at € 459 on the Fjallraven site. It’s a huge amount for a jacket! The brand does, however, offer durable and repairable products, which aims to avoid buying clothing or equipment too often. We can therefore see Fjallraven products in the long term.

We like :

We dislike :

The Bergtagen is a beautiful jacket, no doubt if you use it under the conditions for which it was made.