Why We Chose It: Sustainable, stylish, lightweight, comfortable
You know that jacket that hangs on the peg by the back door, ready to grab whenever you’re heading out – whether it’s a countryside walk or just a drizzly commute into town? This is that jacket. Built with versatility in mind, Fjällräven’s High Coast Hydratic Jacket utilises a light and packable 2.5-layer construction that is easy to stuff in a hillwalking pack or your work bag. Like almost all of the Swedish brand’s kit, it’s also an eco-friendly garment, made from recycled nylon with a PFC-free waterproof-breathable laminate and durable water repellent finish.
Who Is The Fjällräven High Coast Hydratic Jacket For?
This is a jacket intended for casual hikes and everyday outdoor use. It’s not a hardcore technical shell for the gnarliest mountain days; instead, it’s a practical and versatile waterproof jacket that will do double duty for the week-long 9-to-5 and weekend escapes in the countryside. Having said that, it boasts more features than most entry-level jackets, with a protective hood and pit zips for ventilation.
Materials
The face fabric is 100% polyamide – more commonly called nylon to you and me – which is entirely made from recycled content. This is backed with a PU (polyurethane) waterproof-breathable laminate and finished with a raised inner print for improved performance and better next-to-skin comfort. As such, it’s a classic 2.5-layer waterproof shell, which is a solid choice for an all-round outdoor jacket with the emphasis on lightweight, packable performance.
If you want the technical data, the laminate is rated at 10,000mm Hydrostatic Head in terms of waterproofing, which is a good baseline for an outdoors jacket. When it comes to breathability, the moisture vapour transmission rate is given as 6,000 g/m²/24h. That’s not particularly impressive, but should move enough moisture to keep you mostly dry and comfortable provided you’re not working too hard. And luckily, the jacket is provided with practical pit zips to help you dump heat quickly if you do find yourself starting to build up a sweat.
“The jacket is provided with practical pit zips to help you dump heat quickly.”
Lastly, it’s worth reiterating the eco credentials of the materials used. As well as being made from recycled fabric, the jacket is entirely PFC-free, which means it contains none of the harmful chemical compounds that have been proven to be both environmentally damaging and worryingly persistent in ecological terms, polluting rivers, lakes and oceans.