Jöttnar Asta Gilet | Review - Outdoors Magic

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Jöttnar Asta Gilet | Review

Athena Mellor tests out Jöttnar's down filled gilet, part of a brand new collection from the British brand

The Jöttnar Asta Gilet, which is available in men’s and women’s versions, combines lightweight performance with an excellent fit, making for a packable product that’s hardly noticeable in your backpack.

It’s one of the items in Jöttnar’s brand new collection for this autumn/winter, sitting alongside a number of down and waterproof products designed for mountaineering and expeditions.

Performance

Its weight was the first thing that struck me. At just 160g, it’s about as light as a tube of toothpaste or a small tin of tuna, however, it still offers an impressive amount of warmth thanks to its responsibly sourced, 750 fill power goose down with a decent 90/10 down/feather ratio. It’s also able to perform in reasonably wet conditions thanks to Jöttnar’s use of DownTek, an impressive PFC-free treatment that creates surface tension on each individual down cluster to make moisture bead up and roll away.

The outer fabric is light but it’s still fairly durable thanks to its 30 denier ripstop construction, and it keeps the wind off well.

I first wore the gilet on a bitterly-cold December day in the Yorkshire countryside. I had two base layers and a waterproof jacket on top and found it did the job perfectly.

And the fit is snug and comfortable, aligning to a woman’s natural curves while not being too dramatic in clinching the waist and extending the hips (as many women’s products tend to do).

It’s designed to be worn with some base-layering beneath but it’s also light and thin enough to sit underneath a waterproof jacket.

 

The Asta contains 750 fill power goose down. Photo: Athena Mellor
Packs down to about the size of a pint glass. Photo: Athena Mellor
Jottnar are a relatively new brand specialising in mountaineering clothing. Photo: Athena Mellor

I first wore the gilet on a bitterly-cold December day in the Yorkshire countryside. I had two base layers and a waterproof jacket on top and found it did the job perfectly.

The front-facing zipped pockets were useful for keeping my hands out of the wind and warm, even while wearing a backpack with a hipbelt, and the hem drawcord and elasticated cuffs on the sleeves ensured extra heat-retention. It has a mid height neck that gives unhindered head movement, but it does leave the neck slightly exposed, so in very cold conditions I felt it was necessary to wear a Buff as well.

Other things worth mentioning include the internal zipped pocket for small valuables and the stuff sac that it comes with.

Conclusion

At 160g it could hardly be lighter, its close fit and adjustable hem make it quite versatile as a layering option, it’s very packable and it provides the perfect amount of warmth over a thermal base layer. £195 is a big splurge for a gilet, but it is an impressive item.

Keep an eye out for our upcoming reviews of some of the other products in the new range from Jöttnar.

Full Specifications

Available in Men’s and Women’s versions in S- XL | RRP: £195 | 750 fill power goose down | 90/10 down/feather ratio | 30D ripstop face fabric | PFC-free DownTec hydrophobic treatment | RDS certified | two handwarmer pockets | 1 internal chest pocket | YKK zips | no-loop hem drawcord | 160g (women’s M)

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