New Haglöfs Kit For 2014 – ISPO Report
Latest in our series of reports from the 2014 ISPO show is a quick bulletin from Planet Haglöfs where it’s all about the Swedish brand’s 100th anniversary compete with heritage retro, celebratory collection of clothing and equipment plus, this spring 2014, ultra-lightweight insulated jackets with both down and synthetic fillings.
Out Shortly – LIM Essens Down Jacket
This is actually out this spring rather than later in the year and it looks like a cracking lightweight down jacket. LIM stands for ‘Less Is More’ and is the brand’s range of ultra-light kit. The new LIM Essens Jacket is a 180g lightweight, hoodless down top that’s designed to stow small, carry light but still carry a useful insulation punch.
It uses an ultra lightweight 7-denier face fabric sourced from the one Japanese factory in the world where it’s produced and houses top-notch 800 fill power goose down in stitch-through baffles. It’s designed for lightweight alpine stuff, adventure racing and lightpacking, anything in fact where lightness really matters.
Based on a quick try on at ISPO – admittedly in an exhibition hall – it seems decently snug and warm beyond what you’d expect from a 180g jacket. As in it felt ‘like a down jacket rather than a lightly insulated windproof’, so it should actually be worth carrying with you. Price, once it’s out in the next few weeks, will be £220. Not cheap, but its an impressive bit of kit.
LIM Barrier Pro Hood
Also part of the LIM range and again due out this spring, the LIM Barrier Pro Hood is a synthetically insulated hooded top that weighs in at a claimed 200g. That’s seriously light – the original Rab Xenon jacket was around 90g more – and uses the same 7D face fabric as the LIM Essens.
The insulation is Haglöfs own Quad Fusion Plus which the brand says performs better than PrimaLoft 1. Should be ideal for packing in your day sack, bum-bag or hydration pack for use in cool, damp conditions. We use the Xenon a lot in scenarios where weight and bulk counts and we reckon the LIM Barrier Pro should do a similar job but at around 60% of the weight. Interesting.
It does carry a premium price tag however, think £200, just £20 less than the down equivalent.
Happy 100th Birthday!
Last but not least, Haglöfs celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. The brand’s been going strong in Sweden since 2014 even if it only burst onto the scene in the UK relatively recently.
To celebrate, there’s a special range of, erm, ‘heritage’ clothing and equipment. Sadly most of it was hidden away in a back room guarded by fierce dogs, laser beams, armed guards etc, but we did get a look at a few example out front. The stuff uses modern technologies with a proper retro slant.
To be honest, while it’s nice stuff and looks to be beautifully made, we reckon it’s more about making a statement and celebrating the anniversary than anything else and we doubt you’ll see much of it out on the hill next winter. There are some more pics down below if you’re interested or have a retro sort of thing going on.
More Haglöfs kit at www.haglofs.com.
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