Technical mountain clothing for brutal conditions.
This review is part of our New Brands Gear Guide.
By Chris Townsend
British brand Jöttnar was founded by two former Royal Marine commandos who specialised in mountain and extreme cold weather warfare. It was during a severe Arctic winter in Norway that they came up with the idea of technical outdoor clothing suitable for dealing with the brutal conditions. The name comes from Norse mythology and refers to the fearsome Frost Giants.
Jöttnar’s range consists of Polartec NeoShell 3-layer waterproof jackets and legwear, down jackets and gilets, Polartec Power Stretch Pro fleece mid layers, a hybrid synthetic insulation/ fleece jacket, and a synthetic stretch base layer.
The three waterproof jackets all have wire-stiffened hoods, watertight zips, glove-compatible drawcords and chest pockets. Prices and weights are £295, £350 and £495, and 490g, 380g and 332g. The down garments are filled with 850 fill-power water-repellent down. Top of the range is the Fjorm which has 275g of down and box wall construction. It weighs 620g and costs £395. Of the fleece, the £150, 440g hooded Magni looks good.
jottnar.com
Tested: Jöttnar Hymir
£295 / 350g
I’ve used Jöttnar’s lightest waterproof top extensively and been impressed. The Hymir is a smock made from the lightest version of NeoShell. The hood is excellent, giving good protection and moving with your head. There’s only one pocket but it’s on the chest and is big enough for a map. The Hymir is fine for year-round hillwalking.
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