A sneak peek at what's coming later this year including our first look at a brand new Gore-Tex fabric called Pro Shell, plus the greenest jackets we've ever seen...
We told you last week about Haglöfs new kit for spring
2007 which will be in the shops around February time, but
while we were luxuriating in Haglöfs UK's IKEA-style pine mansion, we
also had a sneak preview of their winter 2007 range. Here are a few
highlights all available in both men's and women's versions ...
There's Silver In Them There Dyes...
There are a few ways to make synthetic baselayers less whiffy.
One is some sort of anti-microbial treatment, which will wash out
with time, the another is to use silver-based fibres in the yarn. A
third is the cocount husk based Traptek stuff the company is using
this spring.
The trouble with the silver solution, says Haglöfs, is that the
more silver there is in the fabric, the more potentially damaging it
is to the environment in the long term. It's a bit too permanent in
other words.
From late summer, some Haglöfs baselayers - called Actives
- will use an alternative which uses smaller quantities of silver as
part of the dye used in producing the fabric. It lasts around 50-60
normal wash cycles, uses far less silver and consequently is less of
a long term issue.
The stuff looks pretty funky too, as you can see from this piccy
of the Actives Zip Polo, above.
Non-Membrane Softshell
We like what Haglöfs has been doing with softshell, their own
Flexable fabric works well. Anyway, next autumn they're releasing
something called the Gecko Hood that really caught our
fancy.
It's a 140-quid hooded, non-membrane softshell top that uses a
closely woven, very water-resistant fabric - think Ventile-esque -
with a thermal, grid-pattern microfleece lining in the back,
shoulders and front areas, droptail, pockets and so on. Looks good
and should be nice and breathable compared to membrane
softshells.
Hello Gore-Tex Pro Shell
From the autumn, Gore-Tex XCR is no more and Gore is introducing a
fabric they're calling Gore-Tex Pro Shell. The main change
from XCR is a new, thinner, but very closely woven inner face fabric,
the bit that sits inside the membrane. You can see it in the pic
below.
The advantages of the new fabric seem to be decreased
weight - Haglöfs has a three-ply Pro Shell jacket weighing in at
465 grammes. Smoother movement, because the thinner fabric is
very slick and silky, it slides more easily over underlayers
increasing mobility within the clothing system. Softer fabrics
due to the thinner overall material, which simply feels nicer to
wear.
On top of that, we suspect the close weave will make the inside of
the fabric harder wearing, but only time will tell on that front.
Overall then, a more refined material that's been carefully
evolved.
We won't go into all the different models in the range, but one
that caught our eye was the new Crux Jacket - above - a fully
specced expedition shell with a longer cut and all the trimmings like
a fully adjustable hood, massive pit-zips, reinforced shoulders, back
and arms, 8mm microtape et al. Costs £300 and weighs in
at a very respectable 570 grammes.
This modestly coloured little number is the Neutron Jacket,
a simple three-layer Pro Shell waterproof that weighs in at just
465 grammes or 415 grammes for the women's version. And that's
complete with adjustable hood, pockets and pit-zips. Not bad for a
general use three-ply Gore-Tex jacket either - less than some Paclite
equivalents - and priced at £250. Feels lovely and
soft.
Comes in less acid colours too like black, blue and red - below -
ignore the XCR swing tag, it's a prototype and the real thing will be
Pro Shell.
Jolly Green Giant
Last but not least, we were overwhelmed by the new Haglöfs down
jackets. Designed with Swedish Arctic conditions in mind, they're big
and very warm, using 800 + fill-power 93/7 goose down for serious
insulation. The down's even been treated with fluoro chemicals for
better damp conditions performance.
Fabrics are downproof while remaining superlight and supersoft and
there's lots of down in there - a Nube 2 hooded jacket, as
pictured, has 350 grammes of filling in it, that's as much as a top
notch sleeping bag with a sub-zero comfort rating...
Most of all though, we love that colour - you can get the jacket
in black, blue or red though. Price for the Nube Hood jacket is
£250. There are also vest, hoodless and parka versions in the
range...
More Information
The kit above will be available from late summer 2007, so don't go
pestering your Haglöfs seller until then. Full details of the current
Haglöfs range at at www.Haglöfs.se
