The ‘F’ word (Fjällraven)

Jan 13, 2019
291
144
55
Gallifrey
Darryl, do a quick search on here for Fjallraven Anorak 8, enter Nice65 in the Posted by Member box. It’ll turn up a few of my views. I don’t find the search function as good as it used to be, but it does work if it’s fed the right info.

My opinion of the 8 is it’s neither water or windproof, not suited to British weather as it was built for dry snow with only the shoulders and elbows being G1000 and able to take wax. Out of the package, G1000 isn’t waterproof but will take wax. I’ve posted a bit about my views, and mileage does vary across the forum. To my mind and usage here, it’s ridiculously overpriced, and no more than a fashion item. You will look fantastic, but be cold and wet.

https://bushcraftuk.com/community/index.php?threads/fjällräven-or-swazi-smock.150739/

This, by John Fenna, a reviewer of some distinction and lover of biltong, is telling. :D

fjallraven no. 8 - what is your opinion ???? should I ???

While you’re in search mode, look at the Twodogs Rain Shield. Amazing wax cotton hard shell, won’t break the bank, your wife won’t break your legs, win win :)


Thanks. It’s a journey alright. I think i’m either moving to Denmark or not buying anything waxy starting with an F. Swazi has appeared over the horizon and my live-in accountant is blissfully unaware of all of this. Boy am I going to be in trouble...
 

Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,852
3,269
W.Sussex
My Twodogs Rain Dogs waxer and Ridgeline Pintail get out far more often, and do an excellent job. Twodogs if it’s blowing a gale, just for the wind protection, but the Pintail really isn’t a bad anorak (I’m starting using the correct terminology for what the rest of the world call an anorak and we call a smock :)).

The Ridgeline is feather light, very quiet in use, keeps out rain, waterproof zip pockets, not overpriced. Worth a glance I reckon, I’m happy with mine. Like the old cagoule pacamac things, it does store in the kanga pouch and makes a handy pillow too.
 
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Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
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Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
G1000 is water and wind resistant. In hard rain ( yes, it rains a lot there too) we trnd to put a waterpoof domething on top.
The positive is that the fabric breathes quite well, so, if you know how to layer, you will not get soaked from the inside?

Developed for Scandinavia. Hardly a fashion item.

The price point is high. Scandinavian level, we are used to pay through the nose!
For everything!
:)

Darryl, I know you asked about the Anorak 8 and I answer about Grönlands jacket, but the reason is I can not stand a parka. Difficult to take on/off, specially if humid. Difficult to regulate the ventilation.
 
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Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
4,079
1,774
Berlin
You wrote you would own a pair of Fjällräven trousers. So you are able to test them yourself.

I recommend you to wear them every day for every use.
Wash them in the evening if necessary and let them dry over night and put them on every morning.

They are made for that. It is expedition equipment, Trekking equipment.
Or better: They call it like this and tell the buyer it would last for years.

No experienced hiker takes a second pair of equal trousers with him. Experienced people use swimming shorts and rain trousers as spare clothing and additional merino wool layers.

So I recommend you to use your Fjällräven trousers how they should be constructed: I recommend you to wear them every day, 365 days a year. How you would do it on a world journey.

And than you can decide yourself, if you want to invest the money in the jacket!


My brother bought in the year 2017 the Fjällräven convertible trousers Karl, where you can zipp off the legs.

This trousers fell in pieces after one year of use. He bought two, by the way, in different colours, and both fell apart after one year of use. Round about 365 days of use.

I tested in the same time the trousers Steppe 300 from Decathlon.
After one year they didn't fall in pieces, but the zipper at the side leg pocket broke and the button broke after 3 month.

The Fjällräven trousers cost 150,-€, the Solognac Steppe 300 cost 16,-€.
Fjällräven produces in Asia, Decathlon produces this trousers in India.

So, the Fjällräven trousers cost nearly 10 times more than the Solognac Steppe 300, but they can be used both round about one year.

Perhaps you should wait with the investment in other Fjällräven products, until you tested well, wat you just bought from them.

Or you look for something else, made by a real quality producer.

Have a look at used Austrian Uniforms. They are olive green, made in Austria or Germany and very tough and cheap.
Or look for other real military stuff.

May be you want to invest larger amounts of money in real good other equipment like a Hilleberg Nallo 2 or Akto 1 person tent or a good knife, perhaps the Fjellkniven F1, or a titanium mug from toaks or Tomshoo with two types of handles, which you can hang over a fire, or a good Berghaus military ruck sack or the Snugpack Special Forces Sleeping bag System with it's bivvy bag, or Ullfrotte Woolpower 200 underwear with zipp color, or other quality stuff.

That costs a lot off money but it is worth it.

Clothing you can buy from the surplus shop next corner or new original field uniforms, who are usually better but cheaper than civil products!

That jacket here is very similar to the "Räven Jacket".

It costs NEW 30,-€ and is an original Austrian uniform jacket, made in Austria or Germany. (Several producers deliver it)
Polyester-Cotton mix 65% Cotton, 35% Polyester, really spark resistant, fast drying too.

That is a very good option in a multi layer system!

http://army-warehouse.com/10-servicecard-artikel/11-bh-kampfanzugbluse-kaz02-neu.html
 
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Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
4,079
1,774
Berlin
Here you have some other quality stuff.

Leo Koehler delivers to the German and Austrian Army. Made in Germany.

A british dealer you will find, I guess.

http://www.leokoehler.com/art.203-einsatzkampfjacke-ksk-smock.html


Carinthia delivers to the German and Austrian Army too. Made in Austria.

https://www.carinthia.eu/bags/de/sh...cket/?card=1550&variant[0]=OLIVE&variant[1]=L


Snugpack produces the better products in Britain. I own the Special Forces Sleeping bag System, made in Britain with a filling made in Switzerland.
That stuff is absolute convincing.

They produce clothing too.
what is made in Britain and what in Asia you have to look up for every single thing.

https://www.snugpak.com/outdoor/sleeka-elite

And so on!

There is a lot of very good stuff on the market!
 

Tiley

Life Member
Oct 19, 2006
2,364
377
60
Gloucestershire
Fjallraven. If it was actually made in Sweden I could understand the price tags. But not China. It’s prices are astronomical.

The label in my Smock No.1 says that it's designed in Sweden but made in Portugal.

There was a time when Fjallraven did go to the Orient to get their stuff made but the drop-off in quality - and the complaints that arose from it - has prompted a move closer to home. I don't know whether they still have clothing made in China but I think that their Numbers series is produced in Europe.

I have to admit that the price of my Smock No.1 was eye-watering but now, having used it extensively, I can safely say that it was money well spent: everything about it has been carefully thought out and it is beautifully made. I don't know whether that extends to other products - I hope it does - but I can safely say that I am a satisfied, if significantly poorer, customer.
 

Snufkin

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oct 13, 2004
2,099
139
54
Norfolk
If you're not put off by the No8 price tag then take a look at Hilltrek ventile stuff. UK made, breathable and water resistant, or waterproof if you go for a double layer version. They are now doing cotton analogy smocks and jackets like the Paramo stuff. I have a Braemar smock that's probably 15 years old and is my spring summer autumn outer and last year I invested in a Cruachan DV extreme smock which is absolutely brilliant.
 

MrEd

Life Member
Feb 18, 2010
2,148
1,059
Surrey/Sussex
www.thetimechamber.co.uk
I recommend the classic Helly Hansen fleeces. Tough, easy to wash, have two different ”warming” levels.
Unfortunately, like most companies, they now cater to the fashionistas, and only one product is similar to the classics.
Google Helly Hansen Heritage Pile jacket.

Of course, the best is a hand knitted woolen jumper, with horn buttons and leather patches on the elbows!

Absolutely agree with this, I have a wool
Smelly helly and it’s very very warm :)
 
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Jan 13, 2019
291
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55
Gallifrey
Dont forget the snugpak special forces bivvy! I'm starting to feel like alex with ludwig van by the end of the film lol

Once I reach peak clobber, i’ll go in search of a place where i won’t be run over by mountain bikers or wee’d on by dogs at 6am and start playing with my gear. Thermals must be bought before then and a sleeping bag...hammock... wooly hat.... softies.... the list is loooooonnng.
 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,410
1,698
Cumbria
The prowool series from HH are great. Merino outer with very highly wicking pp on the inner. When I got mine other companies put merino skin side but that just keeps sweat against the skin.

There's no material that wicks s quickly as pp in outdoor clothing. In the prowool base layer the pp keeps your skin dry by wicking sweat away from the skin where it gets absorbed by the merino wool fibres. They don't actually wick that much just absorb sweat locking it away if you like.

I would like a trad HH fleece (pile fleece) at some point.
 
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Woody girl

Full Member
Mar 31, 2018
4,795
3,741
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Exmoor
Hey Darryl sounds like you got the newbie bushcrafters disease and are becoming. a kit monkey! Remember you don't need to spend a fortune and get all the" kit" at once. Keep it light or you'll be moaning about backache or deciding you need another bigger bag to carry it all. Give yourself challenges like going out with say ten items and try to get it down to five in the summer. Remember knowledge weighs nothing , costs nothing. The more knowledge and skills you got the less kit you need..... untill you get old and rickety and need hot water bottles and air beds !
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,297
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
The HH sold today seems to be a bad version. The old one has a thumb hole on each sleeve. You put your thumb through and the dleeve civers your knucles. Very useful when it is cold. I use that feature a lot.
I do not think the modern ones have it?

I need to visit a few shops in Norway I know of and see if they have some new old stock.

I sgree with Woody Girl. I recommend you quality equipment, and as little as possible.
You do not need much, the more you have the heavier, easier to lose.

You only need stuff to satisfy this: you want to be dry, warm and full ( of food). And rested the next morning.
 
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Jan 13, 2019
291
144
55
Gallifrey
Yes yes... but what about all that stufffff?
No but seriously, it’s only because what I currently have is more useful for posing at a 1986 Bulgarian après ski disco, than it is for anything useful. Current kit: Stove,kettle,tarp,boots,bag,bivvy bag....
there’s not that much more i’d need for a night out but I definitely need it.
 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,410
1,698
Cumbria
My old HH kit never had thumb holes. They all have extra long arms so I suppose that helps a lot with the gaps.

The HH base layer bought when 13 has somehow grown with me. Looks too small but expands. My old kayaking top. One of my best buys for the outdoors.
 
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MrEd

Life Member
Feb 18, 2010
2,148
1,059
Surrey/Sussex
www.thetimechamber.co.uk
The HH sold today seems to be a bad version. The old one has a thumb hole on each sleeve. You put your thumb through and the dleeve civers your knucles. Very useful when it is cold. I use that feature a lot.
I do not think the modern ones have it?

I need to visit a few shops in Norway I know of and see if they have some new old stock.

I sgree with Woody Girl. I recommend you quality equipment, and as little as possible.
You do not need much, the more you have the heavier, easier to lose.

You only need stuff to satisfy this: you want to be dry, warm and full ( of food). And rested the next morning.

the older one with the thumb hole is the one i have, i am on my second.
Thy arent a flattering cut to be honest, but they are damn good as a mid layer and warm as hell. I love mine, even if the missus doesnt.
 
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