In January 2019 Haglöfs announced its new Haglofs Grym Evo jacket. I have the jacket at home and am going to use and review it in the coming weeks. With a price point around the € 350,- it’s a three-layer jacket, so an outer layer that is windproof, waterproof and strong, a second layer, the so-called membrane that does not allow water from the outside to come through but does wick perspiration moisture from the inside-out, and an inner layer that should feel comfortable and protects the membrane. These layers are laminated and together form the material of the jacket. It’s a jacket that, like the EcoProof jacket that I brought to Terschelling, was made with Haglöf’s own Proof™ Eco material.
Last year I wrote about the “trend” among outdoor brands to work on sustainability in different ways. Our visit this year to the ISPO outdoor fair confirmed that this trend was not a whim, but that people continue on the same path. With alternative materials such as bioplastics, traceable down as a standard, water-efficient methods to color clothing, water-soluble plastic packaging for transport and much more.
PROOF™ ECO
Haglöfs has used its PROOF™ ECO material again this time, and not only in the Grym jacket but in more and more products in the collection. It is made of 100% recycled polyamide and uses a PFC-free DWR coating to make the outer fabric of the jacket even more waterproof. DWR (durable water repellent) coatings pursue the so-called “beading effect”. Where such a coating also protects the material bit from dirt and grime. DWR coatings based on fluor can do that very well, but if the coating wears (which it always does) the fluor enters our natural environment which is quite harmful. So the PROOF™ ECO material is made of and with sustainable materials, and strives for complete weather resistance. The water tightness has a rating of 15000 hydrostatic head. The breathability is at 15000 grams per square meter per 24 hours. These are laboratory ratings that actually translate into material that is well waterproof (there are higher water densities in very technical coats) and has medium breathability.“Tough, Technical and Sustainable”
These ratings are a clear indication of what the Grym has been made for. Day hikes, multi-day hiking trips and use during activities that are not extremely physically intensive. In the press release on this jacket, Haglöfs says: “It’s perfect for trekking activities and features everything you need for a trip deep into the wilderness.” Haglöfs also emphasizes the robustness of the material. I can confirm, when feeling the shell that the material really feels very strong, with a large ripstop weave in it. It is a bit more “technical” in relation to the EcoProof Jacket we reviewed earlier, but we still think the Grym looks good and stylish. I have the yellow / mustard-colored version; a color that Haglöfs himself calls “desert yellow”. Interestingly, this is a color that is also used in collections of other brands.Versatility = Sustainability
Another element of durability, and perhaps a very decisive one, in our minds here at GearLimits, is the versatility of a product. How nice is it when you buy a jacket that you can wear it under a lot of different circumstances and during many different activities. That is why we are always a fan of shell jackets as a whole. Because a shell has no lining, you can combine them very well with different layers that you wear under the jacket. And these you can choose depending on the outside temperature, and which activities you will do. Standing at the edge of a sports field in autumn watching and supporting your kids, you can put on a nice warm down jacket under the shell which is protecting you from the wind and the rain. If you take the dog for a walk and try to keep up with it, you put a lighter fleece under the shell for example. Perhaps you’ll need to open the ventilation zips under your arms open. And if you go on an adventure, micro or otherwise, then your mid layer is well light and you can feel the usefulness of that breathability of the jacket. in front of your tent in the evening, you get the earlier mentioned down jacket from your backpack and you’re warm again. And how nice is it when a jacket does not look like you are necessarily going on an expedition, by which I mean that if that same jacket has some style to it, you can also wear it perfectly commuting to work on your bike or otherwise, or if you go shopping in the city.Outdoor and Urban
That is why I want to use this jacket not only for explicit “outdoor” activities in the coming weeks. But also just in daily life, in particular in daily life. I’m going to make a project out of it, not only to look at the Grym itself, but also to show why a shell jacket is a good, flexible, versatile and therefore sustainable choice. And I think that this sustainably produced coat lends itself well. We will see.
