Jöttnar's Bergelmir jacket

About this time of the year, most of the UK’s outdoor retail world is busily packing its beer steins and lederhosen and checking out the flights for Munich as one of the big events of the year, Ispo, nears.

It’s a showcase for all the shiny new gear that will appear in the shops the following winter and most brands will have a presence at the trade show.

Among them will be Jöttnar, a newcomer to the British outdoor world and sounding every bit as Norse as Thor Heyerdahl and A-ha, but actually the brainchild of two ex-Royal Marines and based in Swindon.

And unveiled at Ispo will be the Bergelmir, the company’s top-notch technical mountain shell jacket, using Polartec NeoShell.

The new brand said it chose NeoShell for hand feel and durability, breathability, stretch and robustness.

It said it is lightweight and fully waterproof.

A Jöttnar spokesperson said: “Streamlined, uncluttered, durable and athletically cut, Bergelmir is a modern day suit of armour.”

The jacket is made from three-layer NeoShell and has a durable water resistant finish. The fabric has waterproofing rated at 10,000mm – not as high as many membranes, but Polartec says the gains in breathability are marked. And 10,000mm still qualifies it as a true waterproof.

Other features of the Bergelmir are: a helmet-compatible hood with wire stiffened brim and mouldable peak; harness compatible chest pockets and pockets compatible with an OS map.

There’s an internal neck guard, internally protected hood pull cords, an internal wallet and phone pocket; glove compatible zipper pulls; one-handed, elastic hem drawcord operation and a ‘beard guard’.

We think people without beards will also be able to use the jacket, which as an athletic, streamlined, articulated cut.

The lightweight Bergelmir tips the scales at 510g for a men’s medium, and comes with YKK Aquaguard zips.

The top of the range jacket will retail at £450 and comes in black and green or dark red and flame scarlet.

More details are on the Jöttnar website.