Our review: A warm and premium design with decent eco-credentials. Our new go-to jacket.
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First impressions
Pulling the Fjällräven from the box, first impressions were good – we liked the unusual terracotta colour which was bright and visible without being garish and the jacket felt very soft and light to hold. Part of the extensive Expedition series, the design draws on classic touches and we liked the retro feel.
It instantly ticked all our must-have boxes too, with a decent hood, two-way zipper, pockets and a level of waterproofing. Pulling it on, the fit felt true to size (women’s large for this UK14 tester) and we instantly appreciated the cosiness that came with the natural down fill.
How was the fit?
The Expedition Hoodie was one of the better-fitting jackets on test for this female tester, as the shape of the jacket felt like it was designed to fit our shape, following the line of the waist and hips without being too snug anywhere.
The fit was really helped by the two-way zipper, which allows you to do the jacket up and then ‘undo’ the zip from the bottom a few inches – really handy for keeping warm while also improving range of movement when walking uphill for example. An internal drawcord with adjusters inside the pockets allows you to pull the waist in.
The sleeves were a good length with elastic to keep them snug and the jacket finished at hip level on this 5 foot 7 inch tester.
How does it feel?
This jacket felt premium – the fabrics are soft and comfortable and this is helped by attention to detail in important areas, such as small panels of felt-type fabric inside the collar where the jacket touched your face when done up fully.
Does it have a hood and is it any good?
Yes, the Expedition has a down-filled hood with cords to pull it round the face with small leather tabs to secure them. There is also elastic running inside the hood with a plastic toggle on the back to pull it away from the face/closer to the head if needed. Both useful in windy conditions. Overall the hood works well, though it does not pack away. A similar jacket is available in the range – the Expedition Pack Down Jacket (RRP £280) – which has a high collar instead of a hood.
What’s it made of?
The Expedition is made of 100% recycled polyamide.
What’s it filled with?
The jacket is filled with down with reinforced synthetic insulation over the shoulders to help with warmth and pressure (such as when wearing a backpack). The jacket is panel overstitched to keep the down evenly distributed.
The down filling is 90% goose down and 10% feather. Fjällräven are clear about their down sourcing with a leaflet included with the jacket as well as a section online explaining that Fjällräven Down is guaranteed to always be 100% traceable and ethically produced and of the highest quality. “With our Down Promise you can rest assured that when you purchase a down product from us no birds were harmed – this means no live plucking; we know exactly where the down comes from and that it’s of the highest quality. And because our down is a by-product of the food industry, we’re working to reduce waste too.” An animal welfare policy can also be found online too.
How durable is it?
The jacket served us well during our test period. We didn’t experience any wear or tear to fabric or stitching and it packed down well inside its inner pocket (with double zip pull) which meant it was small enough to stash in our rucksack – and prevented it from getting mucky too when not being used (we also found it doubled as a handy pillow too!).
The jacket withstood light and medium showers well, though it wasn’t billed as having waterproof or resistant properties so that wasn’t a judging factor here. Still, it’s nice to stay snuggly even when a shower passes over!
We did find it picked up a few marks and we’d likely want to give it a wash now and again – instructions specify a 40 degree C cycle, tumble dry, then apply fluorocarbon free impregnation after wash. You also have to remove the leather toggles which seems a faff.
How sustainable is it?
Fjallraven are very open about their eco and animal welfare policies online. As well as the aforementioned down, the jacket is made from recycled polyester. “Why use virgin polyester when you can use recycled polyester? Our recycled polyester comes from plastic PET bottles, unusable second-quality fabrics and fabric offcuts. By using fabrics already in circulation we reduce our use of raw materials, notably those that come from non-renewable sources. This has a knock-on effect: a reduction in air, water and soil contamination.”
Fjallraven also encourage purchase of products that will last and have an online guide showing you how to repair and care for different products and fabrics.
Is it good value?
There’s no getting round it – that £315 RRP is going to be prohibitive for some. But if you are prepared to pay the price for a premium jacket that has transparent sustainability and animal welfare at its heart, then this is a good choice. Plus, we found this was the jacket we kept reaching for well after our testing was done. Based on that alone, we reckon it would last us a good few years.
Best used for:
Pretty much anything apart from the coldest, wettest days! Our new go-to jacket.
Facts at a glance
Sizes: W XXS-XL / M and M XS-XXL
Weight: 435g (women’s size S)
Fill power: 700
Down type: 90% goose, 10% feather
Face fabric: 100% Polyamide
Type of zip: 2-way zipper
Pockets: 3
Packable: Yes, inside the inner pocket
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