Jöttnar Asger HS review

David Lintern is impressed by the Jöttnar Asger HS – a tailored, high performance mid layer.

I’m going to come straight out and say it – Polartec Alpha, the key ingredient in the Jöttnar Asger HS is amazing stuff – and the main reason I was keen to test Jöttnar’s offering. I’m less keen on the ‘developed for the special forces’ marketing schtick, but the story goes that it for designed to regulate body temperatures in active combat situations, which are – like much of what we get up to in the mountains – often start-stop and high energy.

Polartec Alpha is a loose knit, fluffy fleece which is woven onto a mesh backing to allow plenty of loft. Often (but not always) this sits next to skin and is really soft and comfortable. Without a protective outer, it’s highly air permeable and will snag easily, so it’s common to see it paired with some kind of windproof face layer. In that way it follows in the grand tradition of the Pertex and Pile garments of yesteryear… just a lot lighter and more breathable. It generally makes for an incredibly efficient active mid layer. I have 3 or 4 examples and they all pack small, shift water vapour away from the skin rapidly, breathe and regulate temperature well – not too warm or too cool. Wearing it, there’s much less need to layer up and down. An Alpha mid tends to be ‘fix and forget’, which as I’ve said before in these pages, is about as high a compliment as I can give.

The Asger is no exception to this rule, though it is at the slighter warmer end of the spectrum. In this case, the magic fleecy stuff sits next to skin and is protected by a windproof ripstop outer. Zips are all YKK and glove friendly, sleeves are slimline and cuffs are half elasticated, so sit under gloves easily and allow good sightlines for scrambling and climbing. There are two, reasonably harness friendly handwarmer pockets which are Alpha fleece fronted, and one phone sized chest pocket (fleece free) – all are zipped, come with draught baffles and very secure. The collar is high, fleece backed and on the HS version there is no hood (a new version of the Asger is out this autumn/winter which does include a hood).

The waist hem features two drawcords. These are glove friendly and designed to produce a loop and snag free hem adjustment. Personally, I find them a little bulky and they need to be purposely tucked under the hem to be truly snag free. The fit is described as ‘athletic’ and I’d agree things are kept very trim and tailored. I’d struggle to fit even a thin second layer under my medium, although Alpha often performs best nearer to the skin anyway. This is a mid to layer over, not under and the face fabric is well purposed for that – smooth and snag free, but not slippery. Arm and torso length is similarly neat and wrists and waist can be a little exposed with my arms fully extended. I’m 5’8” and weigh around 78KG, so if you are taller or chunkier, size up. It’s worth noting that there is currently no Alpha mid for women currently in the brand’s range.

All in all, the Asger is excellent and promises to be very durable. The jacket is soft to wear, smart in appearance, moves sweat without missing a beat and sheds wind and drizzle like a champ. Put it on, forget you are wearing it. Over the last 6 months or so, it’s become a second skin on my local bike circuits and hill walks and scrambles everywhere from Skye to North Wales.