If you haven’t heard of Bergans of Norway, that’s not surprising. This company that makes high-end outdoor gear is, yes, from Norway, but their offerings have been somewhat difficult to find in outdoor stores in the United States. That’s changing. Just last year, Bergans has opened their own wholly-owned subsidiary in Longmont, CO, and has been expanding its dealer base and adding more products to the line. After checking out their technical jackets and pants at Outdoor Retailer, I came away impressed. As a result, it was with relish that I got to test out the new Bergans of Norway Microlight Jacket.
The Microlight Jacket is a very light, windproof shell that seems to ideal for the warmer months. It stuffs down small and is light enough to keep in a pack for chilly morning hikes or windy scrambles on high-alpine ridge tops. Features include:
- 4-way stretch material
- Light weight
- Windproof
- Water repellent
- Quick drying
- Extended back and fixed hood
- Front pockets
I got the Microlight Jacket just in time for spring backcountry skiing. A massive ascent and descent of the North Twin Couloirs on Deseret Peak is where I broke this shell in. It all began with a gear-laden mountain bike ride up a four-mile stretch of dirt road, followed by hiking, skinning, and boot packing to the summit. All along the way, the Microlight Jacket was a trooper. Temperatures were chilly but definitely on the warm side for skiing, but the thin, almost crêpe paper material breathed most excellently and never made me overheat. I also really liked how the material stretched so if I was hunched over my handlebars or poling up a steep section of corn snow, the shell never got in the way but instead moved with my body.
A bit later, I took the Bergans of Norway Microlight Jacket on a road trip to Idaho, where a bit of rainy weather threatened to ruin our beer and bikes tour from Ketchum to Hailey. Enroute and all during our first day of the trip, we got rained on that went from light drizzles to full-on downpours. While the soaking from the sky drove us to hide inside breweries, we braved the elements the rest of the time and the Microlight Jacket did great to repel light rain. Water beaded up and rolled off, and the full-size, cinched hood was very useful. As a result, I’ve been taking this shell on all my rides around town if there is even a chance of rain in the forecast.
Finally, just to be sure this jacket rocks, I went out for more spring (felt like summer) skiing. The Uinta Mountains were the testing ground on Mount Watson. While it was warm and dry the entire time and I only wore a t-shirt in the skin track, the summit was windy. Viola! Out came the Microlight Jacket from my pack. It kept the wind out so I could enjoy my well-deserved Summit Brew without goose flesh ruining the experience.
Good Microlight Jacket: Very light, breathable, versatile, packable, high quality.
Bad Microlight Jacket: Hard to find.
Final Word: The Bergans of Norway Microlight jacket is ideal for just about any season or any activity. Backcountry skiing, cycling, hiking, and probably even rock climbing – this shell can do it all and it looks good doing it.
For more information or to find out where you can purchase Bergans of Norway goods, check out their website at http://retailer.bergans.com/