Klättermusen Allgrön 2.0 Review
The Klättermusen Allgrön 2.0 is a true class leader, the number of little features and design elements make this shell a pleasure to spend extended periods of time in and this would be the first shall we reached for when conditions were gnarly. The price isn’t to be sniffed at however but for those aspiring to climb the highest peaks, this is a worthy companion.
£499 | Buy from Klattermusen
Highs:
Wide array of features
Kept us dry and comfortable
Eco Friendly credentials
Lows:
Expensive
Might need to size up if you’re broad shouldered
The Lowdown
Proprietary three layer Cutan fabric
3D adjustable hood
Pit Zips
Duracoat reinforcements in high abrasion areas
Harness compatable pockets
Taped seams
Recco Reflector
There are waterproof coats, and then there are coats that can stand up to the harshest, wettest, and downright foulest conditions you could ever imagine. The Klättermusen Allgrön 2.0 falls firmly into the latter category. Now, Klättermusen may not have the same brand visibility as 66 North, Columbia or Arc’teryx, but that doesn’t mean they don’t know what they’re doing. Hailing from Sweden, Klättermusen have been beavering away for some years now designing some truly top tier kit that is designed for use across a wide gamut of outdoor pursuits, from trekking to skiing. The Allgrön 2.0 is aimed towards the more alpinist/climbing audience, but don’t let this put you off; some of the features make this an exceptional shell for gnarly days in the mountains of Scotland or Wales. We’ve already put the Allgrön 2.0 through its paces in the harsh Scottish winter as featured in our Winter Clothing guide, but felt it was worthy of a deeper dive into its features and performance.
Like the Columbia Ampli Dry, the Allgrön 2.0 doesn’t use the traditional material of choice for high performance waterproof shells that is Gore Tex. Instead, the designers at Klättermusen have used their own propriety three layer Cutan fabric which they claim improves upon existing fabrics performance and sustainability. There’s some clever technology going on here, but the key headlines are that Cutan fabric is soft, flexible and fluorocarbon free which is a huge step towards greater sustainability.
What this means in practise is that the Allgrön 2.0 has a degree of stretch which allows a wide range of mobility, perfect for scrambling along ridgelines. It’s also much quieter than its Gore Tex counterparts which after long days in the hills, we were very glad of. It sounds like an odd thing to mention but spend eight hours in a noisy, crinkly coat and you’ll see what we mean. This tester did find the fit a little snug across the shoulders but if you’re built like a whippet or mountain goat, then this shouldn’t be an issue.
The attention to detail on this shell is something we are rarely fortunate enough to experience and it really highlights that the people designing these jackets have been out and tested them in real world situations. The main zipper is at a slight angle and no, this isn’t a case of sloppy manufacturing. It’s to deflect water away from the zip and means that the zip sits away from your chin which can be very irritating when done all the way up. There are 2 poppers at either end of the zipper which meant that we could unzip the jacket to provide more ventilation but the popper meant we were still somewhat protected from the elements. Large pit zips allow excess heat to be dumped rapidly and with double zip toggles, they can be opened from either end. If the going gets very sweaty, the pockets double up as extra vents which is a nice touch.
All the seams are taped on the Allgrön 2.0 but this little piece of considerate design highlights the conditions that this jacket will stand up to. The angled zip also means that it the jacket wont ride up as much if you’ve got the lumbar straps of a rucksack secured, some shells tend to ride up which can be very annoying. Whilst on the topic of rucksacks, areas that could be subject to high abrasion such as the shoulders and hips have been treated with Klättermusen’s Duracoat technology which claims to improve wear resistance by up to 5 times and because Duracoat is a treatment rather than additional material, the cut and construction is kept the same so doesn’t impede on mobility.
The sleeves are cut at a slight angle so that they extent over the top of your hand and small elastic loops can be hooked over your thumb to prevent them from riding up when reaching for a hold above your head; It’s details like this that really impressed us during testing. Climbing inspired design nods are strewn across the jacket, the pockets sit higher than a traditional coat so that they can still be accessed whilst wearing a harness which is an excellent feature for those more vertically inclined.
Something that we’d never seen before on a non ski garment was the inclusion of a RECCO reflector. Used by search and rescue teams across the world, RECCO technology can be used to find those buried by avalanches by using a special detector to sense the radar signal that has been reflected by the buried persons RECCO reflector. The reflector is completely passive, requiring no power or activation and can guide rescuers rapidly to your location should the worse happen. It’s great to see this technology becoming more widespread so we can have peace of mind when out doing what we love. Paired with the Garmin GPSMAP 66i we reviewed, the Allgrön 2.0 would help any rescuers find you much more quickly.
We were also mightily impressed with the hood. This tester often doesn’t bother with a hood even in torrential downpours because it often just gets in the way and they’d prefer to get wet but be able to see where they’re going! The Allgrön 2.0’s hood is on a different level; however, using an array of elastication, the hood moves with your head and the stiff peak diverted water away from our face. This hood design coupled with the 20 000/20 000 hydrostatic head means that the Allgrön 2.0 is for all intents and purposes, almost impenetrable to water. It’d have to be an incredibly foul day to overwhelm this shell and we’d bet if you looked out the window and saw conditions that this jacket wouldn’t cope with, you’d stay inside. If you are mad enough to venture out, the Allgrön 2.0 is highly breathable, and we remained at a comfortable temperature even when the terrain got very steep.
It's all very well having a jacket packed to bursting with features and tech, but does it actually work? The answer is a resounding yes; the fit is excellent and offers a range of motion which isn’t always available with Gore Tex counterparts and the small design features mount up to create a shall that is among the best we’ve ever tested. The angled zipper and cuffs contribute to the excellent fit and slew of climbing specific features such as the raised pockets and thumb loops on the cuffs are welcomed inclusions even if you aren’t the next Nims Purjal, although the RECCO technology provides peace of mind when heading out into the sketchiest of conditions.
Our test sample was in the ‘Raven’ colourway which wasn’t pure black, more graphite. The Allgrön 2.0 is also available in a spectrum of other colours so you shouldn’t have any difficulty coordinating with other items in the wardrobe.
All this excellent technology and design does come at a cost though, and that cost is a slightly eye watering £490. Before you cover your computer in a spurt of tea (other beverages are available) hear us out. This isn’t a jacket to take the dog for a walk or pop into town in although it would excel in this environment, this is aimed at hardcore alpinists and mountaineers who demand the most from their equipment and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to anyone looking for one of the best shells money can buy.