Our Klattermusen Asynja Men’s Jacket Review explores a fully featured and lightweight hardshell jacket manufactured from recycled Cutan fabric. Please read on to find out more.
Who Are Klattermusen?
Klättermusen is a Swedish manufacturer of refined mountaineering equipment. The brand was created in 1975 by a group of local climbers in the mountain village of Ales. They have since grown into a highly regarded manufacturer with an international customer base.
Their focus is producing high quality and high performance products for mountaineers and outdoor enthusiasts. Of equal importance, Klattermusen are fully committed to producing the most sustainable equipment possible.
It may not yet be a name many over here are familiar with, but that is changing as more products become available in the U.K. We have previously reviewed some of their Gere 2.0 Pants here and an Ull 30L backpack here. Both continue to offer great service and are treasured adventure companions. Alongside our Klattermusen Asynja Men’s Jacket Review, please also have a read of those reviews.
Features
Klattermusen market the Asynja as the optimal summer hardshell. It is made from a 3 layer recycled polyester fabric called Cutan. Cutan is Klättermusen’s proprietary membrane fabric. It is a 103 grams per square metre 100% recycled fluorocarbon free polyester. It offers a 20,000mm water column and 20,000 grams per metre squared Water Vapour Permeability (MVP). Cutan is Bluesign approved. The jacket is fully seam sealed.
There is a full length slanted zipper and an adjustable hood with brim. The zipper features a soft chin guard at the top. Zipped and slanted side hand pockets feature storm flaps and a mesh lining. The pockets are positioned high enough to avoid interference with a rucksack or climbing harness.
The hem and sleeves have adjusters and the Asynja has front and rear reflectors for visibility. There are also reinforced sections featuring Windstretch fabric.
The Asynja comes in 5 colours and the U.K. retail price is £330. A men’s size medium weighs 347 grams.
In Use
Manufacture Quality
The quality of manufacture of every Klattermusen product I have tested has been second to none. As a premium quality manufacturer I would expect this, but it is nice to be able to confirm it. The stitch work is perfect and any design features are obviously very carefully considered.
The jacket I was sent to test came in Raven colour. This is a black/grey colour. The Asynja also comes in 4 other colours. The styling is subtle but stylish. An embroidered Klattermusen logo sits on the left chest and their trademark triangular patch sits next the zip.
Features
But, these features aside, Klattermusen always seem to add some interesting quirky features. Firstly, if you look closely you’ll see the main zipper bends towards the top. This is designed to avoid it rubbing around the chin. I haven’t used a jacket with this feature before, but it is actually a really clever addition. The zip still works perfectly while staying out of the way.
Another interesting and unusual feature you will soon notice is the wrist adjusters. Rather than the fairly standard velcro tabs, Klattermusen have used drawcord with a neat closure buckle. I had reservations about this, but again it works superbly. You pull the toggle and adjust to exactly where you want and flick the toggle to loosen. I felt sure the cord would dangle annoyingly, but again I haven’t really noticed it at all. If it does become a problem you can always tuck it out of the way.
Fit
The fit of the Asynja is comfortable and yet not baggy. I am usually a pretty standard medium and this medium jacket fits true to size. The stretch of the Cutan material also means it can be worn fairly snugly without it compromising freedom of movement. I have used the Asynja for climbing and scrambling and it allows a full range of movement.
The hood is well designed and helmet compatible (tested with a Petzl Sirocco). A solid brim allows optimum visibility and the volume adjusters ensure a comfortable fit whether wearing a helmet or not. It cinches closed at the front with a drawcord.
There are two zipped side pockets. They are positioned high to avoid interference from a harness or rucksack waistbelt. Each pocket is slanted for ease of access and . They are also mesh lined with the mesh exiting into the inside of the jacket. This design allows airflow through the pocket and is a great way to add ventilation. This is also important because the Asynja doesn’t have pit zips (I’m not a fan of pit zips and so I’m not pointing this out as a criticism!). The side pockets are reasonable size but wouldn’t hold something like a map.
I think the pockets are well thought out given the intended use of the jacket. However, I would have really liked to see an inside pocket. Nowadays lots of people will want to keep their phone in a readily accessible position and the side pockets aren’t the ideal place.
Weather Performance
The Asynja has proved to be a trustworthy companion in challenging weather. The Cutan fabric keeps the elements out and yet seems to breathe well when exerting hard. The Durable Water Repellant (DWR) coating doesn’t bead up as it did when new, but reproofing with Nikwax has helped.
It is worth a quick explanation about DWR coatings. These are applied to shell fabrics and allow water to bead up on the outer surface. This isn’t to do with waterproofness as just because water isn’t beading up doesn’t mean a jacket isn’t waterproof. It just means the fabric will look ‘wetted out’ quicker. The DWR does also help with breathability as wetted out material blocks the pores that allow water vapour to escape.
So, the reality is that DWR coatings are important, but unfortunately they aren’t as effective as they once were. Many manufacturers have stopped using DWR coatings containing fluorocarbons and with good reason. These chemicals, while helping with droplet beading and coating longevity, are very environmentally destructive. So, on balance I am happy to complete some ongoing home care on that DWR coating. My favoured choice for hardshell care is Nikwax TX Direct Wash In (after washing with Nikwax Tech Wash).
Summary
As my Klattermusen Asynja Men’s Jacket Review highlights, this is a great garment. It is stylish, performs superbly and has brilliant sustainability credentials. It is a really solid performer suitable for a wide range of users and uses.
I have also really taken to the Klattermusen design style and hopefully this has shone through in the review. The funky cuff adjusters, flashes of detail and offset zip. They all add a little something extra in a market where lots ends up being very similar. Well done to Klattermusen for forging their own different path. Full details on the Asynja are available on the Klattermusen website here.
We hope you have enjoyed this review and it has helped guide your choices. We regularly test a wide variety of products and they can be found in our review section. Other garments we have recently reviewed include the Rab Xenair Vest here and the Haglofs Touring Mid Jacket here.