In our Klattermusen Gere 2.0 Pants review Paul considers a pair of premium quality mountaineering trousers from a highly regarded Swedish brand. Please read on to find out more.
Who Are Klattermusen?
Klattermusen only came onto my radar recently. After reading a press release about some up and coming products I was intrigued to find out more. It turned out they were certainly a brand to be reckoned with.
Klättermusen is a Swedish maker of refined mountaineering equipment. The brand was created in 1975 by a group of local climbers in the mountain village of Are. Since those early days, they have grown into a highly regarded manufacturer. Their focus is producing high quality and high performance products for mountaineers and outdoor enthusiasts. Of equal importance, Klattermusen are also fully committed to producing the most sustainable equipment possible.
Although the brand is growing in the UK, it still may not be a name many over here are familiar with. That is changing as more product availability and a broadening range offers us more options. The brand is certainly well known elsewhere and their quality and design recognized. Their products, for example, won three ISPO gold awards in 2020 along with one sustainability achievement award.
Sustainability
Environmental sustainability to Klattermusen’s business ethos. They tackle this in two ways. Firstly, they use sustainable materials. Second, they focus on materials and construction methods that will offer a very long life span.
So, they strive to use materials that minimize environmental damage and aren’t afraid to innovate. For example, they switched to 100% organic cotton in 2006 and introduced nylon from recycled fishing nets to backpack production in 2009. They became the first outdoor brand in history to achieve a 100% fluorocarbon-free collection in 2017.
Alongside that, they understand that a key way to minimise the environmental impact of their clothing is longevity. When clothes last longer they do less harm. The impact is reduced further if clothes are repaired rather that replaced and can be recycled at the end of their useable life. All their products are designed and built to achieve this goal. I kept all this in mind for my Klattermusen Gere 2.0 pants review.
Features
So, with all that in mind, I started to explore the Gere 2.0 pants. I must say straight off that I had high expectations. I would always expect a premium Swedish brand to be creating very high spec products. Let’s explore the features.
Fabrics
The Gere 2.0 are made from 275 g/m² 95% Ultramid Bio-Mass Balanced Polyamide fabric with 5% Elastane Bluesign approved fabric. Polyamide is a durable fibre ideal for use in outdoor clothing. Ultramid Biomass Balance Polyamide has the same durability as standard polyamide, but is far more sustainable.
In Ultramid production a proportion of fossil resources is replaced with an equivalent amount of renewable feedstock such as biogas or bio-naphtha. Klättermusen invests in nothing but 100% renewable feedstock. This third party monitored process equates to lower greenhouse gas emissions and the saving of fossil resources. Klattermusen say they are the first outdoor brand to use this fibre.
The other 5% of the Gere 2.0 fabric is made from Bluesign approved Elastane. Bluesign is a standard for environmental health and safety in textile manufacturing. The Bluesign organization provides independent auditing of textile mills helping clothing manufacturers to keep control over supply chains. Klättermusen has been a Bluesign partner since 2007.
User Features
The Gere 2.0 pants are certainly feature packed. There are two large zipped front thigh pockets. These are bellowed slightly to allow for plenty of storage. Inside the right leg pocket there is also a mesh pocket perfectly sized for holding a phone. There are also side hand pockets and a further 2 rear pockets.
Both legs have zipped side ventilation. The zips are covered by a storm flap although the zips open forward to maximise air flow. There is also a mesh lining.
To maximise freedom of movement the pants feature a curved inner leg seam and pre bent knees. There is an elasticated waist and a belt with quick release buckle come with the trousers.
The elasticated and adjustable hems are reinforced at the bottom to provide durability. Klattermusen also offer optional steel stirrups. There is also a reflector for visibility. Klattermusen offer the Gere 2.0 in a range of colours and a regular and short leg length. The short length is approximately 5 cm shorter. There is also a women’s fit version available.
In Use
As mentioned above, I was hopeful for these pants to be a high quality product. Infact, my Klattermusen Gere 2.0 pants review will show I couldn’t have asked for more. Examine any aspect of their construction and you’ll spot the attention to detail and careful crafting.
Gritstone Climbing & Heather Bashing
The quality of the fabrics is also clear. With the fabric being 275 g/m², these are chunky weight trousers. That isn’t a bad thing, but purchasers should be aware of this. The upshot of this is that they will offer a long life and stand up to hard use. They fit the Klattermusen ethos perfectly.
Klattermusen state the Ultramid fabric dries 5 times faster and is 10 times more wind resistant than standard jeans fabric. I’m not sure how useful the particular comparison to cotton material is, but there is no doubt this material performs extremely well. I have now climbed in the Gere 2.0’s and undertaken several long walks in them. The fabric performs superbly for everything from scratching around on gritstone to bashing through damp moorland heather. It seems indestructible, but also resists moisture really well.
On one particularly damp walk I crossed the Kinder Plateau with the heather laden with moisture. The water initially beaded on the material and eventually wetted out. Then once underway on the other side of the Plateau, they soon dried in the cool breeze. Very impressive performance which makes them suitable for many activities.
There isn’t much sign of the fabric softening or ‘wearing in’ yet, but maybe with more use that will come. That considered, for a heavy fabric the Gere 2.0’s feel very comfortable in use. This also combines with the fantastic fit. This will be down to the quality of the cut, but the elasticated waist also offers great freedom of movement.
Other Features
All the features work exactly as designed. The two front of leg storage pockets offer a lot of storage space and are ideal for everything from an OS map to a camera. I’m not always a fan of front pockets but these sit flush to the leg when not filled. However, they are designed to bellow out enough for storage when needed. A great design ensuring they don’t get in the way and yet have sufficient storage space. Both pockets secure with a chunky zip and the right hand pocket has an interior mesh pocket. As a representative example, this comfortably fits my iPhone 11. I have also found these pockets don’t interfere with a climbing harness. The side hand pockets and large rear pockets complete the storage options. Again, these all work perfectly.
The zipped side vents are great for allowing a cool flow of air when working hard. The mesh that covers the vent hole will stop biting insects and yet allow free air flow. Klättermusen have covered the zip with a storm flap orientated forwards. This is designed to push air into the vents and it works well. My only reservation is that most weather gets pushed onto the front of the legs and so the storm flap won’t be very effective from this direction. I guess the design team had to make a call on this to be facing one direction or the other though. In use, I haven’t had any problems with this so far.
Nice Detailing
At the bottom of the Gere 2.0 there is some very nice detailing. A drawcord runs around the base and the adjustor for this is tucked into a double press stud closed flap on the outside of the leg. To cinch up the bottom you pull on the closure tab. To release you flick the tab the other way. It is simple and effective. Along with this closure cord there is also a stashed away lace hook. This is stored out of the way and yet can be quickly brought into play when needed.
Klättermusen also offers optional steel stirrups. I can’t comment on these as I haven’t used them, but suspect they will keep the trousers secured under the boots efficiently. A good option when bashing through heather or using the trousers in snow. The bottom hem of the pants is reinforced with a stiff tape. This should offer excellent durability and is another example of Klattermusen’s attention to detail and durable design.
What else? The rest is fine detail really. All zips include a nicely designed zipper pull. A removable belt with quick release buckle is included. The Klättermusen logo is embroidered onto the front leg. It is a slick and impressive package of features that integrates perfectly.
Summary
Swedish attention to detail, great fit, user friendly features and impeccable build quality. As my Klattermusen Gere 2.0 pants review shows, there is nothing not to love about these trousers. They are suitable for a range of activities, produced as sustainably as possible and built to last a lifetime. The only downside, at a RRP of £240, is the price. This is a lot of money even for a pair of high end soft-shell pants. However, there is little doubt you are getting a lot of product for your money and a pair of pants that will last and last. They really are an exceptional product.
I’d also like to applaud Klattermusen on their drive to produce products that help fight the climate emergency. This comes via the above mentioned durability, but also by the use of market leading sustainable materials. These innovations inevitably come at a cost. But, of course, we only have one planet. Full details on the Klattermusen Gere 2.0 pants can be found on their website here.