Review: Fjällräven Gutulia Anorak

Snow in the dunes

The wind rips across the snow covered dunes giving the -10 celcius temperature a -15 feeling. But I cannot think of a better place to be then along the coast looking for animals to photograph. For years I have handled winter in my TNF Hyvent jacket but this season I am giving the Fjällräven Gutulia Anorak a spin.

The Gutulia Anorak is a long, classic mountain anorak. Made of water and wind resistant G-1000®, Fjällräven’s material of choice. The anorak is a garment designed for active winter trips. According to the fabricator the fabric wicks away moisture better than completely wind and waterproof garments and is therefore perfect for intensive winter activities such as skiing or snowshoeing. Long enough to protect you in the rear. Crotch strap to hold the jacket in place. Adjustable waist and sleeve cuffs. Spacious, so it does not to inhibit your movements, and with a large kangaroo pocket to hold a map, compass and extra gloves. A side zipper makes it easier to put on and take off. Synthetic fur trim can be added to the hood

Some people would wonder why to buy a polyester/cotton jacket next to a hardshell. Hardshells are definitly something we need in the Netherlands thanks to the surplus amount of rain we endure. Hyvent (or similar) has kept me dry and warm on many days and I will never give it up. But add a couple of years of experience and you learn that breathability is not always as expected.

Red Deer in pouring rain.

That is why my eyes turned to Fjällräven G-1000. But is the G-1000 resistant enough for our Dutch climate? I call tell you it blocks all wind even when mother nature blows so hard it turns your regular pants in a skinny jeans and stops you dead in your tracks.
I can say from several 10+km walks that this material does breath a lot better and makes me feel more comfortable over the long run. The anorak also has zips at the side to vent air but I only used those once because I had to much fleece on.

Dry and warm on the snow

Lying down on the snow is no problem and you get up dry. But how about water resistance? I only had a couple of small showers whilst testing the jacket but they were no problem. I reckon that if I rewax the jacket and add some more to the front and sleeves it can handle some rain, but in the end if they forcast rain I will turn my hardshell. Fjällräven also states this on their website, G-1000 is not waterproof. But so far it has not disappointed me.
As you can see I got the fur trim, which besides making me look like a polar explorer also works very nice. It adds some comfort for the cheeks when not using the hood and it adds warmth when the hood is up.

I became a big fan of the big pocket at the front. It will fit my gloves and hat, though it makes me look like Santa Claus around the waist it is ideal and spacious. Something I miss in a lot of other jackets I see. The crotch strap is something I do not get but maybe that is because we do not have dog sleds. There is no normal zipper, so you need to pull the anorak on and off over your head. You either like it or hate it, but it makes sure you do not wear this jacket to a dinner date. In the end it is not a point for me, because I bought this jacket solely for use outdoor.
Big plus is the high neck of the anorak. This allows some serious womb-like chin-burrowing when mother nature slaps you in the face.

Shooting in the dunes

The Gutulia Anorak is a very nice jacket to have next to a true waterproof jacket. It breaths a bit better and it has some nice features such as the big kangaroo pocket and a long neck section.

Update 27-01-2013

I’ve been getting questions on the Anorak the last weeks. In order to help you all out I will share them here:

The anorak does not have insulation. It is just a cotton layer. You must add your own insulation. I usually wear a thermal shirt and one or two fleece sweaters.
It will keep you nice and dry in any (Dutch) snowstorm. This winter has given me a fair share of snow and photographed through it without any problems.
As for rain: before winter fell in I enjoyed a good 30min of downpour and survived it dry. Not sure about a full day of rain (yet), mother nature will test that for me one day.