A bit of history
2117 of Sweden was born in 2003 by a group of friends who were passionate about outdoor sports, who couldn't find technical clothing in the shops that were beautiful, functional and at a price within the reach of many.
No sooner said than done, they combined their experiences in the sports and clothing sector and thus this brand was born, now distributed in 3 continents and 23 countries including Italy.
The genesis of the name
A particular name, which immediately aroused my curiosity. 2117 of Sweden takes inspiration from Swedish nature, in fact the number 2117 is nothing other than the height that the mountain once measured kebnekaise, the highest peak in the state. The fact that the melting of the glaciers has reduced its height is one of the reasons that pushed these guys to commit themselves even more to the challenge of being able to produce garments eco frendly. Since 2009, a large part of their production has started from recycled materials free of PFC, a highly polluting substance.
What did we try?
The rainy spring was the perfect season to measure the technical qualities of some of their garments. Thanks also to the support of Oberalp group, we had the opportunity to test them in both the men's and women's versions, thus managing to get a clear idea of the overall quality of the brand.
Products and materials
We started to bring onto the field the garments that could guarantee us maximum protection from the atmospheric agents typical of this season, i.e. rain and wind. So our wardrobe has been enriched with trousers and shells that have insulation, combined with excellent breathability, as their salient feature.
For the womens the test focused on the Shell Skogmo and on the trousers Sandhem, two top players in this segment.
Starting from the jacket, we find a product made with a membrane Tritech three-layer polyester, sourced for the 50% from recycled materials, capable of guaranteeing a balance of waterproofness and breathability 15.000 columns. There is a generous underarm opening to ensure optimal breathability and two drawstrings, at the waist and on the hood, designed to better customize the fit.
The trousers, on the other hand, have a composition of 92% nylon and 8% elastane. The fit is guaranteed by the adjustments at the waist and a large zip located on the bottom. the PFC-free DWR treatment is also able to guarantee excellent protection from atmospheric agents. While the trousers have their main feature in wearability and comfort.
As for the part male instead the focus was on two products, the jacket Klacken, combined with the trousers Back.
Also in this case, for the construction they relied on materials in parts coming from recycling, while the protection from atmospheric agents was entrusted to a PFC-free DWR treatment harmful to nature. The water-repellent and wind-protecting qualities are entrusted to the membrane Tritechcapable of guaranteeing 15.000 protection columns for the jacket and 10.000 for the trousers.
As for the jacket, there are side holes that help improve breathing, while the more enveloping cut of the terminal part serves to improve the fit of the product.
The test
As always I like to push the products I have to test to the maximum, seeking their limits; which, as far as these 2117 of Sweden products are concerned, meant experiencing cold rain and wind.
The first thing to underline, however, is the absolute wearability. The comfort you feel when wearing these products is . It should be noted that the tester with whom I carried out the test is allergic to anything that can in any way tighten or give an enveloping sensation, so the fact that she immediately found an excellent feeling and a fantastic ability to move is a positive point. favor of the technicians of 2117 of Sweden!
Therefore, fit and excellent freedom of movement are their first strong points; a quality that I too was able to observe while driving on some challenging descents, where the possibility of moving freely is a very important added value.
The different adjustment possibilities allow you to find the right balance, guaranteeing stability, especially of the trousers and a freedom of movement of the arms that I haven't always found on the shells.
The air vents of the men's jacket and the submaxillary openings of the women's jacket allowed these products to be used for several hours without feeling discomfort or a sensation of excessive heat. also avoiding the Turkish bath effect, which some shells often have
During a rainy outing I had the opportunity to verify the ability to protect both from humidity but above all from the wind. More than two hours in adverse conditions and my feeling continued to be optimal. I didn't feel cold or any discomfort, both during the descents and, especially when I stopped, a situation in which if you're a little damp you often feel an annoying sense of cold.
Prices
Conclusions
Very versatile products, which will certainly be part of the technical material that I will use during this summer's alpine excursions and which will allow you to face any condition with maximum comfort. Their comfortable cuts make them a product that can also be used by walkers and will find the right appreciation from travelers in the Gravel world, often looking for products that guarantee protection for many hours combined with comfort and very quick drying ability, fundamental characteristics for two-wheeled travellers.
Info: https://www.oberalp.com/it
