66° North Ljósufjöll Gore-Tex Shell Jacket review: proper protection for genuinely wild landscapes

The Land of Ice and Fire – no, not a new George RR Martin novel, but a country: Iceland.

There’s no doubt that Iceland is one of the most dynamic places on the planet. Here, young, glaciated mountains rise above an interior of immense lava fields. It’s an island that's still being forged, which is host to some of the world’s most active volcanoes. The Aurora Borealis often dance in the sky, while the land is an adventurer’s paradise.

American photographer, adventurer, surfer and filmmaker Chris Burkard has made this astonishing island his home, having fallen for its unique grandeur. For its Ljósufjöll (try saying that after a few bottles of Kaldi Blonde) waterproof jacket, premium Icelandic outdoor brand 66° North collaborated with Burkard in an attempt to create 'the ultimate shell for the wild and adventurous outdoor explorer'. The result was this Gore-Tex shell jacket.

For the uninitiated, 66° North was founded in Suðureyri on the Súgandafjörður fjord by Hans Kristjánsson in 1926. His mission was to craft clothing for fishermen and workers braving the harsh North Atlantic elements. Within two years it was creating gear for Iceland’s search and rescue teams and the rest, as they say, is history. 66° refers to the latitudinal line of the Arctic Circle that crosses Súgandafjörður. By 2019, it had become a carbon neutral company, a commendable achievement.

By any measure, 66° North’s gear isn’t cheap, with some products costing thousands, such as the $2,800 Charlie Constantinou quilt jacket or the $1,250 Jökla Parka. The Ljósufjöll Jacket won’t set you back quite that much, but it still clocks in at a cool $745 (£495 in the UK). So, it’s something of an investment. I was keen to see whether this premium adventurer’s jacket was worth its price tag.

First impressions

I immediately liked the feel and cut of the Ljósufjöll. The inner lining feels lovely against the skin, while its lack of weight and the freedom of movement it provides were immediately apparent. For something designed for the rigors of wild Iceland, it was lighter and less rigid than I was expecting, which suits my fast and light approach to outdoor adventure. So far, so good.

Little touches like the microfleece around the collar and the way the hood stows away impressed me, while closer inspection revealed quality craftsmanship in terms of the stitching and the overall premium feel of the piece.

I was testing the black colorway, which features grey detailing on the logos and zippers. It’s also available in birch brown bolete. Neither are very vibrant, but then 66^o North tend not to go too ostentatious with their color options, with the bright eventide blue of the Snaefell Jacket about as dazzling as it gets.

Highly protective Gore-Tex shell

The Ljósufjöll Jacket features a Gore-Tex membrane to provide a waterproof yet breathable shell. Considering the Ljósufjöll is in the same price bracket as many Gore-Tex Pro jackets, such as the Berghaus MTN Guide, you’d be within your right to expect the most protective technology Gore-Tex can offer. However, this is a much lighter and more flexible jacket than rugged Gore-Tex Pro mountaineering jackets. Its nylon outer is also 100% recycled, which accounts for at least some of the cost, while it’s also PFAS-free.

Weighing in at 12oz (338g), it’s towards the lighter end of the waterproof jacket spectrum, in the same league as Arcterycx’s popular Beta Lighweight Jacket. That’s not to say that it isn’t robust. Its shell is a durable, 40-denier nylon ripstop that’s resistant to abrasion and wear. The Gore-Tex membrane is the meat in the sandwich, effectively repelling water while allowing moisture to escape. Beneath this is a supremely thin C-knit backer that’s designed for ultimate comfort and is soft against the skin. This backer comprises a layer of expanded PTFE that’s lighter and more breathable than most used in other 3-layer jackets.

The upshot of all of this is a waterproof material that’s light, durable, nicely breathable and comfortable to wear. This results in a jacket that can be used across a range of activities. It’s pleasant for everyday wear, rugged enough to tackle wintry adventures and vents well enough for dynamic activities like scrambling, skiing or even running.

This is all enhanced by its articulated fit, one that provides that all-important freedom of movement. I was able to windmill my arms, practise yoga or dance the tango (when the mood took me) without feeling restricted. Only when I crossed my arms and reached in opposite directions did I feel the shell tighten across my back – and it’s not like I’m going to be doing that all too often in the mountains.

Features

As you’d expect from a $745 jacket, the Ljósufjöll has plenty of features. I like the way the hood can be stowed into a zippered compartment in the collar, another feature that adds to the jacket’s versatility. And speaking of the collar, it’s lined by super-soft microfleece that feels great against the skin – even against my bristly, stubbled chin.

When liberated, the hood is adjusted via two pull tabs at the front, which tighten an elasticated cord that runs around the front. It’s designed to be helmet-compatible for activities like scrambling, mountaineering, via ferrata and climbing. The cuffs are adjusted using Velcro tabs and are curved to provide maximum coverage, much like those on the excellent Norrøna Falketind Gore-Tex Paclite Jacket.

The hem features the usual drawcord tabs on either side and is easy to adjust. In terms of coverage for wet weather, the cut doesn’t reach down to the upper thighs, unlike some, though this shouldn’t be an issue when paired with decent rain pants.

In terms of storage, you get two external zippered chest pockets that are placed high enough to still be accessible when wearing a harness or a hiking backpack with an extensive hip belt. These pockets large enough to take a topographical map and are useful for quickly stashing items like a headlamp. There’s also an internal zippered breast pocket that’s just large enough to take a phone.

Further down are a pair of 2-way side zippers. These aren't pockets, but instead open the jacket up, just like pit zips. This provides additional ventilation – a better alternative to unzipping the front when you need to dump heat during strenuous activities. It also enables the wearer another way of accessing the internal pocket or for getting to mid-layers pocketsd and the like.

I really like this feature. It performs the same task as pit zips when it comes to ventilation, while also allowing access beneath the jacket. The fact the zips are 2-way gives plenty of flexibility in terms of how they’re opened up. For casual walks, it’s nice to be able to bury my hands within them, accessing the handwarming pockets of my down or fleece jacket beneath.

All the zippers are YKK and feature the Aquaguard design that forms an effective barrier against water ingress. The pockets and side zippers are laminated, while the full-length middle zipper is backed by a storm flap – a length of the 3-layer face fabric that sits behind the teeth and is ready to stop water in its tracks. Each has a fabric pull with a plastic tip for durability. This enabled me to easily grab them, even when wearing hiking gloves.

On the trails

I’ve been wearing the Ljósufjöll jacket through spring and summer in the UK, braving downpours and exploring the mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park. 66^o North include 'everyday commuting' among this jacket's uses, so I also wore it for everyday jaunts, such as popping to a café with my daughter. I admittedly found it a tad stressful knowing that the jacket that I’d just hung by the main entrance was worth half a grand. Invariably I’d end up hiding it at the bottom of my daypack, just in case.

Fit wise, it hits the sweet spot: there’s space for additional layers yet it doesn’t look overly baggy when worn with just a base layer. As mentioned, the articulated design provides excellent freedom of movement, while the comfort provided by the C-knit backer makes it a pleasure to wear.

The Ljósufjöll jacket is a solid ally when the weather turns foul, it’s Gore-Tex batting away the rain with ease and enabling me to continue pushing without getting overly stuffy, thanks to superb breathability. The ability to open up the side zippers to let air circulate was ideal. These are much preferable to the contortions needed to open and close the usual pit zips seen on many other jackets.

The only part of the jacket I didn’t get on with brilliantly was the hood. When tightened it pulls the peak forward, restricting vision. At the back of the hood are two buttons that enabled me to pull it back slightly, though I still wasn’t as enamored with it as with jackets that offer 3-way adjustability. In challenging conditions, it felt a little claustrophobic when tightened and I was acutely aware of it around my face with every head movement.

However, other than this qualm, the Ljósufjöll is a jacket of significant quality that has the versatility to be pretty much the only waterproof shell you’d ever need. Sure, some climbers and mountaineers wedded to the rugged qualities of a Gore-Tex Pro jacket may want to stick with such an option but for everything and everyone else, this jacket does it all.

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