Feb 26

Feb 26 Klättermusen Draupner (2021)

Klättermusen Draupner (2021)

Type: Shell / Use: Active / Face: Nylon / Insulation: n/a

Technologies: Cutan 3L stretch shell, RECCO beacon

Spend enough time in it, and the jacket world can feel like a rat race: the same tech, the same silhouette, season in, season out. Some logos get hot. Some fade away. And all the while, it’s still just black GORE.

Here, refreshingly, is a break from all that.

The Klättermusen Draupner is a wholly unique jacket. It feels different. It looks different. It wears different. And yet, the sum of its difference is absolutely pleasant. Performance-wise, the Draupner justifies its $700 mega-shell price tag with all the expected durability (and then some). Looks-wise, it’s the antidote to streamlined shell syndrome, and a more versatile piece for it.

In its native Swedish, “Klättermusen” translates to “the climbing mouse.” Here’s why this mouse gets the cheese.

The Draupner Difference(™) starts with its tech. The Draupner is cut from Cutan 3L Super Stretch, Klättermusen’s proprietary membrane fabric. On the face, there’s a hybrid textile made from a blend of elastane and biomass-balanced polyamide. For those outside the lab: it’s a stretchy nylon made from a mix of biogas (think vegetable oil) and petrochemicals. For those inside the third grade: it’s a stretch shell made from plants and oil. Cool, right?

Behind that planet-friendler face is a PTFE-free polyurethane membrane. No exact specs are given, but the brand claims performance well above the industry-standard 20K/20K. In testing, it certainly feels that way. Wrapping it all up is an inside lining of, I kid you not, corduroy-pattern nylon. It’s an exceedingly novel take on next-to-skin patterning. And it’s much comfier once a little bit of sweat starts up.

Overall, the tech package here gives hardcore performance with a soft and flexible feel. Just throwing it on, the Draupner settles more like an M65 field jacket than a 3L alpine shell like the Haglofs Nengal.

It’s a cool combo of tech. So how, does it work?

Cutting to the chase here: the Draupner’s functionality blew me away.

Performance-wise, the waterproofing is predictably good. I haven’t taken any hard falls on skis with it, but the Cutan 3L bashes its way through rain and snow without trying. Rain of up to one hour is no question. Past that, you’re better off stepping inside.

As for breathability, the Draupner is unexpectedly breezy for a shell of its size. Part of it is the fit. The Draupner’s straight cut lends itself to mechanical breathing in a way that slimmer athletic shells do not. But more than that, the Cutan textile just feels like it’s letting more air out than a comparable 3L PTFE shell. It’s far from a snorkel - the TNF L5 LT is the ventilator to beat, and Klätter’s rough rider doesn’t come close. But the Draupner doesn’t really get clammy, either. When your competition is all made of GORE Pro, that’s quite the thing.

Speaking of: unlike most overkill shells, this is an enjoyable daily driver.

The stretch-imbued outer lends it just enough give to not work against you. The hefty, brushed exterior means no crinkle-swish. And - this is entirely subjective - I found myself needing an extra layer with this much less often. I’d only reach for a mid-layer like the Atom when it got below 40° F. Comfort-wise, the Draupner felt more like a waxed cotton cruiser than alpinist kit.

But make no mistake. This is a proper, hardcore mountain shell.

Dotting the Draupner are novel, esoteric features that only a Krakauer could crack. On the chest are two giant pockets running essentially the length of the face, both harness-compatible and high capacity. These ribcage repositories flank a giant, glove-friendly double zip. Said zip stays dry with the help of a full-length velcro flap, secured by a roller coaster toggle. Under each arm, a waist-length pit zip.

Because this is a winter climbing shell, there are also safety features aplenty. A RECCO avalanche reflector comes standard. A magnetic compass on the right cuff does not.

That’s right: there’s a gd mf compass baked into the jacket. Also, the chest has utility loops straight from a safari vest.

Oh, the arcanum!

That said, one feature of the Draupner I could do without is the tonnage. In a size Large, this “climbing mouse” tips the sales at 864 grams (1.9lbs). That’s more than the ruggedized, mission-ready Raptor MiG (750g). That’s significantly more than the Roc Nordic (551g) or Alpha SV (490g). Hell, it’s coming up on twice the weight of the fully-featured, also comfortable-for-3L Mountain Hardwear Exposure/2 (470g).

It’s fucking chunky, yo. Not irresponsibly so, but enough to make you sometime wish it weren’t.

What you get for that heft, however, just about makes up for it.

Styling-wise, the Draupner is a large and in charge tech jacket that’s been designed to its strengths. I’ve alluded to this earlier, but this is a ski shell that drapes, moves, and dresses like worn-in canvas.

The product itself is gorgeous. I love the Dark Deep Sea color, especially with its subtle darker deeper Duracoat accents. The front layout is curious enough to be interesting, but smart enough to know when to stop. In my opinion, the hidden chest pockets are the clincher. I’d love to see other non-gram-shaving shells mute the visual noise of contrast zips and leave a cleaner front.

Whether or not this works in your wardrobe is subjective. The aesthetics here skew quirky, granola, and retro, so techwear fans should seek elsewhere. For me personally: I think it’s brilliant. Due to the cloth-like tactility, I found it easy to work into outfits of all kinds. As long as my pants weren’t shiny, the Draupner just dripped.

My go-to winter fit on freezing rain was this shell, a chunky sweater, belted hike pants, and white Salomon XT-6’s. Does that make me an archive insta clout chaser? No. But my tiny black beanie does.

I’m going to wrap things up by skipping the typical “why I don’t wear this more section,” if only for the simple reason that I wish I could wear it more. Quarantine has made me an indoor cat. Instead of a typical daily subway commute, I might make a once-a-day errand run. But on those runs, unless the chill dips below 20° F, I’m keeping on my “house fleece” (so cozy) and grabbing the Draupner.

My quibbles on this one are 1) the weight and 2) the price, but as far as mega-shells go, this one’s got it all at a price that’s well within the “big mountain” band.

If you’re tired of the sea of sameness rat race, check out Klättermusen. The Draupner is a great place to start.