Published in Essential Journal
Author: Millie Throp
The Nordic region has birthed many mainstays of the outdoor equipment industry. Where its rocky expanses border sunken forests and glacial peaks, Haglöfs is no exception in ensuring its apparel and accessories remain steadfast in the face of terrestrial spontaneity. Gaining its namesake from carpenter Wiktor Haglöf in 1914, when the founder set out to construct a backpack capable of enduring his native country’s topography, the Swedish label has since cemented its stature for hardy gear, now more than a century on.
So, as to never trail behind the innovations of others, nor taint the experience of explorers, a brand’s responsibility is surely to seek areas for improvement in their product line, to act, and repeat. But there’s an area often missed, even by the pragmatist, where the carried weight of silhouettes has been accepted as a standard. At least, this was the case before Haglöfs incepted its sartorial ‘Less Is More’ series over 20 years ago, ideated for less bulk and greater ease of movement, wherever the weathervane may point.
This season, re-addressing the misnomer that trekkers should forgo the struggles of a hulking inventory, the L.I.M Series SS25 further cherishes movement without tether. Taking greater strides into weightlessness, the women’s L.I.M Airak GTX Jacket stands as exemplar, boasting a mere 220g load, halving the heaviness of competitor waterproofs. Retaining a promise of durability despite its compactability, the outline is backed by three layers of GORE-TEX ePE membrane, all the while maintaining breathability. Whilst elsewhere, the release’s L.I.M Tech Tee provides moisture management and chafing reduction, without the added mass.
Within the collection’s accessories offering, the L.I.M Airak Down -0 sleeping bag offers a water-resistant shell and hydrophobic down insulation, materialised in zealous palettes. Weighing just over 600g, it’s suited to temperatures of up to -15°C. Meanwhile, the Touring Pro 40 backpack comes full-circle from the early ambitions of the brand’s founder, retaining the functionality of an alpineer's 40L go-to, but weighing far less than the average, dual-storage carrier.
Manifestly, prowess can be achieved with better equipment. But Haglöf’s latest L.I.M offering proves that being lighter on one’s feet can also foster such empowerment. Aptly referring to its sartorial community as ‘Outsiders’, the brand then encourages an acceptance of the wandering self by ensuring there’s nothing to hold them back. That’s why, this season and beyond, Haglöfs won’t be weighed down by the limitations of so-called technical standards, instead, heading straight for the eye of impossibility.