ProView – Bergans of Norway Sky Jacket

“Rock climbing is a powerful tool for an individual to explore their true potential, both physically and emotionally. The places that rock climbing can take you, on the grand scale of things, are places that very few people have ever stood – this is why I climb.”

The Bergans of Norway Sky Jacket is a great simplistic rain and wind jacket that provides the adventurer with good range of movement, breathability and protection from the elements. The compressibility and minimal weight of the Sky Jacket means you will never need to second guess bringing it along on your adventures. If you stow the jacket in the bottom of your pack you will not even know it’s there, and when the skies open, you can be rest assured you’ll be covered.

Fit

I am 6’2” with a 45” chest and 37” sleeve measurement and the large Sky Jacket fits a little big over a t-shirt but wonderfully over a lightweight down jacket (like the Bergans Slingsbytind down jacket) or a fleece jacket (like the Bergans Galdebergtind Jacket). The jacket comes with draw cords on the waist to help get that close-to-the-body fit that keeps the wind and weather out and the jacket right where you want it. Pair that with the velcro cuff adjusters and you will get the right fit no matter what you are wearing underneath the jacket.

Performance

I was bit hesitant to get a jacket that is described on the maker’s website as “not as durable as the Super Lett jacket, nor is it intended for rough use” but I was drawn towards the Sky Jacket’s simplicity and lightweight construction. Weighing in at 340 grams (11.99 ounces), the Sky Jacket is a big contender in similarly priced jackets when it comes to shaving ounces.

The Sky Jacket performed wonderfully as a piece of my layering system. Cool and crisp mornings in the desert led me to need a shell over my down jacket, but by the time the sun came around I was shedding layers. The Sky Jacket packed down small enough that I never hesitated wearing it or bringing it along. The extended length down the back (28”) means you will be fully covered whether you have a pack on over the jacket, the jacket is tucked into your climbing harness, or you are taking an early morning ride on the motorcycle.

The stand-out winner for this jacket is its functionally lightweight design. You always need the rain jacket you left behind, and with the Sky Jacket, there is never the need to leave it behind. It can pack down into one of its own pockets (though, the pocket does not have a clip-able loop or a zipper pull for the inside out pocket) and is roughly the size of a small loaf of bread. Although there are burlier rain jackets, I no longer see a need for them as the Sky Jacket does what I need a rain jacket to do: to be unnoticeable when I do not need it but protect me when the weather turns foul.

Pros

• Lightweight packability means you will never think twice about throwing the jacket into your pack
• Roll-able hood with Velcro capture system means the hood becomes a part of the collar when you do not need it
• Draw cords on the waist, sides of the hood and rear of the hood means it fits how you need it to, when you need it to

 Cons

• The jacket packs down wonderfully into its own pocket but does not come equipped with a loop or a zipper pull if you do this

The Final Word

The Sky Jacket comes out of the woodwork as a hard worker. Think of it as that friend that is always there for you even if you have not talked in ages. You will never regret bringing a rain jacket along, even if the weather does not look dubious, because once the Sky Jacket goes into the pack you will not even know it’s there, but when it’s time to go work you can count on the Sky Jacket.

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Patrick Betts began climbing in 2008 while visiting Colorado and he has never looked back. Since then, he has climbed throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. He is now the Chief Operating Officer and Head Guide and Front Range Climbing Company. Patrick has a bachelor’s degree in Outdoor Leadership from Colorado State University – Pueblo, and has been working in the outdoor industry since 2009. His passion is to help people get the opportunity to experience nature in a way they never thought possible. He is an experienced adventure photographer who loves to travel and photograph the climbers, climbs and landscapes that are close to his heart.