Are you fed up with snow sneaking through that tiny gap between your gloves and jacket sleeve? Say goodbye to those cold wrists with the unique extended cuffs on the Norrona Falketind Gore-Tex. These cuffs are slim-fitting and long enough to cover half your hand to ensure that they stay in place no matter how you move your arms. This design is a favorite among our ice climbing testers but is seen as less than stylish by our more fashion-minded reviewers. Aside from the distinguishing cuffs, our testers also love the pit zips and chest pockets on this premium hardshell. However, they were disappointed with the tiny pull tabs on the zippers that make operating both unnecessarily difficult. Although lengthening these tabs is easy with a bit of string, it's not a chore you should have to perform on an expensive jacket. Despite this issue, the Falketind really is an excellent choice for anyone with long arms or activities where your sleeves are prone to sliding up.
Editor's Note: This review was updated on November 30, 2021 to reflect an update to the Falketind jacket.Norrona Falketind Gore-Tex Review
Cons: Super short zipper tabs, average weight, mediocre DWR finish
Manufacturer: Norrona
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Norrona Falketind Gore-Tex | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  | |  | ||
| Price | $519 List $519.00 at Backcountry | $625 List $625.00 at Amazon | $500 List $249.50 at Backcountry | $375 List | $225 List $225.00 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Sturdy weather protection, extended wrist cuffs, supple fabric | Unrivaled weather protection, decent venting options, perfect fit | Lightweight, excellent fit for active uses, solid weather protection, plenty of pockets | Ultralight, less expensive, excellent packability, decent weather protection | Good ventilation, bargain price, lightweight, fully waterproof |
| Cons | Super short zipper tabs, average weight, mediocre DWR finish | Expensive, not ultralight, mediocre breathability | Expensive, DWR treatment wears off quickly, great all-round performance but not outstanding in any specific areas | Limited feature set, questionable durability, high waist hemline, few venting possibilities | Interior fabric is clingy, feels delicate, limited drawcords |
| Bottom Line | A excellent jacket that boasts great weather protection, though it has a couple of slight flaws that detract from its overall score | Our favorite hardshell for serious adventures, it stands out if you're looking for an option with serious weather protection | A well-designed jacket that offers equally great weather protection, breathability, and mobility in a lightweight package | Our favorite ultralight shell to leave in our packs for unexpected storms | An ultralight waterproof model with underarm vents and and an exceptional price tag |
| Rating Categories | Norrona Falketind G... | Mammut Nordwand Adv... | Patagonia Ascensionist | Arc'teryx Alpha SL... | Marmot Knife Edge |
| Weather Protection (30%) | |||||
| Weight (20%) | |||||
| Mobility and Fit (20%) | |||||
| Venting and Breathability (20%) | |||||
| Features and Design (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Norrona Falketind G... | Mammut Nordwand Adv... | Patagonia Ascensionist | Arc'teryx Alpha SL... | Marmot Knife Edge |
| Pit Zips | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Measured Weight (size large) | 16.2 oz | 16.0 oz | 13.6 oz | 7.6 oz | 12.4 oz |
| Material | 3-layer Gore-Tex | 3-layer 100% nylon Gore-Tex Pro | GORE-TEX Active with GORE C-KNIT, 30D recycled nylon | 3-layer Gore-Tex with Hadron face fabric | Gore-Tex Paclite 2.5L 100% Polyester |
| Pockets | 2 hand, 1 chest | 2 front, 1 internal | 2 zippered handwarmer, 1 zippered chest, 1 internal stretch | 1 chest | 2 hand, 1 chest |
| Helmet Compatible Hood | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hood Draw Cords | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Adjustable Cuffs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Two-Way Front Zipper | No | Yes | No | No | No |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Norrona updated the Falketind since our test period. The updated jacket is constructed from over 50% recycled materials. The design remains very similar, but it looks like they addressed a gripe we had during testing, which was the small size of the zipper pulls. The Falketind we tested is shown on the left, followed by the updated model on the right.
Norrøna is a Norwegian outdoor brand that remains largely unfamiliar to North Americans. But it shouldn't be. They've been around since 1929 and continue to make high-quality gear that rivals the best from companies on this side of the pond.
Performance Comparison
Weather Protection
The Falketind utilizes 3-layer Gore-Tex Pro fabric that proved to be fully waterproof throughout all of our tests. Although the hood only incorporates a single drawcord, it is still easy to adjust and effective at sealing bad weather out. This effectiveness is principally due to some reinforcing material inside the brim that provides some stiffness and directs falling moisture away from your face.
The wrist cuffs are also especially long and form-fitting. Although this isn't exactly fashionable, it is extremely functional. By ensuring the sleeves stay tucked in beneath your gloves, snow is sealed out and your hands stay warmer and drier. Our only complaint is the durable water repellent (DWR) finish. Initially, it was better than average at beading water, but after a couple of months, it began to wear off and, we observed some wetting out of the face fabric. This will happen to any jacket, of course, but it appeared to happen a little sooner to the Falketind than the burliest hardshells we tried.
Weight
We measured a size large at 16.2 ounces on our scale. That's near the middle of the field, and a reasonable amount for a jacket that features a pair of full-length pit zips. It's a little heavier than it could be, however, because metal grommets on the hood and waist drawstrings could probably be made from lighter materials without compromising overall durability.
Mobility and Fit
From a functionality standpoint, the Falketind offers decent mobility and fit. The hood fits well while looking up or down, with or without a helmet on. The extra-long sleeves also ensure that the wrist cuffs don't ride even when arms are fully extended overhead. These same sleeves, however, will probably feel less than stylish to many non-technical shoppers. On the other hand, the main hem is a little bit short. This may be more fashionable around town, but it's definitely a problem if you want the jacket to stay tucked into a climbing harness.
Venting and Breathability
To shed excess heat and humidity, this jacket has a pair of underarm vents. When fully opened they're pretty effective, but the short pull tabs on the zippers make it hard to operate them with gloves on. The main jacket zipper features just a one-way slide, which slightly limits your venting options. The Gore-Tex fabric itself feels slightly thinner than average, which seems to enhance breathability a little without sacrificing durability.
Features and Design
The Falketind is clearly a well-made jacket constructed from high-quality materials. The most glaring design flaw is the short zipper pull tabs that make opening and closing the pit zips and accessory pockets unnecessarily difficult, and especially so if you're wearing gloves or mittens. The waist drawcord design also caused it to lose a point because the internal spring clamps used for loosening are unmarked and positioned away from the grommet and pull cord, which makes them tricky to locate.
Value
This jacket presents a decent value compared to other hardshell jackets. Although it will still cost you several hundred dollars, it's available for roughly half the price of the most expensive models. The Falketind also comes with a stylish fit and more supple, less noisy, fabric making it more suitable for casual occasions — as long as you're ok with the extended wrist cuffs. This means you might be able to save money by using the same jacket for technical outings and stormy days around town.
Conclusion
Norrøna might not be the best-known company, but their Falketind easily surpassed several other jackets from more famous manufacturers. Its quality is obvious and the extended wrist cuffs were particularly appreciated by our long arm testers. The largest downsides are the super short zipper pull tabs and a DWR finish that wore off a little sooner than the burliest jackets. Nevertheless, the Falketind remains a great buy, particularly if you can appreciate extra-long sleeves or you're able to find it on sale.
— Jack Cramer
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