INTRODUCING HAGLÖFS: SWEDISH DURABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY & QUALITY

This season, we are proud to welcome back our old friends Haglöfs to Snow+Rock with their brand new spring and summer range. With over 100 years of heritage, this Swedish brand are defined by quality and durability as much as their commitments to sustainability, not to mention their founder Wiktor, who did not consider himself the outdoorsy type.

Born Entrepreneurs, Unnatual Outdoorsmen

 

Born in 1886, Wiktor Haglöf grew up on a farm in Dalvik, Sweden, where he soon realised that he did not want to follow in his father Gustaf’s footsteps, travelling long distances in challenging conditions to sell produce from their family homestead.

 

Wiktor did, however, inherit his father’s inventive knack (Gustaf devised his own compass to better-navigate the perilous Lake Dunn next to the farm) and spot a demand for durable, comfortable backpacks for local farm and forestry workers and school children.

 

In 1914, Wiktor crafted his first backpack in a farmhand’s cabin and sold his first design to a gunsmith. He soon employed the assistance of his neighbour, Maria Långberg, who had her own sewing machine, before adding hammocks and a rye crispbread grinder (another family invention used as an alternative for soaking bread for toothless people) to his range by 1916.

 

 

In 1919, Wiktor purchased a house and built a workshop in his birthplace of Torsång, Dalarna, Sweden, where he hired his first employees, including a salesman who cycled as far as Östersund to sell Haglöfs, which is 400km away. During WW2, Haglöfs even supplied the military with leather bags for gas masks and gaiters.

 

Not bad for someone who did not want to spend his time battling against the elements in the great outdoors!

Rooted in Heritage and Sustainability

 

By the time the brand introduced a clothing range and walking boots in the mid-1990s, which included a license to use waterproof Gore-Tex technology, the principles of their founder Wiktor still influenced and inspired their approach to outdoor gear design: durable, robust materials and exceptional quality.

 

Haglöfs are also committed to fairer trade and environmental sustainability, which includes the use of more recyclable materials in their products and the development of a fluorocarbon-free durable water resistant (DWR) treatment.

Stylish, Durable and Technical

 

Our new season collection is lightweight and highly durable with the latest waterproof and breathable technology, so that you stay cool and dry when you’re hiking, trekking and trail running in warm spring and summer weather.

 

The Men’s L.I.M. Versa Jacket is constructed with Gore-Tex Paclite fabric, which is lightweight and easy to stuff into your pack when the sun’s out, while the Women’s Boa Q Hood four-way FlexAble material provides eco-friendly water and wind resistance, with excellent breathability for demanding trekking.

 

The Men’s and Women’s Ridge II Tee are both sweat-wicking with a sustainable anti-odour treatment made from volcanic ash, which cleverly captures odours and releases them in the wash to keep you feeling fresher for longer.

 

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