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Fjallraven Abisko Lite
Fjallraven Abisko Lite Trousers
I have to tell you, I am very excited about this opportunity to put a Fjallraven product to the test. I’ve been eyeing their line of clothing and accessories for a while now, because the old school rugged look really appeals to me. In general, Fjallraven sports a simple and casual design, but are equipped with top notch technological advances. I’ve been enjoying a super busy and fun summer playing around in the Rocky Mountains that are tantalizingly close from my house. An hour’s drive puts me dab smack in the middle of some incredibly beautiful mountainous landscapes. Hence, I had some excellent opportunities to put the Fjallraven Abisko Lite pants to the test on camping and hiking trips.
Notice the back bottom of the trousers with the more water resistant fabric just like the front and knees.
Sizing and Fit
For the North American Market, finding the correct sizing for a particular brand can be a challenge at times. Add in the European factor with different measuring units (and dare I say different body styles), and you have quite a challenge finding something that works well and fits perfectly. They have a strong presence in the North American market, and the sizing is pretty true to size for the most part. If you do not have the chance to try some of these on for yourself, you do want to make sure that you follow their on-line sizing guide with a close eye. You can pick your waist size, but for the length, they pretty much give you a very long inseam. Hence, you will more than likely end up with a pair of pants that are really too long. Keep in mind that that is by design. Hemming will be required if you don’t want to roll up your pants. Everyone’s style is different, so this does allow you to make them as long or short as you wish. I went with a size 46 which translates to a 30-32” waist. My length is usually about a 33 inch for length, but I ended up with a 36-38” length. Even with a roll over cuff, these Fjallraven Abisko Lite Trousers were just way too long. This has not prevented me from wearing or putting them fully to the test. I will have to go and find someone to hem these for me as I do not own a sewing machine for a nice quality finish. Not a big deal in any case, as I do want these pants to last me for quite some time, and the investment is well worth it.
An active camping weekend with some rugged trousers and man’s best friend.
The Fjallraven Abisko Light are well-ventilated trousers for lighter trekking and day trips in the summer mountains or in warmer climates. There’s stretch fabric on the top part of the trousers and over the thighs, and G-1000 Lite on the knees and lower legs for extra durability in shrub and rock filled terrain. Both fabrics ventilate out a lot of moisture and dry fast should the trousers get wet when hiking through early morning wet vegetation. The pre-shaped knees and waist are a little higher at the back for extra comfort when wearing a backpack or when squatting down. Two hand pockets and a zippered leg pocket on the right with an inside mesh pocket for a mobile phone.
A flush and slightly hidden pocket is actually rather large and great for phone or small guide book.
Putting the Fjallraven Abisko Lite Pants to the test
I wore these Abisko pants around for a couple of days just to get familiar with them. Timing was perfect as I was heading into the mountains for a long weekend camping and hiking trip. Camping can be a quite a production with kids and a dog, but it’s one I cherish and thoroughly enjoy. For me, it still means some work getting the car unpacked, erecting a tent, securing a tarp shelter over our cooking and seating area, etc. The Fjallraven Abisko Lite pants are the perfect all-around sturdy pants to wear for a trip like this. They were literally the only pants I wore for 3 days because they were good for pretty much every scenario and task I had to perform. I drove in them for 2.5 hours. The fit was comfortable and I did not experience any bunching, etc. Upon arrival, it started to rain, so deciding to set up camp in the rain or waiting it out was a decision that needed to be made. As I had already started with the assembly of my tent, I was kind of in a bind. I thought I could keep going, but the rain slowly intensified. My pants were up to the task and created a nice rain barrier (this is still before having applied the g-1000 coating). I did have to call it quits to wait out the heavy rain and thunder. Now I had to start factoring in mud as well, but again, no issues with the mud and rain sticking or becoming a nuisance on my pants.
Even though these fit my just right, they were slightly snug. The flex and bend of the fabric did allow for full range of motion.
Of course, being the only male in my household, I am also the self designated fire master. This entails getting on your knees, finding wood, and in this case raiding a couple of empty camp sites of some larger logs that had been partially burned. Now my pants were put to the test from the dirt side of things. Charcoal, mud, and dirt make for a nice soup, but again, my green colored Fjallraven Abisko Lite pants showed minimal wear. I am sure they are quite dirty at this point, but we are camping, its dark, so no big deal. As the name suggests, ‘Lite”, they are a bit on the thinner side. Although it is mid-summer, we were camping at an elevation right at 10,000 ft., and the nighttime temperatures dipped to about 40 degrees. After the kids were down, we hung out for a while, and I did notice a bit of a chill on my legs when I ventured away from the fire place. Not uncomfortably cold by any means, but keep in mind that the lighter and thinner layer does not handle the really colder temps. On the flipside, the afternoon sun was beating down on us as we took a family hike, and these Abisko Lite pants performed really well. They breathed nicely keeping me cool. That is something I had not expected, but I never had to go to the back-up shorts that I had brought.
Manufactured with the G-1000 fabric, and the Greenland wax can be applied and ironed into the trousers for a water repellant pair of pants.
FjallRaven’s Technical Specifications
- Extremely Durable
- Adaptable with Greenland Wax
- Water Resistant
- Breathable and Quick Drying
- Mosquito Safe
- UV Protective 50+
- Sizes: 44-58
- Weight: 355g in size 48 Fit: Regular Fit Waist: Mid Waist Leg-type: Full Leg Leg ending: Raw Length Material
- Consumer Material: G-1000 Outer material: G-1000® Lite: 65% polyester, 35% cotton
- Environmental-info: Infused with Greenland Wax for eco-friendly wind and water resistance
A strong and waterproof pair of pants for tackling the mountains, trails, and woods is a must, and the Abisko Lite pants are up to the task. Lightweight, cooling, yet able to handle the summer nigh chillier mountains temperatures. They look the part of a rugged outdoor companion, and have supported my camping and hiking expeditions. All the while keeping the mosquitos at bay during some hot wet marshy hikes. These pants are a considerable investment, but rest assured that they can handle numerous days of backcountry playing and I have faith that they will last me several seasons making this a great investment. For more info or to purchase, visit www.amazon.com/fjallraven.