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Gear reviews | Sweet Supernaut jacket and pants

High-tech combo from the far north

by Steffen Kruse 02/10/2017
The Supernaut series (consisting of jacket and trousers) should meet the highest alpine demands, be extremely robust, well thought-out and durable. I have been able to test whether this is actually the case over the last thirty or so days of use.

Sweet Protection was founded in 2000 in Trysil, in the heart of Norway, by ambitious freeriders. They have the mountains right on their doorstep, which means that the equipment they produce is always put through its paces. Their goal has always been to have fun together in nature and to produce the best material.

Testers and test conditions

I received the combo from the manufacturer at the beginning of this season and have had around 30 snow days with it so far - unfortunately not very many powder days. The weather has ranged from very cold, storms and snowfall to rain, sunshine and spring-like temperatures. I wear a size L at 85 kg and 1.86 m.

Supernaut jacket

The jacket is made from three-layer Gore Tex Pro. The 70 denier main material is combined with a 150 denier material in areas subject to extreme stress (elbows/shoulders). This should keep the jacket "flexible" and save weight (655 g, size L, manufacturer's specification).

Let's start from the bottom up: There is an elasticated waistband, which, like all the elasticated waistbands on the jacket, is equipped with the "Onehand fastening system". This fastening, which is integrated into the jacket, can also be operated with gloves and/or just one hand. It's a nice gimmick, but I imagine replacing it will be time-consuming as the membrane has to be opened. Oh well, but the jacket comes with a two-year guarantee. The snow skirt is fitted with press studs, fits snugly, keeps the jacket tight from underneath and can be removed if necessary. There are two inside pockets with zippers. The pocket on the left side has a small hole at the top, e.g. for a headphone cable. There are two breast pockets, each of which is large enough to hold a touring map. There is also a cell phone pocket. There is a small lift card pocket on the left upper arm and a ventilation zipper (without mesh) under the arms. All zippers are from YKK and waterproof. The pre-shaped sleeves have an asymmetrical cuff with Velcro fastening. The arm cuffs with thumb holes (wrist warmers) prevent snow from penetrating the sleeves. The hood has an elasticated drawstring for fine adjustment and is helmet-compatible. However, the hood can also be easily adjusted and worn without a helmet.

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In general, I think the jacket is very successful. It is very comfortable to wear, I like the pre-shaped arms and the cut is casual without feeling like I'm wearing a nightdress. I have problems with sleeves that are too short, but that's not the case with this jacket at all. It kept me warm in very cold and windy weather and wicked away moisture well in warm weather. Of course, it's always a question of the layers and what and how much material I wear underneath as to whether the jacket is able to fulfill its function. That's why I say that if the setup underneath is right, the jacket absolutely fulfills what it promises. The jacket is waterproof even in heavy rain. I can also confirm the promised robustness: it has survived forest excursions and contact with branches without holes or other marks. The only thing I find a little annoying is the waistband that seems to fold up by itself when the snow skirt is closed.

Supernaut Pant

Like the jacket, the pants already have a highly articulated, 3D-optimized cut that is supposed to guarantee unrestricted freedom of movement. Only the best three-layer Gore Tex Pro was used for the pants too, which makes them extremely robust but not too heavy (735 g, size L, manufacturer's specification). But let's start at the leg end: here we find gaiters with a wide silicone band (prevents them from slipping up), a press stud and Velcro fastener, as well as a small hook for attaching the gaiters to a lace-up shoe, for example. The inside of the leg has crampon/edge protection (Super Fabric). There are two touring map-sized pockets on the thigh. There is a full-length zipper on the outside of the leg, which is also used for ventilation. The bib pocket on the right side can also hold a touring map. The avalanche transceiver pocket on the left side can also be accessed from the inside via a zipper. There is a stretch insert on the back of the bib to provide more flexibility and breathability. The bib cannot be removed and is held in place by thin straps.

The pants not only make a well thought-out impression, they really are. Although there are no other "adjustment tools" (e.g. waist adjusters) apart from the straps, the trousers are comfortable to wear and fit me right away. The cut is loose and casual, but not too baggy. My skepticism that the straps would be too thin has not been confirmed. Ventilation is guaranteed at the back thanks to the stretch insert, even with a backpack. The so-called X-Opening ventilation zippers are also variable and ensure good ventilation on the ascent. The fact that the bib has two zippers (one at the bottom and one at the top) is very practical for doing small business. The pants have always performed as they should, only in very cold temperatures (-25°C) and windy conditions did I have the feeling that the cold was creeping through the material. Personally, I miss a back pocket for my wallet, as otherwise it disappears into my thigh pocket and gets in the way a little. In principle, I really like the cut, only the leg ends are a little too alpine for my taste. The gaiters just go over my freeride boot (Salomon Quest) and the leg ends of the pants just fit over my boots. It looks a bit like a pressed sausage to me, so I just leave the zipper open a little, then it fits well. It's a shame really, as the cut is otherwise really loose

.

Conclusion

The Supernaut combo is really well thought out, made from the best material and of top quality, which is to be expected at this price. The jacket scores well in all areas, but I have to deduct a few points from the trousers due to the leg cut.

Advantages & disadvantages; Cons

+ comfortable fit of the jacket
+ good breathability
+ good ventilation options
+ robust material
- tight trouser legs

Details

- waterproof/windproof, breathable three-layer Gore Tex Pro
- reinforced leg ends
- numerous pockets
- pre-shaped knee and arm sections
- waterproof YKK zippers
- raised bib with stretch insert at the back

Here is the Sweet Protection website with more information about the Supernaut jacket and pant. Here you can purchase jacket and pants from our partner store Bergzeit.de.

This product was provided to PowderGuide free of charge by the manufacturer. You can find out how we test them in our test statement.

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This article has been automatically translated by DeepL with subsequent editing. If you notice any spelling or grammatical errors or if the translation has lost its meaning, please write an e-mail to the editors.

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