Functional clothing is particularly important when it comes to working out your own turns. Robustness, weather resistance and breathability are the three main criteria required here. The Norwegians, with their mostly touring-oriented winter sports, know what is important here and so we eagerly tested the Stryn jacket and Sirdal pants, the 3rd-layer combo from Bergans with the innovative Dermizax™ NX membrane.
Both the jacket and the pants are made from 3-layer Dermizax™ NX. This thin and lightweight fabric is naturally waterproof and windproof and is said to allow twice as much moisture transport as comparable competitor products. It is also extremely stretchy for a hardshell material. Due to the thin material, the jacket is relatively cold (editor's note: there is a lined 2-layer version). In really cold conditions, it is advisable to wear a "thin" insulating jacket underneath; I usually managed with a PG jacket or a fleece. So far, the combination has withstood heavy snowfall and some rain very well. I would describe the breathability as good, although I can't judge that particularly well, as the jacket almost always comes off when I go uphill. You definitely stay dry when skiing.
The fit and sizing is more of an alpine style. I am 175 cm tall and weigh around 75 kg and opted for a large for both garments, as I prefer to wear ski clothing a little larger. I find the jacket very comfortable in terms of size and cut, the pants are a little too tight in the ski boot area for my taste. They fit well around the hips and are held in place with detachable suspenders. Unfortunately, there are no belt loops or adjustment options for the waist size, so you can hardly do without the suspenders. The stretch properties of the material should be emphasized, which make it very comfortable to wear and allow full freedom of movement.
The jacket has a removable snow skirt (with anti-slip rubber), which prevents snow from penetrating the jacket from below. This works really well. If this is not enough to keep the snow out, you can remove the snow skirt and use the connecting piece supplied with the Sirdal trousers to zip the two together to form a one-piece suit. Gaiters are attached to the lower leg end of the trousers, which can be closed with a Velcro fastener and a press stud. The gaiters adhere well to the ski boot thanks to an additional non-slip rubber band.
The hood of the jacket is helmet-compatible, although the freedom of movement of the head is somewhat restricted depending on the size of the helmet. Without a helmet, the hood is of course correspondingly large, but can be easily adjusted/fixed to the head and then follows all movements well.
No zippers or bells and whistles under the waist belt get in the way when abseiling. The two large side pockets on both the jacket and the trousers are positioned so that they are easy to open despite wearing a waist belt or backpack. The jacket also has a breast pocket on the outside with a goggle cleaning cloth and a breast pocket on the inside of the jacket. The package is rounded off with a mesh insert pocket on the inside of the jacket, in which goggles can be stowed, and a ski pass pocket in the snow guard area. All pockets are made of mesh on the inside for optimum ventilation.
The jacket has two large ventilation zippers under the armpits, which can be opened from both sides with 2-way zippers. This unconventional arrangement of the 2-way zippers really makes sense. The ventilation is good, but I push every jacket to the limit when climbing. The trousers have two ventilation slits on the outside at thigh height. In my opinion, these are somewhat undersized. In this case, I wish there were more ventilation zips on the inner thighs to create a proper draught.
I really like the clothes on the whole, especially the jacket. My only complaint is the sleeve cuffs, which are a bit fiddly to operate. In addition, the box part of the main zipper (the part into which you insert the loose side at the beginning when closing the zipper) has become blocked with snow several times. I don't know whether this is due to the zipper or simply coincidence. In any case, I've never had this with any other jacket. Perhaps a 2-way zipper would help here, which would also have the advantage of making it easier to wear a climbing harness under the jacket.
In my opinion, the ski boot area of the pants is a little tight. The gaiter is very tight on the ski boot, which is an advantage as it holds very well, but the gaiter is quite difficult to put on with gloves. In addition, the press stud only holds to a limited extent; an additional hook would be helpful here. The trousers themselves can only just be slipped over the ski boots, especially if the ski boot shaft is open on the ascent. Although this works quite well with the side zippers, I personally would prefer the trousers to be cut a little wider in this area. Especially as the diagonally arranged Velcro straps on the trouser leg could be used to reduce the leg width on the lower leg.
So far, the combination has cut a very good figure for freeriding, ski touring and simple alpine tours. There is nothing wrong with the workmanship and waterproofness. In my opinion, the lightweight Stryn jacket is also well suited for summer, alpine tours or as rain protection when trekking. The jacket also makes a good impression in the city. Another advantage of the Dermizax™ membrane is that it is easy to care for. According to Bergans, the garments can be washed with normal detergent without hesitation, as the membrane has no pores that can clog.
Conclusion
The Stryn jacket is a very functional and good jacket. It is lightweight, waterproof, well cut and versatile. So far, the jacket also seems to be robust enough, as there are no visible signs of wear despite noticeable use. The jacket also has a very attractive design.
The Sirdal Pant is a good pair of technical alpine pants. The material, function and robustness are just as impressive as the jacket. For me, they have some drawbacks in terms of cut and ventilation. But these are more personal preferences.
Advantages & disadvantages
+ Breathability
+ Functionality
+ General cut
+ Comfortable to wear thanks to stretchy fabric
+ Helmet-compatible hood
+ Tight & durable jacket-trousers connection possible
+ Colourful design & many color combinations available
- tight-fitting trouser cuffs
- no 2-way zipper on the jacket
- slightly undersized leg ventilation
- no belt loops or waist size adjustment
Details
Product name: 1380 Stryn Jacket & 1302 Sirdal Pants
RRP: Stryn Jacket: 639.90 euros; Sirdal Pants: 389.90 euros
Available sizes: S-XXL
Weight: 770g jacket / 835g pants (in L)
tested color: Ocean Green/Red/Sunset (jacket) and Red (pants)
5 resp. 6 different color variants
3-layer Dermizax™
flexible 4-way stretch material
Stryn jacket: 2 front pockets, 1 chest pocket, 1 inside pocket, 1 inside slit, 1 ski pass pocket, all pockets made of mesh for improved breathability, 2-way underarm ventilation, Velcro cuffs, helmet-compatible hood, detachable snow skirt (can be connected to Sirdal pants), goggle cleaning cloth, reflector inserts and Recco reflector
Sirdal pants: 2 front pockets, back pocket, side ventilation slits on the outside, high-cut back, connection system with the jacket, detachable suspenders, inner cuffs with Velcro fastener, press stud and anti-slip coating, ski edge protection, leg cuffs with zipper and Velcro, Recco reflector
For the Stryn jacket and the Sirdal pants on the manufacturer's website
