The Keb family of clothing sits in Fjallraven's technical trekking range and includes everything from trousers to t-shirts and jackets, all with freedom of movement, durability and protection as cornerstones of their designs.
The Keb Jacket on test is a softshell built with G1000 Eco and stretch panels in key areas. One of our favourite fabrics for outdoor clothing, G1000 is a blend of cotton and polyester that offers durability, breathability, a natural feel, and the versatility offered by the application of Greenland Wax. The combination of this and stretch panels works very well, providing a robust but comfortable fit and feel for hiking. G1000 Eco across the shoulders, chest and hood gives a touch of rain protection, the stretch panels then add breathability and freedom of movement around the tops of the arms and across the back.
In addition to the already great breathability from the material mix, zipped vents run along the length of the torso. These provide welcome airiness and can act as kangaroo style handwarmer pockets thanks to 2-way zips which give the option to have hand-sized holes each side, still sealing out the elements elsewhere.
Just like the Keb Eco Shell waterproof jacket, the Keb jacket has its actual pockets on the chest rather than towards the waist, these clear backpack straps and climbing harnesses while still providing all the storage you could possibly need.
A full range of adjusters are present and as always with Fjallraven the quality of anything that tightens, moves, or zips is as good as the rest of the item, which is absolutely flippin' brilliant.
The hood is quite unusual to say the least and takes a bit of getting used to with its high collar and tunnel design. It's not the most aesthetically pleasing feature of the jacket but does give you a little microclimate of your own to hunker down in when it's blowing a gale outside, offering some of the best protection from a hood that it's possible to get.
We're less and less inclined to mention price when talking about Fjallraven kit, in simple terms they like to do things differently and charge accordingly. They build kit to last and pore over every detail of design. We're very rarely disappointed with anything they send us, even if we don't get on with a product we can always appreciate how well it's made and the thought that has gone into it. What we're trying to say is that Fjallraven kit isn't expensive for the sake of it, it's expensive for a reason.
Overall, the Keb Jacket is a timeless piece of outdoor clothing that has the potential to last given proper care. It's a great outerlayer that feels more than just a windbreaker, it's not only great for hiking but can also be put to good use camping, ski touring and for bushcraft.
