Fashionable expedition gear with 66°North
Plus, giving a lucky reader and a friend a chance to win an all-paid trip to Iceland to meet the team, get free gear and explore the beauty of Iceland!
We have an absolute banger on our hands today! We’re partnering up with 66°North to learn more about the brand, checking out what garments they have to offer, a look at their latest Reflective Collection, and what’s arguably the biggest giveaway we’ve had on SNL yet — you and a friend will have the chance to win a 2-day paid trip to Iceland where you’ll meet with the 66°North team, get some free gear and enjoy the beauty of Iceland!
THE BRAND
66°North has a pretty neat history. The brand started in 1926, making protective gear specifically designed for Icelandic fishermen and workers. The extreme weather conditions of Iceland are no joke and require suitable clothing for survival. At that time, there were no weather forecasts and the boating equipment was not at the level that it is now, so all you really had was the clothing that separated you from life and death — extreme, I know, but that’s just how it was!
As time went on, their outerwear innovation continued to grow and quickly 66°North became a household name in the country. Fast forward to today, they continue to design gear suitable outdoor professionals as well as everyday people like you and me. What’s also cool is that they own their own factories in Europe where they manufacture most of their products. At this level, you can expect only the best quality, and with their recent focus on more fashionable designs, this is a brand that I’ll be keeping a closer eye on from here on out — It gets cold here in Montreal during winter, so gear that’s built to keep me warm that’s also fashionable? Sign me up.
Most recently, the brand had begun pivoting to a more fashionable approach with its products while still maintaining that high level of quality they’ve had since the beginning. In 2022, the brand appointed Kei Toyoshima as the creative director of the brand. Kei’s past experience at houses like Bottega Veneta, Haider Ackermann and Louis Vuitton has allowed him to bring the brand a completely new fashionable take on the brand while still maintaining that functionality.
A recent collection titled The Traveller recently dropped on their site, which features an array of really nice garments that are designed for the outdoors but can easily be integrated into a more streetwear-styled fit. I love good technical gear just as much as the next person, but when there’s a sprinkle of fashion it just makes it that much more exciting for me to wear, and I think that’s what gravitates me to the brand to begin with.
THE REFLECTIVE COLLECTION
Let’s do a deep dive into the actual products. I had the opportunity to test out some of the pieces from their recent Reflective Collection, which is available now directly on their website here — We’ll be specifically looking at the Jacket, Pants and the Backpack. Right off the bat when I got the pieces in person what I noticed was the overall durability and construction of each item. This stuff will, without a doubt, withstand any sort of extreme weather that us fashion enthusiasts might encounter.
I’m usually iffy on 3M stuff, but this set does it tastefully, making it a lot of fun to wear in all sorts of lighting. The pinstripe detailing is very subtle in normal light, giving the pieces an elevated look that stands above just your regular black winter set.
I spoke to Bergur Guðnason, who’s in charge of Special Projects and Collaborations at 66°North to find out the reason behind the 3M choice for this collection:
In wintertime in Iceland, the daylight is limited. Wearing reflective clothing is essential for safety and has always been in 66 North‘s DNA. The low light conditions, combined with often overcast weather, make it challenging for drivers to see individuals outdoors. This is particularly crucial in rural areas where street lighting may be minimal, like hiking a mountain. On the darkest winter days, there is a maximum of 3 hours of daylight throughout the whole day.
In Iceland, the search and rescue teams wear gear from 66°North for safety reasons. The garments we make for them always have 3M/reflective details on them as they often need to work in challenging terrains and conditions over wintertime and need to be visible. I wanted to take this concept a step further and make every piece in the capsule all-over/fully reflective, making it more fashionable but at the same time more visible for safety reasons, instead of having a few details reflective. The fabrics are deadstock from our own factories in Latvia.
Snowboarding season is coming up, so I’m definitely excited to whip this set out on the mountains, but in the meantime, you can catch me rocking in this on the streets. The jacket is pretty versatile and is equipped with taped seams on the inside, ensuring protection while maximizing dryness. I went with my regular size and had no issues with the fit, although I would maybe consider going up a size if you’re looking to wear thicker layers underneath.
I love the choice to put the two pockets in the middle of the jacket — I find that resting your arms inside of them somehow keeps me cozier vs your classic waist-level pockets. Plus it’s just more comfortable to rest your arms at this level, so solid choice here. Easy-to-use elastic bungee cords are placed all around the jacket for you to adjust the hood and the fit at the waist. I was also pleased with the choice of velcro at the cuffs — some jackets have very large velcro straps, which is fine, but I think I personally perform something a bit smaller and almost unnoticeable. While a small detail, it’s one that’s important to me, so I was hyped to see how they executed that.
Various small to large pockets can be found across the inside of the jacket, allowing you to easily store important stuff without having to worry about any potential damage from snow or rain from the outside — but to be honest, the exterior pockets will be more than enough to protect your stuff because nothing is penetrating through the fabric used for this item.
Although you can rock the pants on their own in a more streetwear-styled fit, I’d say these are going to fit better in an actual mountain setting — I mean, after all, that’s what they are built for. The built-in belt is a nice touch that allows me to easily adjust the fit on the go without having to worry about trying to find a belt that matches the vibe. Side zippers at the bottom of the leg for those who are planning to wear some serious bulky boots this winter, or as I said earlier, ideal for skiing or snowboarding. Swag on the mountain is important and I think these will be perfect for that, whether you choose to go with the full set or not.
The backpack might be my favorite out of the bunch. To me, most backpacks are usually ugly, but the 3M detailing makes this bag a lot of fun to wear on its own. I’ve been wearing a lot of backpacks lately just to transport stuff from the house to the office, and that means I need space and adequate protection from the rain when needed. Was pleasantly surprised at how much stuff I could fit into this bag, plus the Polartec laptop sleeve was a nice cherry on top — can easily fit a 14” macbook no problem.
The overall shape of the backpack is also nice. It’s a little bit wider, which I don’t usually go with, but when I put it to the test I ended up having a pretty comfortable wearing experience.
WHAT ELSE IS THERE?
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the selection. I highly recommend browsing their site as they offer a variety of outerwear styles in different finishes and colors. Lots of raincoats, puffers and all sorts of outerwear gear to have you ready for any sort of cold climate this season — seriously though, go through their site and you’ll be surprised at how much stuff they have. Prices range as well depending on the technicality of each garment, which I think is a nice touch which gives you a chance to enjoy their stuff at various budgets.
They also have a great assortment of accessories too — gloves, beanie and scarf season is just around the corner, so you might as well start doing your research now. If you’re living in a colder climate this season then you need stuff that is built for performance and looks great with any sort of outfit. I personally would spend some time in their bag section as well. Lots of variety there!
Overall, the brand has a lot of promise. They manufacture at a high level, focusing on protection, durability, and performance while providing us fashion enthusiasts with stylish pieces to pull a fit off in the cold. If you’re looking for something that will last you for years, has great comfort and something a bit more stylish then 66°North is a brand that you should be keeping a close eye on this season.
You can check out their full offerings directly on their website here.
I’m a sucker for buying bags and backpacks. I don’t think I’ll be able to resist a 66 North addition.
Love the pieces. I think the Shell Jacket is my favourite!