Fjällräven Keb Wool Padded Jacket review: a warm, understated softshell for both mountain and urban fun

Fjällräven Keb Wool Padded Jacket: first impressions 

This softshell jacket wields the natural insulating power of wool against cold, harsh weather conditions. Made using insulation recovered from the Swedish wool industry and a 100% recycled soft shell and lining, it goes easy on the planet and packs a punch when it comes to performance.

With an  understated, urban style, it works for hanging out around town as well as for an outer layer for cold weather hiking and a mid layer for backcountry ski touring. An elastic drawcord at the helm keeps cold drafts out and the adjustable hood means your ears stay protected on windy days without obstructing your vision.

Keep your hands warm with two zipped warming pockets and stash your essentials with two chest pockets large enough for maps and beanies.

This jacket is easy to wash at home meaning you can keep it in good condition and high quality materials ensure it will come out of the wash looking as good as new.

Fjällräven Keb Wool Padded Jacket: on the trails 

When I first heard that Swedish outdoor brand Fjällräven had made a jacket using insulated padding recovered from the Swedish wool industry, I expected it to be, well, wooly. So imagine my surprise when I received this urban-styled softshell instead.

I’ve gotten a lot of use out of this jacket and I have to say, I love it both for getting up a hill on a cold day and wearing around town. It’s really lightweight, though perhaps not quite as light as my down jackets of similar style and insulating power, and packs down really small for stuffing into my backpack on warmer days. The lining and shell are really soft to touch. Most importantly, this jacket has amazing insulating power. Perhaps because it’s so lightweight, I don’t expect it to keep me as warm as it does, but it really does the job on cold winter hikes and wool is thermoregulating so it also helps regulate your body temperature on warmer days.

It’s wind and water resistant and I was too lazy to dig my waterproof jacket out of my backpack on a recent hike in the lake district when the rain came on so I got to test that out. Not only did I not get soaked to the skin, but I was amazed by how quickly it dried out once the rain stopped.

I love the adjustable hood that stays up on the windiest of Scottish walks and doesn’t cover my eyes or get in the way and the hand warming pockets are great, especially as there are two other chest pockets that are easily big enough for large items like maps and hats. There is no inner chest pocket, but honestly I don’t miss it.

I also love the way this jacket looks. I live in Scotland where a decent winter jacket is a good idea for at least half the year, but living in a fairly cosmopolitan city, I don’t always want to look like I’m out and about in my hiking gear. The understated, urban look of this jacket means I can wear it around town and it’s a nice alternative to my sportier-looking puffy jackets. The small is slightly loose and long on me, which I personally like and means I can fit layers under it, but I noticed it’s a bit more slimmer fitting on the model who’s about six inches taller than me and wearing the same size.

I’ve worn this jacket so much it was ready for a wash recently and I was happy to just be able to chuck it in the machine with no special instructions. It came out looking as good as new, too.

This jacket is certainly on the pricier end of things, but as is often the case, you really get what you pay for here in terms of quality and performance plus a lower impact on the environment.

Here’s how it performed:

Sizing

I love the slightly baggy style of the small size on me, but if I went with the XS it would probably look like it does on the model. So, if you like it trim, you may want to size down. 

Fit

Slightly slouchy. 

Comfort 

Cosy yet lightweight and non-bulky.

Temperature regulation 

Extremely comfortable thanks to a soft polyester lining, lightweight and non bulky. 

Breathability 

Wool keeps you warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s warm and this works from biting to mild conditions, keeping your body temperature balanced. 

Durability 

Great quality and certainly not as fragile as a down jacket, it also holds up to a machine wash. 

Here’s where we tested the Fjällräven Keb Wool Padded Jacket: 

Orrest Head is a hill in the Lake District on the eastern shores of Lake Windermere. It is the subject of a chapter in Wainwright's The Outlying Fells of Lakeland, and the first fell he climbed.