Helen Gurina Skiing in the Norrona lyngen dri2 thermo60 Jacket | Photo Mountain Weekly News
The Norrona Lyngen dri2 thermo60 Jacket is a great all-in-one jacket that can go from ski touring shell, to resort mid layer, to warm evening jacket for camping to casual street wear. It is warm enough to hold its own in cold temperatures and windy conditions. It is water repellent against snow, but you will still need a shell for rainy conditions. It is semi-breathable, but you will likely want to shed it once you warm up on the tour.
Packability
The Lyngen packs down nicely and is not very heavy for the amount of insulation it provides. It is close to the down mid layer options in weight and is much easier to care for if using it for outdoor activities. There is a generous hood that can easily go over a helmet, whether skiing, climbing or hit by unexpected weather on a mountain bike singletrack. It’s a quality piece that can go anywhere in the mountains.
Fit
The fit of this Norrona Women’s Jacket is fairly generous and works on athletic figures that need full range of motion. We tested the women’s medium in red, and there was ample fabric even over base layers. The cut is not tailored around the waist, and the two pockets sit fairly high, leaving lots of room for stuff. It’s a surprising amount of space for a jacket that is harness compatible, in case you’re touring up a glacier or use this for an ice climb. The cut is also fairly long, leaving your derriere covered from the elements. Perhaps that scores less fashion points, but is much appreciated when snow and wind don’t reach up a too short jacket.
Articulation
The jacket moves well, with articulated sleeves and quality design. There were no awkward, too tight or too bulky parts. It is warm in all the right places, and does not skimp on insulation. The zipper is a bit hard to maneuver, especially with gloves on, but everything is fairly wind and water resistant once zipped up. It is easy to pack down without random bells and whistles to maneuver.
The color is a true red, with darker maroon overlays. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve ordered “red” women’s gear only to see some shade of pink arrive. Much appreciated as an option for women’s colors beyond pastels, pink and “I don’t want to be rescued” black.
Synthetic Insulation
The synthetic insulation is on the warmer side, more than comfy for touring in the teens, if you are moving. You’ll probably want to remove it once you warm up in an activity but it is heavy enough as the one backcountry mid layer to keep in the pack and use in the cold evening back in camp. It held up to cold desert evenings easily.
This jacket has one of the largest hoods I’ve seen on a touring piece and will truly fit over any helmet. Or make you look like little red riding hood if used in town. There is a cord to adjust the size.
As mentioned, the pockets are both real and well placed. It is hard to find anything with real pockets on women’s gear but this will easily fit anything from ski straps to light gloves to accessories, without interfering with your harness. The jacket is roomy enough to fit skins inside if you’re in a pickle and need to warm them up to get them unstuck.
Norrona lyngen dri2 Jacket Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Warm enough for cold temperatures and wind
- Packs down nicely, not heavy
- Generous fit for full range of motion
- Synthetic insulation keeps warm in cold
Cons:
- Not waterproof for rainy conditions
- Zipper difficult to maneuver with gloves
- May be too long for some users
Overall Impression
The Norrona lyngen dri2 thermo60 ($430.00) is a truly versatile jacket that does great at ski touring, climbing in cold climates or on ice, mountaineering, as a resort skiing mid layer, camp evening layer and even as casual wear in town.
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