Scandi-style: technical hunting gear from Sweden

When it comes to technical hunting gear, the Scandinavians know a thing or two. The southern tip of Sweden lies at roughly the same latitude as the Scottish borders, but 15% of the country extends into the Arctic Circle. While the south of the country enjoys warm summers and comparatively mild winters, the far north, which is also at a higher elevation, experiences harsh winters.

With the bulk of the Swedish hunting season taking place in Autumn, with higher rainfall and stronger winds, but the chance of warming sunshine, anyone out hunting moose or roe deer needs to know that their gear is versatile and thoughtfully made. Of course, here in the UK we are familiar with several Scandinavian outdoor brands, but one that was new to me is Pinewood.

Pinewood's humble beginnings

The brand is comparatively new, tracing its roots back to 1994, when the company’s founder began selling large-checked flannel shirts. Can you think of a more fitting beginning for a Swedish outdoor clothing company? I feel like every second person in The Bridge was wearing a flannel shirt and one of those little woollen hats that doesn’t cover the ears.

The shirt that started it all

That founder was Rainer Rüssel, who was born in the town of Gnosjö, surrounded by vast tracts of pine forest. A childhood spent exploring these woods, building dens, camping and hunting inspired in him not only a lifelong love of the outdoors, but the company that he would go on to build. From the company’s first two container-loads of shirts, Pinewood has grown into a leading outdoor brand, offering a wide range of hunting, fishing and lifestyle gear.

Walking the walk, hunting the hunt

One of the things that I am interested in when encountering a new brand is to understand whether the people behind the products have a good understanding of the marketplace that they serve. You can always tell, through the attention to the details (or otherwise) if they truly live the life that the products are intended for.

Product designer Carolina Sjögren is a committed hunter

It is fair to say that Carolina Sjögren, product designer of the hunting range at Pinewood, falls squarely into the “authentic” category. I spoke to her via a video call to get an understanding about the processes that informed the design of Pinewood’s updated Hunter Pro Xtreme 2.0 high performance hunting jacket and trousers.

Lina, as she likes to be called, told me that she lives in the south of Sweden, and belongs to a hunting family. She herself has been hunting for around 25 years. “Mostly I hunt roe deer,” she says, “driven hunts with dogs, and the occasional bit of moose hunting.” Her family owns a bit of forest, and her son, 20, and daughter, 17, both hunt too.

All-weather hunting gear

She tells me that before joining Pinewood 11 years ago, she worked as a tailor making suits, even working with tweed, but that her heart was always in hunting and the outdoors. In many ways, she believes that this experience has served her well in designing hunting apparel. “The fit is so important in both suits and hunting attire,” she explained. “Ease of movement - comfort, understanding the different kinds of stitching and the way something is manufactured is so important for creating durable and functional products. To make a design is quite easy, but to make a practical garment that actually works, you need knowledge, and understanding - the whole design team are active, and actively test products.”

“Hunting in Sweden comes with particular challenges,” she went on. “Because we hunt mainly in Autumn, clothes need to be waterproof, but also very quiet. Lots of things from technical outdoor clothing - from mountaineering or hiking - can be transferred to hunting, but many of the materials are just too noisy. Our Autumns are very windy also, but the climate seems to be getting warmer, so your clothing has to mean you are prepared for all weathers.”

Layering and technical savvy makes Lina ready for all conditions

The style of hunting in Sweden, and the vast spaces involved, also mean that there are particular requirements when it comes to features. “About 90% of all hunters in Scandinavia use GPS, so a pocket for the GPS set is important, as well as radio pockets.”

The other popular hunting styles in Sweden are stalking as we would know it, and high-seat or stand shooting, so hunting gear needs to tick the boxes of being warm, windproof, waterproof and breathable.

To meet all of these demands, and a few not mentioned, Lina and Pinewood have created the aforementioned Hunter Pro Xtreme 2.0 set. Lina explained to me that both the jacket is made on a three-layer principal.

The outer shell is made from polyester that has been treated with an eco-friendly finish to repel water. This fabric is what delivers the silent movement that is so vital in a woodland stalk.

Beneath the outer shell lies a waterproof and windproof breathable liner membrane to ensure that the weather, whether hot, wet or windy, doesn’t hamper the hunter’s performance. Finally, there’s a mesh lining, which contributes further to the breathability and the overall lightness and comfort of the jacket.

Ease of movement is paramount

Mobility, flexibility and comfort are watchwords for Lina, so the jacket has stretch panels beneath the arms and across the back, to allow for a complete range of movement.

Of course, moving stealthily in any setting, but especially in a forest environment, means that you’re likely to encounter thorns, so the shoulders of the jacket are reinforced with a durable-resistant material, helping to extend the life of the garment. The jacket’s seams are taped to offer improved waterproofing and strength.

We talk so often about the problem of keeping warm when in the field, that we often don’t consider the challenge of keeping cool, especially in a changeable climate. As Lina mentioned above, with a warming climate, this is an issue we are increasingly going to have to come to terms with, which is why the Hunter Pro Extreme 2.0 has a couple of cunning features to help.

First there are ventilation zippers in the sides of the jacket, to allow for increased airflow and the evaporation of sweat when you’re active. More cleverly, the jacket comes equipped with shoulder braces. These detachable straps allow the wearer to effectively remove the jacket and wear it like a backpack, keeping the hands and arms free for carrying one’s rifle, scrambling up hillsides and keeping one’s balance.

There are, of course, a huge number of pockets: radio pockets on both the left and right to accommodate left and right-handed shooters, a GPS pocket and two inside pockets, plus the “Napoleon” pocket to safely store valuables like wallets, mobiles and other items that need to be protected from the elements. There’s also a game pocket, and pockets for rifle ammunition and the all-important handwarmer pockets.

For when the weather turns wetter, there’s a hood, which can be removed when not required. The two-way adjustable hood means you can fit the hood to your head, meaning you retain a complete range of motion and vision, while the wide brim keeps the rain away from the face and ensures good peripheral vision.

Visibility and safety

When the hood is not in use a high collar offers protection from the wind, and in situations where the wearer feels it is required, there is a signal orange strip which can be stowed inside the collar when stealth is required over visibility. There is a similar armband in the sleeve. For situations or territories where there is a legal requirement for even greater visibility the jacket is available in an orange camo colourways, as well as a more traditional moss green.

The Hunter Pro Extreme 2.0 trousers benefit from a similar construction as the jacket, with two-way stretch panels in the waist for ease of movement and a similarly rugged build. These also feature a stowable reflective strip for greater visibility in low light and reinforced lower legs in durable resistant material. Both the jacket and trousers have adjustable cuffs at the ankle and wrist.

As is the way with modern technical hunting and shooting gear, the intention is that this set be used as part of a layering system, giving the best possible versatility. "In warm weather you could just wear it with a T-shirt underneath, but in colder weather you can use a base-layer," says Lina, noting that Merino is a good choice, "and then a midlayer, like one of the aforementioned flannel shirts or a fleece."

Speaking to Lina, I was left with the impression that both she and Pinewood as a brand spend a great deal of time and effort to make sure that the products that they bring to market are crafted with the needs and wants of their customers at the forefront, something that’s made easier by living the life themselves. As she commented: “We’re not out hunting every weekend, but the whole team is active and we’re always out testing and thinking about development.”

The Hunter Pro Extreme 2.0 jacket is priced at €239.95 - SHOP NOW
The Hunter Pro Extreme 2.0 trousers are priced at €189.95 - SHOP NOW