The Haglofs Essens Mimic Hood is a hugely versatile and reliable synthetically insulated jacket that works superbly as an insulating layer in your overall layering system. How you wear it will depend on what you’re doing, how much effort you’re putting in and of course what the weather conditions are. If you need more detailed information about layering check our video here. The Essens mimic has been around for a couple of years now and has proved itself to be reliable, capable and utterly dependable. I’ve got one of these myself and it’s my go to insulating layer when the temperature drops below freezing or if I’m being less active in cold weather. My main reason for choosing the Essens Mimic, is because of its performance in our normally wet and soggy UK winters. Unlike natural down, the synthetic filling in this jacket retains excellent performance even when wet. Not only that, but it looks brilliant and fits (me) superbly!
What is the Essens Mimic Hood made from?
The outer and inner fabric of the Essens Mimic is made with Pertex Quantum fabric. Pertex has, quite rightly, become the benchmark for performance fabrics in all quality outdoor gear and this Quantum version is lightweight, durable, windproof, water-resistant and breathable. The smooth plain weave glides easily under layers and makes it less “shiny”. It’s also made from 100% recycled Polyamide, or Nylon to you and me, so it’s environmentally friendly and tough! Haglofs are so committed to producing sustainable products, they’ve signed up for the Bluesign program. This is a voluntary initiative that imposes the strictest environmental standards to ensure that not just the fabric, but all the components and even the manufacturing processes are as eco-friendly and sustainable as possible to reduce their ecological footprint.
Ok, let’s get into the stuff that keeps you warm, the insulation. Quadfusion Mimic, so called because it mimics the look and feel of natural down, is made from 100% recycled polyester, and is lightweight, lofty and durable. Basically, the filling is made up of spirals of fibres that twist together to form little spheres. Warm air is easily trapped amongst the fibres and the spheres to keep you warm. This is exactly how down works, but the massive advantage of Quadfusion is that it will still work to trap air even if it gets wet. If you fell in a river wearing this jacket, you could wring it out and it would still provide insulation, something that would be impossible with a down filled jacket, even the modern Hydrophobic down filled versions. Also, the super-springy nature of the fibres resists compression superbly, so you can stuff this jacket into your pack and when you get it out it’ll always spring into action to keep you warm.
Because Quadfusion behaves so much like down it can be blown into baffles, just like down. You’ll notice that the baffles on the Essens Mimic are nice and long and there’s minimal stitching. That’s because Qaudfusion is very stable so it doesn’t need to be trapped in place with tiny baffles or loads of stitching, therefore improving its weather resistance and, to be honest, how damn good it looks.
Despite all this fantastic wet weather performance the Essens Mimic is not waterproof! So always carry a shell jacket to keep you fully protected…because it will rain!
What are the main features?
So, starting at the top let’s have a look at the main features of the Essens Mimic Hood. There’s a fully insulated and well-fitting hood that will (at a push) fit a helmet underneath; but it's definitely more head, than helmet, compatible. The hood is three way adjustable using an elasticated drawcord loop at the back that effectively reduces the volume and snugs the hood around your head. There’s also a reinforced peak to stop the hood flopping down over your eyes and drawcords at the front to pull it all down to seal out the nasty weather.
Under the arms and running up the back of your shoulders is a stretch fleece insert that allows freedom of movement and also helps with moisture management in that particularly sweaty bit of your body; basically, the fleece is more breathable, so it dumps heat more effectively. The arms also have an articulated cut to make movement easier and increase comfort. Storage is taken care of with three zipped pockets, two hand pockets and a chest pocket. Haglofs have cleverly tucked the zips away to give the jacket a clean and stealthy look and when they’re zipped they pretty much disappear, which helps reduce water ingress. The cuffs feature a simple lycra binding to keep them snug around your wrists or they will stretch over gloves, the hem gets the same finishing. Although the hem isn’t adjustable, it sits nice and snug and the lack of drawcord helps to reduce the overall weight of the jacket.
How does the Essens Mimic Hood Fit?
I’m 6’3”, 42” chest and 34” waist, I weigh around 13.5 stone and I’m wearing a size Large – The fit is close enough to make the insulation effective, but there’s enough room underneath if I wanted to add an extra layer. The Essens Mimic has a shorter cut to keep it out of the way of your climbing harness and it also means it’ll pack up smaller. So, as an insulating piece it’s designed to fit pretty snug but has enough wiggle room under it for an extra layer on those really chilly days.
Where does the Essens Mimic Hood fit in the layering system?
The Essens Mimic Hood is a lightweight, breathable and packable Quad Fusion synthetic insulated jacket making it a hugely versatile insulating layer depending on your activity level and the weather conditions. The Essens Mimic also works perfectly well as a stand-alone jacket on those crisp, dry, freezing days or as a practical and cosy everyday jacket. Layering is not a precise science and there is no one perfect system that will suit every person, situation or the weather conditions. Some of us feel the cold, others, like me, get hot very quickly, but for more advice on using layers please check out this video.
Summary
The Haglofs Essens Mimic Hood, a beautifully made, highly effective, practical and environmentally friendly synthetically insulated jacket suitable for just about any outdoor activity in cold, wet, or just plain old miserable weather.
A massive bonus of synthetic insulation is that you don’t have to stick to the strict washing and drying guidelines that come with down garments. This is because Mimic fibres dry relatively quickly and don’t clump, so just wash in the appropriate cleaner following the care label instructions and all will be fine.
-
Insulated with a high-loft synthetic insulation that mimics down
-
Great warmth to weight ratio
-
30D tear and wind resistant outer
-
Shorter cut for better pack size and layering
-
Stretch inserts in the back for freedom of movement
-
Lightweight and compressible
-
Quick drying
-
3-way adjustable hood with stiffened peak