Back in May of this year, Hedvig and her eye-catching pink trollveggen Norrøna jacket crossed the Greenland Ice Cap. If you haven’t heard this tale from her words, check it out.
We’re proud of Hedvig, and certainly thrilled that she chose our products to protect her from the insanely cold temperatures she battled while on the adventure of a lifetime. Her ambitions are limitless, and our nearly 100 years of expertise in the field of technical sportswear provided exploration gear that supports the grandest adventures.
It might not be known to all, but Hedvig, and all other Norrøna Ambassadors, are a part of our extreme user testing program. What is this?
It’s a vital part of our product development. In order to secure the highest quality and top performing products, all Norrøna gear is tested for a minimum of 250 hours.
During this testing phase, our designers and product specialists are able to gather valuable feedback and implement it into the final product. Even when the process is complete, we’re asking for feedback to bring into the future.
After Hedvig had returned from her Greenland trip, she headed over to Norrøna’s HQ located just outside of Oslo, Norway. Her trollveggen Gore-Tex Pro Light jacket stood up against the harshest of weather conditions, but there was a small issue. This jacket was specifically made for ice climbing, not polar explorations.
trollveggen
Gore-Tex Pro Light Jacket
Our lightest, durable waterproof mountaineering jacket. Made for demanding alpine climbing, but works perfectly for all-season mountaineering adventures, including trekking and ski touring (or expeditions to the South Pole).
Understandably so, Hedvig had grown rather attached to her pink polar companion.
She saw no use in asking for a brand new jacket when this one had protected her through the very worst. Instead, she reached out to our product specialist, Emelie, and asked for some adjustments. Her requests: An added storm flap to cover the front of the zipper and a skirt around the bottom to extend the length.
The overall aim was to make the jacket more windproof.
Fresh from maternity leave, Emelie had arrived back at HQ and was thrilled to take on this project. “Our ambassadors may be these famous faces,” says Emelie, “But I never think about their fame when I’m calling them to ask for feedback on products they’ve tested”
“Our ambassadors help us understand what people want and need. And in this case, we learned that even the most challenging of explorations don’t require heavy product materials.”
Emelie was eager to help, but needed some guidance with the alterations. Luckily, Norrøna kept the number of a knowledgeable Product Technician. Enter Astrid.
Astrid has been with Norrøna for decades. Technically, she retired a few years back. But whenever she gets the call, she arrives at our headquarters ready to lend a helping hand to the next generation of designers and engineers.
Astrid has both seen and sewn her way through thousands of products. Though this particular project gave her some trouble. “Taking the front zipper was a real job,” she shares. “
After removing the seam tape with heat, we had not one but three seams to unpick!”
After the front zipper challenge was completed, and all alterations were made, a final fitting was needed.
Hedvig arrived at Norrøna HQ just four days before she was set to leave for her next greatest adventure- Aiming to be the youngest woman in history to ski solo to the South Pole!
Luckily, her revamped pink travel companion fit! “This is supergirl power right here,” she exclaimed as she threw the jacket on and examined the alterations in the mirror.
We highly doubt Hedvig’s current adventure will be her last. Knowing this makes us certain this is just a chapter in the story of her jacket.
1 thought on “This is the Story of Hedvig’s Jacket”
Very nice.
By the way how do you tie the fur hood