OutdoorGearLab

The Norrona Trollveggen Gore-Tex Light Pro shell is an excellent all-around hardshell jacket, particularly well suited to various winter activities. It's easy to layer over warm jackets but still slim fitting enough that the material doesn't get in the way of your movements. This makes it highly versatile when it comes to activity type and activity level. You can add layers to keep you warm and dry while ice climbing, but it was still a good fit for hiking, snowshoeing, and ski touring when you're generating more heat.
The Trollveggen is well suited to mountain adventures and will also perform well during urban activities or hiking and backpacking. It has a slightly looser fit and is impressively versatile, not to mention it's a surprisingly light jacket for the range of activities it can handle. We could stretch this jacket into extended alpine adventures and still appreciate it in milder climates on shorter missions. It's an excellent investment for all-around alpine climbing.

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Norrøna may not be on everyone’s radar, but the Norway-based outdoor company has a serious lineup of quality hardshells. From their flagship Trollveggen series is the Gore-Tex Pro Light, which goes head-to-head with top-end designs like the Arc’teryx Beta AR above. This Gore-Tex Pro shell is meant for high-alpine adventure with a long cut, 40-denier face fabric with burly 70-denier reinforcements, helmet-compatible hood, and tall collar. But Norrøna kept weight intentionally low with the “Light,” which gives it versatility for weight-conscious activities like hiking and backpacking. And with large pit zips and a two-way main zipper, you can customize airflow for all manner of activities and conditions.

Where does the Trollveggen Light come up short? In our opinion, Norrøna took the alpine-focused build one step too far when they designed the jacket without hand pockets—instead, you get just two external chest pockets and one internal zippered stash. What’s more, the jacket features a very long cut, which is great for coverage but slightly polarizing for casual use. In contrast, the Beta AR has a more standard length and convenient hand pockets, which are situated high enough to access under a hipbelt or harness. Both are exceptionally built and highly protective shells, but the Beta AR’s more versatile design might be the deciding factor for many. Finally, keep in mind that the Trollveggen’s sizing runs a little small, and we wound up going up a size... Read in-depth reviewSee the Norrøna Trollveggen GTX Pro Light  See the Women's Norrøna Trollvegen GTX Pro Light

The Norrona Trollveggen Gore-Tex Light Pro shell is an excellent all-around hardshell jacket, particularly well suited to various winter activities. It's easy to layer over warm jackets but still slim fitting enough that the material doesn't get in the way of your movements. This makes it highly versatile when it comes to activity type and activity level. You can add layers to keep you warm and dry while ice climbing, but it was still a good fit for hiking, snowshoeing, and ski touring when you're generating more heat.
The Trollveggen is well suited to mountain adventures and will also perform well during urban activities or hiking and backpacking. It has a slightly looser fit and is impressively versatile, not to mention it's a surprisingly light jacket for the range of activities it can handle. We could stretch this jacket into extended alpine adventures and still appreciate it in milder climates on shorter missions. It's an excellent investment for all-around alpine climbing.
Read more: Norrona Trollveggen Gore-Tex Light Pro review

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