Before our trip to Sweden and Norway I was given the opportunity to test the Beacon Shell rain jacket from Aether. The brand, created in 2009 was born out of the desire for a men’s collection that looked at home in the city but was built to withstand the outdoors. Since our trip started out in Stockholm, a city that is very hip and fashionable I may add, and ending the trip summiting mountains in Norway, this jacket made the most sense to put to the test. Per Aether it offered the best of both worlds so naturally I wanted to try it out. My first reaction to the Beacon Shell was that it’s constructed well with solid materials. It’s feels really well made and almost has a stretch feel to it. All the seams are sealed and the zippers are also sealed. It’s very clean looking and slightly slim fitted that comes with an attached hood. It offers plenty of pocket opportunities with two side pockets, two interior pockets, and one chest pocket. I’d say that it’s a damn good looking jacket that performed well in the style department for our time in the city of Stockholm. We even had some light rain that kept me dry while walking around the city. However the real test was Norway for the waterproof features. We journeyed to the far north arctic region of Norway to a small town called Senja. While in Senja we experienced a lot of rain, especially when we summited their most infamous mountain #Segla. Segla is 2100 ft above sea level that sits next to a massive fjord that faces out to the Atlantic. Hiking/climbing Segla took us just under 3 hours round trip (we were booking it). While on the mountain we experienced very high winds and consistent drizzle rain and at times heavy rain at the summit. Temps starting out at the base of the mountain were about 50 F and when we got to the top I’d say they were in the low 30’s. It was cold but needless to say I was dry! I was actually sweating most of the way and had to utilize the side vent zips to allow air flow. But keep in mind this just a shell. There’s no insulation so you’ll need to wear layers underneath. The hood was very useful as it has a built in visor that helps keep the rain from dripping on your face. Below are some pics of me wearing the Beacon in some pretty heavy rain conditions. Overall I’d highly recommend this jacket for your rain jacket of choice or your travel jacket as it packs tight. Also in the picture I’m wearing the Atlas beanie hat, a 100% merino wool beanie that is incredibly soft and comfortable. In my opinion it’s a “go everywhere” kind of beanie. If you’re looking for a jacket that has style yet performs I’d highly recommend the Beacon.
The Beacon Shell jacket can be found here >> https://www.aetherapparel.com/collections/mens-jackets/products/beacon-shell
The Atlas beanie can be found here >> https://www.aetherapparel.com/collections/mens-accessories/products/atlas-hat?variant=41718962441
And if you’re wondering what Segla looks like check the last pic of the mountain range. It’s the tallest one shaped like a sail “Segla”.
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