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Forged by Ice and Fire

For nearly 100 years, 66°North has empowered life and adventure in a beautiful, yet unforgiving Iceland. They embrace their arctic home by making fashionable, functional, and premium-grade cold-weather gear with only the best performance materials available. The Polartec and 66°North partnership started more than three decades ago, and ever since, Polartec fabrics have played a key role in their mission to support work and play in the most demanding weather conditions.

Throughout the years, 66°North has adopted nearly every Polartec fabric technology in the range. But we’re going to focus on two iconic garments that epitomize this partnership, one that balances progressive design and innovative technologies with fashionable style, sustainability, and performance.

Ten Years of NeoShell

66°North was a key partner in launching one of the most innovative technologies of the decade. As we developed Polartec® NeoShell® in 2011, we engaged 66°North to test the technology in the extremely tough conditions of Iceland. The R&D relationship not only resulted in the breakthrough of the world’s most breathable waterproof technology, it also launched an iconic 66°North product, the Snæfell Jacket.

“Testing Polartec® NeoShell® in Iceland gave us an insight into what kind of jacket we could develop, maximizing performance, but at the same time keep the aesthetics so it would also be the perfect city jacket,” said Helgi Rúnar Óskarsson, CEO of 66°North. “The result was a jacket that to this day is still our best-selling shell jacket. Since then, we have continued to develop more NeoShell products where wind- and waterproofness go hand in hand with fantastic breathability.”

Today, the Snæfell is a staple for the deep north. As 66°North’s most versatile softshell jacket, you’ll see this piece as an adventure buddy for hikers and skiers; a daily uniform for bicycle commuters and farmers’ market vendors; and a necessity for the everyday Icelander. The Snæfell is a truly beautiful piece that combines form and function with fashion - a unique all-season jacket that works from city to mountain. Polartec® NeoShell® delivers dynamic breathability and waterproof protection in a soft and flexible shell jacket. It’s why the Snæfell won the prestigious ISPO Outdoor Award and the Scandinavian Outdoor Award in 2011. The Snæfell Jacket & Pants remain a popular item in their line and still looks as modern and clean as it did back then.

Winter is Coming

66°North’s Tindur Jacket highlights the fuzzy side of outdoor performance. Another iconic Icelandic piece, The Tindur Jacket is designed with Polartec® Thermal Pro® Shearling Fleece made from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles, with added panels of Polartec® Wind Pro® Stretch, a unique hybrid of Wind Pro and Power Stretch fabric technologies. This jacket blends elegant style and lightweight warmth in a mid-layer built for the extreme cold. By checking out 66°North’s Instagram, you wouldn’t be surprised to see a supermodel volcanologist wearing the Tindur Jacket next to the lava fields.

The Snæfell and The Tindur are just two of the many classic Polartec and 66°North pieces that represent what this partnership is all about - quality innovation and performance rooted in sustainability, inspired by heritage. A partnership that started 30 years ago and continues to this day.

“The fact that Polartec is driven by constant innovation has enabled 66°North to continue to develop and evolve its products for the most demanding conditions.”

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