Fjallraven Keb Eco Shell Jacket Review 2024 – Best Rain Jacket of All Times

When you spend as much time as I do chasing outdoor adventure, you need a good-quality waterproof jacket. You need a jacket that’s tough, comfortable, absolutely weatherproof, and if it’s eco-friendly and looks stylish, even better! The Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell Jacket is perfect for it!

That’s why I invested in this Jacket. I bought these jacket several years ago and they come with me on every trip. With my Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell Jacket on my back, I know we can get off the beaten track in rain or shine and keep exploring all year round.

Key Features of the Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell Jacket 

The Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell Jacket is ultra-waterproof. Most people look for Gore-Tex when buying a waterproof shell but Fjällräven’s three-layer Eco-Shell fabric has its many benefits. The Eco-Shell is 30.000 mm waterproof, which is extremely waterproof, has 26.000 breathability rating, which is extremely breathable and is also durable. The garment is stretchy which makes it comfortable to wear.

Function comes first, but Fjällräven is committed to environmentally-friendly production. Eco-shell is made from recyclable polyester and treated with fluorocarbon-free impregnation.

The design of the Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell Jacket is minimalist and allows for great freedom of movement. The openings on the jacket ensure lots of ventilation. The main zipper works both ways and has an inner protective flap, so you can unzip it a bit when you need some air without getting wet. There are also 2-way zipped side vents running from the underarms to the hem that are convenient to slip open when you overheat. 

For storage, there are two outer chest pockets with inner mesh pockets to keep smaller items safe. There’s also one inner chest pocket and one smaller pocket on the upper arm. The hood has space for a helmet, fits nicely, and, importantly, it moves with your head even when it’s pulled tight. No tunnel vision on the trail! The cuffs have velcro straps so you can seal them tight around your gloves and the bottom of the jacket has a drawcord.

Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell Product Specification:

The figures for “water column” and “breathability” put this jacket at the very top end of technical hiking gear while the weight is a little more than other waterproof shell jackets. 

MY Fjallraven Keb Eco-Shell Jacket review

My Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell Jacket review comes from real experience as my jacket come with me on every trip I take. I bought my Fjällräven jackets while planning my first big trip around the world. It was important that we bought high-quality gear that would be durable and versatile as I didn’t want to replace any items on the road. That was six years ago and we’ve never looked back!

I haven’t given my jacket an easy time of it, either. During my many outdoor adventures, I have worn my Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell jackets to go hiking trips all around Europe, on skiing trips in Norway and during torrential Icelandic rain storms! My jacket is lightweight, incredibly waterproof, and still, look as good as new. 

Cycling and Camping in Iceland

My Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell jackets never let me down throughout an intense three-month cycling/camping trip in Iceland. The weather during my trip was changeable as I traveled between August and the end of October. Temperatures dropped as low as freezing and at times the wind was so fierce we couldn’t risk packing my tent, I had to stay inside and hold onto the poles to avoid it from tearing. We also cycled through many rainstorms, some of which lasted days. It was so much fun!

Even when I spent hours cycling or trekking through heavy downpours, my Fjällräven Eco-Shell jacket kept my clothes completely dry. The rain was incessant at times and I didn’t have an opportunity to dry my jacket. I had to resort to every camper’s nightmare and keep my wet jackets inside my tent overnight! The air inside the tent was humid so my jacket stayed wet but we could still put them on the next day without feeling uncomfortable. The moisture didn’t make it through the surface of the jacket so we were still protected during another day in the rain. And another day. And another day!

Here you can check out more about Iceland.

Skiing in Norway

I also wore my Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell jackets during some skitrips in Scandinavia, Austria and Switzerland. A waterproof shell isn’t sufficient to keep you warm when skiing, even one as well-designed as this. But the Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell jacket works wonderfully as an outer layer on top of your insulating layer. I wear thick down jackets when skiing but unfortunately down jackets are rarely waterproof. A wet down jacket will make you feel very cold very quickly. Wear a Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell on top of your down jacket to stay dry and warm all day on the slopes. The Keb Eco-Shell is also windproof and keeps you toasty warm, even if you pick up high speeds on the slopes.

Advantages of the Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell Jacket

Here’s my take on the Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell’s advantages over other similar waterproof shells.

• Waterproof and windproof. Wear your backpack underneath your jacket and it will stay completely dry, even in a heavy downpour. No moisture gets through this jacket, even if water pools in creases.
• Easy to pack. Eco-shell material is not stiff or crackly and can easily be rolled into a small package to stuff into your backpack or suitcase.
• Very durable. Ive had my jackets for more than three years and they have been tested to the extreme. Somehow they still look brand new!
• Good ventilation. When you’re hiking, skiing, or doing any other activity that gets your heart rate up, you need ventilation. This jacket has long zippers up each side that can be opened from the top or bottom and let in lots of air. When the zippers are closed, you will not be bothered by it as you don’t feel them in your armpits.
• Chest pockets. All serious outdoors-lovers have a checklist of items they like to keep close – phone, map, wallet, protein bar – but you need somewhere to put them! The large chest pockets on this jacket have a mesh insert and are waterproof.
• Large hood. The hood on this jacket is large enough to fit a helmet or hoodie underneath. You can cinch the hood in with drawcord adjusters and, thanks to the chin contour, the hood fully moves with you. 
• Velcro cuffs. The ends of the sleeves on this jacket are wide which is useful if you want to wear gloves or layers with long-sleeves. You can easily pull the jacket over it and then close the cuffs with the Velcro.
• Easy to wash. But you do need to use the right products. More info below. 

Check out: Best Breathable and Durable Rain Jackets for Women

Disadvantages of Fjallraven Keb Eco-Shell jacket

I like my Fjallraven Keb Eco-Shell jackets so much it’s quite hard to think of the disadvantages but here are a few things to consider:

• Heavier than similar jackets. Some other waterproof shell jackets are much more lightweight than the Fjallraven Keb Eco-Shell. For me, this isn’t an issue because I know a lighter jacket will not protect me as well as this one does. Complete protection from the rain is worth a little extra weight!
• Needs time to dry. As I explained, when I cycled and camped in Iceland my jacket got soaked and I couldn’t get them dry. However, the inside of the jacket stayed dry no matter what. Even one night in a dry hotel room or Airbnb will give your jacket time to dry out. Sadly, a damp tent couldn’t do the trick!

How to wash the Fjallraven Keb Eco Shell Jacket?

It’s best to wash this jacket with dedicated products. The manufacturer recommends washing this jacket on a 30°C normal cycle. You can tumble dry it on a low temperature but you mustn’t bleach, dry clean, or iron it. 

It’s best to use a specialist laundry detergent. I only use Nikwax Tech Wash for washing, which is environmentally friendly and biodegradable. It still perfectly cleans at 30 degrees! To make the jacket waterproof again I only use NikWax TX Direct Wash-In, which is also environmentally friendly and biodegradable. 

A note about sizing

You may find the jacket seems a little large at first but the sizing gives you flexibility. You can wear this jacket with only a tank top or a t-shirt in warmer weather and use the ventilation zips to stay cool but protected from the rain. Or, you can wear layers underneath the jacket when the weather is colder. The jacket has a drawcord around the hem so you can pull it tight to make it fit. This feature is amazing for keeping you warm as it ensures you retain your own body heat. 

Fjallraven’s environmental ethos

Fjällräven is committed to sustainability and is working to reduce its environmental footprint. I love their approach to sustainability as it takes into account the design, materials, and production of their outdoor gear. 

Durable design is important for the consumer but is even more important for the environment. When properly taken care of, Fjällräven products can last a lifetime. If an item of clothing or outdoor gear does get damaged, the simple design makes them easy to repair. They’ll also never go out of fashion! While Fjällräven does use some materials that do not come from nature, they will not use fluorocarbons, chemical compounds that will not break down. Fjällräven has a clear code of conduct that applies to their entire production chain and they compensate for their current carbon emissions as they work towards becoming carbon-neutral by 2025.

Who is the Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell jacket for?

I recommend the Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell jacket to anyone looking to invest in a waterproof jacket they’re going to have for a long time. Anyone who regularly enjoys skiing, trekking, cycling, hiking, doing pretty much anything outdoors, will get a lot of joy out of a Fjällräven Keb Eco-Shell jacket. 

The jacket has a simple design – small logos, hidden pockets, matte finish – that also makes it great for daily wear, at home, or away. Whether we’re out on the Icelandic tundra or sightseeing our way around a bustling city, this jacket is my go-to. An umbrella is useless in a rainstorm – I’d much rather have my waterproof and windproof jacket to protect me! Even with a closet full of other jackets, I will always choose my Fjallraven Keb Eco-Shell jacket, wherever we go. 

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I love to hear from you!

I’m an absolute big fan of this jacket and I hope you will be as happy as I am when you are out there in the rain and you have your Fjallraven Keb Eco Shell jacket on hands! Let me know what adventures you’ve taken your jacket on in the comments below!

For more reviews and travel inspiration, check out my travel tips!