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Swedteam

Swedteam are a relatively unfamiliar name here in the UK and until recently their inventory was only available from Bushwear in Scotland, but now that UK distribution for the range has been taken on by major wholesalers Garlands you can expect to see a whole lot more of them, and this, as we shall see, is a good thing!

Microjacket/Microtrouser Suit in Realtree Max4-HD

This excellent field suit features Realtree’s Max-4HD pattern and comprises a jacket and trousers made from a micro-fleece outer material backed by Covertex and Windbreaker membranes to make it water and wind-proof, and featuring taped seams throughout for additional resistance to leakage. As well as offering excellent protection against the elements, this is an extremely light and comfortable suit, and the design incorporates a host of practical features.

Comfortable Fit

Taking the Microtrousers first, you get an elasticated waistband for comfort, with a high back to reduce drafts, loops for a belt, and buttons for braces. There are two side pockets reinforced inside with a dark brown sueded fabric, a zip-up pocket on the right hip, and cargo pockets on each leg. The cargo pockets are placed high enough to reach easily and beneath the protective stud-down storm flap there’s also a metal zip closure for extra security, complete with an easy-pull fabric tag. Finally, at the bottom of the legs there’s a tab with 4” of hook-and-loop backing to take in the slack, and a vented rivet to drain moisture from between the layers. In the catalogue the ankles are also shown as reinforced but this wasn’t a feature of the trousers I tried. Size wise, the “Medium” label was a comfortable but close fit for my 34” waist, while the legs were on the long side for my (shortish) 30” inseam so I was glad of the adjuster tabs at the ankles, though ideally I would have liked these to have had a couple more inches of adjustment available.

Roomy and Plenty Of Stowage

As for the Microjacket, the best fit for me was the “Large”, which was comfortably roomy across the shoulders, long enough to ensure an overlap with the trousers, and not so long that it obstructed access to the trouser pockets. To prevent gape, even when sitting or bending, there’s a shock cord in the hem, with inward-facing quick adjustment toggles on each side, and a tail at the back. Meanwhile, knitted cuffs keep the wrists clutter-free whilst excluding drafts and drips, and a high collar fitted with a shock-cord adjuster does the same at the neck.

Storage is good too, with two slanted front pockets, two horizontal upper-breast pockets, a document pocket inside the left breast, and a double-ended game pocket at the rear. Though placed where you’d expect to find hand-warmer pockets, the slanted front pockets have a plain rather than a fleece lining. The same lining is used for the rear ‘game’ pocket, but the lack of a removable or wipe-clean liner doesn’t matter as much on a machine-washable jacket like this as it would on a more traditional hunting coat.

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Both pairs of lower pockets are fitted with single-ended zips with fabric tags that pull diagonally up to close, and there’s a fabric cover at the top of reach zip under which the slider can be tucked to help keep out water and prevent snagging.

Detailing

I must admit to being impressed by Swedteam’s attention to detail in the matter of zips, as their choice of size, configuration (single/double-ended, single/double-draw), tags and direction of pull reliably offers the most ergonomic solution.

On the Microjacket, for example, the upper breast pockets have small, tag-less, double-draw zips that won’t interfere with, or be damaged by, your gun mount and that allow a radio antenna to pass through the middle of the zip, with the sliders on either side holding it in place. Meanwhile the front of the jacket is closed by a chunky double-ended zip, with a rugged rubber lollipop-shaped tag on the upper slider, whilst the lower slider is tag-free to prevent confusion. There’s also a reinforced backing to the female side of the zip and a broad storm flap to cover it, fitted with 6 metal press studs with rubberised plastic caps to prevent shine and minimise noise.

All the pockets are built into the jacket, reducing the number of potential leak points and minimising disruption to the run of the effective Realtree Max4HD camouflage. This is only interrupted by the zips themselves, and by panels of the dark brown reinforcement fabric on the shoulders. For once, these seem to owe more to styling than to function as they are much broader than is required to resist abrasion by slings and straps. Surprisingly, too, they show a two-piece construction with a central seam along the top of the shoulder in place of a single panel. To be fair, I’ve not experienced any rubbing or leakage in this area, probably due to the fact that all the Microjacket’s seams are taped, so the two-piece design of the shoulder panels remains a puzzle rather than a defect.

The Microjacket has one more surprise up its sleeve, however, or – more accurately - in its collar, where a full-length zip at the back lets you deploy a blaze-orange panel that studs to the collar points in situations where a little extra hunter safety may be called for.

Summing Up

Hunting in the Micro suit was a revelation in comfort and mobility. You get excellent concealment, storage and protection from the elements, at negligible cost in terms of weight or temperature management. The Max4HD camouflage was perfect for the banks of the flight pond, but it also did a good job among the dry grass and brush of winter field edges, and would be a fine choice later summer and autumn for stubble, but for those who prefer a plainer look, the Micro suit is also available in olive green.  With the trousers priced at around £85 and the jacket at £125, the Micro suit is another truly distinctive and practical product at an attractive price.

For further information on the whole Swedteam range and for details of stockists, contact Garlands on tel.01827 383300:www.garlands.uk.com;

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  • Swedteam - image {image:count}

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  • Swedteam - image {image:count}

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  • Swedteam - image {image:count}

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  • Swedteam - image {image:count}

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  • Swedteam - image {image:count}

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