Norrona Falketind Warm1 Active Review
The Norrona Falketind Warm1 Active ($179) is what happens when a brand takes the lightweight, breathable, and fast-drying promise of technical fleece and builds a genuinely refined jacket around it. Our tester wore it across months of hiking and trekking in the Picos de Europa and the Lake District and found it indispensable: the kind of layer that ends up coming along whether you're hiking, trail running, or climbing. For mountain athletes who want a warm, highly breathable, and well-featured midlayer for shoulder season and alpine use, the Falketind Warm1 Active is one of the strongest options available.
Warmth
Comfort & Mobility
Breathability
Durability
Weight & Packability
Sustainability
Category
Technical
Weight
8.9 oz.
Fabric(s)
100% polyetser
Styles
Jacket
Pros
Cons
Norrona Falketind Warm1 Active
For this season's top models, see our guide to the Best Fleece Jackets.
The Norrona Falketind Warm1 Active is a midlayer built for active use in cool to cold conditions. Over two to three months of testing, primarily in the 40- to 55-degree Fahrenheit range, it proved to be a reliable and versatile layer for hiking, trail running, and hut-to-hut trekking. On spring day hikes in the Picos de Europa and a two-week trip to England’s Lake District, I wore it over a base layer or t-shirt and found it ideally suited for sustained effort in cool, breezy conditions. When the weather took a turn for the worse, adding a lightweight shell—a Black Diamond wind jacket or Rab Phantom—transformed the combination into a system that felt comfortable during moderate activity even when wind chill and rain pushed conditions closer to freezing.
The Warm1 Active's 110-gram fleece is a big part of what makes it work so well as an active midlayer. Very similar to the Polartec Alpha I've worn in other fleeces, it's specifically designed for high-output activities, moving moisture away from the skin and drying exceptionally fast—which means you stay warmer even when you're sweating. That breathability also gives the jacket a wider usable temperature range than a typical fleece: on a hut-to-hut trip in the Picos in early June, I wore it during the first four to five hours of hiking in 50- to 60-degree temperatures before shedding it as the day warmed up, and it never felt oppressive. Compared to the popular Senchi Designs A90 (a beloved Polartec Alpha fleece that I’ve spent a lot of time in), it’s a little warmer, but slightly less breathable. For active use in shoulder seasons, alpine summers, and ski touring, the Falketind Warm1 Active is an absolute multi-tool.
The Falketind Warm1 Active is exceptionally comfortable to wear and move in. The main-body fleece feels soft and lofty against the skin—somewhere between a technical fleece jacket and a fuzzy blanket—and the narrower, more streamlined silhouette makes it easy to layer a shell or puffy over the top without bulk or bunching.
Norrona added stretchy side panels running from the cuff of each sleeve, under the arm, and down to the hem. These are the jacket's mobility secret. On a hut-to-hut hike in the Picos de Europa, I wore the Warm1 Active through via ferrata sections while carrying a pack, and it essentially disappeared—I was reaching, climbing, and moving freely without ever feeling constrained by the jacket. That kind of freedom of movement is rare in a fleece with this level of warmth.
The one thing I missed was a hood. Most of my technical fleeces over the years have been hooded, and on a few occasions I found myself wishing this jacket had one. It's largely a personal preference, and the tall collar does a solid job of keeping the neck warm when zipped all the way up. But for those who rely on a hood for warmth and wind protection, it's worth knowing going in.
The Norrona Falketind Warm1 Active ranks among the most breathable fleeces I've worn, second only to the Senchi Designs A90 in my experience. A light breeze cuts right through it, which is exactly the point for a jacket designed for high-output activities. In the Picos de Europa in temperatures in the 50s with a gentle breeze and a pack on my back, it was perfect—I never once felt clammy or overheated, even after hours on trail.
That breathability does have a flip side. In the Lake District in the low 40s with strong, sustained winds, the Warm1 Active alone wasn't enough—I needed to add a lightweight shell to stay comfortable. That's not a knock on the jacket; it's a feature of its design. The Warm1 Active is built as part of a layering system, not a standalone piece for cold or windy conditions. Paired with a wind layer or lightweight shell (like my Rab Phantom), it punches well above its weight and has kept me warm and comfortable during active pursuits even into sub-freezing temperatures. For purely casual or stationary use in the cold, you'll want more layers; but for everything from ski touring to spring hiking to alpine summer objectives, the breathability is a genuine asset.
After two to three months and roughly 21 days of wear, the Falketind Warm1 Active is showing no signs of wear or damage, which is more impressive than it might sound for a jacket this thin and lightweight. With similar fleeces, I often find myself treating them carefully, avoiding rough contact and keeping them away from Velcro. The Warm1 Active has earned more confidence than that. Leaning against stone walls, lightly scraping it on rocks, and general backcountry use have left no marks. The 110-gram fleece is proving itself to be noticeably more abrasion-resistant than the 90-gram variety used in my Senchi Designs A90, which has been gradually destroyed by Velcro contact. Unsurprisingly for a premium Norrona piece, the zippers operate smoothly and feel well-constructed throughout.
The one area of curiosity is the Warm1 Active’s stretchy side panels. They're exceptionally thin, and while they're performing perfectly right now, I find myself wondering how the elastic will hold up over five to ten years of regular use. Will it continue to rebound or gradually lose its stretch? It's too early to say definitively, and nothing so far gives me cause for concern. But it's worth flagging as something to keep an eye on over the long term. For now, the overall construction quality is excellent.
At 8.9 ounces for a size large, the Falketind Warm1 Active is light enough to justify bringing on any backpacking or alpine objective without a second thought. It packs down to roughly the size of a small melon—well under a liter. You can even stuff it into one of its own pockets, although the lack of an internal zipper to secure the pocket suggests that wasn't really the design intent.
For the warmth-to-weight ratio it delivers, the Warm1 Active is among my top choices in the fleece jacket category, just behind the Senchi Designs A90, which weighs a mere 4.4 ounces thanks to its pullover design and 90-gram Polartec Alpha construction with no side panels. The Warm1 Active is heavier, but it brings a full zip, hand warmer pockets and a chest pocket, and stretchy side panels to the equation—features the Senchi forgoes entirely in the name of weight savings. For true ultralight backpackers counting every gram, the Senchi remains the leaner choice. For everyone else—ski tourers, trekkers, day hikers, and backpackers who want a bit more functionality—the Warm1 Active's weight is a reasonable tradeoff.
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The Warm1 Active keeps its feature set focused but thoughtful. Three zippered pockets—two hand warmers and one chest pocket—are well-placed and easy to access, even under a pack or shell. When I’m running or hiking quickly, I rarely carry much in them beyond a phone or snack, but I found myself reaching into the hand warmer pockets regularly on cool days in the Lake District, and was glad to have them.
The thumb loops are a small detail, but one I noticed. On several chilly days in the UK, they added a meaningful bit of warmth at the wrist and kept the sleeves from riding up under a shell. The one notable omission is a hood. For most wearers it won't be a dealbreaker, and the tall collar does a solid job of protecting the neck when fully zipped. But for those who rely on a hood for warmth and wind protection in the mountains, it's worth knowing the Warm1 Active doesn't offer one.
Tester: 6’2” 175 lb.; 41" chest; 32" waist
Size tested: Men's large
I'm 6'2" with a 41-inch chest and the large fit me perfectly. It’s slim but not restrictive, which is exactly what I want in a layer designed to be worn under a shell or pack. The stretchy side panels add considerably to the range of motion, making the snug fit feel more freeing than confining. The hem hits just below the seat, which is a nice length for keeping the lower back covered while moving.
The one thing worth flagging is sleeve length. The arms run longer than standard, which is intentional—with the thumb loops, the sleeves extend over the back of the palm, adding a bit of extra coverage in cold conditions. I came to appreciate it, especially on chilly mornings in the mountains, but if you're not a fan of thumb loops or longer sleeves, it's worth being aware of.
Senchi Designs A90 Half-Zip Hoodie ($115): For the True Ounce-Counters
The Senchi A90 and the Warm1 Active are built from similar fabrics and share the same core philosophy—highly breathable, fast-drying midlayers designed for high-output alpine use. The A90 is the more minimalist of the two: thinner 90-gram fabric, no pockets, and a half-zip pullover design that comes in at just 4.4 ounces—more than half the weight of the Warm1 Active. It also comes with a hood, which the Warm1 Active doesn't. For ultralight backpackers and trail runners who want the absolute minimum, the A90 is the leaner, faster choice. The Warm1 Active, though, is the more refined and feature-rich package, better suited to longer days in the mountains where utility matters as much as weight. Our tester has also found its fabric to be noticeably more durable, holding up better to abrasion and Velcro contact than the A90. To learn more, read our Senchi Designs A90 review.
The North Face Futurefleece Full-Zip Hoodie ($190): A Hood, But Less Refined
The Futurefleece is the Warm1 Active's closest competitor in terms of price and positioning, and it does offer the one thing the Warm1 Active is missing—a hood. Its smooth face fabric also provides slightly more wind resistance than the Warm1 Active's open Alpha construction, which can be a meaningful advantage in exposed conditions. But in most other respects, the Warm1 Active is the stronger jacket. The Futurefleece has only a chest pocket and no hand warmers, the fit is less refined, and build quality is a genuine concern—we experienced a zipper failure on one of our test jackets, which is hard to overlook at this price point. For a $11 savings, the Warm1 Active is the better-built, more comfortable, and more functional choice. For more details, read our review of The North Face Futurefleece.
The Norrona Warm1 Active is a refined performance fleece—warm yet highly breathable, fast-drying, and packed with more features than most comparable pieces dare to include. For high-output alpine pursuits in cool to cold weather, it's hard to beat.
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Comfort & Mobility
Breathability
Durability
Weight & Packability
Sustainability
The Senchi Designs A90 is an ultralight fleece that balances warmth and airflow better than almost anything else, thriving in high-output settings like ski touring. It’s thin, technical, and pocket-free, but paired with a wind shell, this stripped-down layer covers an impressive temperature range for backcountry missions.
Warmth
Comfort & Mobility
Breathability
Durability
Weight & Packability
Sustainability
The featherweight Futurefleece feels more like a souped-up base layer than a traditional fleece midlayer. It’s cozy and breathable, although it doesn’t offer much weather protection or warmth. Still, we think this exemplary active piece is worth the price for ultralight and high-effort adventures.
Warmth
Comfort & Mobility
Breathability
Durability
Weight & Packability
Sustainability
Is the Falketind Warm1 Active for You?
The Norrona Falketind Warm1 Active is for the mountain athlete who wants a versatile, high-performance midlayer that can keep up across a wide range of conditions and activities. If you spend time in the alpine—hiking, ski touring, climbing, or trail running—and want a piece that moves with you, breathes well under sustained effort, and layers cleanly under a shell, this is one of the strongest options in the category. The lofty fleece body fabric and stretchy side panels make it feel less like a fleece and more like an extension of your base layer, while the full zip, hand warmer pockets, and thumb loops give it the everyday utility of a traditional fleece jacket. It's not the lightest option available, and the lack of a hood will be a dealbreaker for some. But for those who want a refined, cozy, and highly breathable active midlayer for shoulder season and summer use in the alpine, the Warm1 Active earns its place in the kit.
Go for it if you're looking for a highly breathable fleece midlayer for cool to cold conditions with a high degree of coziness.
Pass on it if you need a wind-resistant fleece, want to go truly ultralight, or are looking for a standalone piece for stationary use in the cold.
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