Surviving Finnish and Latvian Winter with Nobis

Author david
Date February 25th, 2017

On my recent trip to Finland and Latvia I had the opportunity to partner with Nobis, a Canadian apparel company specializing in high-end winter gear like the jackets I’m wearing in these photos. Nobis’ technology ensures products are uniquely waterproof, windproof and breathable, which is exactly what I needed to brave the subzero temperatures of Northern Europe.

Before speaking at the MATKA conference in Helsinki, I participated in a pre-trip with other bloggers and filmmakers to Kuusamo, Finland near the Russian border. There, we had the opportunity to hike in a frozen forest, ski, meet huskies and reindeer, go to the saunas, and have wild food dinners. After the conference I headed to Latvia with another group of bloggers. We saw the capital of Riga, stayed in a 15th century mansion, went cross country skiing, bobsledding and explored Sigulda’s medieval castle.

Needless to say we spent a lot of time outdoors, and since the Finnish believe there’s no such thing as cold weather (just bad clothes) I knew I HAD to come prepared for the snow and wind.

The two defining technical features of Nobis products are the Sympatex and Embrace membranes, which minimize heat loss while maintaining breathability. The membranes’ branded tape also seal all major seams for maximum protection from water.

They are a bit heavy, but the 100% Canadian origin white duck down kept me super warm day and night. The hood is lines with coyote fur to give an added layer of protection around the face.

If you’re heading to extreme winter weather like Finland and Latvia, I highly recommend the Nobis Maverick and Johan jackets. The Maverick is sporty, while the Johan is a bit more sophisticated.