Fjällräven Classic Sweden FAQ

I have done Fjällräven Classic six times, with friends and with my family. First time with the family was in 2014 with our oldest son who was 14 months old at the time. He obviously could not walk 110 kilometers in the Swedish mountains, so we carried him in a child carrier. That has a lot of extra challenges to it, aside from hiking the trail yourself in an enjoyable fashion. Two years later we did the same ting with our younger son, when he was about 17 months old. That became the start of this blog, since we wanted to share the experience and knowledge we gained during these adventures. The blog has continued and Fjällräven Classic has been a natural highlight of the year and we have written numerous articles about our different experiences over the years. Most of them in Swedish, if want you find them here. Last year we wrote a rather long article in English about Malcolm five years old hiking the whole distance together with me and Maria.

We have gained a lot of knowledge hiking in the Swedish mountains in general and the Fjällräven Classic event in particular. Trekking is done in in many various ways around the world with very different conditions and services. If you have never been to the Swedish mountains it’s hard to know what to expect. If you have never done a Classic, it might be hard to realize what it is. We have also realized that the type of questions hikers have, are pretty much the same from year to year. Therefore, we have put together a little FAQ from our perspective about the Fjällräven Classic event in Sweden and what to think especially about as a hiker when you prepare. We have also added a bunch of pictures to illustrate how it really is, not just the nice pictures. We have tried to focus on the actual hiking and gear, not transportation, living and everything else around the event.

What to bring

We will not go through a detailed packing list here (if you need one we have one in Swedish), but we would like to point out the quite important fact that you have what you bring. If you don’t bring it, you don’t have it! The trail is off grid in the wilderness. You might have heard that there is a store at the check-in in Kiruna. That is true, but it’s a temporary store set up for your last minute emergency shopping. Do not count on this store. The sizes might be sold out and you will not have the full range of gear as in an ordinary outdoor store. Come prepared!

The weather

It seems like every year will bring it’s debate beforehand about the weather forecast, if it is cold or not, how snowy or rainy it will be and so forth.  From my perspective the weather can change in a heartbeat so what I pack is not really affected by the forecast. Maybe I throw in an extra hat or gloves if it seems like it will be really cold, sunny or rainy. However, the type of tent, sleeping bag or rain gear is unaffected. You must pack and prepare for all situations, especially be prepared for rain, snow and cold wind. If it is warm and sunny, be happy and adjust.

Boots and trail

I think it’s quite personal what you consider an easy trail or not, what a trail actually looks like and what is the best kind of boots for those trails. In this respect, maybe some pictures are better than my words to describe the actual trail you will be walking on. But let me at least point out that except for a few kilometers in the very beginning and at the end, the trail is not well made fixed gravel. You are hiking in the nature and it will be rock, mud, mire, snow, shrubs, grass and wooden tracks. At points the trail can be pretty messy (depending on the amount of rain or melting snow). Also keep in mind that there are quite a few smaller creeks that you will need to pass somehow.

What is the best kind of boots for these circumstances is up to you to judge. It of course also depends on how light the rest of your gear is and what kind of support you need. My general advice is that if you have more than 10 kilos (including food and snacks) on your back, use regular hiking boots.

What and how to eat

You probably know that Fjällräven Classic will provide you with freeze dried food at check-in in Kiruna, both breakfast version and meal version, which works for both lunch and dinner. You can get more at Sälka and Allesjaure check points. Keep in mind that the range is not as wide and you might not be able to get your favorites at these points. So, if you are really picky about the food. Make sure you bring enough from Kiruna. You can also get extra gas so no need to carry more than one gas canister.

The value of a large thermos was something we found out after some years of trekking. To have hot drinks along the trail is of course really nice when the weather is cold and challenging. But to be able to cook lunch rather quickly can be a life saver. Our routine nowadays is at the end of breakfast (when you have good shelter if needed) to boil hot water for the day and fill up the thermos. When lunch comes we just open the freeze dried food, pour in the hot water, stir and wait. Lunch is served without the hazzle of the kitchen and it saves you 10 to 15 minutes. When the weather is wet and cold it’s particular nice to get warm food quickly.

Aside from the freeze dried food you should bring a lot of snacks. What you like is up to you, but a general guideline could be two larger snacks per day (protein bars or alike) plus a bit of candy and nuts/raisins. Don’t forget tea and/or coffee.

Remember to drink properly when hiking. The water is fresh straight out of the creeks as long as you take moving water. Please do not contaminate the water with detergents, chemical or other stuff. Do your own needs on a safe distance from running water.

Huts, saunas and wilderness

The trek passes some of the huts and mountain stations run by the Swedish Tourist Association. The first one you will get to is Kebnekaise mountain station, which is one of the larger in Sweden. Here you find a restaurant and a small shop. Do not think that the same service will be provided in the huts to come. The rest of the huts are really small. The store is quite limited to some extra food and candy. This is what a lot of Swedes come to the mountains for. To get a way from the civilization, to live more simple, closer to nature.

Two of the huts have woodfire saunas, Sälka and Allesjaure. They will most likely be very crowded during the days of Fjällräven Classic and the reason is quite simple. The amount of hikers are ten or twenty times the normal. The huts are simply not dimensioned for this. Therefore, we all need to help out by fetching water, reheating water, tender for the fire and keep everything clean and nice. This is also one of the reasons why it is so important for all of us who hikes the Fjällräven Classic to bring all of our own garbage (regardless if you see a trash can) back to Abisko. If the Classic event should continue it is really important to take care of the fragile environment, not strain the trail or huts and to be respectful to other hikers. But that you already knew of course.

Some equipment we would like to highlight

Down jacket – It might sound a bit strange to some of you to bring a down jacket in the middle of the summer but this is a must according to us, if you should enjoy the trek. You will probably want to put it on every short or long pause you do. Pack it in a light waterproof bag and keep it easily accessible in your backpack. To pack in water proof packing bags is a great advice for much of your stuff, but especially the sleeping bag and down jacket.

Thermos – Explained above. Really nice to be able to get hot food and drinks during the day without bringing out the kitchen.

Sleeping/sitting mat – If you bring an inflatable sleeping mat, consider to also bring a conventional one. This is especially true if it is really wet and rainy. If you feel like it is a bit too much, at least bring a simple sitting mat like this one. It makes your pauses so much more enjoyable on the wet ground.

Gloves, hat and beanie – As already stated, it can be pretty cold, wet and windy during the Swedish Fjällräven Classic. Be sure to bring clothes to keep you warm and dry. Do not forget about hands, feet and head. The temperature during nights will quite often be around zero degrees, so sleep in wool long johns and under garments is recommended, and the beanie.

When the rains pour down it can be hard to keep your hands dry. Some kind of shell glove is good to have. If you do not have this a sheep but pretty good alternative is washing gloves in rubber. Cheap and light, make sure to get a size in which you could fit your thin liner gloves underneath.

We hope these true photos and this little list will help some of you to get a nicer experience and to come more prepared for the Swedish Fjällräven Classic. Do not hesitate to ask us any questions.