The Real Test of Swedish Outerwear? Sweden Weather
Three hundred miles northwest of Stockholm, towards the Norwegian border, lies the small mountain town of Åre. Nestled between the shores of Lake Åresjön and the peak of Åreskutan, it's often referred to as the alpine capital of the North. For more than a century, skiers, hikers and outdoor enthusiasts have flocked here for its clean air, high-caliber slopes, and accessible backcountry.
It's also where outerwear brand Peak Performance began. In 1986, local skiers Stefan Engström and Peter Blom grew frustrated with the skiwear available on the market. Most brands at the time favored flashy colors and overly technical-looking designs. One winter, sat side-by-side on a chairlift, the pair dreamed up a brand that met all the performance requirements for professional skiing but offered a more modern, minimal aesthetic. Peak Performance was born. Designed to withstand Sweden's unpredictable weather, Peak Performance offered cleaner silhouettes and a more muted color palette inspired by the shades of the surrounding landscape.
As the brand approaches its 40th anniversary, we visited its hometown to test out its latest collection in its natural habitat.
After a flight to Stockholm and a seven-hour train ride through seemingly endless pine forests, I arrived in Åre. I was whisked straight up to the Peak Performance mountain house, which the brand has maintained in some form for the last 25 years. It serves as a base for product testing, sales trips, and team-building retreats, and can even be rented out by employees.
We sat down for dinner prepared by local chefs Flammans Skafferi, who served a menu "brimming with flavors from mountain, meadow, forest, and lake." With ingredients like green strawberries, fireweed, dandelions and many wild-foraged herbs I'd never heard of, this wasn't just a meal but a sensory immersion into the landscape.
By 11 p.m., there was still light in the sky. It's hard to get your head around as a visitor. At the height of summer, the sun dips below the horizon for less than three hours, leaving behind an extended twilight where golden light stretches across the mountains.
The next day, we geared up and headed out on the "trail of the trolls," guided by pro skier Henrik Windstedt. The weather was constantly changing. Bright sunshine gave way to pouring rain. Minutes later, the mountains were engulfed entirely by fog creeping up from the valley. It didn't dampen our spirits. Energized by good company, the wilderness and, in true Swedish fashion, plenty of coffee, we trekked up the mountainside to a viewpoint overlooking the town.
As ever darker clouds rolled in, we made our way to a local crêperie until the rain eased. The next stop was a tour of the Peak Performance General Store, a quaint building designed in the traditional Swedish alpine style with timber construction and the iconic Falu red paint. The store houses a repair workshop run by Marie, who has been bringing Peak Performance garments back to life for 30 years and specializes in Gore-Tex restoration.
Later that afternoon, we returned to the mountain house for an early preview of the brand's 40th anniversary collection, set to launch later this year. Sofia Gromark Norinder, VP Design & Creative, and Jeanette Francke, VP Marketing, walked us through the new designs and gave us a first look at the accompanying campaign film.
The day came to an end at the local restaurant Granen. As we gathered around a long table, swapping stories from the trail over plates of local produce, the weather outside shifted once again. Rain clouds drifted across the mountains before breaking apart, revealing streaks of evening sunlight.
Over 48 hours in Åre, one thing became clear: the area's unpredictable conditions, dramatic landscapes, and deep-rooted outdoor culture continue to shape how the brand designs, tests, and thinks about performance wear. Nearly 40 years after its founding, Peak Performance's connection to this town both grounds the brand and guides it forward.
