Here in Kodiak rain and snow that can come any time of year so a waterproof shell is an essential piece of equipment. This spring I will be carrying the OR Helium Jacket with me on my trips. The Helium is an ultralight waterproof shell made of 2.5 layer 20D Pertex Sheild Ripstop fabric. It is a basic no frill shell with minimal features. There is a single Napoleon chest pocket on the left side, elastic cuffs, a single hem drawcord adjustment and a hood adjustment. The jacket also features a flapless waterproof zipper and taped seams.
Construction of the jacket is solid. No loose threads or pulls anywhere on the jacket. One of the things that stood out to me immediately when I received the jacket was how light it is. I would be surprised if it weighs any more than a couple of Clif Bars. The fabric is soft to the touch and surprisingly supple for a hard shell.
I requested and received a size large jacket. The fit is good on my 5’6”, 175 pound frame. The sleeves are plenty long and the elastic cuffs do a nice job of keeping the cuffs in place on my hands. The length of the jacket is also nice; it doesn’t feature a drop tail but does fall below my butt. The large size is fairly roomy on me; I can wear a heavy weight base layer underneath with ease, but wouldn’t be able to wear a puffy jacket. The hood seems to fit over a beanie or my bare head fairly well, but I haven’t been able to get it to fit well when tightened over a baseball hat. Also the hood just features a flap, no stiffening.
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