Helly Hansen Odin 3D Air Shell Jacket

www.helly
hansen.com

By Chris Stubbs

Helly Hansen Odin 3D Air Shell Jacket

Helly Hansen clothing isn’t amongst the cheapest on the street and that’s reflected in the build quality of the products. From the moment you slip this vest on, the overall feeling is one of comfort and security, both provided by the snug fit.

Winner of the prestigious Excellent Product Design category in the German Design Award in the of Excellent Product Design, the new Odin 3D Air Shell Jacket is designed to meet the demands of the harsh conditions of the mountains of Norway. The result is a waterproof, windproof and breathable 2.75L shell jacket for high-output activities during light-and-fast peak mountain adventures.

Each year Helly Hansen refine, improve and enhance their jackets by enhancing their technology, refining the features, whilst examining the fabrics.

The jacket features an adjustable hood, waist and cuffs, two hand pockets, two large double-zip vents in the front and large open vent on the back, protected by a mesh panel that continuously dissipates a significant amount of heat. Think about sweatiness, where it builds, and it always occurs first on the back, especially when walking with a backpack.

There is a considerable amount of ventilation on the front too. It comes in the form of two chest vents with cleverly hidden pockets, great for keeping hands warm and dry. These front vents are dual zippered and extend from the waist up to the chest.

The jacket feels great against the skin. Helly Hansen has shown an excellent eye for detail with the use of the interior printed dot matrix, providing a way for moisture and humidity to move away from the skin and therefore keeping you dry. This creates a tiny air gap that reduces the on-skin contact of the jacket, and it just feels comfortable without the often crinkly plastic feel of rain jackets. In fact, the Odin 3D feels more like a wind jacket.

It also means the 2.75L jacket is as light as a 2.5L jacket, weighing only 276 grams whilst still more durable and protective than most 3L jackets of equal weight. Where the jacket weighs comes into most contact with the skin – the back of the neck, there is a smooth built-in panel for comfort and dryness. The jacket is also very roomy inside, so if there is a need for extra layers, the Odin 3D will accommodate them.

For men, the jacket easily packs into its chest pocket and converts into a looped bag for transport via pack or harness. For women, the hand pocket includes an internal zip pocket for housing smartphones and transforms the entire jacket into a sling pack within seconds.