The Helly Hansen Odin 9 Worlds Infinity Shell Jacket is designed for tough weather conditions, whether skiing, ski touring, hiking or mountaineering. I have been testing the women’s jacket, along with the Helly Hansen Odin 9 Worlds Infinity Shell Pants.
Features include:
- LIFA Infinity Pro waterproof and breathable membrane technology – 100% Polypropylene shell/100% Polyester lining; responsibly made
- 2-way central zip
- Pit zips for ventilation
- Helmet and backpack-compatible design
- Adjustable hood
- Large gear pockets
- Articulated fit
- Weight: 470g.
- Recco®
- PFC-free
- Sizes: XS to XL
- Price: £500.
- Men’s version.
- See Helly Hansen. You can also buy from Amazon (I receive a small commission for sales through Amazon.)
LIFA INFINITY PRO™ technology combines the LIFA INFINITY™ membrane with 100% LIFA® hydrophobic face fabric. LIFA INFINITY PRO™ is described by Helly Hansen as “groundbreaking waterproof/breathable technology without the use of chemicals”.
My thoughts: Helly Hansen Odin 9 Worlds Infinity Shell Jacket
First things first, the jacket is on the small size. I have the size medium and I am usually a size UK10 or small, yet even the medium Helly Hansen is a neat fit, especially around the shoulders and underarms when wearing a couple of layers underneath.
I suggest you go up a size, or two, depending on how many layers you plan to wear.
I am quite tall with long arms and the length of the jacket, both the torso and arms is just okay. It would be great if these were a little longer.
(Note, this is the opposite of the pants, which are a size medium and large on me!)
The fabric is thick and durable. It looks and feels like it will be very long-lasting. The thickness of the fabric means it is also very windproof, plus waterproofing is excellent.
I am not sure about breathability because when I get warm while wearing the jacket, I simply open the zips to let cool air in. In this way, the jacket has kept me warm and dry in cold and wet weather and then allows me to cool off so I don’t sweat.
On the down side, the fabric does feel quite stiff initially, especially around the shoulders and the neck when zipped up, although this eases off as you wear it. After a couple of wears, I don’t notice the stiffness of the fabric anymore.
I have the jacket in the orange colour. It’s quite a light colour of orange and I really like it but it is a bit prone to showing the dirt. The blue or black would be less likely to show the dirt, although I do think brighter colours are better for visibility in the outdoors. In any case, you can wash the jacket.
(See an environmental explanation below of why the colour is a bit paler.)
The zips are also stiff to start with but, again, they do ease off with use. I like the zips because they are chunky and feel robust. The pit zips are long and have two-way zips so you can open them as little or as much as you want.
The two large zipped pockets are excellent for stashing kit. You can easily fit in a map and compass, as well as a spare hat and gloves, or whatever you want to carry.
There is an external chest pocket, too. It would be better if this was a little larger. I would like to use this for stashing my large iPhone but it’s a bit too much of a neat fit to easily do this. It would be ideal if this pocket was a bit bigger.
Instead, I use the larger pockets for my phone but this means the device drops down to the bottom of the jacket inside the pocket, so it’s not so easy to access when I need it.
It would be even better if there was a zipped pocket on one of the arms. This is very useful for ski passes.
The hood is really good. It is roomy, so you can fit it over a helmet, and also adjustable. The peak is nicely shaped and stiff.
The hem of the jacket is adjustable, too.
Another feature I like is the soft fabric on the back of the neck and also where the jacket touches the chin/mouth when fully zipped up.
The RECCO system is fairly standard in ski clothing and a benefit in case of an emergency. RECCO is a rescue technology used by organised rescue teams as an additional tool to more quickly locate people buried by an avalanche or lost in the outdoors.
I have one larger quibble with this jacket: There is no snow skirt, or similar. I’d normally expect such a feature, or some way to attach the hem of the jacket to the ski pants to stop snow going up inside the jacket if you fall in the snow.
You could wear ski pants that rise higher up over the waist to prevent any potential issues with snow under the jacket, or try not to fall over!
A ‘greener’ ski jacket
Another bonus of the jacket is the environmental aspect. Helly Hansen has engineered the fabric technology with a proprietary hydrophobic Lifa fibre, which it has been using for 50 years. The brand has paired the Lifa fibre with a polypropylene membrane, which has microscopic holes that allow vapour out, but stop water from seeping in.
I have read that “as a plastic product, polypropylene isn’t completely sustainable, but it’s an environmentally conscious option… and a better choice than other plastics, since it doesn’t release toxins, has a relatively low carbon footprint and is safe to human health.
The jacket doesn’t utilise DWR (durable water repellent). Many DWRs use toxic Perfluorochemicals (PFCs). These PFCs have been shown by researchers to be bad for the environment, as well as being harmful to humans and animals.
Helly Hansen also make the fabric “solution-dyed”. This means that pigment is added to the yarn during manufacturing instead of a more traditional post-production addition. The aim of this is to avoid the use of chemicals and to save water. It will explain the slightly paler hue of the orange colour.
I have been reading about the LIFA INFINITY PRO™ technology and it does seem to be forward thinking in an industry that is often criticised for a negative eco impact. Read more about the fabric technology on the IPSO website. Helly Hansen also won a gold award for the technology.
Conclusion: I have liked wearing the jacket in both the Alps and in Scotland. The fabric is great for more extreme conditions, especially when it’s cold, windy and wet. I think I would choose a lighter weight fabric jacket for less severe conditions, although those a quite rare when ski touring in Scotland!
The jacket is robust and durable and I like that is utilises a more environmentally friendly fabric technology. Overall, I am impressed by the quality of the jacket, however it’s not cheap. Many people will think carefully about spending £500 on a jacket. To better justify the cost, you could use the jacket for a range of different activities.
- Note, I was sent the jacket to test in exchange for my honest review.