I have been testing a Helly Hansen Odin Ultimate Infinity Jacket. I have the women’s size medium, which is roomy enough (I am usually a UK10) to fit plenty of layers underneath. The Helly Hansen Odin Ultimate Infinity Jacket features Helly Hansen’s waterproof/breathable LIFA INFINITY™ technology and can be worn for hiking, mountaineering and ski touring.
A few words about LIFA Infinity: This is part of what HH calls Helly Tech Professional technology, including seam sealing and a LIFA Infinity membrane. The result is a waterproof, breathable and windproof fabric that is also treated with durable water repellent treatment.
I already own and have reviewed the Helly Hansen Odin Backcountry Infinity Shells. They are made with what HH calls LIFA INFINTIY PRO. Just to explain, LIFA INFINTIY PRO is a combination of LIFA INFINITY membrane and LIFA® hydrophobic face fabric.
So, as I understand it, the Helly Hansen Odin Ultimate Infinity Jacket is made with a similar fabric to the Odin Backcountry infinity shell but without the hydrophobic face fabric.
I write all this because I have tested the Helly Hansen Odin Ultimate Infinity Jacket and Helly Hansen Odin Odin backcountry over-pants at the same time and in very wet conditions.
First, let’s get back to the Helly Hansen Odin Ultimate Infinity Jacket.
Features include:
RECCO®
Fully seam-sealed
Lightweight Fabric
Fleece in chin guard
Adjustable hood
Under-arm ventilation zippers
Adjustable bottom hem
Velcro adjustable cuffs
Two chest pockets
Helmet compatible hood
Recycled Content
PFC-free DWR
OEKO-TEX®
Colourway: Female: Black grape & black (male Signal Greel & black)
Sizes: XS to XL (Men’s: S to 2XL)
Weight: 375g (female M)
Price: £450
See: Helly Hansen
My thoughts: Helly Hansen Odin Ultimate Infinity Jacket
While there are only two colour choices – this seems limited especially as one is black – I really like the grape colour. It’s a colour that suits me and it’s not too dull for the hills. I think we should wear brighter colours in the hills for safety so I would never choose black. It would be great to see a few more colour choices Helly Hansen. Why not add the men’s Signal Greel to the mix?
The fit is roomy because I have the medium. It’s a jacket that is great for colder and wetter weather so I wanted to have space to add layers underneath. I can easily fit several thinner baselayers and a lightweight down jacket below the shell. The HH Odin Everdown continues to be a favourite.
The hem length and arm length is great (I am fairly tall with long arms). The hood is adjustable and has an adequate brim that helps to keep the rain off my specs. I am also able to fit the hood over a climbing helmet.
I like the adjustable arm cuffs. They are easy to adjust with a velcro fastener and wide enough to (just) pull the jacket on and off over multiple layers and my sports watch. The front zip is one-way only. I’d prefer two-way for versatility but it’s a small negative.
The zip pulls are large and made of durable plastic. This makes them easy to use when wearing gloves, which is a must for me.
The chest pockets are great. It’s nice to have a different colour for the zips and I was able to fit in my large iPhone. One thing I wish brands would take note of is the need for a pocket large enough to carry a map and compass. Many men’s jackets have this option but the pockets always seem to be smaller in women’s jackets. Why not make one of the chest pockets large enough for a map?
The fleece protected chin guard is fairly standard these days but always a bonus to stop the zip top scratching the chin.
I have tested the jacket in a range of different situations, including cold and wet, warmer and wet, very wet and windy and in the hills and mountains of Scotland in later summer and autumn.
It has performed really well and kept me very dry. It is a heavier fabric that my summer weight waterproof jacket so there is the potential to sweat when working hard. However, the pit zips offer venting and these work well. They are only one-way zips but I did manage to open and close them on my own.
During my Mountain Leader assessment in November in very wet and windy conditions, the jacket performed superbly. I was out on a three-day expedition and my top layer of clothing stayed almost entirely dry. I did get a bit of water ingress around the neck area but this was because I didn’t have the jacket fully zipped up all the time. I didn’t take many spare layers of clothing for the trip so I was very grateful that the jacket kept out the wet. It seems fairly breathable as well. I expect the DWR is working well because it’s new and I will need to keep an eye on this – potentially re doing the DWR – as the jacket ages.
So, let’s talk about the Helly Hansen Odin backcountry over-pants that I wore during the exped, too.
They were great at keeping out the wind and almost as good at keeping out the rain. However, on day two, after almost constant rain and damp, I did suffer with wet seeping into my underlayer. I was wearing fleecy tights underneath.
The fabric looked like it was “wetting out” so this means that the DWR isn’t working so well or the fabric overall is not as high quality as the newer Helly Hansen Odin Ultimate Infinity collection.
I have worn the over-pants for skiing a number of times and this could be a reason why they are not performing so well – use and dirt can reduce the waterproofing. But I don’t think I have worn them for more than about 10 days.
When skiing, I don’t generally require as much waterproofing unless it’s heavily snowing so I will continue to enjoy wearing the Helly Hansen Odin backcountry jacket and trousers for that activity.
To be sure that I stay dry and warm – while walking in wet conditions – I might pair the jacket with HH Odin 9 Worlds Infinity shell pants. Read my review of Helly Hansen Odin 9 Worlds Infinity Shell Jacket.
Now to the price. I do find Helly Hansen clothing to be expensive. I am fortunate to be sent kit to test in return for a review on this website but £450 for a waterproof jacket is a bit eye-watering.