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Outdoor Research Helium HD Men's Jacket

Outdoor Research Helium HD Men's Jacket

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Product Description
Inspired by the company’s best-selling Helium II rain shell, the Outdoor Research Helium HD jacket comes with all the protection you’ll need in a serious deluge—and it weighs just 9 ounces. The Pertex Shield+ 2.5L 30d ripstop fabric is waterproof, windproof, breathable, and lightweight, with full seam taping and a laminated construction Read More

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autojeremy
48
May 30, 2018
Well I wish I hadn’t just bought one of these at REI for $40 more. Great jacket and packs so small it is always in my daypack.
treal512
435
Jul 21, 2018
autojeremyREI has a fantastic return policy that you could easily take advantage of in the least damaging way for all parties if you were concerned and or motivated enough. Just saying.
pwnerman
453
Apr 29, 2018
quick question. I'm not an outdoorsman but I was looking for a lightweight rain jacket to fit over work clothes like an undershirt and dress shirt. Would something like this look normal in the urban world or would it be stupid looking wearing this around in the city? Thanks
Edit: It doesn't really matter since everything is sold out but I'm still curious.
ChurchillW
423
Jul 21, 2018
pwnermanFor most people it would be fine, but for the style conscious it would under dressed in a "downtown" area, but that is region specific.
pwnerman
453
Jul 21, 2018
ChurchillWThanks, I went with the Interstellar myself and it looks very nice. I think the trim style helps with being stylish but I'm a function over style person anyway when it's needed.
SamsonLi
2
Apr 25, 2018
value for money
uncle-dev
15
Apr 24, 2018
No XL. oh well maybe next drop
SantiagoDraco
611
Jan 24, 2018
Massdrop please chime in on the 2XL vs XXL question. I just checked the Outdoor Research website and they don't even list a 2XL for this jacket so why is there one here? Is this an older model or is it supposed to say XXL?
Ido12
13
Jan 23, 2018
Will it arrive before 20 March to a us address?
Chazzie
0
Jan 23, 2018
What about women’s version?
DannyMilks
4557
Jan 23, 2018
ChazzieOutdoor Research does not make the Helium HD in womens. They do make the Helium Traveller jacket, which is much longer. https://www.massdrop.com/buy/outdoor-research-women-s-helium-jacket-or-pants
Chazzie
0
Jan 27, 2018
DannyMilksah righto! Thanks a lot!
Msilverhammer
327
Jan 23, 2018
Just for clarification, when I wrote my comment on the jacket mentioned in this drop, the Men's Helium HD jacket, I mistakenly referred to it as the Men's Helium II jacket, both from Outdoor Research.
REI is selling the Men's Helium HD jacket for $199.00 as compared to the Men's Helium II jacket for $159.00, so this drop is well under market price.
Both jackets are made from the exact same Pertex® Shield+ 2.5L 100% nylon 30D ripstop material, but the Helium HD is three ounces heavier, has pit zips, and a hood that will fit helmets, and zip hand pockets, among the differences.
As I stated earlier, from what I have read, been told, and researched, they seem like excellent jackets, that are light, and very breathable.
Hope this clarifies my previous comment.
Msilverhammer
327
Jan 26, 2018
I am not sure where you are directing me.
Looked in all the blogs you cited, and linked, but could not find that date in any of those, or here in these undated comments.
Maybe I am missing something.
Would you please be more specific?
Thanks!
LeoKauai
88
Jan 27, 2018
Nice, mahalo!
Msilverhammer
327
Jan 23, 2018
I think a good rain jacket that keeps you dry, and relatively free of perspiration is an essential outdoor gear item.
However, if you do not want to spend around $150.00 for a rain jacket, then I suggest that you take a long look at the Marmot Precip jacket, which you can usually find on Massdrop, EBAY, Sierra Trading Post, and other sites for around $50.00 to $60.00.
The Marmot Precip is a good rain jacket, (I own one) and is consistently rated as a Best Buy by the reviewers at the Outdoor Gear Lab.
Just to be fair and accurate, the Outdoor Gear Lab has also rated the Helium II as a top pick, so it is no slouch, just more expensive, but lighter, and a bit more breathable than the Marmot Precip. I noticed that REI is selling them for around $160.00, so this drop is probably a bit under market price, but pretty much the same when you add in the Massdrop shipping charges.
However, since I already own several similar rain jackets, and if I was willing to be somewhat redundant, and spend $150.00 for another rain jacket, I would rather try a rain jacket, or an insulated rain jacket for those cold times of the year, made with the Columbia Outdry technology, which purportedly eliminates the clamminess that one often experiences with Gore-Tex, eVent, Marmot Nano Pro, Marmot Nano Pro Membrain, Marmot Membrain Strata, Patagonia H2 No, and other multiple iterations, and versions of the aforementioned multiple fabric layer rain jacket technologies made with "breathable" membranes.
I might also want to try a jacket made with Polartec Neoshell fabric, which is similar to all of the aforementioned waterproof, breathable fabrics, but is considered "air permeable" so in extensive testing and reviews was rated as more breathable.
The Marmot Zion jacket, now discontinued, but still available here and there online is a good example of a Polartec Neoshell jacket that received great reviews regarding the breathability. Other well known names like Rab, Westcomb, Sugoi, and Mammut and others manufacture jackets using Polartec Neoshell.
By the way, all of the technologies mentioned here, have been out on the market for at least two years, and in some cases many more, as in the case of Gore Tex, and eVent.
I own several rain jackets made by Lowe Alpine (eVent), Marmot Precip, (Nano Pro), Marmot Oracle, (Marmot Membrain Strata, Marmot Artemis, (Marmot Nano Pro Membrain), a Gore Tex jacket issued to me by the NPS, and a Sierra Designs Badlands Nylon jacket with DWR coating.
By the way, the Outdoor Research Helium II jacket showcased in this drop uses a similar Pertex® Shield+ 2.5-layer ripstop nylon fabric, which is extremely durable, waterproof, and very breathable.
In most, if not all of these jackets there is a waterproof/breathable membrane sandwiched between two or more layers of fabric.
The outer fabric layer is treated with a durable water repellent (DWR) coating, and the inner layer is a liner that gets the water off your skin and helps move it to the membrane, keeping you (somewhat) nice and dry. There are varying degrees of dry based upon temperature, exertion levels, etc.
Please note that the outer layer of most waterproof jackets will start to "wet out" after some time, and will then have to be cleaned, and then the DWR coating, (Nikwax, Grangers, Revivex) will have to be reapplied again depending upon the usage level, rain, snow, or salt water exposure, ultraviolet light exposure, abrasion, etc.
According to my research Columbia’s new OutDry Extreme tech is built differently.
The exterior of the jacket is covered in a water-tight membrane that makes the jackets look and feel more like a rubber dry bag than the usual fabric exteriors of traditional waterproof, breathable jackets.
Columbia’s external membrane repels the big water droplets from rainfall but it’s not entirely sealed off, as the membrane has millions of tiny perforations that let water vapor evaporate out of the jacket. Below the membrane is a liner made of a nylon fabric that wicks water away from your skin. If the whole system works as advertised, an OutDry Extreme jacket will keep you dry, cool, and comfortable.
So, yes the Helium II is a great jacket, and probably worth the $150.00 price tag, if you are looking for the lightest waterproof rain jacket around.
But as we know, there is always a better mouse trap being built, so in the case of the Columbia Outdry, and Polartec Neoshell technologies, there may be more breathable jackets out there that will keep you bone dry.
I hope that all of this information helps you in some way, and is food for thought!
Following are a few links that you might find useful, informative, and interesting:
Marmot Waterproof Technologies... https://www.marmot.com/technology-articles/technology.html#water
Polartec Neoshell... http://dev.polartec.com/product/polartec-neoshell
Columbia Outdry Extreme Jackets, Reviews, Features and Specifications...
https://www.columbia.com/technology-outdry-extreme/#prefn1=genderGroup&prefn2=productClass&prefv1=Men%27s&prefv2=Jackets
https://blog.columbia.com/outdry_extreme/
https://gizmodo.com/columbia-outdry-extreme-the-future-of-rain-jacket-perf-1711780378
SantiagoDraco
611
Jan 23, 2018
Another question.... what's the difference between the Helium HD and the Helium II?
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