Outdoor Research  Helium UL Jacket - Men's

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] An excellent take-everywhere rain jacket. Lightweight and highly packable, it offers impressive weather protection without restricting movement. I’ve used it in everything from light drizzle to extended downpours, and it’s become an essential just-in-case piece of gear. Fit: I’m 5’10”, 170 pounds, and typically wear a medium or large. The men’s medium fits slightly roomy, with space for a light layer underneath. Use and weather protection: Tested on gravel rides, bike commutes, and hiking and camping trips. The biggest test was leading a group of students at Maquoketa Caves State Park during more than 24 hours of steady, heavy rain. The jacket never wet out, and I stayed dry while moving around the park and guiding students through the cave network. Weight and packability: Ultralight and packs down very small. Easy to stash in a backpack or bike kit. Comfort and breathability: Stretchy and flexible, with no restriction of movement. Not particularly breathable, so expect some heat buildup. I took it off inside the caves. Hood: a tight fit over a bike helmet. Likes and improvements: Excellent weather protection for such a lightweight jacket. The bright color improves visibility but shows dirt easily. A little more room for wearing the hood over a helmet would be nice. I plan to use it on upcoming backpacking and multi-day kayaking trips, as well as my regular bike commute. I received this product for free in exchange for my honest review.

Very pleased with this jacket. Completed a full day walk with rain for most of the day (from light drizzle to driving, sideways rain) and this jacket kept me mostly dry. I say mostly, as I was a little damp at times but with sustained rain for most of the day I suspect most jackets would let in some rain. I'm very happy with how it performed. The hood, when tightened down and paired with a cap, worked a treat at stopping rain getting in too. Very pleased overall.

I mean, as advertised this jacket weighs next to nothing. It can fit in your pants pocket. No bells and whistles but it’s there and water proof and wind proof when you need it. It’ll basically live in my outing pack full time. I have not had the chance to really test its water-proof-ness. Wore it to keep off wind overnight and walked through a mild drizzle. Kept me dry and warm so far. I’ll report back after I get into some serious weather.

Super lightweight rain jacket. I carry this with me on my daily city commute. It weighs nothing to my pack but becomes indispensable every day when " no rain" is expected while I watch it pour. The weight is the trade-off for no zipper vents or pockets. but for a travel/emergency jacket, this has a great feel, great construction, fits well and does the job of keeping the rain off.

Welp, it had been sunny all week, but it had to change on Wednesday. I was heading to go photograph some mountain bikers, and on my way to the trails, it started raining, then hailing, then blowing, and it was a mess for sure. When I got to the trail head it was just down pouring. The only thing I had was my new Helium Jacket and since it's new, I was a bit worried. The previous model was a single layer design and really wasn't up to heavy rain or lots of rain. This thing is a beast! I was out for 3-4 hours in the deep forest getting hailed on, rained on, blown away and my down jacket underneath was bone dry. The new design is so nice and lays on you so well. I was able to move and scramble over rocks and brush with no issue. The only thing I don't like is not having front pockets, but that isn't a deal breaker for me since I think of it as an emergency jacket that I'll take off once it stopped raining, the only thing is, I didn't want to take it off.

Overall works great. However, I’m a heavy sweater so rain jackets are already an issue for me so I was hoping this would breathe well for me but I was a little disappointed for the breathability when I run

So many jackets claim to be packable but this really packs down to nothing and easily tucks into its own pocket. This will be going everywhere with me. Top quality construction you expect from OR gear.

Easy to toss in my running vest and to whip on without thinking about weight or space. It does have only one chest pocket and it can get a little sweaty when running hard.

Great rain jacket, light weight but one big flaw. Yo, why the women's version got hand pockets but not the men's?? Very curious design choice....

Super light weight. Keeps you dry. Very packable. Can’t wait to use under performance load. Bought specifically for Alaska expedition