Springtime weather in the West can be summed up in one word: unpredictable. If it’s a new softshell jacket you’re shopping for, you want something that can stand up to snow, rain, and wind all in the same day. The Helly Hansen Odin Light Softshell jacket arrived at my door just in time for a wild mix of spring weather. Over the past month I’ve had the chance to test this shell in just about every possible condition Utah could throw at it. I discovered that the Odin might become any outdoor junkie’s new “go-to” jacket no matter what the forecast says.
The first thing I noticed about the Odin Light Softshell is its simple design. One main zipper, two large side pockets, an attached hood and two lower drawstrings comprise all the bells and whistles this jacket offers. Simple indeed. But don’t be fooled: while other shells may pack more in the way of “extras,” this clearly wasn’t the goal by Helly Hansen. Instead, they focused their efforts on creating a jacket out of material that would stand up to the worst conditions out there. “HellyShell” fabric is touted by the company as the perfect balance between protection, breathability and stretch, and frankly I agree. The outer shell is a blend of Polyamide (an abrasion resistant fabric used in the clothing worn by firefighters, so you know it’s tough) and Elastane (commonly known as spandex). The combination provides a really cool-feeling, tough as nails jacket. But enough about the fancy fibers…did it work in the elements?
During the first few weeks of testing the weather was brutal. Every day when I left my house I knew I would be hit with high winds and afternoon rain. The Odin Light Softshell was never far from my clutches. When the winds kicked up to 30 mile per hour gusts I stayed warm and cozy (everything but my face and hands that is) in the jacket. When the afternoon arrived, I stayed as dry as a bone. Snowy hikes in the Wasatch canyons were also no big deal for this softshell: I watched with glee as sleet and snow collected on the jacket, then harmlessly slid off, leaving nothing more than some beaded water as evidence. Another nice feature of this piece is the lengthy cut of the back panel. While wearing my pack I never suffered the annoyance of having the jacket ride up past my hip belt.
Perhaps my favorite use for the Odin jacket is snowboarding. I don’t usually stray from my all-weather shell from another outdoor company, but I’m having a full on jacket affair thanks to Helly Hansen. The Odin Softshell is perfect for spring days when I need something lightweight, breathable and water resistant to compliment my base layers. On-hill wind and snow are no bother for the jacket, and when the sun is shining and temps heat up, I simply strip off a layer and I’m good to go. The only drawback to using this as a snowboarding/skiing jacket is that the two pockets also double as vents, so if it’s a warm day you can’t use them for storage. A small price to pay for the versatility of the Odin.
The two other negatives I discovered while testing the Odin are the hood and the packability of the jacket. The hood is fixed, which is fine by me, but it is quite roomy. When I needed to protect my dome from precipitation, I flipped up the hood and pulled the drawcord, but despite my best efforts it still had quite a lot of space and would flop off my head from time to time. Clearly the hood was designed with helmets in mind. As far as packability goes the Odin isn’t different from any other soft-shell, I just wish there was a way to squash these things down as small as a down jacket. The Odin is lightweight (560 g) so it won’t slow you down if you have to stow it in your pack when the weather gets nice.
Overall I’m a big fan of the Odin Light Softshell. It kept me dry and warm in the mountains, and it’s stylish enough to wear around town as your spring jacket. If you add a down layer underneath, I’m confident it can perform in much colder temperatures than the 35-55 degree range I tested it in. It’s never easy to live up to the name of a norse god, but Helly Hansen has pulled it off with the Odin Light Softshell. If you’re looking to repel the spring weather of the west, then take a good look at this soft-shell, it might be the only jacket you need for quite a while.
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