If you spend much time outdoors, chances are you have a favorite fleece or sweater that has made more than its share of excursions with you. Knits and the outdoors seem to go hand in hand. Warmth, breathability and overall comfort are probably the main reasons yours has been with you so long. But I’m here to tell you it’s time to update that old mid layer with something new. Why? Four words: chunky knit merino wool. The Helly Hansen Odin Lifa Knit sweater is here, and it wants to start a long term relationship.
Two things arrived in early March: the Odin Lifa Knit sweater and ridiculous spring weather. It was warm, cold, windy, rainy, snowy, and then warm again in the same 24 hour period. I needed a mid layer versatile enough to protect me from the elements without making me pant like a St. Bernard. The Lifa Knit is comprised of 60% merino wool and 40% polypropylene (a plastic polymer used in everything from rope to stereo speakers), a combo that Helly Hansen has dubbed “Climayarn.” I took the Lifa Knit everywhere from the desert to the peaks of the Wasatch to determine if this Climayarn sweater would become my new go-to mid layer.
First up was the all important resort test. If I’m going to throw down hard earned money for a mid layer it better be able to handle a day of snowboarding. The Lifa Knit is very form fitting, which I found both good and bad. Good because I barely noticed it was under my jacket, bad because it kept riding up and needed frequent adjusting. Aside from this issue, the Lifa proved more than capable when it came to temperature control: my core stayed toasty even when high winds pummeled me on the chair lift.
The next round of testing began as soon as I laced my boots up. The Lifa Knit was made for hiking, and that’s just what I did in it. During cold weather dog walks in Neff’s Canyon the sweater kept me warm and comfortable. On especially chilly days I added a soft shell jacket (the Odin Light Softshell is ideal) for more protection from the elements. The Lifa worked great for short hikes in the 35-50 degree range, keeping me warm in the deep woods and not overheating me when the sun came out.
I was most impressed by this sweater when it came to tagging summits. On hikes to Grandeur Peak and Mount Olympus I kept the knit in my pack until I reached the peak. I hardly noticed it in my bag as it’s lightweight and easily stuffed between other gear. I like to linger for a bit on a mountain I’ve just worked to climb, and when I finally stopped sweating and started to get cold, the Lifa was the perfect summit companion. Don this piece on the top at your own risk: within minutes I had several people asking all about the sweater and even copping a feel of the fabric (I admit it, I liked the attention). On my descent from Grandeur I didn’t bother to take the Lifa off. Even though I was in full sun on a 55 degree day, I stayed comfortable- no BS, this sweater really does regulate temperature like a champ.
I toted the Lifa Knit nearly everywhere I went for two months, and wasn’t let down once. During an April trip to the San Rafael Swell temperatures hit 80+ degrees during the day, but at night it quickly cooled down; guess what I was wearing around the campfire? When it comes to hitting the streets, the Lifa is a winner again. Sure, it might be an “outdoor” garment, but it’s still stylish enough to wear at work or your favorite watering hole (I wish “Helly Hansen” wasn’t plastered across the left breast area, but hey, it’s not a perfect world).
Okay, okay…I really like the Odin Lifa Knit. Comfortable, well designed, field proven and chunky knit- it’s got everything I look for in a mid layer sweater. This piece will keep you warm and dry and do it in style. The price for this kind of performance is steep ($170), so it’s no small commitment. I think the Lifa and I are in it for the long haul, now I just have to break the news to my other fleece.
To purchase, or for more information, check out the Odin Lifa Sweater at the Helly Hansen website.