Shoulder season in the Intermountain West is a wet and unpredictable time of year. You can chant “Rain rain, go away!” all you want, but it’s probably better to come prepared for what mother nature is slinging at you. A good weatherproof shell is a key ingredient for staying dry and happy during the transition months, and Helly Hansen knows a thing or two about beating the elements. They sent me the Odin Guiding Light Jacket to keep me dry during my summer and fall adventures. Here’s the scoop:
The Helly Hansen Odin Guiding Light Jacket is bomber-built. HELLY TECH Professional fabric is used to ensure that water can’t get in, but moisture (i.e. your sweat) can escape. Did it work? Hell yes it did. Summer backpacking trips in the Uinta Mountains often come with a side of rain, and the Guiding Light Jacket kept me dry as a bone when the skies opened up. Even thought temperatures were in the 60s, I didn’t overheat or get the uncomfortable humid feeling inside the jacket. Two full length pit-zips helped me find the perfect balance of hot and cold. The seams feature narrow tape lines and YKK Aquaguard VT9 water resistant material, so even at the most vulnerable points, this jacket stands tall when rain falls. Of course, 13,000′ summits are notoriously windy places, but like any shell worth its salt, the Odin Guiding Light Jacket kept the chill off of my torso. This is without a doubt a bonafide mountain jacket, able to repel the worst conditions while keeping your core comfortable.
The fit and feel of the Guiding Light Jacket is another win for Helly Hansen. Hikes began with the shell stashed in my bag; this jacket weighs in at just 14.5oz, which more than qualifies it as packable. When the weather got nasty, I donned it and kept on my way. The shoulders and elbows are articulated for ease of movement, and the mechanical stretch fabric not only worked with my body’s motion, it felt good doing it. The Guiding Light Jacket is cut long enough in the tail to avoid the annoying bunching up that often happens with a heavy backpack. Adjustments on the go are simple: bottom hem pulls and hood pulls work with one hand and stay locked in place when winds kicked up. My first outing convinced me: this became my go-to shell for the rest of the season. You want style? The Odin Guiding Light has it for days: you’ll have zero qualms pimping this coat around the city during rainy commutes, or rocking it from the trail to the local watering hole.
Okay, it’s pretty clear I like this jacket. But pump the brakes, because I did encounter a big issue during testing: zipping the jacket all the way up is a major pain in the butt. Normally, I wore it zipped up about 3/4 of the full length. However, when I wanted total protection, I had a devil of a time getting the Odin shell to enclose me. The final 5-6″ of zipper track are poorly angled, and it required some serious finagling to fully zip the shell. I don’t want to waste time fighting a zipper if a fast moving storm is on my tail, and I expect much better function from a professional grade jacket, especially at this price point.
Zipper issues aside, the Helly Hansen Odin Guiding Light jacket proved to be a very capable shell. It’s water resistant, comfortable, fit for nearly any pursuit, and totally packable. When the winds are whipping and the rain is dumping, ditch the chants and grab this jacket. Your dry body will thank you for it.
The Good: Odin Guiding Light Jacket is lightweight, has a bomber build, and repels rain and wind better than any shell I’ve tested.
The Bad: Annoying issues with getting jacket fully zipped, high price point.
The Verdict: The Odin Guiding Light Jacket offers 100% protection from shoulder season elements without sacrificing comfort; you’ll have to decide if a dodgy zipper is enough to keep you shopping around.