Hard to believe it, but winter is almost over. While powder seasons come and go, bomber gear should last for years. Helly Hansen has been in the extreme weather gear game since 1877 (not a typo) for a reason: they produce pieces that stand up to the elements long after you buy them. I had a chance to put some of their winter collection to the test during the past weeks with the Quebec Checked Down Jacket and Legend Pant II. Here’s a look at how they performed:
Quebec Checked Down Jacket:
Testing a down jacket in March might sound silly, but as you well know, spring in the Wasatch can be unpredictable. Right on cue the mountain temps dipped into the 20s, setting up ideal conditions to test the Quebec in. As far as warmth goes, it’s a winner: the 700 fill down kept me toasty with a single base layer shirt on underneath. Even when the wind kicked up to 20+ MPH, the cold didn’t bite me.
Yes, that’s what you would expect from a down outerlayer, but there were some surprises with the coat.
During one of the test days Ullr began throwing his heaviest spring bounty down upon me. The flakes were huge and the snow was wet; very wet. I watched as flakes hit the jacket and instantly melted. I was convinced that in about a half hour I would be wearing a wet down blanket instead of a coat, but the Quebec stood tall. Even as the storm intensified I stayed bone dry. Another pleasant surprise is the build quality of the jacket’s outer fabric. I took countless high speed forest runs in the coat, intentionally running as close to branches and deadfall as I could. The jacket took numerous tree shots but didn’t rip a bit; not even a thread pull. In the past I have destroyed plenty of lesser jackets this way, but the Quebec came out looking as good as when it went in.
The jacket is bare bones: two exterior pockets lined with fleece, a zippered interior pocket, and attached hood. What you see is what you get, there are no superfluous bells and whistles stuffed into the Quebec. I would have liked to see a powder skirt for the interior, especially considering you will likely have only a base layer on underneath. Cinching down the elastic drawcords seems to create a tight enough seal to keep out the pow. A drawcord for the hood also lets you create a nice seal around your head on those heavy snow days. The cuffs are elastic and not adjustable; at first I thought this would be a negative but never bothered me during testing, in fact I began to like the ease of pulling gloves on and off without having to mess with any velcro.
Helly Hansen says that the Quebec Checked Down Jacket is “warm, light and easy to compress… ideal for cold weather skiing and everyday use,” and I find it hard to dispute those claims. This jacket lived up to the billing, and is worthy of the “bomber” label. If you want to add a versatile down jacket to your array of winter gear, the simply designed Quebec Checked Down Jacket might be the one.
Legend Pant II:
While I would not reach for a regular/athletic fit pant on the rack, I actually enjoyed testing the Legends. They kept close to my body and sealed in heat while moving easily with me. They are so light I barely noticed I had them on, but thanks to that heat seal I never got a cold butt or legs, even when the wind chill kicked up and the snow came down.
I liked the design of the pants: simple but functional. There are plenty of pockets for stashing chapstick, cellphone and wallet, all with waterproof zippers. Articulated knees help the pants move with the rider’s legs. The cuffs have two snaps and a zipper, so I was able to gangster them out a little bit to atone for their tighter fit. As far as protection from the elements goes, look no further. The Legend Pants are made with HellyTech fabric that’s rated at 14,000mm waterproof and 18,000g breathability. What does that mean, exactly? No matter what conditions you face, the pants will keep out moisture and keep you dry and comfy inside. Think I’m BSing you? Think again: I took the Legends to the local car wash and blasted them with the pressure hose. While my sneakers were soaked, the pants repelled the water with ease… that was enough to make me a believer in HellyTech.
Simple, functional, lightweight and durable is how I describe these pants. Most winter outerwear strives to be just that, and with that kind of feedback it isn’t hard to figure out why plenty of guides, patrollers and outdoor junkies choose HH to keep them comfortable in the cold. The Legends are also ideal for winter mountaineering and snowshoeing. If you want a pair of pants that will be taking abuse for years to come, consider the Legend Pant II… now if they could just make them a little baggier!
It’s the end of the season so deals are going down: check Helly Hansen’s website for the latest pricing and sizing information to score some top notch gear at low end prices.
Hey! where i can buy the Legend pant II green in size M ??