Peak Performance Heli Primaloft Jacket - Men's - 2010 BCS

I've wanted one of these jackets since last season when I picked up my Heli Alpine shell. I happened upon one last week and couldn't be happier. Usually I use an Arc'Teryx Atom LT hoody as my mid-layer but for colder days it doesn't get the job done (60g corloft insulation in the arms/body vs. 100g primaloft arms/133g body in the PP Heli Primaloft jacket). The jacket is quite warm by itself and decently wind-resistant. I was out walking around Nelson last year where it was -8 celsius and was happy in just the jacket and a t-shirt. On the hill where it was between -18 and -22 celcius it fit well under my Heli Alpine jacket. I'm 5'9", 175lbs and have the medium. It fits very well, comfortable, but slim fitting through the body. I like a baggier outer layer and have the shell in a large. It is nice that the shoulders are reinforced for backpack straps as well as the chest pocket (for frequent use). The finish is a little shiny and may be off putting for some people, but I have mine in the yellowy "Acid Green" colour, so it stands out either way. The outer layer seems reasonable durable, but I wouldn't use it as an outer layer for skiing unless it was mellow alpine touring or something. Impacts on rocks or trees wouldn't turn out too well (but that is what a hard shell is for).

A great stand-alone jacket for winter wear and layering for the cold days, especially if you don't want to go the down route. Note, this is almost the identical jacket as the 2011 Heli Regulate jacket from PP.

the Chamonix ski guides alll winter. Should be a decent cold weatehr jacket for us in NA. Nice stuff and cheaper here at BC.com than in France.

i was not familiar with peak performance, but did some research and found it was generally very well regarded. i was looking forward to receiving this jacket and seeing what all the hype was about. after having used the jacket in a variety of conditions for a month now, i'm not sure what all the hype is about.

i bought the night violet, which is pretty accurate as pictured here. it is indeed a very cool looking jacket. however it is very, very basic—to a fault—especially at this premium price. the primaloft one does a great job of insulating. i've worn this jacket in below freezing conditions with only a mid-weight layer beneath and have never been cold. the pertex at the shoulders is a good call to prevent chaffing with a pack or bag. however the material used in the main body is less than durable, as a run-in with a fir tree found needles penetrating the material with ease. though not waterproof, the jacket does repel a good deal of moisture.

and that's about it. as i said, this is a very basic jacket and there are some design flaws. the first of which is the main zipper, which is very difficult to engage and disengage. i thought it may just need to wear in, but sadly, that's not the case. also, the chest pocket zipper pull is exactly the same as the main zipper. the placement of the chest pocket zipper will often cause you to unzip the chest pocket instead of the main zipper when reaching blindly. this is minor, but really should have been though about at this price-point.

what's not minor is the lack of wrist closures and a drawcord at the hem. instead, both are terminated with cheap feeling elastic closure, which offers no way to minimize exposure when moving about. bending over you will definitely feel a draft as the hem rides up. and don't try to take this on the slopes as you will find yourself with a jacket full of snow after your first wipeout.

this jacket has no interior pockets either which i find crazy, and the hood adjustably is limited to a toggle in the rear that adjusts the overall hood height. there's no way to secure the hood in windy conditions.

other than this being a very cool looking jacket, there's really not much to justify the price. if you are looking for something cool to wear around town, you could do better for cheaper. as a belay jacket, there's definitely better options out there as well.

Have used this jacket for 15 months now, and I'm happy with it. It is actually the jacket I use most during the winter. I mostly use it as a jacket alone around town, between +5deg C and -8degC. Not as warm as a down jacket, but the primaloft is nice enough and the fit and thickness of the jacket makes you forget that you have it on.. Light rain and moderate snow is no problem with this jacket, it does not get wet. I also like the hood a lot, nice snug fit heats my ears and head so no need for a hat.
It is pretty pricy, about 420USD in Norway. Aside from that, I dont have any complaints about the jacket, and I didnt have any better candidates when i bought it. It fits in nicely between a down jacket and a fleece jacket.