The North Face Helium Jacket - Men's - 2008 BCS

on looks this jacket is cool. on weight, this jacket is cool. on wind blocking this jacket is cool. BUT, if you need one to be the least bit water resistant, THIS IS NOT YOUR JACKET. wore this out for a jog the other day, then it started to drizzle. i noticed that my arms and shirt were wet quite quickly and did not notice any "beading" of the water. i like the style and the snug athletic fit, but i needed at least a few minutes of water repellancy from this jacket and it just was not there. will probably go with vented jacket made of a goretex type material, probably one by Marmot. hope this info keeps some of you dry!

This jacket is not insulated at all so it's meant to be a light jacket or shell. It's one of the most comfortable jackets I've ever worn. The material has an excellent feel against the skin and is so light it almost feels like you're not wearing a jacket. The stretch panels provide some mobility but not as much as the North Face Amp Hybrid Jacket which has more stretch panels; thus more mobility. Overall,still a great jacket.

I was expecting a little more insulation, but was very surprised to find that the jacket is strictly a shell. Understanding that it is just a shell, this is a great jacket from North Face. It does keep some warmth and is good at blocking wind. I have yet to test the water resistant abilities of this jacket out side. I have splashed some water on the jacket and am confident to say that the water beads and rolls off. For the type of jacket, or wind breaker, this gets a top rating from me. Price is an issue, but with TNF, you do get what you pay for.