This jacket is simple. It’s as light as you can imagine and it does its job. That’s what matters. It packs up into a tiny little ball that I never have to hesitate to throw in my day pack or even in my running vest. It’s waterproof enough too that I have full trust in it for multi-day excursions too.

This jacket does exactly what it was designed to do: Keeps you dry during those unexpected downpours, packs down incredibly small and weighs next to nothing.

My experience with the Helium II has largely been as a "just in case" piece while rock climbing and hiking when the weather is iffy. This jacket packs up quickly inside its stow pocket to about the size of a baseball - I have found the pocket is big enough to hold the jacket as well as a small snack and still be compact and light enough to forget about while clipped to my harness or tucked away in my backpack top pocket.

Considering the thin 30D Pertex Shield fabric is almost transparent, I was a bit worried about durability issues when I first got my hands on the jacket. But, after a trip alpine climbing in Canada's Northwest Territories my skepticism diminished; I ended up wearing the Helium almost continuously during my trip including two separate (20+ hour) big wall climbs in which we climbed loads of squeeze chimneys (hood fits nicely over my helmet!): Not one hole and the jacket was quite comfortable whilst climbing and hiking between tormenting cloudbursts!

I would not necessarily suggest this jacket for use if you will be inundated by wet weather for days on end, that said, I have used this it as a standalone piece for backcountry use in remote and wet locations with the knowledge that it does not have the best breathability like other, more robust Outdoor Research jackets - It does however dry fast!

I wear a men's Large and have a good bit of room for light layering: I'm 5.9, 175lbs, with a 41-inch chest.

Really solid for the price, I'd recommend having one of these in your pack at all times. It's so light and packable it won't make much difference, until the storm comes when it's a life saver.

I used it biking and hiking around Salt Lake in April. Great for those afternoon thunderstorms.

Such a great jacket to add to the bag for fighting strong wind and rainfall for those times you are not expecting it . Lightweight, pack-able, durable.

Email me with all your Outdoor Research questions - jelam@backcountry.com



The Helium is the type of jacket you'll want to add to your quiver of gear for times when you have no idea what the weather will throw at you. I busted out the Helium while I was exploring Zion when the rain hit and it was perfect for an emergency layer. I wouldn't use it for extended storms (get a 3-layer GTX for that) but the Helium kept me dry for 2-3hrs easy. The Helium is also light enough to be a layer that you never take out of your adventure pack. Even with no rain on the forecast, I've been happy to bring the Helium along as a wind layer, keeping me warm on high altitude peaks.

Keeps the rain out but definitely not breathable. At the same time, waterproof usually means that it's never breathable in my experience. So this does the job of keeping my buddy dry and is super light and thin. Bought this for a friend 5'11" 210lbs with an athletic build in an XL.

This isn't my first, nor will it be my last...assuming they don't kill it. This newest incarnation is much improved: zippered chest pocket, fabric texture, styling and cut. You may think the price too much, but you'll soon find this piece in your "go to" kit every time....or at least you should.

This was a great jacket at this price. It is pack-able and fairly waterproof. Not as good as gore pro, but not nearly as $$$$$. Great value.

I wanted to like this jacket. It's light, windproof, and has a quality made feel to it. I have used it 3 times, 2 times it rained lightly and it got soaked. Not waterproof at all. The first time out the water didn't even bead up at all, just started soaking through. Very disappointed and will question anything made from OR again.

This is the perfect jacket for travel or throwing in your day pack when there is a chance of rain. The minimal features are just right. The hood is an ample size, and has a draw cord which is a nice feature. It stuffs very easily into the internal pocket. There is also a bottom cinch if you are in some real wind!

This is a great light weight weight protection from moisture or strong winds. Takes up no room in your pack and is super light and durable

This bag is good not great. I bought it because I lie the zipper flash. I"m a pretty flashy guy so of course I didn't want a basic zipper. Once I put it on I thought, "This is good, not great." But it was good enough to keep.

Most all of the reviews I found on the Helium II jacket were positive, especially about its ability to breath. Sorry, I found the opposite to be true. After wearing outside (no rain) for about 30 minutes I got hot. The jacket did not breath at all for me. Plus the fabric was annoyingly noisy. Like I was walking through dead leaves in the Fall. For me, it was a little tight in the shoulders and too short (fell just to top of hip). I am 6', 165 lbs and bought a large. It's going back. I have a Marmot jacket which is a little heavier but is much less noisy and breathes very well.

The Helium jacket has changed the way I pack because it pretty much always comes with me. I use it for sun, wind, and water protection; it does all of them pretty well. When the jacket is smaller and weighs less than 3 Clif Bars, it's easy to toss in your pack (or pocket) and rely on it.

Personally, I use this jacket when I expect wind, sun, or light water at temperatures above 40 and below 70. That's not to say it won't perform at different temperatures, but I've found it a little too clammy for warmer temps or high aerobic activities.

When climbing, this guy easily clips on to my harness and is *perfect* for multi-pitch belays. When hiking up to a peak, again, the perfect piece for protection during a summit lunch. I also toss this in my mountain bike pack in case of drizzles and light rain.

Fit is great on this piece. At 6ft and 170 lbs the Medium fits well over light layers or just a t-shirt. For such a "minimalist" jacket, the hood is very well designed. It's easy to adjust and pretty good visibility.

Only thing to be aware of is that this isn't meant as a "daily-use" shell. So it isn't the most durable or feature rich shell around; but it can't be beat for lightweight and packable protection. Stuffing it into the interior pocket is super easy (no fuss needed), and you can also use that pocket to hold a snack bar and keys.

Contact me directly with questions about this shell or about topics such as

-Lightweight climb, hike, or bike gear
-Daily use rain gear
-Similar lightweight apparel

Ben

This jacket is a DWR coating away from becoming a wetout mess. I've had it for about 2 and a half years and the original waterproof spray lasted for a full summer (of only light rain). The next year it wetout the first time i used it. I reapplied DWR and that lasted one good soak. I wouldn't recommend this jacket to anyone who's using it for a serious activity. Where your backpack straps touch it you'll also get soaked regardless of the state of the DWR coating.

The fit was great on my medium. Not a lot of bells and whistles but its good at what it does. Water rolls right off. The zipper quality was great and performed easily.

I think everyone has had that argument with themselves. What does 20% chance of rain mean? We'll probably be off the wall by the time the storm gets in, who wants to carry a rain coat anyway? Also, you know bringing a coat is going to mean it doesn't rain no matter what the forecast says. With the Helium II, you never have to make that choice again. It weighs nothing, and packs up tiny. Throw it in your pack, clip it to your harness and forget about it. If you do get caught in a downpour it's easy to pull out and the full zip makes it quick to put on. I have walked through torrential downpours and it sheds water like a champ.

This is not the rain coat you most want if you're doing a 15 mile rain forest hike. It's not the wrong one, but it has a couple drawbacks. The lack of pockets means cold water will be running down your hands, and the hood is a little big and awkward since it's designed to fit over a climbing helmet. But I have worn this for hikes and it performs well enough, but I like to have a heavier shell when I know I'm gonna get dumped on.

This thing really excells for those 20-30% chance of rain though. You don't regret bringing it with you if it doesn't rain and you'll be damn happy if you did. It also excels in the alpine. Coupled with a fleece hoody or light down jacket turns it into an excellent layer for cold weather or windy climbs. The material is surprisingly durable for how light it is, but take care to avoid abrading it against the rocks. It's not super breathable, but on the other hand it does work great as a wind break. Overall, couldn't be happier with it.

The sizing is a bit on the slim side, but for me it is perfect over a fleece like the R1. I can fit it over a full down jacket, but I feel a bit like the Michelin man. Also, the first one I bought, the hood pull cord wasn't fastened properly and snapped, but since then, the replacement jacket (thanks backcountry) has been put through it's paces and is still going strong, so must have been a one off.

I purchased these for a rafting trip. Needed something that could pack down easily and also lightweight. These definitely did the trick and kept me dry. I paired these up with the helium pant which turned out to work really well.