The Helly Hansen Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket is a versatile, lightweight and rugged waterproof/breathable shell. It’s made for hiking, mountaineering, and backcountry skiing — but it’s flexible enough to be useful just about anywhere.
To get us a closer look, Helly Hansen sent Man Makes Fire a review unit. After testing the Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket while hiking and riding this spring and summer, this is what we learned:
Review: Helly Hansen Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket
The Helly Hansen Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket is heavy enough for backcountry snow and off-trail exploring but light enough for spring hikes and afternoon rain storms.I’ve tested and reviewed multiple Helly Hansen jackets and outdoor apparel over the years, most recently the awesome Helly Hansen Odin 9 Worlds Jacket, the excellent insulated Alpha Lifaloft Jacket, and the crazy-good and affordable Helly Hansen Legendary Insulated Ski Pants.
There are two main things you need to know about Helly Hansen outdoor apparel: First, the quality is excellent. Second, the fit is usually a bit small and slightly trimmer than you get with most North American outdoor brands.
However, that’s not all you need to know — there is a third factor that might be important to you: Helly Hansen style is outstanding.
Helly Hansen’s style never comes at a cost to outdoor performance.
What do I mean by style? The fit-and-finish is fantastic — you get great stitching with great fabrics. More importantly, the cut tends to fit well. When you include great color options and understated branding . . . Helly Hansen apparel seems to look good on most everyone. Better yet, Helly Hansen’s style never comes at a cost to outdoor performance.
Here’s a case in point: Most of Helly Hansen’s rugged outdoor apparel now include Recco reflectors that can help rescuers find you if you’re lost or injured in the backcountry. You might wear Helly Hansen on the street, but if you venture far off the pavement, the best Helly gear is ready for that too.
The Fabric Tech
Helly Hansen makes dozens of waterproof jackets using variations of its own waterproofing tech.Helly Hansen has been manufacturing its own waterproof/breathable fabrics for decades. Most versatile waterproof/breathable fabrics share a common three-layer consruction: an interior layer, a thin waterproof/breathable membrane, and an outer face fabric that provides durability.
How does it work? The waterproofness and breathability membrane has tiny holes that are too small to let water droplets inside but are large enough to let water vapor escape. As your sweat evaporates, either from the surface of your skin or after being wicked away by a fabric, it can escape as water vapor.
This is why a completely rubber rain jacket — which is waterproof — isn’t good for highly active outdoor sports. Rubber isn’t breathable, so all the moisture your body creates will get trapped between you and the interior of a non-breathable rain jacket. Once you start wearing good waterproof/breathable rain and snow gear, you’ll never go back to cheaper alternatives. In case you’re wondering, water vapor management is even critical to fly fishers — the best fly fishing waders also use high-quality waterproof/breathable fabrics.
Shop the Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket at Helly Hansen for the best color and size options!
Recycled Fabrics and PFC-Free DWR
The Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket uses a hydrophobic DWR coating to repel water and let the internal waterproof membrane breathe.Helly Hansen’s Lifa material moves moisture away from your skin where it can evaporate from the surface of the Lifa fabric. Lifa Infinity is Helly Hansen’s environmentally responsible Lifa-based fabric. The Verglas Infinity Shell fabric is made from polyester, 54% of which is recycled polyester.
In addition, Helly Hansen use a PFC-free Durable Water Repellant (DWR) coating on the face fabric. A DWR is basically a chemical coating that repels water. It helps breathable membranes work by keeping the face fabric dry. If your exterior fabric gets completely saturated with water in between all the fibers, the jacket won’t leak . . . but it won’t breathe as well.
DWR coatings can wear out over time, but it’s easy to refresh them. I use and recommend Nikwax TX.Direct Spray-On for its simplicity; however, some outdoor adventurers prefer to use Nikwax Tech Wash for a thorough cleaning then follow-up with TX.Direct Wash-In (available here in a duo pack). They all work well.
Fabric Performance Characteristics
Helly Hansen makes waterproof fabrics in three performance levels: Professional, Performance, and Protection. The Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket is rated Helly Tech Professional, which is Helly Hansen’s highest performance rating. In fact, Helly rates the Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket with a 6/6 rating in each of five important categories:
- Windproof
- Waterproofness
- Breathability
- Lightness
- Durability
The point of Helly Hansen’s ratings is to give you an idea of the level of performance the gear is designed for. Inexpensive alternatives, like Helly’s Seven J Rain Jacket, drop down a couple notches in these ratings.
In my experience, the Helly Hansen Helly Tech Professional fabrics perform very well compared to competing waterproof/breathable layers found in other outdoor gear, including 3-layer GORE-TEX Pro apparel. The Helly Hansen Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket is definitely windproof, the waterproofing is excellent, and the breathability is very good.
In my personal use and testing, I’m a guy who tends to sweat quickly and easily once I start exercising — so I’m a bit sensitive to gear that doesn’t breathe well. On both hikes and rides while testing the Verglas Infinity Shell, I was pleased with the breathability.
How It Feels
The three-layer Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket has a smooth interior that doesn’t feel clammy on bare skin yet also layers easily over high-texture midlayers.The Helly Hansen Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket gives you hardshell durability but feels surprisingly supple. The result is a jacket that I don’t mind wearing while hiking but should also be rugged enough to handle skiing.
In fact, this winter I plan to test the Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket on the slopes. I expect it to perform well and will report back. In the meantime, I can tell you this: I’m not afraid to wear the Verglas Infinity Shell off trail around brush. Come winter, I doubt it’ll tear if I clip a frozen aspen sapling or odd branch while skiing.
How It Fits: A Bit Trim
I’m wearing a XXL in this photo. It’s slightly big for summertime hiking for me — but it will be near perfect with additional layers for skiing.Like many European outdoor apparel manufacturers, Helly Hansen outdoor jackets and pants tend to fit just a bit trim compared to most North American-focused brands.
In my case, I’m about 6’3″ and 220 pounds. I typically wear a size XL in most jackets. For me, a Helly Hansen XL is darn near perfect except for my broad shoulders. In order to have enough room to layer for colder weather, I need to size up to a XXL. For me, I’m in between sizes due to my broad shoulders, but the XXL gives me room to layer, so I prefer that fit for this jacket.
If you’re not sure on sizing, use Helly Hansen’s Fit Finder tool online.
Helly Hansen includes data from thousands of previous shoppers to deliver a recommendation. As expected, when I plug in my body size and fit preferences, Helly Hansen says there’s a 77% chance I’ll be happy with a 2XL and a 57% chance that I’ll be happy with an XL. That’s pretty darn accurate for me when it comes to Helly Hansen and most European outdoor apparel.
Pockets
The two hand pockets are massive and include organization stash pockets inside.Helly Hansen gives you two monster front pockets with long zippers. They’re designed to fit whatever gear you might want handy on the move in the backcountry — goggles, hats, gloves, snacks, etc.
The pockets are also harness and backpack compatible. For example, the long zippers give you access over the top of a backpack hipbelt. The only drawback to this design is that strolling around a mountain town with your hands in your pockets is slightly less comfortable than with lower, more city-oriented pocket styles.
To help you with internal pocket organization, Helly Hansen includes an internal stash pocket inside of each pocket. These are good for things like your keys, chapstick or a multitool.
Shop the Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket at Helly Hansen for the best color and size options!
Zippers & Vents
We appreciate the big underarm vents for dumping heat fast.I really appreciate the Verglas Infinity Shell zippers. They’re high-quality, nearly waterproof zippers with great usability.
Here is one design feature that most competitors don’t bother with: Dual zippers on the front pockets. Helly Hansen lets you access your big front pockets by pulling the zipper up from the bottom — or by pulling it down from the top. Not only is this design more versatile, it’s also better when it’s cold and windy and you want to warm your hands up. How? You can open the zipper just enough for your hands from the bottom without opening the entire zipper from the top. If you spend time outside in cold conditions, you’ll understand the value of this little detail.
One feature we always appreciate is underarm ventilation zippers, a.k.a. pit zips. Helly Hansen includes underarm vents, which let you dump heat fast while keeping your torso protected from rain or snow.
The Hood
Recco reflectors can help you be located in difficult search and rescue situations.The hood is helmet compatible, which is a huge versatility benefit. You get multiple adjustment points, as expected, and it’s a great design. As a do-it-all jacket, helmet-compatible hoods tend to have one drawback: They’re big and annoying when you’re not wearing a helmet. For hiking without a hood, you’ll need to scrunch it down with the three-point adjustment system. I tend to take a baseball cap when I go hiking or backpacking, and the cap’s brim keeps any and all hoods off my forehead, even in heavy rain.
Helly Hansen Alternative Jackets
If you want to error toward skiing and snow pursuits over trekking, the Odin 9 Worlds 3.0 Shell Jacket is a bit burlier with a more glove-friendly zipper.If you’re considering the Helly Hansen Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket, these Helly Hansen alternative options have feature blends that could meet your needs:
Odin 9 Worlds 3.0 Shell Jacket — The Helly Hansen Odin 9 Worlds 3.0 Shell Jacket is one of Helly’s bestselling shells. It’s built for both rugged terrain and skiing. We tested and and reviewed the 2.0 version and it performed flawlessly on the slopes. How does it compare to the Verglas Infinity Shell? The Odin 9 Worlds has a similar overall construction but the fabric is a bit heavier. For instance, the center zip is burlier but less waterproof — but has a storm flap underneath. Choose the Odin 9 Worlds for extra durability, particularly if snow is your primary interest.
Odin 9 Worlds Infinity Shell Jacket — This version of the Odin 9 Worlds lineup features Helly Hansen’s LIFA Infinity Pro fabric, which is designed to provide waterproofing without the need for a DWR coating. It’s a bit lighter than the 3.0 Shell Jacket and costs a bit more, but you’ll never need to refresh your DWR coating with it.
Odin 1 World Infinity Shell Jacket — The Odin 1 World Infinity Shell Jacket shares much of the same design as the Verglas Infinity Shell. The most notable differences include a chest pocket and a slightly lighter build.
The Verdict: Do-it-all Awesomeness
What I appreciate most about the Helly Hansen Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket is that it’s both lightweight and rugged. While it’s not truly an ultralight jacket that’s perfect for backpacking or trail running, it’s versatile enough to take both hiking and skiing. Most lightweight shells are too fragile for backcountry skiing and most skiing hardshells are too heavy and bulky for much else. The Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket even has a bit of tail drop that gives you extra coverage while riding a bike. As expected, fit, finish, and overall quality is excellent. Very highly recommended.
Get the Gear:
- Helly Hansen Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket – men’s
- Helly Hansen Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket – women’s
