Outdoor Research Helium Wind Hoody - Women's Review

The Outdoor Research Helium Wind Hoody is a full zip hooded windbreaker comprised of a 100% nylon upper portion and 86% nylon/14% spandex lower portion. It's a slim-fitting jacket with a stretchy waist portion and features two elastic-topped pockets and a single zippered pocket.

Performance Comparison

Wind Resistance

The Helium Wind Hoody fits, feels, and performs like two halves of totally different garments sewn together. The top half is another excellent specimen from Outdoor Research's Helium line. Their proprietary Diamond Fuse technology is very effective at blocking wind. However, the bottom section is like a stretchy fitted sweatshirt. It's thicker, which helps in the breeze, but the material itself doesn't actually block serious winds. Half elastic cuffs are longer on the backs of your hands, and the hood has a brim and adjusts on the back to keep it out of your eyes while still protecting you. The bottom hem is adjustable with a single toggle, though we almost never found ourselves using it on this already fitted section.

Breathability

Hidden under the flap of the Diamond Fuse nylon upper portion, a two-inch-wide fine mesh strip provides a vent all the way around your waist before the jacket transitions into the sweatshirt-like bottom portion. While this vent helps, this jacket is not as breathable as we expected based on its features. The actual material on top is a bit too protective to breathe very well. The material on the bottom is a bit too thick and too fitted to breathe or allow much airflow inside the jacket. This interesting fit helps it stay put very well while we move, but it's only okay in terms of actual breathability.

Weight and Packability

Weighing 6.6 ounces, the Helium Wind Hoody is just above the average weight among windbreakers we tested. Holding up the jacket, you can easily feel that almost all of its weight is concentrated in that thick, stretchy fabric the hugs your hip bones. The whole thing packs up quite easily into its single zippered pocket, and a small loop allows you to easily attach it with a carabiner. While the upper half of the jacket is ripstop material, the bottom half is not, and its soft fibers aren't as abrasion-resistant as the rest of the jacket.

Versatility

Outdoor Research advertises the Helium Wind Hoody as made for active endeavors. And when it comes to being able to move in this jacket, we'd have to agree. It's comfortable and feels secure and pleasant to wear. However, in terms of protection versatility, the lower section really lets this jacket down, both in the wind and in the rain. This two-tone design is also a unique fashion choice and not one all of our testers were happy to make. It has one zippered pocket that opens on top, to the right of the main zipper. Two additional elastic-topped pockets, one on either hip, hold additional items and are big enough to accommodate a large smartphone.

Water Resistance

Once again, the top portion of this jacket does well, while the bottom portion does nothing much. The Diamond Fuse lighter section on top does a great job beading water and protecting you from more rain than many other windbreakers we tested. Yet, the bottom section is the exact opposite. It quickly soaks up water, and its added thickness stays wet for far longer than most other windbreakers.

Value

This jacket isn't cheap and is well above the average price of the models we tested. We're not convinced that the great fit and security of the bottom portion is worth the total letdown of protection — or the cost of this windbreaker.

Conclusion

The OR Helium Wind Hoody is certainly a unique windbreaker. While we like how it feels to wear, that comfort and security of the bottom portion come with a severe dropoff in actual protection from the elements. If you don't need serious protection and want a jacket that fits more like a shirt, this may just be the hybrid for you.