Helly Hansen Salt Jacket Review

I recently purchased the Helly Hansen SALT Jacket from the Athol Forestry store. This coat is a “nautical- inspired jacket” as it is made for sailing, however I have learned that it is also great for outdoor activities, kayaking, playing in the rain and going grocery shopping! Definitely a perfect “wear everyday and everywhere Jacket”.

I attended the Pollett river run in Elgin NB this past weekend (in the rain and mud) and my SALT Jacket kept me dry and warm. It is a versatile Helly Tech shell that protects you from the elements as it keeps you dry and comfortable with a big hood that folds away in the collar. It has light weight breathable materials and plenty of venting features. I had a bit of a walk to see the mud boggers from my vehicle so I filled all my pockets with my “river run necessities” Lots of room to stash away camera, keys, drinks, snacks and more. These jackets are available in five colours and I Love them all! But the red was my favorite. They are currently selling for $220.00 at our Athol Forestry retail store. If we don’t have the colour and size you want I can have it here within a week. This product gets ***** stars from me!!

Thanks for reading.

Regards,

Melissa Watters

 Helly Hansen Men’s Hydropower Jacket Review

Well I’ve been field testing my new hydropower jacket for a couple of months now since they came into the store in early March. It’s only gotten it’s baptism of fire in the last two weeks. Over the past two days we have received up to 50mm of rain and so far I am still dry. But what else would one expect?

To start out I was originally looking for a jacket to serve the majority of functions from a shell to layer under during early and late winter with wet snow on the slopes, as well as keep me dry during summer. I’m an avid kayaker and hiker so also needed a jacket to serve while boating and still be reasonably packable for being in the woods on wet days. My first choice was the Odin Mountain Jacket, but the $600+ price tag was a little daunting, and many of the features I would never use or need anyway. So I kept looking. Melissa ordered in these jackets at a much more reasonable price and my first thought was “Hey it’s meant for water-sports and that’s all it will likely be good for, why did you order those?”  But the looks and features grew on me and I finally decided to break down and purchase one.

The first week, I jogged 4km’s in +5C weather without being uncomfortable in it. It would be too heavy in summer for anything too strenuous, but it breathes very well for a shell of its weight. The soft, high collar doesn’t chafe on the neck, and the zip away hood is great for those days when you only need something to break the wind. It has plenty of mesh pockets on the inside and two soft lined waterproof pockets on the outside as well.

It is fitted enough for wearing casually, but still has great freedom of movement for paddle-sports. It also has two large reflective patches and reflective piping on the front that would be easy to spot if you were in trouble. The colour selection is also great in this jacket. I haven’t been able to get out on the water with it yet, but am looking forward to testing it out very soon.

Until then, I am very happy with the purchase as the jacket is a great looking, versatile jacket for all round use or for its intended purpose in sailing and water sports.

Craig Tupper

Let us know what you think!