Review: Outdoor Research Women’s Helium Down Hoodie

*This review first posted on FionaOutdoors

By Crystal G

After wearing Outdoor Research’s Women’s Helium Down Hoodie day after day after day, I feel that I can safely say that I really love this Hoodie! It has been my go-to jacket this entire fall. I find that it is suitable for a variety of different activities, keeps me warm, and is extremely comfortable!

Features

Weight: 15.4 oz./436 g

– ripstop waterproof fabric

– Adjustable Hood

– Dual Internal Stash Pockets

– Pocket doubles as Stuff Sack

Pros: What’s good about the Women’s Helium Down Hoodie?

The Helium Down Hoodie is extremely comfortable, but not at the cost of fashion. The fabric is quiet as I walk, not making a lot of distracting noises.

The Hoodie is well insulated, keeping me warm on those chilly mornings that I walk in the mountains of Northwest Spain. I also love the fact that the pockets are very large and deep. They are great for holding my phone, keys, and other bits and bobs as well as having plenty of room to warm up my hands. The fabric inside the pockets is very soft, which actually makes me want to put my hands in them.

At 5’9 and around 135 pounds, the medium was the right size for me. One of my concerns was my long arms, but in contrast with other brands, the sleeves were plenty long. Had it not been for that, I probably could have gone with a small since there is some extra room in the body of the coat, even while wearing it with several layers underneath.

I have been able to use the hood a decent amount, hiking out by the river on cool, windy mornings, or to ward off the rain on a drizzly day. The hood is adjustable and deep, which makes it easy to keep on my head. I find that other jackets and hoodies can sometimes tend to have smaller hoods which makes it harder to keep on my head when I am walking, wearing my hair in a ponytail, etc.

The main zippers for the pockets are very smooth and easy to use.

The hood, as well as the hem, are adjustable using the elastic draw cord.

And packing it up into the pocket stuff sack is very helpful while packing for your travels or adventures.

Whether you are walking around town, going on a hike, or out on an adventure, this hoodie is a very good choice!

Cons: What’s not so good about the Women’s Helium Down Hoodie?

This hoodie is not very fitted, so if you are looking for a women’s hoodie that is more form fitting, or (shows off your silhouette), this may not be the jacket for you.

Conclusion

I would highly recommend the Outdoor Research’s Women’s Helium Down Hoodie for any woman looking for a light, warm jacket for cool days. I find myself hoping the weather will be cool enough for me to wear this coat!

Score

Design

9/10

Features

9/10

Performance

9/10

Value

9/10

Total

9/10