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At the back end of last season, I reviewed the Helly Hansen Odin Nine Worlds 3.0 Shell Jacket. I used it all winter, and it has proven to be a great winter shell. It’s way too over-featured and heavy to pack for a summer day on the hill, however, so this spring I’m looking at the lighter and more compact Loke 2.0 Jacket (I’m liking the Norse Gods vibe). This packable rain shell is a well-featured, lightweight, and compact shell that is easy to pack and light enough not to weigh you down when you want to go light and fast.
The Loke jacket is made using Helly Tech breathable fabric. This has a high recycled content and is Bluesign certified. I have found it soft to the touch, and although not completely noiseless, it is fairly quiet when on the move. The Helly Tech breathable rain jacket membrane has been well tested and is a feature across the range of hardshell jackets and pants. I found it performed reasonably well, but then I am a pragmatic hiker who realizes that even the most expensive Gore-Tex (and I have tested them all) won’t keep you fully dry when on the move. It is a 2.5L shell, which means there is the outer fabric (with the DWR applied), a breathable membrane, and a print, often dots, but in the case of the Loke 2.0, it’s an HH logo. This system offers a softer, more pliable fabric than a fully hardcore 3-layer jacket with an inner layer applied.
So, when I was moving uphill or at speed, I found the jacket couldn’t vent out the sweat through the membrane alone. A bit of experimentation with the main zip adjustment and opening the pit zips allowed me to mitigate some of this, but not fully. In my humble opinion, once you deploy a hardshell or windproof, there will always be a compromise, and my maxim has always been damp and warm is the best I can be, and I’ve therefore never been disappointed. Once I stopped, the membrane worked a little better, and I began to dry out fairly quickly, particularly if there was a breeze.
The PFC-free DWR performed well when it began to rain, and it took about half an hour of steady rain to begin to wet out on the arms and shoulders; the hood and front of the jacket lasted another 15 minutes or so. Again, may I remind you that no DWR is totally waterproof in persistent rain. In a mountain environment with, often, driving rain, it will wet out. This often disappoints people who don’t understand the purpose of the DWR, which is to deflect water and keep the jacket as dry as possible for as long as possible. So, take this into consideration. That said, once dried using the handy external hanging loop in a drying room, or a 15-minute gentle tumble dry at home, will bring the DWR performance back to an acceptable standard. I would also advise a wash and DWR application (there are some great products for this out there) at the beginning of the season, which will usually improve the water repellency and membrane performance very well.
Most of the seams on this waterproof jacket are taped with thermally welded seam tape. All the main seams are taped, including the pit zips. The hem, cuffs, and main zip were not, though. The main zip is protected with a generous storm flap, which, to be honest, does work better than an Aquacoil zip and makes the front of the jacket more pliable and less prone to bunching and buckling. I never really noticed any water ingress around the wrists or the hem; in time, however, I’ll need to look at it and keep my eye on that. But for what I use it for— summer when I’m not expecting heavy rain—then for the price, that’s okay by me; I can live with that.
In terms of style, I have found the Loke 2.0 Jacket very nice to wear, and I liked the fit. Generous enough to go over a light fleece and gilet, but with a nice silhouette for casual city wear. I have used this versatile outdoor jacket for city breaks as well as on the hill. It is nice and compact enough to fit into a small daypack when exploring urban adventures. The hood has two-way adjustment with no loose ends to whip you in the eye. I have adjusted it to fit with a baseball cap and haven’t needed to readjust since. The peak has a hidden RECCO reflector (standard for all Helly Hansen shell jackets), which is a neat feature that adds very little weight. It’s interesting to know that RECCO reflectors can now be used all year round and not just in avalanche rescue. Take a look at the RECCO site to find out more – an interesting read. The peak isn’t stiffened, and a small wire would have helped here.
The Helly Hansen Loke 2.0 Jacket has been nicely updated for the new season, with all the original features kept and new colorways added. Finishing touches include a generous storm flap with hook-and-loop fastening as well as popper studs, zipped and mesh-lined hand pockets with bar-tacked ends as well as storm flaps, pit zips, YKK zips throughout, a single-handed adjustable hem, glove-friendly zip tags, and a nice color-coordinated HH printed logo on the chest. There could be some minor improvements such as a wired peak and a chest pocket for phones, but with the attractive price range, I think the Helly Hansen Loke 2.0 Jacket has a lot going for it and is well worth a look.
The Helly Hansen Loke 2.0 Jacket comes in Men’s sizes S – 2XL and an amazing 6 color choices. The female version comes in sizes XS – XL and 6 color choices. There are also Plus Size choices of 1X, 2X, and 3X and 2 color choices.
The price is £120, and it can be ordered direct from Helly Hansen UK and selected retailers.
Disclosure – CGR reviewers and writers are never paid to provide a review and the website does not take advertising or link to affiliate sales. We are a bunch of keen climbers and travellers who accept sample products and offer an honest and independent review of the item.
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