The Cascade Low-Cut Helly Tech hiking shoes are a waterproof hiking show (not boot) with a burly sole meant for soaking up all the kilometers.

Quick specs

• 950 grams (for the pair)
• Helly Tech waterproof membrane
• HH Pro-Guard toe and heel cap
• HH Max Comfort insole
• HH Power Stride Midsole
• HH Surround-grip
• HH Max-Grip Rubber compound
• $140 USD ($160 CAD)

The HH Pro-Guard toe and heel caps keep your feet in one piece. Even just getting out of the house, I somehow slammed my foot in the door. Happy I was wearing the Cascades!

I love hiking in lightweight trail runners but they don’t last as long as dedicated hiking shoes. The Cascades are about 950 grams for 2, so not the lightest, but much lighter than a pair of boots. I’ll take the weight if it makes them last longer

The HH Max-Grip Rubber on the sole stays grippy on slick rocks and logs. I was out recently on a frosty morning and all the rocks were slick. The rubber on the Cascades made it easier going. They aren’t the stickiest rubber I’ve had in a shoe but plenty for wet rocks and logs. Less sticky rubber tends to mean it’s going to last longer.

A good heel cup makes a shoe for me. It keeps your foot in one place and prevents sliding around or slipping up and down. All that sliding causes blisters, no fun to hike with. The Cascade has a shallower heel cup which worried me when I first tried them on. But hiking up steep river bank and single track, my heels weren’t slipping all. Surprising but good. While it doesn’t quite feel like it’s going to hold everything in place at first, it did!

Fit on the front was good. The laces hold well without squeezing and there was enough room for my toes. They don’t have a ton of room in the toes but enough for my somewhat wide feet to be happy.

Hiking through wet brush was no issue for the Helly Tech waterproof membrane. My feet got quite warm in the which happens with all waterproof shoes. Less coming in means less going out.

Conclusion

Verdict: Hiking recommended

The Helly Hansen Cascade hiking shoes the are comfortable to wear right out of the box, are burly enough to throw around off-trail and keep your feet dry from any wet brush. If the bright red isn’t your thing, there’s also a blue or a black.

The post Helly Hansen Cascade Low-cut Hiking Shoes Review: Durable, Warm and Dry first appeared on Pack & Trail.

Helly Hansen are known for making some of the best waterproof shell jackets around but they also make some of the best down insulation too.

The Verglas Down Insulated jacket is a lightweight insulated jacket made from goose down from Helly Hansen.

We’ve been testing one with some other Helly Hansen Kit out in the early winter weather here in the Pacific Northwest.

First up, the basic specs:

Specs

• 700+ RDS goose down
• 85% goose down, 15% goose feather
• bluesign approved
• 350 grams
• $275 USD ($320 CAD)

What is the Verglas Down Insulated Jacket?

The Verglas makes a great layering piece. It’s soft and comfortable to wear on it’s own. The thin Pertex outer shell is smooth and feels good against your skin. I’ve been wearing mine with just a t-shirt underneath, sometimes a long sleeve, merino baselayer.

Inside, the 700+ fill goose down is warm and lofts well. I didn’t notice any clumps of down anywhere.

There’s 1 pocket inside and 2 on the outside. All the pockets are quiet large, and easily fit my hands, wallet and phone. 1 zippered pocket inside kept things warmer and added more storage.

Most down jackets let the wind right through, kind of negating the effects of the warm down. The Verglas is quite wind resistant, blocking the wind out. I stayed a comfortable temperature walking around in open areas when it was 3 or 4 degrees and windy.

The Verglas isn’t waterproof but has a PFC-free DWR on the outside. This will help light rain and snow bead off. Eventually it soaks through and starts to get the down wet. Wet down won’t loft as well so it will get cooler. The down inside doesn’t have any water resistant coatings.

The version I tested didn’t have a hood. this makes it lighter and easier to fit under jackets like a shell. There is a hooded version though if you prefer.

Fit

The fit on the Verglas is pretty standard. I’m in between sizes so I chose to go up to a large. It fits well for stocky mediums and those regularly a large.

Best part of the Verglas is how long it is. It easily covers the hem of my pants and more. Many down jackets barely cover that much. The Verglas extends down slightly in the back even more.

The main zipper and the pockets slide nicely. When the zipper is zipped right up it sits in a small, soft zipper garage against your skin.

A down pillow

If you’re packing the Verglas into a backpack or need a quick pillow, it stuffs into it’s own left pocket. It’s got plenty of room to fit inside the pocket and easily zips up with the double-sided zipper.

Conclusion

Verdict: Highly recommended.

If you’re in the market for a lightweight down jacket (I think everyone should have one!) then have a look at the Verglas Insulated Down Jacket from Helly Hanson. It’s small, lightweight, comfortable and packs down easily, not to mention the longer hem to keep all the heat in.

All the key qualities for a good puffer.

Disclosure: Helly Hansen provided the Verglas jacket for free to review.

The post Helly Hanson Verglas Down Insulated Jacket Review: Long and Warm first appeared on Pack & Trail.

1877 sea captain Helly Juell Hansen was trying to stay warmer and dryer out in the harsh Norwegian weather.

launched his waterproof outdoor apparel business with linen soaked in linseed oil.

Since then Helly has innovated with outdoor materials creating one of the worlds first fleece jackets, LIFA base layers, LIFA Merino, H² Flow, LIFALOFT, LIFA Infinity Pro and Helly Tech waterproof membranes.

Today Helly makes some of the best sailing, outdoor and outdoor work apparel in the world, combining their many technologies to keep us warm and dry.

2022 is no different as they come back around with new pieces and old favourites for yet another winter in the sailing, outdoor and work spaces.

Here’s our favourite picks from Helly Hansen going into the fall and winter of 2022.

Our Favourite Helly Hansen Gear from Fall Winter 2022

Verglas Down Insulated Jacket

You can never go wrong with a good down puffer. It can be worn on its own on cold days or as a layering piece when it’s wet. I never go hiking or skiing now without one.

The Verglas Down Insulated Jacket is a simple lightweight puffer from Helly Hansen with 700 fill responsibly sourced down, PFC-free DWR coating on the outside and bluesign® approved manufacturing.

The whole jacket zips into the large left hand pocket forming a small 9″x11″ pillow. Another zippered pocket is inside the chest.

The cut is long so it keeps you covered even when reaching or bending. There’s a hooded version as well.

Mens without hood $320 CAD ($275 USD)

Mens with hood $370 CAD ($300 USD)

Womens without hood $320 CAD ($275 USD)

Womens with hood $320 CAD ($275 USD)

Cascade Low Cut Helly Tech Hiking Shoes

As the cool weather rolls in with fall and winter in the Pacific Northwest, so does the rain. Some locations in the area can get 7 feet of rain per year. That’s a bit of water. How do we keep our feet dry through that?

You may not know Helly Hansen has a line of shoes. Drawing on their expertise with waterproof clothing and sailing shoes, they’ve put together the Cascade Low Cut Helly Tech hiking shoe.

Helly Tech is the waterproof membrane that’s sandwiched in between the inner and outer layers. A whole host of other tech in the Cascade creates a shoe that’s stable, durable but lightweight. At 800 grams for the pair, they’re great for fast adventures.

I’ve been testing the Cascade over the last month and they’re great for on, and off, the trail. The fit is standard street size.

Mens Cascade $160 CAD ($140 USD)

Womens Cascade $160 CAD ($140 USD)

Odin 9 World Infinity Shell Jacket

Most waterproof jackets have to have a Durable Water Repellency (DWR) coating on the outside to make the water bead off. If the water doesn’t bead, it blocks the moisture from evaporating out from the inside.

The LIFA Infinity Pro layers in the Odin 9 World Infinity jacket don’t need a chemical coating on the outside. Helly has taken all their moisture management experience and created an outer layer of LIFA fibres that permanently beads water on its own. There’s no DWR (with flourocarbons) to wash off or re-activate in the dryer.

Mens Odin 9 $725 CAD ($600 USD)

Womens Odin 9 $725 CAD ($600 USD)

LifaLoft Hooded Insulator Jacket

Thin insulator jackets are great for around town, on the trail and under a shell. Usually thin means less insulation. After 4 years of work, Helly and Primaloft have created LifaLoft, a warm insulation that’s lighter than most other synthetic insulation. It packs down smaller and thinner for the same warmth.

The LifaLoft fibres absorb less water and dry faster than other insulations. The whole jacket is bluesign approved and is covered with PFC-free DWR to keep water beading off.

Mens LifaLoft Hooded Insulator Jacket $270 CAD ($220 USD)

Womens LifaLoft Hooded Insulator Jacket $270 CAD ($220 USD)

Lifa Merino Midweight Half-Zip Base Layer

Under all these jackets, we need a good base layer and Helly Hansen knows those well. Their LIFA base layers have been around since 1970. To add some warmth to the equation, they add 100% merino wool to the outside on the Merino versions (used to be HH Warm). LIFA fibres on the inside wick moisture away from the skin. Merino on the outside prevents the stink and keeps you warmer.

Mens LIFA Merino Midweight Half-zip $120 CAD ($110 USD)

Womens LIFA Merino Midweight Half-zip $120 CAD ($110 USD)

Transistor Backpack

Every adventure needs a backpack and 30 litres is a perfect size. It can hold lunch and a couple layers when it’s colder for 1 or 2 people. Weighing only 900 grams, the Transistor won’t weight you down either. Bungies and trekking pole attachments on the outside holds extra gear if you need.

Transistor Backpack $210 CAD ($170 USD)

Check out more of the Helly Hansen Outdoors and Ski collections.

The post First Look: Helly Hansen Fall and Winter 2022 Gear first appeared on Pack & Trail.