The PaddlerUK magazine May 2015 issue 2 | Page 42

ThePaddlerUK 42 THE UK S ULTIMATE ONLINE www.nswatersports.com PADDLESPORT STORE! in association with in association with Helly Hansen Odin H2Flow jacket www.hellyhansen.com By Anne Egan The Odin is Helly Hansen’s top-of-the-line, high-performance lightweight, waterproof and windproof jacket. Beautifully styled and colourful, it sports bright fuchsia zips with vibrant yellow tags and draw cords – unmissable! The hood is fully integrated and the feel of the outer shell is almost silky to the touch, which I really liked. w 01642 520234 01642 520234 Once feeling warm, the vents operated by zip and located under arm are easily opened to allow the warm air to escape to be replaced by cooler air to be circulated inwards. Up to 30 percent less fabric is needed in the construction – a major reason why the jacket is so incredibly light but warm and comfortable. The zipout softshell snow skirt fits very snugly keeping out the wind and rain. An intriguing and potentially life saving feature is the addition of a ‘Recco’ reflector, one part of the two part rescue system used by Alpine mountain rescue to help locate avalanche victims (see www.recco for full explanation of the system). The full stretch construction is supple, quiet, and slightly stretchy, giving full range of movement, with the stretch stopping the jacket from riding up. Together with the fully adjustable hood cuffs and bottom hem this garment felt ideal when tested on a wet and windy day SUPing on the Thames in March. The Odin offers very roomy twin external chest and generous zipped waist pockets, so there is plenty of space to stash the essentials and easy to access with gloves on. The zips on the pockets and indeed all through are aided with pull cords for ease of use. For serious adventurers looking for a breathable, warm, lightweight shell, with a detachable soft-shell snow skirt, waterproof pockets and a helmetcompatible hood, I couldn’t recommend the Odin highly enough. The jacket is extremely well designed for the wearer to control and modify their temperature to the level that suits their environment or activity. The Helly Tech Professional fabric laminate H2Flow system is such that it traps air there between the layers. The second layer from the inside being perforated with holes to allow the air to be circulated and warmed. Tech specs: G G G G G G H2Flow system with torso insulation. Fully seam sealed. YKK® Aquaguard water resistant zips. Adjustable cuffs. RECCO reflector. Adjustable cuffs.