Helly Hansen. You know them, you love them, you are jealous of all the ski patrollers wearing them. This is my first review of one of their products, and it did not disappoint. I’m testing the Odin Ultimate Infinity Jacket, a purpose-built backcountry shell for serious protection when you still need to stay light and fast.
Helly Hansen Odin Ultimate Infinity Jacket Features:
- HELLY TECH® PROFESSIONAL and LIFA INFINITY™ membrane
- Fully seam sealed design with 3-layer construction
- Double chest pockets for use with a pack
- Soft fleece chin guard
- Adjustable, helmet-compatible hood with drawstring adjustment
- Under arm ventilation zippers
- Adjustable bottom hem and cuffs
- RECCO® equipped
- MSRP: $450
Innovative protection:
If you live in the Western United States, you know that this winter has been a bit of a dud. Easter Coasters, I hope this was the year you finally got into backcountry skiing. For my purposes, some of my go-to touring spots never had enough snowpack to access reliably. Fortunately, I was able to take the Odin Ultimate Infinity up to Canada for some sweet northern powder. My testing for this jacket was primarily with ski touring, so plenty of time in a pack exerting myself.
The Odin Ultimate Infinity has the silhouette of a classic alpine shell. Its cut is generous, which is ideal for an alpine shell where layering is a must. I’m 5’11” and 200lbs, and the Large fit me well. If anything, it runs a touch on the large size and the sleeves were long on me. I prefer that because it means you can reach without getting caught up.
It has all of the features you want and expect from a jacket of this caliber. There are two generous chest pockets with sealed zippers for your phone, snacks, inclinometer or other goodies. These are high on the chest and well away from interfering with a pack waistband. Two generous pit zippers pull fairly easily and can be opened to dump heat when needed. And, of course, the hem and cuffs are easily adjustable and the cuffs slide easily under glove gauntlets for a good seal.
The hood is helmet compatible and adjusts via drawcords at both the front and back of the hood. This makes it easy to get a secure fit around either your head or a helmet, and I had no issues with the fabric blocking my peripheral vision. The brim is not reinforced in any significant way, and I did feel that the brim felt a bit floppy without actually functioning poorly. The hood also has a RECCO built in to save your booty if things go poorly.
Helly Hansen has a proprietary fabric called Lifa Infinity, and this jacket specifically is built with Lifa Infinity Pro. Both products reduce environmental impact by minimizing use of solvents. What makes the Lifa Infinity Pro special is that the outer fabric does not require re-application of DWR treatment.
Lifa Infinity Pro has a waterproof/breathable, microporous polypropylene membrane at its heart. This is providing the protection and breathability you expect. The outer face fabric is a woven Lifa Infinity fabric which has a low surface tension and an inherent water-repellant property. The entire jacket is made without the use of solvents, and instead the membrane properties are achieved with specific stretching and heating parameters to produce a lightweight water-repellent jacket.
One thing to point out on the design is the use of embroidered logos. I have mixed feelings about these. I think they are perceived as more ‘luxe’, but you end up with a potential weak spot in the fabric that requires extra patching and seam taping. While the logo looks better for longer compared to screen printing, I’ve had jackets start to fail around these areas. The Odin Inifinity Ultimate has this on the hood, chest and sleeve which is more spots than I am used to. It’s probably fine, but it sticks out to me.
Using the Odin Infinity Ultimate was absolutely delightful. The fabric is quiet and doesn’t have the tarp-like feel that some brand new GORE-TEX laminates will have. The texture of the material is a little bit different than other membranes I’ve used, especially the outer laminate which ostensibly will never require a DWR retreatment. It feels just slightly rubbery, although not enough to be off putting. I will be really interested to see how this fabric holds up over time.
For this first season of testing, the Odin Infinity Ultimate has held up well and performed beautifully. I can’t say that it’s more or less waterproof breathable than the best membranes I’ve used, but I can say it is at least as good which is saying a lot. I can’t wait to see how this new technology ages and appreciate Helly Hansen’s work to create a more environmentally friendly fabric. This jacket was absolutely up to the challenges of BC ski touring.
Fit: I am 5’11” and 200lbs. The size Large fit me well with enough room to spare for layering. Sleeves felt a touch long but perfect for maintaining freedom of movement.
Buy Now: Helly Hansen Amazon Store
The Bottom Line
Sustainably awesome
The Helly Hansen Odin Ultimate Infinity Jacket is a well executed alpine shell that works well for backcountry skiing and other high-output winter travel. Its relaxed cut accommodates layering, while practical features like large chest pockets, long pit zips, and a helmet-compatible hood integrate well with a pack. The LIFA INFINITY Pro fabric is quieter and softer than many new hard shells while delivering cwaterproof and breathable performance comparable to top-tier membranes. The DWR-free construction is also an interesting long-term maintenance advantage. This is a winner for outdoor athletes looking for an elite shell that emphasizes sustainability without compromising performance.
The Good:
- Lifa INFINITY Pro fabric is soft, quiet and high performing
- The entire jacket is made without solvents
- Theoretically will not require repeat DWR treatments
- Sealed zippers on the main zipper and chest pocket keep things dry
- Helmet compatible hood fits well and keeps your vision clear
- Waterproof and breathable performance on par with top-tier alpine shells
The Bad:
- Hood brim lacks stiffness and can feel somewhat floppy
- Multiple embroidered logos introduce additional points that may wear over time
-
Fit
-
Weather Protection
-
Breathability
-
Packability
-
Storage/pockets
-
Sustainability