The Outdoor Research Helium UL Jacket is an ultralight, packable rain shell made by Outdoor Research, weighing 5.3 oz in men’s medium and priced at $199 USD. It uses 30D Pertex Shield Air fabric—a material rated at 20,000mm hydrostatic head for waterproofing and 15,000g/m²/24hrs for breathability—making it one of the few shells that genuinely balances packability with weather protection without forcing you to choose between staying dry and staying light.
Key Takeaways
- Weighs just 5.3 oz (men’s medium) and packs to the size of an apple, fitting into its own pocket with carabiner loop.
- 30D Pertex Shield Air fabric is waterproof (20,000mm hydrostatic head) and breathable (15,000g/m²/24hrs), outperforming cheaper Helium II model.
- Full-length YKK AquaGuard side zips allow on/off over layers without removing the entire jacket.
- True-to-size fit with room for layering; available in men’s and women’s versions, multiple colors.
- Pertex fabric shows wear faster than traditional nylon, but seams held solid through extended testing.
What Makes the Outdoor Research Helium UL Jacket Different
Most ultralight jackets force a trade-off: go featherweight and sacrifice breathability, or accept bulk for moisture management. The Outdoor Research Helium UL Jacket sidesteps this problem with Pertex Shield Air, a fabric that combines waterproofing with genuine breathability. The 20,000mm hydrostatic head rating means it shrugs off heavy rain, while the 15,000g/m²/24hrs breathability rating prevents the clammy feeling that plagues cheaper shells during sustained activity. This is not marketing speak—it matters on a six-hour fell walk in Snowdonia when the weather pivots from drizzle to wind to actual downpour.
The jacket’s full-length YKK AquaGuard side zips are the smartest design choice here. You can peel the jacket off your torso without removing your arms from the sleeves, which sounds trivial until you are layered up on a cold, wet day and need to regulate temperature without stopping. The adjustable hood, hook-and-loop wrist cuffs, and waterproof chest pocket round out a feature set that feels purposeful rather than bloated.
How the Outdoor Research Helium UL Jacket Compares
The most direct competitor is Outdoor Research’s own Helium II, which costs around $169 and weighs 6.3 oz. The Helium II uses 20D nylon ripstop with lower breathability (roughly 10,000g/m²/24hrs), making it a sensible choice if you prioritize price and durability over comfort in humid conditions. The weight difference is marginal, but the breathability gap is real—the Helium UL’s Pertex fabric genuinely performs better in variable weather.
For comparison, the Montbell Tachyon Anorak drops to 2.8 oz, but it’s a pullover with no zips, forcing you to remove it entirely to adjust ventilation. The Rab Kinetic 2.0 at 10 oz+ offers more robustness for scrambling, but sacrifices packability entirely. The Patagonia Torrentshell 3L sits at similar price but weighs 13 oz and includes more pockets—a trade-off for hikers who value features over weight. Arc’teryx’s Norvan SL hits comparable ultralight specs with Gore-Tex fabric but commands a $300 premium, making it a luxury choice for the same core function.
Durability and Real-World Performance
After multiple outings in UK coastal paths and Snowdonia rain, the Outdoor Research Helium UL Jacket held up without seam tape issues or zipper failure. The YKK hardware stayed smooth, and the waterproof chest pocket never leaked. That said, Pertex Shield Air fabric shows wear faster than traditional nylon—scuffs and pilling appear sooner, particularly on the shoulders and hood where pack straps make contact. This is not catastrophic; the jacket still sheds water and functions normally. But if you expect a five-year lifespan without cosmetic degradation, the Helium II’s nylon ripstop will age more gracefully.
The jacket’s packability is genuinely remarkable. It compresses to roughly the size of an apple or small fist and fits into its own pocket with a carabiner loop, meaning you can clip it to a pack strap without a dedicated stuff sack. On day hikes where you need weather insurance but cannot justify a full rucksack, this matters.
Fit and Sizing
The men’s medium fits true to size with adequate room for a light fleece or base layer underneath. The hood adjusts well without drowning your vision, and the hem drawcord tightens securely against wind. Women’s sizing is available with proportional adjustments. Colors include Black, Rasta (green), and Glacier (blue), offering visual variety beyond the standard monochrome rain shell aesthetic.
Is the Outdoor Research Helium UL Jacket Worth $199?
If you hike in changeable weather and value packability, yes. The Outdoor Research Helium UL Jacket justifies its price through superior breathability over the cheaper Helium II and genuine usability through its side zips and adjustable features. The $30 premium over the Helium II buys you meaningfully better moisture management on humid or active days. For casual hikers who need a backup shell, the Helium II remains the smarter buy. For regular walkers in UK or European conditions where weather shifts constantly, the Helium UL’s breathability advantage earns its cost.
Does the Outdoor Research Helium UL Jacket pack down as small as advertised?
Yes. It genuinely compresses to apple-sized, fitting into its own zippered pocket with room to spare. The carabiner loop lets you clip it to a pack strap, eliminating the need for a separate stuff sack. This is one of the few ultralight jackets where the packability claim holds up to real-world testing.
How does the Outdoor Research Helium UL Jacket breathe compared to heavier shells?
The 15,000g/m²/24hrs breathability rating outperforms the Helium II and most nylon-based shells in its weight class. In practice, this means less condensation buildup during sustained activity, though it will not match stretchy shells like the Rab Kinetic 2.0. For day hikes and variable weather, the breathability is sufficient to prevent the clammy feeling that makes cheaper shells miserable.
Will the Pertex fabric hold up to heavy use?
Seams and zippers are solid, but Pertex Shield Air shows cosmetic wear faster than nylon ripstop. Scuffs and pilling appear on shoulders and hood where pack contact is heaviest. The jacket remains fully functional through this wear—it still sheds water—but expect visible aging sooner than with more traditional fabrics.
The Outdoor Research Helium UL Jacket succeeds because it refuses to pretend ultralight means bulletproof. It is genuinely light and packable, yet it delivers real weather protection and thoughtful features like full-length zips that make it actually wearable on a long hike. For anyone hiking in UK or European conditions where rain and wind are constants but temperature stays mild, this jacket earns its place in your pack. It is not indestructible, and the fabric will show wear, but it does exactly what it promises: keep you dry and pack to nothing.
Where to Buy
Edited by the All Things Geek team.
Source: T3
