This article is sponsored by our friends at Helly Hansen.
Founded in Norway in 1877, Helly Hansen continues to develop professional grade gear that helps people stay and feel alive. Through insights drawn from living and working in the world’s harshest environments, the company has developed a long list of first-to-market innovations, including the first supple waterproof fabrics to be released nearly 150 years ago. Among these innovations – inspired by feedback from real outdoors professionals – is HELLY TECH®.
Main image: The Verglas – made with HELLY TECH® – is at home in Tromso, Norway | Credit: Sverre Hjørnevik
HELLY TECH® is the brand’s own waterproof and breathable outer layer, specially designed for the harshest of conditions. It is a combination of a DWR-treated outer fabric, a highly breathable and waterproof membrane and often a highly breathable inner fabric, mesh or lining. This unique membrane keeps water molecules out, while allowing sweat vapour to pass through – keeping you dry from the outside and comfortable on the inside.
There are three performance levels for Helly Tech – Professional, Performance and Protection. Professional is for highly aerobic and extremely wet activities in extremely harsh conditions, used often in the gear for our professional sailing teams, ski patrol and search and rescue and available to consumers as well.
Performance covers a wide range of high-performance outdoor activities ideal for changing and unpredictable weather conditions, and Protection is for everyday situations and weather conditions where protection from the elements is still needed. Within all levels, the performance of the fabric construction enables you to enjoy the outdoors safely and comfortably.
Created with insights in collaboration with outdoor professionals – from Assynt in the Scottish Highlands to Squamish, British Columbia – Helly Hansen designs items in its collection with insight and feedback from its professional partners.
HELLY TECH® is deployed across a collection of Helly Hansen favourites, including the Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket 2.0 – made for both men and women who love adventure whatever the weather. The Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket 2.0 is a three-layer jacket built for hiking, mountaineering and ski touring adventures. It delivers unwavering weather defines in fluctuating conditions, thanks to Helly Hansen’s waterproof and breathable HELLY TECH® Professional and LIFA INFINITY™ technologies.
The jacket also features strategically placed underarm ventilation. With its complete adjustability, the Verglas is compatible with backpacks and harnesses, and the hood is designed to be helmet compatible. It features a RECCO® reflector to help your gear be searchable. Keeping the environments we love to explore in mind, this jacket contains recycled materials and is made with PFC-free DWR.
For Summer ’25, Helly Hansen is upgrading its versatile outdoor jacket, the Loke. Packable and lightweight the updated Loke 2.0 for men and women now offers higher performance, using 100% recycled 40-denier ripstop fabric with HELLY TECH® Performance in a 2.5L construction and its overall fit has been improved for comfort.
The membrane is well-protected with a newly customised and unique Helly Hansen backer print. For added safety and searchability, a RECCO® reflector is sewn into the hood – a first within this price point and category. And, to further product longevity, the design team took inspiration from Helly Hansen’s sailing line to include a front zipper that is easier to remove and replace, without impacting its waterproofing.
This June, Helly Hansen is also celebrating its annual Open Mountain Month – encouraging everyone to experience the excitement, challenge and wonder that nature offers. Raised in the mountains, the brand crafted HELLY TECH® to keep users dry from the outside and comfortable on the inside, in style.
To learn more about Helly Hansen’s latest collections, visit www.hellyhansen.com.
