Helly Hansen City Lab Down Parka Assessment

Backside Line

The Helly Hansen City Lab Parka is a prime performer for an off-the-cuff metropolis put on jacket. Its heat, climate resistance, and sturdy options make it considered one of our prime winter jackets.

With a staunch following within the downhill snowboarding world, Helly Hansen brings their efficiency supplies to the town with the City Lab.  Their Helly Tech Skilled outer is extraordinarily climate resistant, and 480-fill down provides sufficient heat for many winter days. We examined this jacket on a frigid day in Anchorage, Alaska because the wind chill dipped under zero and ice and snow blew. It stored us heat and guarded even with only a base layer beneath.

The City Lab comes with its share of shortcomings, nonetheless. Its massive and boxy match doesn’t have any cinches within the cuffs or hem, leaving the jacket to hold smock-like off the physique. It doesn’t fairly pack the insulative punch of different jackets examined, and its heft and bulk make it unsuitable for backcountry use. Regardless of these shortcomings, we nonetheless flip to this jacket on among the windiest and coldest days whereas out in town.

How We Examined

On chilly and windy days alongside Alaska’s Knik arm, we repeatedly examined the Helly Hansen City Lab Parka over three months. Whether or not icy, snowy, and even wet, we examined the City Lab Parka in Anchorage, Alaska’s harsh winter climate to search out the way it performs as a heavy-duty city jacket.

Heat

When the winds blew off the glaciers of South-Central Alaska, pummelling the Knik Arm with gale-force winds, we had been completely happy to be protected and sound within the City Lab Parka. One of many longest jackets we’ve examined, the City Lab offers heat and protection all the way down to the higher thigh preserving us toasty heat on among the coldest days of the yr.

Whereas the 48-fill down shouldn’t be the very best high quality in comparison with different parkas, we discovered it greater than appropriate for many winter temperatures. Testing this jacket with solely a base layer beneath, we had been lots heat sufficient for excursions round city and quick hikes on winter trails. Whereas probably too heavy and heat to your subsequent mountain summit, the City Lab excels at preserving you heat on the town and for brief hikes on native trails.

Climate Resistance

With a background in crusing, snowboarding, and moist climate work put on, Helly Hansen has lengthy been an trade chief in producing weather-resistant shells. They proceed this custom within the City Lab to make a resilient and waterproof outer that may face up to snow, ice, and rain.

With a proprietary polyamide mix referred to as Helly Tech Skilled, the City Lab successfully shielded us from all publicity to the weather each in liquid and frozen states.

A layer of PFC-free DWR additionally helps shed water and cut back absorbency. We did discover that the shell of this jacket did begin to take in some precipitation, but it surely by no means impacted the insulation or reached additional into the jacket.

Totally seam-sealed development retains the seams watertight and we’ll proceed utilizing this jacket for among the nastiest days.

Consolation & Performance

True to its identify, the City Lab is solidly designed as an city jacket whereas sustaining technical components in efficiency jackets. Weighing in at virtually 4 kilos, this is likely one of the heaviest and bulkiest jackets in our lineup. Whereas we gained’t be making an attempt to stuff this jacket into an in a single day backpack any time quickly, it serves its goal as a bomb-proof metropolis jacket for fierce winter circumstances.

Like lots of parkas, the City Lab runs massive by way of the physique and arms. The arms are particularly voluminous, and with none cuff straps to tighten them down, they’ll really feel outsized and tube-like. A medium felt true to measurement for us, however this jacket could match bigger torsos extra comfortably. Its massive physique has room to layer beneath to create a particularly heat and weatherproof system.

Options

The City Lab has options widespread to different parkas however with a couple of distinctive touches. A d-ring on the outer is nice for clipping your keys/canine/youngster to and 7 pockets present an array of storage choices. A novel chest storage zip is positioned on the outside, however beneath the storm flap, for an awesome place to maintain a cellphone or pockets safe.

Whereas missing any cuff tensioners on the outside of the jacket, the City Lab comes geared up with knit coves which might be heat and comfortable towards the pores and skin. Nonetheless, these are tough to pair with gloves as they’ll bunch up awkwardly when carrying a glove thicker than a liner.

The hood, whereas barely smaller than different parkas, is a welcome reduction in comparison with the drowning feeling skilled in different jackets. The City Lab comes with well-appointed options that present elevated performance however with out a very technical look.

Ought to You Purchase the Helly Hansen City Lab Down Parka?

For those who’re available in the market for a purely city-use parka, however one that gives among the highest climate resistance in the marketplace, take a look at the City Lab. Its lengthy size, heat insulation, and waterproof outer make it a wonderful alternative for citygoers in harsh climates.

Whereas we gained’t be reaching for this jacket on our subsequent expedition or climbing journey resulting from its bulk and weight, it’s excellent for round city or your subsequent ski vacation. Parka lovers will really feel proper at dwelling within the City Lab and we pull it out of our closet each time the temperatures drop and the winds choose up.

What Different Winter Jackets Ought to You Contemplate?

Take a look at our different finest winter jackets for males or check out some particular fashions which might be much like the City Lab:

Fjallraven Nuuk Parka Assessment: With the same Polyamide shell, the Nuuk provides the moist climate efficiency of the City Lab however with much more pockets and options.

The North Face McMurdo Parka Assessment: In case you are on the lookout for a parka, however are on the lookout for one at a extra reasonably priced value, the McMurdo provides all the advantages of a parka however at a extra attainable value.

Feathered Buddies Khumbu Assessment: Whereas the City Lab is simply too cumbersome for backcountry use, the Khumbu is gentle and packable sufficient for the excessive mountains whereas nonetheless offering spectacular heat.