Helly Hansen El Cap Jacket

This jacket kicks ass. I have used it for rock climbing, ice climbing, backpacking, mountain biking, >3 mile litter carry-outs on a rescue patrol, in heavy rain, in snow, mountaineering, and for some unintended biouvacs (sp?).

More breathable than heavier designs from TNF, etc. I feel like I am wearing nothing at all when it comes to aerobic activity like mountain biking or during a litter carry out. When I went ice climbing, the sleeves were flexible enough to avoid that annoying drip of water down your arm that comes from wet water ice. There is Cordura in all of the right places that protects the light weight, high tenacity nylon when searching for victims through scrub oak (a bitch).

The only improvement that could be made making someplace to stow the elastic band that you cinch the waist with so that it does not get caught on that scrub oak or create problems with your rack.

P.S. What the hell is wrong with all of these morons that are just entering beta on jackets without comments or just saying that they got a certain brand of jacket? And it is HANSEN, not HANSON.

Best jacket I've ever used for light winter hiking and climbing. Awesome as a lightweight hiking rain shell. Somewhere around a pound and a half in weight. Best hood I've ever put on my head. excelent breathability (if it can breathe here in Louisiana, it will breath anywhere you take it). I haven't tried it in extremely hard rain yet, but it stood up very well to a Smokey Mtn. blizzard and my own little pressure washer test. All in all I can't complain.

Lucky to get it on E-bay at a fair price and in pretty good condition: XL red with black trim. I used it in town and mountain; result: very comfortable, well studied with an ergonomic hood that fits perfect when tight, light, good waterproofing, highly ventilated. It is a pity that Helly Hansen doesn't produce this jacket any more, I wished to buy other colors again.