Helly Hansen Loke Jacket

Best used "in town," you know from the car to the front door of the grocery store and back to the car. Or some other non-critical, non-backcountry application.

Fit and comfort: The cut is fine except for the hood. The hood is way too shallow front to back. Your face and head will get wet a lot. Or you will hike looking straight down only. Even more so if you have a ponytail/bun/lots-of-hair on your head. Sleeves are of appropriate length as is the body length.

Adjustability: Fine and standard. Nothing to write home about, proper drawcords where needed and they hold properly as do the cuff velcros.

Water resistance: Abysmal. This jacket has not seen over 10 hrs of solid rain in the six months I've owned it, however the DWR is shot and without being a real waterproof fabric, it wets out and fails completely. As in wet insulation layer and ruination of outings due to safety.

This jacket does not allow one to travel deep into the backcountry and remain safe and dry. That is a complete failure in my book of rain gear. Basement price PVC, while 0% breathable is at least waterproof.

Breathability: So-so. It's not eVent or Gore-tex and it shows ... right there inside with that great wet trash bag feeling of condensation. And we're only talking 40/50°F, not really sweltering weather. Pit zips help though.

Moisture: Does it wick? Not at all.

Warmth: It does block wind and that adds a few degrees every time, so no real problem there.

Layering: Layers fine. Sits over a Ghost Whisperer and base layer without issue and without being baggy.

Abrasion: Decent I suppose. It's held up to the coast and inland off-trail wear.

Function: Failure 100%. This is a rain layer ... that is not waterproof. Failure 100% on that count.

Ease of use: Failure. The zippers play nicely when the jacket is dry. They jam — every single time — when wet. You know, the time when you _NEED_ a waterproof layer to open and close quickly, when it's raining or wet.

That's probably the worst time for jamming and this jacket jams perfectly every time. The material becomes a limp mess when wet and that allows constant zipper jamming (combined with poor design of the flaps).

Features: Nothing really special?

Construction and durability: Not good. Velcro cuff adjustment seams are not quality and will begin to unravel. Zipper flaps are useless and jam constantly. Other seams, the taped ones, those are okay so far.

Conditions: Cascades in summer/fall, Pacific coast in winter. Freezing rain and sleet in the mountains to normal coastal rains. Owned for six months ... and just replaced it with a different jacket.

This one will not be making the trip into the backcountry again as it cannot be trusted. Even with a new DWR application, it's not to be trusted.

Remember that staying dry can be a life/death situation depending on location, weather and proximity to a trailhead (i.e., warm dry car). I won't bet my life on this jacket and I'd guess you'd be wise not to do so either. Wear it to the store and around town, but not into the backcountry. The one star rating is directly tied to this fact.

Disclosure: I'm a computer nerd and work for zero outdoor companies, blogs, advertisers, etc. Just a dude that goes outside.