Helly Hansen Odin 9 Worlds Infinity 3L Jacket – First Look

Tim pulled on Helly Hansen’s professional-grade rain jacket as 100mm of rain fell over Sydney in just a few days. It was the perfect chance to experience the groundbreaking Lifa Infinity Pro tech that’s leading the charge for a chemical-free future for waterproof, breathable jackets.

‘Of course it’s red’ was my first thought when the Helly Hansen Odin 9 Worlds Infinity 3L jacket arrived on my doorstep. In fact, that’s the only colour it comes in, an eye-catching, almost fluorescent red that stands out like the famous HH logo.

Embroidered logo, mwah | @heatoburrito

I was pretty amped about this jacket. I’ve been to Norway, where Helly Hansen is from, and it was bloody wet and cold, in summer! I already knew I was dealing with the experts.

Turns out that the original Odin 9 Worlds jacket was nominated for Gear of the Year by Outside Magazine, and the update won a GOOD DESIGN® Award in 2021 for innovation, quality, and functionality.

So, it has a storied heritage. But you may have noticed that the name now includes another word: infinity. And it’s the Lifa Infinity Pro technology that again seeks to take the Odin 9 Worlds Infinity to the next level.

 

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Chemical-Free Waterproofing?

‘Forever chemicals’ known as PFAS and PFCs (a type of PFAS) have become a huge environmental concern in recent years. We’ve written about the good, the bad, and the downright ugly of these chemicals, and, now that we know that they build up in the environment and our bodies, they’ve been outlawed.

Rain jackets have traditionally used PFCs for their durable water repellent coating. This ‘DWR’ creates low surface tension, which helps water bead up and roll off the rain jacket, leaving the fabric free of water to keep ‘breathing’ (allowing your sweat out as water vapour).

Chemical-free beading is excellent | @heatoburrito

Recently, environmentally-conscious outdoor brands have been using PFC-free alternatives, so that you can explore without leaving a trail of forever chemicals in your wake, but Helly Hansen has managed to go one better.

It uses the brand’s Lifa fibres, the same ones from its thermals, to create a polypropylene face fabric for this jacket that absorbs way less water than polyamide and polyester competitors. In fact, the low surface tension created by the tightly-woven, high yarn-count fabric means that water rolls off as if the jacket is chemically-treated. Honestly, it’s incredible.

Very waterproof, very breathable, no maintenance | @heatoburrito

Being chemical-free has other benefits, too. It won’t wear off and you don’t need to tumble dry it like a regular rain jacket to ‘reactivate’ the DWR. Just wash it with some tech wash from your local outdoor store and off you go.

Lifa Infinity Membrane

That fancy face fabric combines with a Lifa Infinity membrane beneath the surface of the jacket. You’ve probably heard of Gore-Tex – well this is Helly Hansen’s version and it makes the jacket both waterproof and breathable. 

Never get caught out when someone asks about your jacket’s tech |@heatoburrito

Together they form Lifa Infinity Pro, which is featured in Helly Hansen’s Helly Tech Professional range – the brand’s top tier gear with a 20,000+ waterproof rating. As expected, this jacket is also fully seam-sealed, so water can’t penetrate the stitched seams.

The Lifa Infinity membrane is super high tech. A polypropylene membrane with nanoscopic pores is made by heating and stretching the material, and the result is 75% air by volume and only 4g per square metre. It allows heat and water vapour to escape, but no drops of water are getting through. I’m yet to feel too warm or stuffy while wearing this jacket.

The Safety of RECCO®

RECCO® makes passive reflectors that are easily placed in jackets and searchable by an active detector, carried by rescuers at over 900 ski resorts. They’re predominantly made for avalanche safety and can help locate you quickly. While they’re no replacement for a beacon in the backcountry, they do offer an extra layer of safety in resorts or when things go wrong.

The Odin 9 Worlds Infinity has a RECCO® reflector built into the brim of the hood, which is a smart location near the head, and it also helps reinforce the ‘hat’ shape of the brim. Neat!

The RECCO reflector shows the serious terrain this jacket is made for | @heatoburrito

All Adventure Compatibility

What I love most about the Odin 9 Worlds Infinity is the adaptability. As a hiking jacket it’s comfy and not too heavy for a tough three-layer rain jacket at 530g. It has articulated sleeves and the shoulders are designed to be backpack compatible.

Hit the snow and the drop tail helps keep pow and slush out of your pants (I love this in the rain too), and the high storm hood protects your face when the wind picks up. The hood can be adjusted with four toggles and easily fits anything from a helmet to a lightweight hat.

Chuck on a harness and the long chest pockets and pit zips are still accessible and very useable, with two-way zips that get around the dreaded ‘high pockets’ of some climbing-focused jackets. Sometimes I just want to put my hands in them and hang out!

Two-way chest pockets AND pit zips | @heatoburrito

Speaking of pockets. The chest pocket is sublime. It’s up high and not too big, perfect for a phone or satellite messenger. So many jackets get this wrong by only offering internal pockets or making them so big that your phone hangs out around your belly button.

High exterior chest pocket, other brands take note | @heatoburrito

It’s The Little Things

Helly Hansen’s Odin 9 Worlds Infinity is no doubt a premium rain jacket. There’s professional-level waterproofing and breathability, a hardcore build, and DWR tech that’s everlasting. But throw it up against the top-of-the-line offerings from competitors, and $900 is a pretty good price for a jacket that can do just about anything, and sustainably too.

Stormhood of dreams | @heatoburrito

Still, the premium touches are nice. There’s an embroidered HH logo on the chest, and another speccy one on the hood, as well as a rad Odin logo embroidered into the sleeve. All of the toggles have a premium feel, and the brushed tricot chin guard is super soft to the touch. Whisper ‘must be nice’ as you march into the storm.

Oh, and that red? The pigment was added to the liquid polymer before it was extruded into the fibres that made the jacket. Translation: it’s not going anywhere.

But I’m going somewhere, lots of places, with this jacket | @heatoburrito