Take a look around any of Vail Resort's mountains and you'll notice Helly Hansen ski jackets and pants in a rainbow of colors. Between Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly and Northstar-at-Tahoe resorts, there are around 15,000 mountain professionals sporting Helly's latest line of technical apparel.
Vail Resorts and Helly Hansen announced an exclusive five-year partnership in January, making the outdoor apparel leader Vail Resort's official uniform provider.
"With 100+ days of snow each season, Vail Resorts employees need to feel confident about their gear," Heidi Kercher-Pratt, chief marketing officer of Vail Resorts said earlier this year. "World-class quality and style are imperative for our brands. Helly Hansen's blend of technical performance and Scandinavian style was a key factor in our decision to work together."
The progressive Oslo, Norway-based company has hit numerous fashionable milestones over the years:
1877 - H/H is recognized for manufacturing waterproof fabrics1960s - H/H introduces the first PropileTM fleece mid layers 1970s - H/H brings LIFA®, the first technical base layer, to thankful outdoorsy typesToday - H/H's combined three-layer system of dress is the standard for those heading out into wintry elements.
As you can see, Helly Hansen has spent the past 130 or so years protecting professionals working in harsh environments. I think they're doing a pretty solid job. Here's why: As a member of this season's Sprint Snow Squad, I was fortunate to be outfitted with the Stella Jacket, the Mission Midlayer Jacket, and the Legend Pant. Recent days skiing at Breckenridge in this gear have left me dry, warm, and confident that no snow is getting past my sturdy coat's fully taped seams and waterproof zippers. When temps dipped down to the single digits a few weeks ago, my Helly Hansen ski pant and jacket kept me toasty with specially designed Helly Tech layers. Once I did get going and started sweating, the material moved moisture away quickly and kept sweat from freezing when I jumped back on the chairlift. The mechanical venting zips helped, too.
The handy ski-pass pocket allows for quick scanning at the base and puts me back on the lift to another run without delay.
The coat features tons of internal and exterior pockets to hold my phone, snacks, Chapstick, sunscreen, ID and cash.
My favorite part is the detachable, adjustable hood and the fact that it fits over my helmet -- it's an awesome thing on extra chilly days.
Learn more about Helly Hansen from Snow Squad member Steven DeWitt. -- Lisa Pogue