One of the best parts about being a Snow Squad blogger is the gear package. Sure, the free Epic Pass is nice -- you can buy yours for next season now at the cost of 3 cents per acre -- but whether I’m a blogger for Vail Resorts or not I am going to get my Epic Pass. It’s the things I may not have bought myself that are exciting.
Earlier this winter I wrote about my SmartWool socks which I received as a part of my gear package. I’ll be honest, had I not been given a pair of SmartWool socks I am not sure I would have ever spent $20 on a pair of socks. But having been given a pair I have now bought more, not just for me, but also for my wife who grew envious after hearing my talk about how much I loved my socks.
By far the best of my gear package though came in a package labeled H/H. That’s right, Helly Hansen -- a name synonymous with extreme. Helly Hansen has been outfitting people who make their living in the harshest conditions on earth since 1877 and this season Helly Hansen became the official uniform provider for all Vail Resorts employees.
This season I’ve been sporting the Breacan jacket, the Mission Midlayer jacket and the Mission Cargo pants. Having skied all kinds of conditions now this winter I’m sold on Helly Hansen. Their stuff is just incredible.
The first thing I noticed when I put on my pants and jacket were how great I felt in them. Ski gear has a tendency to feel so big. My Helly Hansen gear felt fitted and ready to do the job of keeping me warm and dry without just being bulky.
The little message from H/H on the inside of my jacket makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.
"For wet, windy, cold or high activity challenges Helly Tech ® PERFORMANCE gear will keep you in the performance zone throughout the adventure. Specifically engineered Helly Tech ® PERFORMANCE fabrics used in sport specific designs offers advanced performance with waterproof and breathability."
Sounds great, doesn’t it?
And I can tell you after skiing through four feet of fresh powder last Saturday morning at Heavenly that the claim is absolutely true.
On both the Mission Midlayer jacket and the Mission Cargo pants I love the ventilation you get with the pull of a zipper. On the jacket you reach under your arm toward the back of a shoulder and pull the zipper down toward your elbow to cool yourself off a bit after pounding fresh powder. On the pants there are vents on the back side of the cargo pockets. The jacket has lots of pockets -- two on the inside that are perfect for your wallet and keys. There’s a pocket on your chest that is perfectly positioned to make sure your Epic Pass is read by the scanners so you don’t miss on on any of your vertical feet.
With 400,000 vertical feet and counting, I can tell you there's nothing like Helly Hansen.
-- Clark Vandeventer