Helly Hansen Verglas Down Jacket 2.0 review: light enough to layer, warm enough to make a difference

Meet the reviewer

Julia Clarke

Julia Clarke is a staff writer for Advnture.com and the author of the book Restorative Yoga for Beginners. She loves to explore mountains on foot, bike, skis and belay and then recover on the the yoga mat. Julia graduated with a degree in journalism in 2004 and spent eight years working as a radio presenter in Kansas City, Vermont, Boston and New York City before discovering the joys of the Rocky Mountains. She then detoured west to Colorado and enjoyed 11 years teaching yoga in Vail before returning to her hometown of Glasgow, Scotland in 2020 to focus on family and writing.

Helly Hansen Verglas Down Jacket 2.0: first impressions 

When it comes to choosing a new down jacket, most of us just want one reliable puffy that will work for everything, and this jacket is a strong contender for that role.

Whether you're hiking in winter and need an insulating layer under your hardshell or just want something to throw on when you're on belay or sitting on the deck at après, the Helly Hansen Verglas 2.0 is warm enough to protect you against the elements but light and packable enough to be versatile.

With 700 fill power responsibly sourced down, this jacket provides enough heat to be worn as an outer layer or mid layer, depending on the season and conditions. It's made with hydrophobic down, which means it doesn't clump together if it gets wet from sweat or rain, and that means it keeps you warmer, longer.

The ripstop shell isn't too fragile compared to other down jackets and it's treated with a PFC-free DWR to fend off a light rain storm should you encounter one without a waterproof jacket.

The athletic fit is easy to layer and the high collar keeps you well protected from the wind. There are two hand warming pockets plus a handy inner chest pocket for your phone. If you're traveling or backpacking, the whole thing packs into its pocket and can be clipped to your backpack with a carabiner, or even double as a makeshift camping pillow if you're in a pinch.

We've worn this skiing and hiking and can't find much to complain about except that it leaks a little down so might need a refresh eventually. It's also available in a hooded version if you plan to wear it more as an outer layer, but we like the non-hooded version for layering.

Helly Hansen Verglas Down Jacket 2.0: in the field

I've been testing the women's Verglas 2.0 in cactus and this down jacket has quickly become my go-to insulating layer this winter. I've worn it as a mid layer on cold, snowy winter hikes in Scotland, brought it along as my outer layer for après during a few days skiing in Chamonix and have honestly worn it around the house quite a bit during this long, cold season.

Here’s how it performed:

Sizing, fit and comfort

I tested a small which is my usual size and I'd say it's about perfect. It's a slim-fitting jacket with plenty of room for me to wear it over a base layer, which is pretty much what I always do (though I occasionally squeeze a light fleece in there too) and it's not so puffy that I can't easily wear a waterproof over the top.

It doesn't come down really low at the back, but I'd say it's a standard length for a down jacket and I love the nice, high collar which keeps my neck warm when it's windy, which is always in Scotland.

The fabric is really soft in the places where it touches my touch skin, especially around the collar, and all in all it's just a light, cozy layer that feels good to wear.

Warmth, breathability and protection

With 700 fill power, it's warm and I feel the benefit of it as soon as I put it on. But as you may know, down jackets can be fickle if they get wet. Basically, if the down gets wet then it clumps together and doesn't do its job as well. The Verglas 2.0 is made with hydrophobic down, which means it doesn't get as clumpy and continues to insulate when wet. It's also treated with DWR for added protection.

Any time it's raining, I wear a waterproof over the top, but I still managed to test this feature about a month ago, when I was on a vigorous hike in very cold weather. I wore this jacket over a synthetic base layer and my Sasta Peski Jacket over the top. I got pretty sweaty, which you can actually see a little in the photographs I've used in this review, but I never got cold, even when I was back at the trailhead so that was a good test.

That hike was also a good way to test the breathability of this jacket. In general, down isn't always the most breathable and I often save puffers for hanging around at camp and wear fleece as a mid layer for more strenuous activities. However, I've been pretty pleased with the breathability of this jacket and would happily wear it for winter hikes and downhill skiing.

Weight, storage and other details

This isn't the lightest down jacket I've ever tested (read on to find out which is), but this one is still impressively light on the scale at under 300 grams in my size. A lot of jackets claim they stuff into their own pockets and I usually have a hard time making it happen, but this one quite easily packs away. It has a little loop so I can clip it to my backpack if I want to, and in a pinch it could even make a camping pillow, though it's not the most comfortable.

It's a fairly straightforward jacket in terms of other details, but has plenty of pockets for everything I want to stash and I really appreciate the inner zipped chest pocket where I can keep my phone close and warm or my credit card and hotel room key for après.

This isn't a technical detail, but the jacket has good eco creds too, made with sustainable down, PFC-free DWR and recycled materials, which is something I look for in my outdoor gear.

Helly Hansen Verglas Down Jacket 2.0: the bottom line

The bottom line is that this jacket is a real contender for your next go-to puffy, the one that hangs on the hook by the front door ready for whatever snow shovelling, dog walking, skiing, hiking or grocery shopping adventure life throws at you. It's light enough to layer and warm enough to make a difference, not too fragile and versatile enough for multi-use.

If you want something even lighter, even more packable and even warmer, the Montane Alpine Nano 850 is the gold standard, but be prepared to open your wallet a little wider.

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