Helly Hansen Odin 9 Worlds

Our take Headed somewhere high, wind-whipped, rain-sodden, and altogether miserable? This is your shell. The Odin 9 Worlds proved a veritable bunker in mist, sleet, and pounding storms. It’s on the heavy side for backpacking, but in return you get protection for skiing, mountaineering, and other winter adventures, too. Burly, 70-denier nylon face fabric was tough enough for bushwhacking and rock scrambling. A medium cut makes it ideal for piling on midlayers and insulation (it’s a bit boxy when worn with just a baselayer). Bummer: Testers wished for an interior pocket for stowing water bottles or gloves in cold weather.

The details The helmet-compatible hood sports a brim that stood up to heavy rain. Two-way zippers on the hand pockets let us access them while wearing a harness, and mesh backers on the top part of the pockets add noticeable venting (you get pit zips, too). Reinforced patches on the hem and elbows add extra protection against scuffs, though one tester would have liked to see those elbow reinforcements on the higher-abrasion shoulder areas instead. 

Trail cred “The fabric didn’t saturate in three days of constant rain,” says an Ozarks-based mountain guide. “It has the feel of a Lexus, but the toughness of a Hummer.”