Spring is approaching and a light jacket and shorts will be in season. The Helly Hansen Airfoil Jacket ($90) and the Helly Hansen Pace Shorts ($50) could be the right combination this Spring.
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
Airfoil Jacket
Very visible color. Luckily it comes in other colors – Orange, Blue and Black. It is a lightweight windbreaker weighing in at 6.3 oz. It would be nice to have the jacket collapse into an existing pocket and a headphone port in one of the pockets ( or a smaller inner pocket for your music device).
Pace Shorts
Shorts are a very unique preference for many of us. I found the shorts to be a little short for my taste with a 3 inch inseam. It has one small pocket in the inside left front and one zippered pocket in the back.
Two pockets. Gel packets to give some scale
TRAIL TESTING
Airfoil Jacket
The Airfoil Jacket worked great as a windbreaker and repelled water during light rain showers. You can see below the perspiration from my arm, but still has water repellency. It was just the right jacket for the windy and light rain conditions on the trail.
If you invert one of the pockets, you can make the jacket packable so it can fit nicely into your pack or any other storage area.
Pace Shorts
I found the Pace Shorts a little short for me – coming in at a 3 inch inseam. The shorts were roomy in the legs. However, the brief liners were a bit on the small side. It didn’t quite fit my bottom. They did feel light and wicked away moisture well. No chafing was experienced in wet conditions. I just wished it had another pocket or two for more essentials and carrying a music player.
TECH SPECS
Airfoil Jacket
- Material – Microfiber fabric (Polyester)
- Zip – Full
- Elastic Cuffs
- Hood – No
- Number of Pockets – 2
- Water Resistant – Yes
- Wind Resistant – Yes
- Packable – No (But can collapse into one of the jacket pockets)
- Made In – China
Pace Shorts
- Outer Material – Polyester
- Lining Material – Polyester & Polypropylene
- Liner – Briefs
- Number of Pockets – 2
- Inseam Length – 3 inches
- Made In – China
Weight Breakdown
CONCLUSION
Airfoil Jacket
The Airfoil Jacket worked well in windy and light rain conditions. It is a lightweight jacket that can be compressed (see photos above) and can be easily stowed in a pack or other storage option. It provided the right level of protection without the excess weight.
Pace Shorts
Shorts are a personal item of gear, some like them short, some like them long. Although the 3 inch inseam is a bit short for me, this may work for some runners. One thing to note is that the brief liner runs a little small. I just wished it had several other pockets to store more essentials for the longer trail run.
