Helly Hansen Cyclone Jacket
By Jon Sharp

Let me be honest with you. I don't like bad weather. Heck, sometimes I don't like moderate weather. I love riding my bike, but when it's raining or cold or both—not to mention weather worse than that—I prefer to find other, more hospitable, ways to spend my time. That's what makes the Helly Hansen Cyclone Jacket such a wonderful piece of equipment. After all, anything that keeps me outdoors, albeit good weather or bad, is a great product.

First off, the Cyclone is a lightweight nylon shell coated for water resistance. I found this kept me dry in light rain or snow. The collar is fleece, which was especially nice on colder days. It has a full length zipper front, and an elastic drawcord waist, adjustable at both sides. More often than not, if I'm outside, I'm on my bike. That's why I was glad to see that the Cyclone features a longer tail in the coat—especially nice when riding in a bent over position. The jacket also features a mesh-lined vent across the shoulder blades in the rear, as well as two front and one rear pocket. These pockets have large openings and are mesh on the inside, so they double as vents. The jacket also has reflective piping on some of the seams.

For biking, this jacket was perfect. I would start out with all the zippers closed, and then, as I heated up, I would gradually unzip them. The two front pockets are high enough up—and long enough—that they provided ventilation for the armpits. With all the zippers open, I found that the jacket provided good air flow and cooling.

A note on its ability to shed water. At first, the Cyclone repelled water very well. Whether it was rain, snow, or a light mist, nothing penetrated. It even passed the under-the-faucet test. As with most jackets of this nature, this water resistance tends to fade over time. One thing that surprised me, however, was how quickly this faded. After a particularly muddy ride, I washed the Cyclone. I made sure to follow all the care instructions, but it still lost most of its water repellency. I feel that this was a little premature.

Summary: The Helly Hansen Cyclone is makes for a great wind shell to help on those chilly days. Its fit is great for cycling or any sport where you might be bending over and need a little extra protection in the back. If you are looking for a jacket that repels water well, you might want to try something else. The cost of the Cyclone is $75.

Jon Sharp is a new contributor to GearReview.com and specializes in mountain biking.

For more information, contact:
Helly Hansen USA
Kenyon Center
3326 160th Ave SE Suite #200
Bellevue, WA 98008-5463
1-800-435-5901
www.hellyhansen.com