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Helly Hansen Alpha LifaLoft Review

This excellent resort ski jacket nails all performance aspects to deserve a spot at the top of your wish list
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Helly Hansen Alpha LifaLoft Review (The fit of this jacket is form-fitting but not too snug. It's very comfortable to wear.)
The fit of this jacket is form-fitting but not too snug. It's very comfortable to wear.
Credit: tom causley
Price:  $550 List
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Manufacturer:   Helly Hansen
By Jeff Dobronyi ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Mar 6, 2022
87
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#1 of 16
  • Warmth - 20% 8.0
  • Weather Resistance - 20% 8.0
  • Comfort and Fit - 20% 10.0
  • Ventilation - 20% 8.0
  • Style - 10% 9.0
  • Features - 10% 10.0

Our Verdict

After sorting through nearly every ski jacket on the market and testing the best of them on the slopes, the Helly Hansen Alpha LifaLoft came out on top. It performs well in every category of our testing and thus earns our Editors' Choice Award for the best overall downhill ski jacket. The Alpha LifaLoft is as close to the perfect ski jacket as we have ever worn. It delivers excellent warmth with plenty of synthetic insulation wrapped in Helly Hansen's HELLY TECH Professional shell, sealing out the cold, wind, and snow. The jacket is amazingly soft and stretchy, both inside and out, earning top marks for comfort. The ski-specific features set it apart from the competition, with plenty of pockets and other conveniences that make life easy on the slopes. The style of this jacket is also amazingly refined, with a contoured fit and classy color options.
REASONS TO BUY
Excellent performance in every category
Durable
REASONS TO AVOID
More snug fit than other options
We predict this jacket will become a modern classic. Other jackets in the review are warmer, and others have slightly more bomb-proof weather resistance, but none perform as well across the board. The Helly Hansen Alpha LifaLoft should be at the top of the list for any skier who wants the best of the best. And in a category that sees soaring price tags, this jacket is priced in the middle of the pack. Talk about value! To see how it ranks next to other jackets we tested, see our full men's ski jacket review.

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Ski Jacket
Top Pick Award
Best 3-in-1 Ski Jacket
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck
Best Buy Award
Best Buy Award
Best Ski Jacket Under 100$
Price $500.00 at Backcountry
Compare at 4 sellers
$289.95 at Evo
Compare at 4 sellers
$319 List
$223.29 at REI
$229 List
$160.29 at REI
$73 List
$51.98 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
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Star Rating
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Bottom Line We can't picture a better all-around jacket for skiingA favorite 3-in-1 jacket with good protection, pockets, and slouchy styleThis shell nearly matches the performance of much more expensive productsThis jacket doesn't excel in any attribute, but it doesn't fall short eitherThis inexpensive and warm jacket ticks all the boxes for a solid ski jacket
Rating Categories Helly Hansen Alpha... 686 Smarty 3-in-1 F... REI Co-op First Cha... REI Co-op Powderbou... GEMYSE Men's Mounta...
Warmth (20%)
8.0
8.0
4.0
6.0
7.0
Weather Resistance (20%)
8.0
7.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
Comfort and Fit (20%)
10.0
7.0
8.0
6.0
6.0
Ventilation (20%)
8.0
5.0
7.0
5.0
3.0
Style (10%)
9.0
8.0
6.0
5.0
4.0
Features (10%)
10.0
8.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
Specs Helly Hansen Alpha... 686 Smarty 3-in-1 F... REI Co-op First Cha... REI Co-op Powderbou... GEMYSE Men's Mounta...
Main Fabric 2-layer stretch polyester Nylon Recycled polyester Nylon Unknown
Insulation LifaLoft synthetic Synthetic 160g None 60g polyester sleeves, 80g polyester body Synthetic and faux-fleece
Pockets 2 handwarmer, 2 chest, 1 internal chest, 1 internal mesh, 1 sleeve 2 handwarmer, 2 chest, 1 internal mesh 2 handwarmer, 2 chest flap, 2 chest zipper, 1 internal zipper, 1 intenal mesh, 1 sleeve 2 zippered hand, 1 zippered chest, 1 sleeve, 1 internal zippered chest, 1 internal mesh 2 handwarmer, 1 chest, 1 internal zip, 1 internal stash
Weight (size large) 2.56 lbs 3,15 lbs 1.73 lbs 1.81 lbs 3.63 lbs
Water Resistance Helly Tech Professional infiDRY Gore-Tex 2-layer waterproof breathable laminate Unknown
Hood Adjustable and removable Adjustable Adjustable Adjustable Removable
Pit-Zips Mesh-backed Yes Yes Yes No
Cuff construction Interior stretchy wrist gaiters and external velcro cuffs Elastic strap with velcro Velcro Interior wide hook-and-loop adjustments and external velcro Stretchy wrist gaiters and external velcro
Powder skirt Yes No Yes Yes No
RECCO Yes No No No No

Our Analysis and Test Results

In every category, the Helly Hansen Alpha LifaLoft either won top marks or came close. It is very lightweight for the performance that it delivers, and its features and comfort are top-notch.

Performance Comparison


helly hansen alpha lifaloft - shredding pow in the alpha lifaloft gave us a great look into this...
Shredding pow in the Alpha LifaLoft gave us a great look into this jacket's performance. We think it's the best ski jacket on the market.
Credit: tom causley

Warmth


Helly Hansen uses their lightweight yet warm LifaLoft synthetic insulation for the Alpha LifaLoft jacket. The result is a surprisingly warm jacket without the bulk that characterizes other warm jackets that we tested. Furthermore, the synthetic insulation used in this jacket will not lose its loft when wet, adding to the Alpha LifaLoft's warmth.


Other features that contribute to the warmth of this jacket are the high neck collar, insulated hood, and stretchy wrist gaiters that seal out cold from getting in through the sleeves. The slightly snug fit of the Alpha LifaLoft also prevents air drafts from coming up through the torso.

helly hansen alpha lifaloft - stretchy mesh cuff gaskets seal in your body heat and keep your arms...
Stretchy mesh cuff gaskets seal in your body heat and keep your arms warm, as seen here on the Helly Hansen model.
Credit: Tom Causley

Other ski jackets may be warmer, but this jacket is warm enough for most winter days at the ski resort. Add a layer underneath, and this jacket will keep you warm in nearly any environment. We recommend this jacket as a daily driver over warmer options because all warmer options are less versatile.

helly hansen alpha lifaloft - a look at the synthetic insulation used in the alpha lifaloft.
A look at the synthetic insulation used in the Alpha LifaLoft.
Credit: tom causley

Weather Resistance


While the Helly Hansen Alpha LifaLoft does not use Gore-Tex, the proprietary HELLY TECH Professional shell material stood up to all of our tests and was very weather resistant. Even in our shower test, this jacket did not let any water inside. It also benefits from a weatherproof design and bomber features.


The jacket's fabric was equally weather-resistant as Gore-Tex in the field, and the jacket uses fully sealed seams and waterproof zippers to keep water out. The synthetic insulation will keep its performance even if it gets wet. Stretchy, skin-tight gaiters at the wrist openings and velcro straps prevent wind and snow from getting in through the sleeves. The hood has great coverage and is fully adjustable. The Alpha LifaLoft features a powder skirt that prevents snow from getting into the torso on the deepest days of winter.

helly hansen alpha lifaloft - the powder skirt keeps out snow and water on deep powder days.
The powder skirt keeps out snow and water on deep powder days.
Credit: tom causley

This jacket will provide adequate weather resistance for 99% of skiers. If you like somewhere that routinely gets rain throughout the winter season, we'd recommend a shell-only jacket instead for maximum weather protection.

Comfort and Fit


A good ski jacket should be comfortable and allow a full range of motion without being too baggy. The Alpha LifaLoft is one of the most comfortable jackets we have tested. It feels more like a comfortable sweatshirt than a bulky ski jacket, largely due to the well-tailored cut and soft materials. The shell material is soft and stretchy, and other features also contribute to comfort, like the stretchy wrist gaiters and soft material in the neck area.


The Alpha LifaLoft has a snug fit but is not tight or restricting. We sometimes forgot we were wearing an insulated jacket when skiing in it. The contoured fit makes it seem like this jacket is part of your body. Our testers liked this fit more than other high-end jackets. Comfortable jackets are everywhere, but this one rose to the top of the pack.

The interior fabric is soft and comfy and doesn't feel plasticky like other jackets that use nylon fabric in the interior. Around the neck, Helly Hansen uses a fleecy material for the utmost comfort. A large fleece panel protects the chin.

Ventilation


Ventilation helps a ski jacket perform with versatility across a range of temperatures and exertion levels. We were impressed by the versatility and ventilation of the Alpha LifaLoft. In addition to the usual armpit vents, this jacket has a removable hood for fair-weather skiing, less insulation around the neck, and unique air holes in the center of the back, one of the sweatiest places on the body.


The Alpha LifaLoft allows users to dump heat via traditional armpit vents over a foot long and is easy to operate. The vents have a mesh covering, but the holes in the mesh are large and allow good airflow.

helly hansen alpha lifaloft - long vents with light mesh lining allow pretty good airflow and...
Long vents with light mesh lining allow pretty good airflow and ventilation.
Credit: Sam Willits

The HELLY TECH Professional fabric is breathable, and we also appreciated the unique vent in the center back while ventilating an area of the body that warms up fast. The removable hood is a great feature that allows users to expose their necks on warm, sunny days.

helly hansen alpha lifaloft - unique to this review, the alpha lifaloft features a back vent with...
Unique to this review, the Alpha LifaLoft features a back vent with small slits to allow ventilation in one of the hottest places on the body.
Credit: Sam Willits

Style


Skiing is an aesthetic sport. How we look affects how we feel, and good-looking ski clothing can help us have a better day on the slopes. The Alpha LifaLoft is a very stylish jacket and earns top marks for looks. We feel like this piece best encompasses what ski clothing should look like in a field of jackets of all shapes, sizes, and colors.


The style of this jacket doesn't make a big statement, but it still looks refined. That earns our favor because we don't want to stick out every time we hit the slopes, but we don't want to blend into the crowd every time, either. At first glance, it doesn't look like anything special, but after spending some time with it, you come to appreciate the well-tailored fit, clean lines, and sharp color accents. The jacket is also offered in a great selection of color choices.

helly hansen alpha lifaloft - looking good is easy in the alpha lifaloft.
Looking good is easy in the Alpha LifaLoft.
Credit: tom causley

Style is subjective, and your opinion might be very different than ours. But we think this jacket looks good on any skier at the ski hill, in any situation. Our testers noted that they felt confident wearing the Alpha LifaLoft, which positively affected how they felt when skiing. We take that into account in our testing and give this jacket the nod for best style.

helly hansen alpha lifaloft - a tailored cut and clean lines help make this stylish and classy.
A tailored cut and clean lines help make this stylish and classy.
Credit: tom causley

Features


The Alpha LifaLoft also earns top marks for ski features. It has everything we could ever want in a ski jacket and makes our lives easy on the slopes. It has pockets galore, standard features, and some unique ones that no other jackets had.


The pockets on the Alpha LifaLoft will swallow up anything you want to carry while skiing. It features two fleece-lined handwarmer pockets, two spacious external chest pockets, one internal chest pocket, an internal mesh pocket, and a sleeve ski pass pocket. The removable hood is spacious and easy to adjust and even includes a foldaway neon green brim for better visibility. One chest pocket has a goggle wipe on a lanyard for easy goggle cleaning.

helly hansen alpha lifaloft - a hide-away brim with neon yellow fabric for high visibility is a...
A hide-away brim with neon yellow fabric for high visibility is a sign that this jacket was designed for bad weather.
Credit: Sam Willits

One feature that we love is the gel-insulated chest pocket that keeps your phone warmer than a regular pocket. Cold phones are common on the ski hill, and if your phone gets cold and dies, you can't take photos, listen to music, or call for help in an emergency. This pocket works, and we noticed that our phone batteries would stay warmer and last longer in this pocket than in other uninsulated pockets. The internal chest pocket is located underneath this insulated pocket so that you can keep your phone in there too.

helly hansen alpha lifaloft - this jacket has plenty of pockets on the chest, which is a good...
This jacket has plenty of pockets on the chest, which is a good thing, but it might take you extra time to remember where you stashed your car keys...
Credit: Sam Willits

Should You Buy the Alpha LifaLoft?


Across the board, the Helly Hansen Alpha LifaLoft surpassed our expectations and earned its place atop our jacket rankings. This jacket either won top marks or came close in every single category of our test. It is hard to recommend any other ski jacket with that kind of performance at a competitive price. For that, it earns our honors as the best ski jacket we tested.

helly hansen alpha lifaloft - this jacket will provide years of great performance for much less...
This jacket will provide years of great performance for much less than other high-end ski jackets.
Credit: tom causley

What Other Ski Jackets Should You Consider?


The construction of this jacket is high quality, and the zippers are bomber and confidence-inspiring. We think this jacket will last a long time, but synthetic insulation will be the first thing to go – synthetic insulation simply loses its loft after a few years. A jacket like the Arc'teryx Macai uses goose-down to keep you warmer — but it's also nearly double the price. If you ski in a wet climate like the Pacific Northwest, the weather resistance of the Norrona Lofoten Gore-Tex Pro Shell or Arc'teryx Sabre Jacket is more appropriate for your everyday.

helly hansen alpha lifaloft - we hope to do a lot more of this in the alpha lifaloft, our overall...
We hope to do a lot more of this in the Alpha Lifaloft, our overall Editors' Choice for ski jackets.
Credit: tom causley

Jeff Dobronyi