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Whether you are walking your dog in a light rain or running errands on a brisk day, the Helly Hansen Long Belfast Winter Jacket has you covered. Not intended for super cold temperatures or heavy snow, this is an excellent jacket for someone living in a wet climate. Waterproof, windproof and breathable the outer shell is very protective and almost comparable to our Top Pick for Wet Weather, the Patagonia Tres 3-In-1 Parka - Women's.
REASONS TO BUY
Waterproof
Windproof
Breathable
Lightweight
Durable
Sleek
Sporty
REASONS TO AVOID
Not super warm
Non-detachable hood
Product Changed Since Testing
The Helly Hansen Long Belfast recently got a couple minor changes - new colors and a different tag on the shoulder. Aside from these, the product remains the same as of October 2018.
Our Analysis and Test Results
Helly Tech fabric on the outer shell is breathable and waterproof; this jacket is very functional for a wet climate. The mid-thigh length and smooth polyester outer shell look great with any of the five color options: Black, Melt Down, Classic Blu, Evening Blu, Charcoal.
Performance Comparison
Insulated with 60g of Primaloft synthetic insulation, this jacket is lightweight, waterproof, windproof, and breathable, but it isn't intended for super cold weather.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Warmth
Compared to some of the thick down insulated parkas we tested, like the Canada Goose Camp, or our Best Buy award winner, the Marmot Montreaux this jacket doesn't compare in warmth. Insulated with 60g Primaloft synthetic insulation, when we tested this jacket in temperatures below 25F and we were cold. The hood doesn't have much insulation and wasn't as warm as the hood on the Arc'teryx Sylva Parka. Our hands were noticeably colder in the pockets, compared to a jacket that was insulated with down. Another cold spot was our arms and it was a bit distracting in frigid weather. The Long Belfast Winter Jacket is intended for a much milder climate and would be a great option for someone living in the Pacific Northwest.
We loved that both sides of the exterior pockets are fleece-lined, but we didn't like how cold our hands felt in them, especially when we were walking in cold weather. The sleeves don't have much insulation and our arms were noticeably cold.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Weather Resistance
This contender is waterproof, windproof, and breathable. Helly Tech 2 ply fabric construction stops water from seeping in, but it also allows moisture to escape. The outer shell is also treated with a DWR (durable water repellant) coating, which allows the water to bead up and roll off. Compared to the Arc'teryx Sylva Parka, it held up better in rainy conditions. Despite being a great waterproof jacket, our Top Pick for Wet Climates, the Patagonia Tres 3-In-1 Parka is warmer and did a better job of protecting us in the rain and snow.
Perfect for a mild or wet climate, this jacket is waterproof, windproof, and breathable. It did great in wet, sloppy weather, but this jacket isn't very warm in very cold temperatures.
Credit: Liz Williamson
Style
Sporty and sleek, this mid-thigh length winter jacket will keep you looking great in wet conditions. The matte satin finish on the polyester fabric looks smooth and clean. This jacket isn't as fancy, or stylish as some of the other parkas we tested, but instead has an athletic look. Compared to the quilted stitching on the exterior of the Arc'teryx Nuri and The North Face Thermoball Parka, this jacket offers more of an athletic look. Comparable to the simple and smooth look of the Arc'teryx Sylva Parka, this jacket is also waterproof, instead of only being water-resistant.
Comfort
Comfortable and lightweight, this was one of the least restricting jackets we tested - mainly because of the length. It offers great mobility and functionality and we almost thought it was a technical jacket. The synthetic fill isn't bulky or overwhelming and there is a fleece chin guard that was soft, which protected our chin from getting chaffed. We found this jacket to be comfortable, earning a 7 out of 10.
This jacket is more comfortable than The North Face Thermoball Hooded Parka and the Columbia Mighty Lite Hooded Jacket. The Thermoball ran a bit small and was somewhat restricting, while the Mighty Lite ran too big. We found this jacket to fall right in the middle. Unlike the Patagonia Tres 3-In-1 Parka, that is three jackets in one (the only one in our review), the Belfast Winter Jacket is only one jacket, as per usual, and offered slightly more room and better mobility.
We had no issues with mobility or comfort in this jacket. Since it's breathable and not overly warm, we found it to be a great jacket for being active in. Whether is was snowshoeing or going for a long walk, the mid-thigh length offered great mobility and wasn't restricting at all.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Features
The main feature on this contender is the Helly Tech protection. Waterproof, windproof, and breathable, this jacket did a great job in wet weather. Fully seam-sealed, with a quick dry lining, Helly Hansen goes out of their way to make this jacket is waterproof. The cuffs are adjustable and secured by velcro, while the hood isn't detachable, but it is adjustable. Fleece-lined pockets are a nice feature that did help warm our hands up, but compared to other jackets we tested, our hands were colder than normal in these poc. There is an exterior chest pocket, but no interior media pocket and the chest pocket is small; it can barely fit an iPhone 4S.
Going for stormy walks in the rain weren't an issue in this jacket. Water beaded up and rolled off the outer shell with ease in heavy down pours.
Credit: Liz Williamson
Compared to the Arc'teryx Nuri, the Canada Goose Camp and The North Face Miss Metro Parka, this jacket did an undeniably better job in wet weather. The DWR coatings on those jackets are only intended to be water-resistant, not waterproof, and won't hold up as well or as long in wet weather.
Durability
The Helly Hansen Long Belfast is highly durable, despite its finicky zipper. The two-layer waterproof, windproof and breathable outer shell is very durable, though we had some issues with the main full zipper. When zipping up the jacket, the storm flap got caught in the zipper quite frequently. Besides that, the Helly Tech polyester fabric is super durable and smooth. It helps that there isn't much exterior stitching on the shell.
Comparable in durability to the Patagonia Tres 3-In-1 Parka, this jacket is a knockout for wet weather. We see the outer shell of this jacket holding up longer compared to some of the jackets we tested that have a lot of exterior stitching, like the Arc'teryx Nuri or The North Face Thermoball Parka. This jacket isn't as durable as the Canada Goose Kensington Parka, but we found it to be more durable than the DWR (durable water repellent) models we tested like the Patagonia Downtown Parka and the Marmot Montreaux. The Kensington Parka has heavy duty zippers and military grade buttons, as well as an impenetrable outer shell.
Smooth but heavy duty, the Helly Tech 2-ply fabric construction is waterproof, windproof and breathable. The outer shell is highly durable, especially with the lack of exterior stitching.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Best Application
A knockout waterproof jacket for someone living in a wet winter climate, like the Pacific Northwest.
A good option for someone living in a mildly cold or wet climate. We felt very protected from the elements in this jacket.
Credit: Liz Williamson
Value
For $170, this jacket is going to last you a couple winters. The durable outer shell and quality construction make this a great option for someone looking to push their wet weather boundaries.
Conclusion
It's not a knee-length, fancy down parka like most of the jackets we tested, but it was great to throw some variety into the mix. Sporty, sleek, and functional, this is a great option for someone living in a wet climate that experiences somewhat of a cold winter. We wouldn't take this jacket out in a snowstorm, but it can handle sleet, rain, and light snow!
