Gear Patrol

We’ve covered some great Helly Hansen outerwear, so we thought we’d give their hiking shoes a try. The Helly Hansent Kikut Reboot HTXP Mid proved to be an excellent companion on our cool morning trail run/hike in San Fran’s Golden Gate Park. The Kikut fit well from the start with both good cushioning and midfoot…

Around the time when Samurai warriors last used metal armor in battle during the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877, an entrepreneurial Norwegian fisherman named Helly Juell Hansen was busy creating another form of armor — oilskin jackets, trousers, sou’westers and tarpaulins to protect sailors from the cold and wet. Developed at first using coarse linen soaked…

Seasons are something you can take for granted when you live in LA — I do — rarely giving you an opportunity to truly test cold weather gear. Granted our desert climate can create temps in the high 30s on winter nights, but it’s still not the right environment for challenging the winter gear that…

If you’re looking for a solid technical mid-layer fleece that stands apart from the rest, take a look at the Helly Hansen Swift Fleece ($130). We tried one on for ourselves this winter and found it easily more than capable for cold-weather activities and casual goings on, as well. The body is slimmer than most…

Leather usually doesn’t hold up well when Ol’ Man Winter puts on the hurtin’. Our recent tests with Helly Hansen’s Leather Gloves ($100) proved they are an exception, even in wet weather. Armed with Primaloft insulation, Helly Tech Protection fabric and rich goatskin leather, these durable mitts warm up quickly and keep moisture out. Don’t…

As more of you have come to understand what the hell it is we’re doing here at Gear Patrol, you’re hopefully seeing that we’re not just a community that shows you great gear. There are plenty of sites that, frankly, do it better and faster than we can or want to. We respect, appreciate, and…