We will start with the Outdoor Research Redline Jacket. This jacket is tissue thin and super light. The Redline shell is great for windy days and days with drizzle. This morning I used the Redline while I warmed up on the track for my speed work. The temps were in the mid-fifties but the wind and light rain added the chill factor. The great thing about the Redline is that it is breathable enough that it doesn’t warm you as much as it lets your body regulate your optimal temperature. This shell will be my Spring and Fall go to jacket. Without layering the OR Redline shell wont be enough jacket for those days in the high 20s or low 30s. You will also want to grab the Helium II if there is more then a drizzle. My singular complaint with the Redline is that it is a little on the noisy side. The material creates a lot of swishing. At least you don’t need to warn people that you are passing on the left. They will hear you coming.
Head out and pick up the pace, regardless of the weather. Light, soft and stretchy, the ultra-breathable and water-resistant Redline Jacket™ shields you from chilling wind and moisture when you’re on the move. Reflective Outdoor Research® logos and panels keep you visible even on dark, gloomy days or early-morning runs, and the highly breathable fabric expels excess heat when you’re dialing up the intensity on long training runs. And when the weather breaks and you can finally rely on the sun to keep you warm, the entire jacket stuffs into its zippered chest pocket, packing down to roughly the size of that bagel you brought for a mid-run snack.
Fit: Trim
Fabric : 100% nylon ripstop fabric body
Avg. Weight (oz./g): 4.6 / 130 L
The Helium II is the lightest waterproof breathable shell I have ever worn. The material seems too thin to provide waterproof protection, but after wearing it in two downpours I can testify that it holds up to the wet stuff. I even wore the jacket during a chilly rain run. The shell is made for climbers but it works great for running. The light and flexible material did not impede my running motion at all. Between the Redline and the Helium II I now have two great shells to run in. Each of the jackets has it’s own personality and sweet spots. The Helium II is better for casual wear than the Redline in my opinion. It gets pulled out as a rain jacket on my way to work.
Built for flash-storm protection, the Helium II™ is 6% lighter and 10% more breathable than its predecessor. An ultra-compressible piece you’ll never leave behind, it offers 30% more waterproof protection than the original. The Helium II™ is so light and packs down so small, you’ll forget it’s stuffed in your pack or clipped to your harness until you throw it on to ward off a sudden mid-route downpour. Compressible to the size of a granola bar and completely waterproof, the Helium II™ doesn’t waste space or add more than a feather’s-worth of weight.
Fit – Standard
Fabric : Pertex® Shield+ DS 2.5L, 100% nylon 30D ripstop with clear laminate
Avg. Weight (oz./g): 6.4 / 180 L
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