The Helly Hansen Pointnorth ski jacket is a freeride inspired puffa jacket with urban styling that will keep you warm on the slopes – what’s not to like?

Ideal for skiers or snowboarders, the Helly Hansen Pointnorth mixes in urban styling with freestyle.  I have reviewed many jackets in the past where brands have tried to walk that fine line and most of the time it fails to deliver either as a ski jacket, or as a going ‘out out’ urban jacket.

Helly Hansen Pointnorth Ski Jacket - GreenThe Pointnorth delivers on both accounts and I could easily imagine Noel Gallagher (ex Oasis – if you don’t know that, shame on you!) rocking up to the ski slopes in one of these.  Believe it not he has skied before – I guess you would call that snow-aisis!

Seriously though,  although not for everyone, I really do like the styling and would wear it out to apres ski as well.

I tested the Pointnorth ski jacket out in Morzine in early January.  Although not snowageddon like the rest of the Alps, Morzine had some fresh powder lines for me to test out the freestyle element to the jacket.

I was really impressed as the jacket is slightly longer and more slightly more baggy than the usual ski jacket which allowed plenty of movement.  Ideal for me as a snowboarder.

The jacket has a snap away snow gator and this locks into position well when the jacket is done up.  When riding in the deep stuff this feature will help keep the snow out.  The snow gator is also compatible with Helly Hansen’s freeride range of snow pants.

The conditions in Morzine were quite mild, not really fitting the purpose of the jacket as the Northpoint is designed for the extreme cold.  Having said that, on the flip side I never got to hot as the venting system worked so well.

A couple of times while on the ski lift I was grateful for the warmth the Helly Hansen Pointnorth ski jacket offers.  When the jacket is done up the PrimaLoft® Gold Luxe Insulation feels toasty.  I think I will have this as my first choice jacket for when snowboarding in the coldest depths of mid season.

I could easily imagine Noel Gallagher rocking up to the ski slopes in one of these!

Being Helly Hansen, the material is everything you would expect in being weatherproof and breathable.

Another basic but much needed feature is wrist gators that you pull over your thumb.  These were very comfortable and didn’t interfere at all with my gloves.  The wrist gators not only stop your wrist getting exposed to the cold, they also stop snow from going up the sleeves.

I have spoken about the fantastic Life Pocket™ on other Helly Hansen reviews such as the Helly Hansen Icon Ski Jacket.  This is an exterior chest pocket that keeps your phone warm all day.  Not wanting to bore you with the science of how this is done; let’s just say it is magic!  Definitely not just a gimmick, it will save the battery life of your phone up on the slopes.  Life saving if you just have to tweet that selfie!

The Helly Hansen Pointnorth ski jacket has a good range of useful pockets.  I especially liked the deep hand warmer side pockets as I could easily fit a small bottle of water in.  Powder riding is thirsty work!

I also like the ski lift pocket on the sleeve which is always useful and sometimes gets overlooked.  The only criticism I would have is that another chest height pocket would be ideal.

As with most, if not all, Helly Hansen ski jackets, the Pointnorth is equipped with the RECCO system.  Heaven forbid you get caught in an avalanche, RECCO will assist the rescue team in finding you.  This feature is not supposed to be used instead of a full avalanche safety kit as this is still vital when heading off-piste.  Think of it as a useful add-on.

Overall I really like the Helly Hansen Pointnorth ski jacket, as it works well with snowboarding as well as skiing.  The styling is very different to the usual Helly Hansen range and I welcome the urban look.  Really good value for money at £360.

Not really for early season or spring conditions.  The Pointnorth comes into it’s own when waist deep in powder on a cold February morning!

FEATURES

  • Waterproof, windproof and breathable
  • 2 ply fabric construction
  • Life Pocket™ with Primaloft® Black Eco Insulation
  • Hi vis brim and details for safety
  • Mélange fabric
  • Durable Water Repellency treatment (DWR)
  • PrimaLoft® Gold Luxe Insulation
  • Fully insulated
  • Mechanical venting
  • RECCO® Advanced Rescue system
  • Fusion modular system jacket to pant
  • Snap away powder skirt
  • Fixed helmet compatible and adjustable hood
  • Dual hand warming pockets and chest pocket with goggle shammy
  • Wrist gaitors with thumb hole
  • Internal pockets for goggles and electronics
  • Ski-pass pocket
  • YKK® coil 2-way center front zipper
  • Arm length 91 cm
  • CB Length 83 cm

Review Summary

Helly Hansen Pointnorth Ski Jacket reviewed by Snow.Guide
Gender: Mens
Good for: Skiing and Snowboarding
Price: £360.00
Rating: 9.5 out of 10