Helly Hansen Ekolab Recycler Jacket Review
If the whole going green craze has your number but you don’t want to sacrafice on quality and performance, the Helly Hansen Ekolab Recycler Jacket might just be for you. The Ekolab Recycler is a 3-layer waterproof breathable shell that is made of 100% recycled bottles. It comes with water resistant pit zips, taped seems, two chest pockets, helmet compatible hood that can be rolled up, an inside mesh pocket, and a cinch draw string around the waste to keep the elements from crawling up your back.
As someone who is into sustainability movement, I was very interested in testing this jacket. In the past, many companies have come out with “green” products, only to have them be sub-par when it comes to quality and performance. To make an even comparison, we took a women’s rain jacket made by Helly Hansen and compared it to the quality and performance of the Ekolab Recycler. Though the jackets were not exactly the same, we felt both jackets to perform in a similar manner, showing no sacrafice was made for the Ekolab Recycler. It’s great to see green products finally perform to the standards of their older not so green counterparts. One of the main differences is the price, as textile manufactures are still able to make non-recycled products cheaper. It is a shame, but these prices are gradually starting to decrease.
For testing purposes, we tested the Helly Hansen Ekolab Recycler Jacket while skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, and used it as our everyday rain jacket. We tested out a size medium and found the jacket to be roomy enough to put a medium weight baselayer underneath and still had plenty of room for movement. To allow for added mobility, the Ekolab Recycler has a stretch fabric which we found nice for skiing when we needed the jacket to adjust to our quick moves. For sizing purposes, I am 6’0, 175lbs. Weighing in at 18 oz., the jacket is fairly lightweight for a 3-layer jacket and it stuff down pretty small when we wanted to stash an emergency rain shell when hiking 14′ers in Colorado.
Overall, the Helly Hansen Ekolab Recycler Jacket was a great performer in my mind as combining two very important elements of my life, outdoor activities and the environment.
