Outdoor Research Women's Helium II Jacket - Lightweight Waterproof Hiking Rain Shell for Backpacking & Outdoor Adventures

We've been using the Patagonia Houdini Jacket for emergencies. It's the smallest jacket I had ever found and it worked in a pinch. But I found out the hard way that when they described it as "water resistant," that meant water resistant for about 5 minutes of rain. The jacket works great for other things, but waterproof it is not. So I've been searching for a waterPROOF jacket that is as small as possible to keep in my purse for emergencies. I'm so glad I found this jacket. I came upon this jacket when reading reviews on an outdoor gear site. Listed as one of the best women's waterproof jackets, I found that it's small size and light weight (Houdini Jacket weighs in at 3.6 oz, this weighs in at 5.5 oz) make it the perfect jacket in a pinch. Actually, it's the perfect raincoat when not in a pinch.I also had the opportunity, if you will, to try this out in a rainstorm. We were walking down the street watching the rain across the bay. Within five minutes, the storm had formed above us and the rain started pelting down. We had our jackets clipped to our shorts and pulled them on. The jacket worked perfectly: I stayed dry. They did not, however, protect us from the lightning.If you are considering this jacket, consider it carefully. They have pared it down as much as possible to save on space and weight and it will not have all the bells and whistles that a heavier jacket would have. It has a very specific purpose and that purpose is to be as waterproof and breathable as possible in as little space as possible. They took out hand pockets and there are no velcro straps at the wrists. It's also shorter than the average rain coat. My arms did get wet because I was messing with my hood when it started raining. On the other hand, they have a way to tighten the hood down, and that was a really great feature. The hood fit really well. It fit better than the hood on my Patagonia Supercell jacket and I could easily see my surroundings when it was on.I should also add that I was having a tough time deciding on the fit. I called Outdoor Research and was connected to a customer service representative within a few touch-tone selections. He was incredibly helpful. For anyone wondering, it appears there's a one inch difference in the length of each jacket as it goes up in size. There's a one inch difference in the length of the sleeves and a two inch difference in the girth. I ordered both a small and medium. The medium was too large, but I found the small very close to being smaller than I'd like. The sleeves were a tad shorter than my preference and I found the length to be wanting. But I eventually tried the small on with my North Face Thunder down coat and it fit under the jacket fairly easily. Even though I won't likely be layering a down coat under this small a rain coat, I figured I didn't need it any larger than that size, so I went with the small. For reference, I am 5'7" and weigh around 130/135. 32B/34A chest. Most of my weight is in my hips. So I am a smaller person up top, but my height, just above average, makes it tough to find jackets that are smaller with the right length and arm length. In this case, I chose getting the one that fit better around my torso over getting one that was the right length. I also compared it to my Houdini jacket, which I own in the Medium. The Outdoor Research Helium II in SMALL was just about the same size overall - in every measurement - as the Patagonia Houdini in MEDIUM. It was also very similar in size to the Patagonia Supercell in SMALL, except the supercell is much longer, which made it harder to compare. Outdoor Research calls this the "standard fit," so think that it will be a little bit on the larger side. Also, I found that like most jacket companies, I wouldn't have minded a slightly smaller waist and slightly larger hips but it was actually a really great fit considering I don't have the average female body shape.In all:PROs:-Stores in its own pocket - super small-very lightweight-waterproof-breathable-great for keeping in a purse or backpack. Great for a trip where you aren't sure about the weatherCONs:-does not protect from lightning ;)-does not have any bells and whistles. (If you are looking for hand pockets, wrist velcro, neck reinforcement, etc., this is not your jacket. Don't complain that it doesn't have all the bells and whistles - that's not the point. The point is to be as small as possible while remaining waterproof and breathable.)-sizing can be a bit awkward, you may want two sizes to choose fromI put this to the test during 6+ hours of constant rain, sometimes downpour, in the Smokey Mountains. My biggest complaint, which others mentioned, is how short this is. I’m 5’5, but long waisted, and it barely hit my hips. If it had been 2 inches longer, I may not have gotten a stream of water down my back pant leg 8 miles into a 10.5 mile day.Overall, I was very satisfied with its ability to keep rain out. My shirt was wet underneath by the end, but I don’t know what could have really prevented that from happening that day!I have been in search for a perfect rain running jacket, you know the kind that waterproof and breathable. Well, I guess there is no perfect rain jacket because if it's truly waterproof, it's a bit hard to be breathable. Still I read the outdoor gear lab review of different rain jacket and decided to try this one because 1) it seems that it really repels water, 2) pretty light, 3) 25% off was great, and 4) OR has a lifetime guarantee. Upon receiving the jacket, I noticed that the cuffs are designed that half elastic and half non-elastic, which is a bit strange as all my running jacket cuffs are elastic all around. I was worried if some water will come in from the cuff but so far it's okay. The main issue is breathability. I wore it in a stormy weather but it wasn't cold rain, so I wore a short sleeve T plus arm sleeves. I ran hard for about 50 min and I sweated a lot. So I was dry from the rain but wet inside because of my sweat. The jury is still out as I need to try a couple of time with different gear underneath.The good: the jacket is generally waterproof in nasty weather (I remained dry up top even in a heavy Iceland rainstorm); it weighs very little and packs very compactly; the color is beautiful (although I am not normally a pink person).The not-so-good: the jacket does not come down far enough in the back to securely cover that space between the jacket and waterproof pants. I am a petite woman and the jacket pulled up to leave a gap whenever I bent over. This was not so much of an issue when walking, but for biking, serious hiking, or trying to set up camp in the rain, this could be seriously annoying. I also think the hood looks a little silly when it is cinched tightly enough to prevent water from coming in, but that is a lesser issue of vanity and not so much a function problem.In short, this jacket is more than adequate for sudden summer storms and is perfect for throwing into a day bag, but I would hesitate to rely on this for serious storm conditions given the potential for a soggy bottom.This is a super lightweight rain or wind shell. It packs down to practically nothing both in weight and size making it perfect for travel, stadium wear, or back-packing and it IS 100% water proof.Women's size is fitted at the waist a bit so it looks sharp. Colors are true and vibrant.It does not have a liner so it might feel clamy aginst your bare skin in a wet rain, but it isn't supposed to be a full jacket, its just a shell. One you can stuff in the corner of your carry on or day bag, even into the bottom of a medium sized purse. The one down side is that this jacket itself has only one pocket up at your chest. However if it had lots of pockets you would fill them with stuff, and then how would you fit it so easily into your luggage or carry-bag?When you unpack it you will definately shake your head: You will ask yourself how something so slight and lightweight could cost so much.... but then when you pack it and use it you will see why its not inexpensive.... it is precisely because it IS so light and small and yet still 100% effective that it can command the price. If you have been looking for a lightweight rain shell buy this one, you will love it.PeterFür das Langstreckenwandern gut geeignet, da geringes Gewicht und dafür relativ dicht.Eine tolle ultraleichte Regenjacke. Bisher wasserdicht. Hat vorne eine kleine Tasche aber keine Seitentaschen.Fit is great for my 14 year old daughter. Have not had a chance yet to work it in the rain...still snowing here!! ?