Bushwalk Australia

I am looking at doing the Larapinta and Jatbula trails in June/July this year and was looking to lighten my load a little by taking a lighter rain jacket that could do double duty as a wind shirt (mainly for the Larapinta trail).

I have been looking at an OR Helium II but was interested by the Montbell Versalite which seems to have a lot more features although I have not been able to go and see one in the flesh.

Does anyone have any opinions on either of these and/or any recommendations of other options that I may want to explore?

I like the OR Helium II. It's no frills, but works just as well as the other jackets I have/had (Patagonia Torrentshell and Marmot Super Mica) and is lighter. I sweat a lot, so it does get sweaty inside, but I don't find it any more sweaty than the other jackets I used with pit zips for ventilation.

Thanks. Getting sweaty is the concern. I have always used a shell with pit zips to assist with venting as I am always a little suspicious of the breathability claims made by manufacturers.

This is why I was also interested in the Montbell Versalite Jacket which has them at only a slight weight penalty. This looks like it is at the expense of the potentially durability of the fabric though - by the sounds of it, it is thinner than the fabric on the Helium?

I recently spent some time in Kent St Sydney (where all the outdoor shops are)
Lightweight rain jackets were one of the items I was sussing out at the time and I tried on both the OR helium II and the Montbell Versalite.
The Versalite was the clear winner. Not only was it slightly cheaper but it also has more features and was just a much better fit all round.
One thing to consider though; Montbell in Australia carries Japanese stock which differs from that shown on the US website. The most notable difference with the Japanese version is the lack of pit zips(which were a selling point for me initially). In spite of this, the gents at Montbell were able to contact their supplier overseas and order a US version of the Versalite for me, which should turn up at the end of the month.

Hope this helps!

Thanks Ubiq. Thanks for the heads up - this was one of the things that the Versalite had going for it ...

I have only been able to try on the Helium II so far due to where I live - I found the Helium size XL was ok but may be a little tight once I put on a few warmer layers (probably not an issue for my immediate use though). The next size up was too big plus I really noticed the lack of adjustment on the cuffs at that point (another feature the Versalite has). Did you find that the Versalite was a slightly more generous cut over the Helium?

To be honest I don't remember the exact fit of each (I was only trying them on over a t-shirt)

Something to note though - Montbell is a japanese brand which means their sizes are usually smaller than the equivalent US or AU.

Thanks Ubiq - Even though the Helium Jacket is on Massdrop this morning for a good price I have decided to take a leap of faith and gone down the Versalite route. I have spoken to the store in Sydney and they are getting a US version in for me in a couple of weeks.

Thanks for pointing out the different versions - it is clear from the Japanese sizing guide it would not have gone near fitting me. I forgot to suggest to them that having a sizing guide on their website would be useful to avoid this confusion (I initially just went to the US web site and used their sizing guide).

Glad to hear! I think you'll be really happy with it

Mine is supposed to be in store a week or so from now so I'll try and remember to take some pictures when it arrives

Has anyone got their hands on the US version yet?

Tried one on in store and needed to go to XL, also found the arms were extremely baggy. Frogg toggs baggy.

The misus vetoed it straight away knowing I wouldn't wear it much unless the fit was perfect.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

versalite has pit zips, always worth getting a jacket with those to reduce heat and sweat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHdxZBklGX8