[Review] The Ullr Powder Suit (Unisex) by Helly Hansen

I’ve been skiing since I was about 5 years old and if we do some simple math, that’s over 20 years. I can’t say for sure that I didn’t have a one-piece when I was skiing at 5, but I haven’t had one in my adult life and that’s the mistake I’ve made consistently throughout all of these years. Hands down, skiing in a one piece is the best thing ever. The Ullr Powder Suit by Helly Hansen popped my one-piece cherry and I couldn’t be more ecstatic about it.

The Ullr Powder Suit by Helly Hansen will keep you warm and dry and make you feel oddly safe and indestructible. It has everything one could want in a one-piece and more—complete with ample pockets, waterproof, breathable and durable fabric, and a design to keep you warm and dry in even the most intense winter conditions.

The pockets are sweet, including a beacon-specific pocket on the thigh. If you’re heading into the backcountry with the Ullr suit, you’ll have plenty of room for snacks, extra layers, goggles, and anything else you may want to carry on you. The cargo-ish style pockets on the top of the thigh are gusseted so they will expand allowing you to use the pockets for any and all intended (or unintended, I’m not scared) purposes. The pockets on the torso double as vents which in my mind renders them useless as pockets. I would never put something in there if I knew I’d be venting throughout the day. If I know for a fact it’s going to be a frigid day, then I may go ahead and fill them up with snacks.

I like the venting throughout the suit and feel like it does a good job. I’m on the fence about not having pit zips, but the torso vents really do let a lot of airflow in. The thigh vents are huge and let a ton of air in. The thigh vents are perfect for the uphill, but not so good on the downhill if it’s a deep day. If you’re in the white room with your thigh vents open, chances are you will have the white room inside your pants in a matter of minutes. There is no mesh to keep snow out.

The Ullr Powder Suit is not insulated but it is very easy to layer up underneath it however you need to do so. The first time I wore it I was a little bummed it wasn’t insulated but I just wore thicker base layers. When I skied on a super warm pow day, I was happy the suit was only a shell because I could still wear it without over heating. The Helly Tech® Professional 3L waterproof fabric keeps you dry throughout even the wettest of days. Not only is the fabric waterproof, it is also breathable so it won’t feel like you’re wearing a plastic suit.

The H²Flow™ system also helps to regulate the climate inside the suit. This “system dramatically improves your comfort and will make sure to keep you dry, warm or cool depending on the conditions and intensity (www.hellyhansen.com/en_us).” I think this system really works and I can definitely tell when I’m hiking or skinning in the suit. I feel like at the resort, you are going through a lot of different temps – especially if you’re hiking. There is the frigid chairlift ride, the hike where you start to sweat, then the ride down which gets colder and colder throughout the day. To have a consistent temperature inside is nice and to have that without always unzipping then rezipping over and over is really great. 

I think the worst part about the pow suit for me is when I have to take it off and go back to a jacket and pair of pants that aren’t connected. Skiing powder in a pow suit is the best thing ever and I’ll never get a wet torso again from snow getting down my pants/up my jacket when I fall in deep snow.

Whether you’re a resort skier, backcountry skier, snowboarder, snowmobiler or sledding enthusiast, the Ullr Powder Suit by Helly Hansen will change your winter world. You’ll feel safe and warm all day long and with the durable and waterproof fabric, you’ll feel as though you can get past anything. Whether you’re looking for a sweet one-piece pow suit, an insulated ski jacket, or warm base layers that will work for you, not against you, be sure to check out Helly Hansen.