Shell jacket or insulated ski jacket? The big Helly Hansen ski jacket guide

A day on the piste at minus 15 degrees feels very different from a climb through powder. In one case you get cold on the lift, in the other you are sweating after ten minutes. That is why there are two types of ski jacket: the shell jacket, under which you wear more or less depending on the day, and the insulated ski jacket, which comes with its filling built in. Norway's Helly Hansen makes both, for the piste, all-mountain and freeride, on skis and on a snowboard.

A shell jacket is the protective outer layer. It keeps out wind, snow and wet, but has no filling. That makes it light and easy to move in.

The key part is the membrane, a thin layer in the fabric that keeps water out and lets sweat escape as vapour. Helly Hansen calls this HELLY TECH and offers it in three levels: Protection for everyday wear, Performance for changeable weather and Professional for long, wet and sweaty days.

The big advantage is layering. Base layers next to the skin wick sweat away, a midlayer on top keeps you warm, and the shell protects you from the outside. In spring sunshine the base layer may be enough; in January you add a warmer midlayer. If you get too warm on the way up, you take off a layer and put it in your backpack.

This takes a little planning: you choose your midlayer in the morning to suit the weather and the route. And a shell plus a midlayer often cost more together than one insulated jacket.

All three are three-layer jackets with HELLY TECH Professional and taped seams. They differ in what they are made for and in their fit.

Ridge Infinity Shell Jacket 2.0: The Ridge Infinity is the most technical jacket in this selection, made for steep terrain and stormy days. It also features Helly Hansen's LIFA INFINITY technology. Ventilation comes from underarm zips, the powder skirt is removable, and the chest pockets even fit a radio. We stock it in a men's fit. On the piste, it offers more than you will need.

Sogn Shell: The all-mountain all-rounder for anyone who skis both on and off the piste. The hood fits over a helmet and has a neon brim that makes you easier to see in fog. The men's version has a RECCO reflector that helps rescuers locate you. The women's version comes with a LIFE POCKET+, an insulated pocket that helps your phone battery last longer in the cold. Available for men and for women.

Emiko Shell Jacket: A loose, boxy cut inspired by Japanese design. It gives you freedom of movement in the park and on a snowboard and leaves room for a warm layer. Available for men and for women; the women's version can be adjusted at the waist. If you prefer a close fit, the Sogn is the better choice.

A shell is only as warm as what you wear underneath. For this, Helly Hansen relies on two synthetic fillings that keep you warm even when damp.

Helly Hansen developed LIFALOFT together with PrimaLoft. According to the manufacturer, the filling is as warm as conventional polyester at around 20 percent less weight. The LIFALOFT Insulator Jacket for men and for women is thin enough to wear under a shell and packs down small. If you want more freedom of movement, choose the LIFALOFT Hybrid Insulator Jacket with stretch panels, also for men and for women.

PrimaLoft Gold Active in the men's Odin Stretch Hood Insulator 2.0 is designed for movement and lets a lot of heat escape. That makes it a good fit for ski tours and freeride days with climbs.

Rule of thumb: the more you move, the thinner your midlayer can be. If you spend a lot of time on the lift, go for a warmer layer.

An insulated ski jacket combines weather protection and warmth in one. All you need underneath is a base layer. It is warm straight away, even on a draughty chairlift, and you do not have to think about layers in the morning.

You cannot take the filling off, though. On the way up or on warm spring days, you can quickly get too warm. That is why good ventilation matters so much in insulated jackets.

For freeride: The men's Garibaldi 2.0 has a light PrimaLoft filling under HELLY TECH Professional. It keeps you warm without overheating, and the powder skirt attaches to your ski pants. The W Powshot Jacket is its counterpart for women: lightly insulated, with HELLY TECH Performance and ventilation zips. The back is cut slightly longer and keeps the snow out even in deep powder. Both suit anyone who rides the lift a lot and also likes to ski off-piste.

For the piste: The men's Alpha LIFALOFT is filled with LIFALOFT, keeps you warm without bulk and moves with you thanks to four-way stretch. It comes with a RECCO reflector, LIFE POCKET+ and a removable, helmet-compatible hood. For women there is the Alphelia LIFALOFT and the tailored Alphelia Ski Jacket.

The Kvitfjell Race Puffy (men, women) comes from racing and was developed with the Norwegian alpine teams. The baffle construction keeps you warm while waiting at the start and on the lift, and the sleeves have room for arm guards. Its seams are only sealed at critical points. For a full day in the rain, the Alpha is the safer choice.

Just right on the lift, too warm after three fast runs: you start to sweat, and on the next lift you get cold. Helly Hansen developed H2FLOW Air Force Ventilation for exactly this, originally for mountain guides and racers.

On the lift, the jacket keeps the warm air close to your body. When things get strenuous, you open the underarm zips, and the back ventilation lets out additional heat. The openings sit exactly where your body releases the most heat. You do not have to take anything off.

In this selection, H2FLOW features in the Alpha LIFALOFT and the Alphelia LIFALOFT.

An insulated ski jacket suits you if you mainly ski on the piste, feel the cold easily or are just starting out. Put it on, set off, done.

A shell jacket is worth it if you spend many days a year outdoors, like to head into the backcountry or go ski touring. That is when it pays off that you can adjust your warmth every day. If you are somewhere in between, the lightly insulated freeride jackets offer a middle way.

How warm a jacket feels in the end also depends on how quickly you get cold and how long you spend on the lift.

With Ski Free, you get a free lift ticket when you buy a Helly Hansen ski jacket or ski pants. Some resorts offer a two-for-one deal instead. More than 50 ski resorts in Europe and North America take part, including these in Germany, Austria and Switzerland:

• Germany: Willingen
• Austria: Silvretta Montafon, Skigastein, Nordkette
• Switzerland: Verbier, Corvatsch-Diavolezza-Lagalb, Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis, Gstaad, Arosa Lenzerheide

For winter 2026/27, more than 150 jacket and pants models carry the Ski Free tag, plus selected models from last season. In our shop, you can recognise them by the "Ski Free" note in the product details. From this guide, these include the Ridge Infinity, Sogn, Emiko, Garibaldi 2.0, Powshot and Kvitfjell Race Puffy.

You can find out what each resort offers and which conditions apply on Helly Hansen's Ski Free page.