Icebreaker’s Helix Jacket

Icebreaker’s incredible Helix hooded Merino wool jacket is a steal at $285. This is one sharp-looking jacket, as is everything Icebreaker makes. It also manages to be lightweight, with no bulk to speak of, but performs amazingly well in both high winds and low temperatures.

As an active garment, the jacket breathes well, thanks to stretchy side panels that help regulate your body temperature. Though thin on the sides, the jacket still does well with keeping you deceptively warm, but you won’t sweat. And even strong breezes won’t cut through the wool interior and polyester exterior. Down be damned: You won’t go back to feathers once you’ve worn this wool and you can feel good about buying the garment, too, as Icebreaker uses recycled Merino wool and recycled polyester.

The jacket sports roomy, zippered hand pockets on the front, as well as an internal breast pocket for storing important items. The sleeves extend over the palms, and there’s a thumbhole as well. That means the jacket keeps your hands warm and the sleeves stay in place if you need to slip into something warmer. The fit is slim, so the jacket manages to keep you warm while not adding unflattering bulk.