Helly Hansen promises comfort and warmth with £700 parka

Helly Hansen has released an Arctic Ocean Parka (RRP £700) for winter 2022. It’s designed to deliver full protection from the elements for cold weather sailors, and is made with a minimum of 50 per cent recycled content.

This model builds on the brand’s first cold water parka introduced in 2020 and has been developed with insight and learnings around Arctic Ocean environments.

The Arctic Ocean Parka features a temperature regulation system to help with versatility and comfort in changing weather conditions and fluctuating activity levels – keeping the wearer warm by storing hot air and offering the ability to cool down with ventilation zippers.

This season, the combination of strategically shaped and placed insulation panels on the inside and mechanical ventilation on the outside of the parka allow for a unique ‘chimney effect’ – where hot air can be released from the top of the parka efficiently, says the company.

The parka also includes a heat skirt and Primaloft Black Eco 80% recycled insulation in the inner back, along with a Graphene heat conductive lining – which helps to equalise skin temperature by sending heat from warmer parts of the body to colder areas. Graphene also increases fabric durability and offers anti-static and odour-neutralising properties.

Its recycled content includes Ocean Bound recycled material, made by repurposing abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear such as fishing buoys, which are otherwise a source of marine litter. It has a Life Pocket+ to keep electronics protected, and a retractable hood.

“Two years down the line from delivering our first cold water sailing parka, we are very pleased to introduce the Arctic Ocean Parka for Winter 2022, showcasing innovative technology and responsible design at the forefront. We’ve learnt a lot about Arctic Ocean sailing needs from our partners and professionals and are confident that the parka is fit for the most rugged, challenging, and cold sailing conditions around the world,” says Øyvind Vedvik, for Helly Hansen.

“Improved ventilation is a significant win, allowing sailors to navigate changing conditions with more flexibility and comfort while choosing to use more responsible materials and processes reinforce our commitment to doing better for the planet.”

“I’ve put the brand’s AW21 Arctic Ocean Parka to the test in cold, rough and unpredictable winter conditions and have always been able to trust that it will keep me protected, warm and dry,” says Arctic sailor and explorer, Mats Grimsæth. “I look forward to continuing to work with the brand to provide insight and feedback on their Arctic Ocean gear.”

Helly Hansen recently held a lifejacket clinic in partnership with RNLI prior to the annual Round the Island Race on the Isle of Wight.