With this Thanksgiving feeling less like Turkey Day and more like Christmas, it’s time to stock up on kid’s gear. And as with adults, the best way to keep your kids warm is through the magic of layering. Helly Hansen, the Norwegian brand known in part for their performance winter gear, makes it easy. They’ve not only designed a perfectly paired coat and snow pant system for the outside, they have a perfect base layering system for underneath, ensuring countless hours of outside fun no matter how much snow and cold may come.
Here’s a look at what I have for my kids, and the perfect place to start for anyone looking to outfit their kids in the best this winter season.
Helly Hansen Rider INS Jacket
For the last three years, my kids have been kept warm in the Helly Hansen Rider INS Jacket. It’s the perfect jacket for kids starting in late fall as it’s exceptionally breathable, and come winter time, the jacket simply excels at keeping your precious little ones’ warm in even the worst winters. Making the magic happen, a combination of Primaloft Black Insulation and HELLY TECH PERFORMANCE fabric creating a non-puffy, low profile coat that offers incredible warmth and comfort. The HELLY TECH PERFORMANCE fabric is designed with a layered construction to keep water from getting in while at the same time remaining breathable enough to let moisture out. Gone are the days where snow clothes become wet and heavy from playing in the snow, the Helly Rider INS Jacket stays dry no matter what.
Even better, the design of the jacket allows for full freedom of movement allowing for endless unobstructed play. The jacket’s adjustable wrist cuffs make it easy to tighten the sleeves in order to better fit with mittens and give added protection from snow. For days that aren’t as cold or if your son loves to play tag and gets his hood grabbed, you can easily detach the hood with the snaps and reattach when needed. Also worth noting is that the hood is big enough to pull over a winter hat (check out the K Outline Beenie), but it’s not overly big to the point it hinders vision. It’s another great level of protection when the snow and wind picks up.
Learn more about the Helly Hansen Rider INS Jacket at the official Helly Hansen online store.
Helly Hansen Rider INS Bib
Perfectly complimenting the Helly Hansen Rider INS Jacket is the Rider INS Bib, which simply put are the best protection from winter when it’s playtime in the snow. They’re waterproof, so even when playing in snow on a slightly warmer, slushier day, the Rider INS Bib will never get soaked. Like the jacket, providing warmth for your little one is the PrimaLoft Black Insulation, a synthetic product that acts similar to down but is exceptionally light, pliable and soft. In the event any moisture does get in, the PrimaLoft will not absorb water, adding another level of dryness protection.
The Riders INS Bib are designed with hard and heavy use in mind, with reinforced seat, knee and hems so your kids can go anywhere and do anything without fear of rips or tears. And because these pants can go anywhere, they’ve been designed to keep the snow out in any situation, with boot gaiters, high chest coverage, adjustable suspenders and elastic footbands just some of the ways your kids stay protected. Like the jacket, I’ve had my kids in the Rider INS Bibs for the past several years, and absolutely love them – they’re easily the best snowpants I’ve found for my children.
Learn more about the Helly Hansen Rider INS Bib at the official Helly Hansen online store.
HH Warm Set 2
Underneath it all, what could be my favorite product from Helly Hansen and one that I buy my kids every year as a gift is the HH Warm base layer package. My kids wear them in the winter when going outside to play, and even wear them around the house as pajamas and weekend lounge wear. Technologically speaking, they use a combination of ultra soft merino wool and Helly Hansen’s extremely intelligent LIFA technology. And the reason it’s intelligent is this – when worn alone, or when my kids activity level as low, the base layers act simply as insulation to warm the body. But when my kids start playing outside and begin sweating, the base layers actually help to dry and warm the body, wicking away any moisture from their skin and transferring it to their outer layer. If you’ve ever found yourself on a ski hill, you know the coldest time is on the ski lift, and the reason is because on the way down, you’ve worked up a sweat, which warms you, but on the way up, the cold air then cools this sweat, and significantly lowers your temperature. With the HH Warm Set 2, this doesn’t happen, as the perspiration is wicked away, and there’s no moisture left to cool you down.
Technology aside, my kids absolutely love their HH Warm sets, and in colder months is really their preferred clothing choice day and night. Helly Hansen offers both kids and juinors HH Warm sets with patterns fitting for the age group, making it the perfect stocking stuffer for both little kids playing in the snow to teenagers hitting the bigger slopes.
Learn more about the HH Warm Set 2 at the official Helly Hansen online store.
