Helly Hansen Pier / Pier 2
Jacket £170 Salopettes £140
A set of oilskins that aims for full protection despite being lighter weight, the Helly Hansen Pier outfit has the greatest range of features of the jackets tested. As well as Scandinavian styling, HH have created a good all-round jacket. Men’s and women’s come in different styles and fits but do not include a drop seat.
Jacket
With a fairly high microfleecelined collar, long body and waist, and hem adjustment, the Pier jacket gave protection without restricting movement. The hood is hi-vis yellow, rolls away into the collar, has a mesh liner and has adjustment at the sides and back. The double cuff kept water out, as did the storm flap over the zip, and there are reflective patches on the sleeves but not the shoulders or hood. This is the best jacket for pockets, with two main cargo pockets and fleece-lined handwarmer pockets behind, and another pair of handwarmer pockets on the chest. The single internal zipped pocket is accessed at the top rather than the side – more secure but harder to access. The soft mesh liner felt cosy but did snag on the Velcro when taking it off. Reinforcement was good on the seat and elbows.
Salopettes
The Pier 2 salopettes are a little more basic than the jacket, offering a single cargo pocket on the thigh and an elasticated waist but with no adjustment. The body of the salopettes is high and the shoulder straps elastic, securing back on to themselves with Velcro. Reinforcement on knees and seat felt tough, the ankles closed with Velcro but aren’t reinforced. The two-way zip (also on the jacket) is covered by a storm flap.
test verdict
The Pier jacket and Pier 2 salopettes performed well in the water test. No water got in past the inner cuffs and only the smallest amount got in through the neck. They gave a good range of movement and fitted nicely without acres of spare fabric. With a good range of features, some decent safety points and solid protection, this was our favourite. It would have been nice to see handwarmer pockets and an adjustable waist on the salopettes for the perfect outfit. A rugged all-round, allweather jacket at a fair price.