TGR Tested Quick Hit: Helly Hansen Ridge Infinity Shell Kit

The Ridge Infinity kit is a durable freeride kit for ripping no matter the conditions. | Helly Hansen photo.

Freeride skiing takes a toll on your gear – your skis, boots, and outerwear need to hold up to abuse season over season. As much as I love lightweight gear, reality is, an ultralight touring outerwear kit just isn’t going to cut it for mobbing around in and out of bounds. Helly Hansen’s solution comes in the form of the smartly designed Ridge Infinity Shell jacket and pants, and they are a hard-charging freeride skier’s dream. Last season, I was able to test them in and out of bounds at Jackson Hole and on fantastic trip to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. 

The loosely-cut Ridge Infinity jacket is made with Helly Hansen’s breathable waterproof LIFA INFINITY fabric and filled with smart design features like an aerogel-insulated phone pocket, cuff gaiters, a RECCO tag, and reinforced panels in high-wear areas. In an effort to make the jacket more environmentally friendly, the fabric is manufactured with PFC-free DWR coating and 50 percent recycled content.

Down below, the Ridge Infinity pants follow similar design principles, with the same LIFA INFINITY fabric. The pants have two thigh pockets, and outside vent zips. One pocket contains a beacon loop if you prefer to keep you avalanche beacon in your pants as opposed to a chest harness.

The two pieces of kit form a seamless shell that’s perfect for high-output freeride skiing. The LIFA INFINITY fabric is breathable enough for human-powered access, keeping you dry and preventing you from overheating on the skintrack or bootpack. There was lots of opportunity to test this accessing the goods in Kicking Horse or sidestepping out of Granite Canyon. More importantly, the beefy, durable fabric's cut is comfortably loose and offers ample mobility, even with layering underneath or while wearing a backpack. This is not an ultra-light touring kit, and that's exactly the point. Look good, feel good, right?

If you’re looking for a durable and stylish freeride kit with all the right features, Helly Hansen’s Ridge Infinity kit will keep you dry and sending all season long – plus you might just turn some heads with that all-blue look.

Find the kit and more from Helly Hansen here.