I purchased this layer, along with a Mountain Hardwear Thermostatic jacket. The Helix is well-constructed, and warms up quickly while remaining breathable. I ultimately returned it for a few reasons:
1. The Helix lacks packability, and does not store into its own pocket. This feature was important to me for use as a pillow when camping and convenience to carry when climbing. The Helix is also heavier than the MH Thermostatic, though more than made up for this with its warmth-to-weight ratio.
2. The sleeves were a tad short, making use of the thumb loops awkward. For comparison, I am 5'10", 170-ish lb with a 42 inch chest, 32 inch waist and tried a size M. The jacket looked stylish and fit well otherwise.
3. Perhaps this resulted from the improper fit, but I found my range of motion somewhat limited by the jacket. As I purchased this for use while hiking and climbing, this was a point against the jacket. If your measurements are similar to mine, I might recommend ordering a medium and a large to compare the fit.

This would be a great layer to own for its more intended purpose of skiing, hiking, and casual usage. I was looking for a climbing/hiking/casual layer, and ultimately went with a layer more geared toward my needs. I wish the Helix would have worked better for my purposes; I had hoped to test the durability of Icebreaker's MerinoLoft tech.

Cheers,
Oscar

This jacket has a decent overall design with several flaws -- some of which can be corrected. I'm a short guy with a thickish torso, and overall this jacket (like a lot of gear) is really designed for tall and skinny people rather than small people. On me the arms are too long, the hem goes down past jeans pockets, the shoulders a bit too wide, yet the fit around the chest is snug (to show off my bulging pecs, no doubt). I cut the the thumb hole fabric away and that mostly fixed the sleeve length, the rest is bearable as long as I wear this as the only or under jacket. The worst thing is the gratuitous amount of crap I had to cut off the jacket: so many tags, stupid orange rubber brand logo tab near the pocket, etc. I've only washed it and worn it once, and already some insulation is coming and pilling on the inside. Depending on how this progresses I may have to downgrade the rating. I bought last year's model without the diagonal chest pocket...I wouldn't even consider buying the current version with that design catastrophe.

I have a problem with buying lots of jackets. One of my favorite jackets is my Marmot feather sweater however I wanted something that wasn't so bulky but also provided substantial insulation. I have always liked fleece for its ability to keep me warm however I feel like I am wearing a plastic bag, fleece mid layers were out. As I mentioned, I wanted something not as bulky, while I like the insulating ability and warmth of PrimaLoft, it is similar in bulk with down, a PrimaLoft puffy was also out. This got me thinking, one of my favorite layering pieces is my Ibex wool vest, maybe someone made a jacket that was wool, and then I found this jacket.

My favorite feature of this jacket is that it lays so flat and close to your body, my second favorite feature is the stretchiness of the jacket. There is just enough stretch in this jacket that you never feel restricted. This jacket is also light enough and to me, I forget it is there most of the time under my shell.

The Helix jacket is a warm mid-layer or stand alone, walk the dog, go out to eat kind of jacket that is also stylish. This is one of my favorite pieces and one of my most used pieces as well. While it is pricey, it is worth its weight in gold and I highly recommend it.

This jacket is form fitting, but not in a bad way. I'm 5'10" 180 lbs and the medium fits perfect. It looks very good but is also very functional. Adequate warmth to around freezing temps. Dries pretty quickly after getting wet. This is my new go to jacket. Freakin love it.

I have been using the Icebreaker Helix jacket for over a month now and really love it. I have used it from walking the dog to mountaineering and it has performed well for every task. Overall it is pretty light for the size and dries fast. The merino lining on the inside is key. Not only is the lining soft to the touch but it helps wick moisture and keeps odors away. Much warmer than other synthetics in the same weight category.

Pros:
Layers under a shell easily
Dries very fast
Warm
Packs up relatively small
Thumb loops

Cons:
Material around thumb loop is starting to look worn(this is most likely from scrambling while using thumb loops).
Wrist/Thumb area material is heavy compared to rest of jacket

Everything considered I would highly recommend this jacket to anyone needing a good midlayer for active use. Looks sharp and functions extremely well. Merino Wool can't be beat for warmth and versatility.

I bought this as a gift but have heard nothing but great things about this jacket. It's the perfect mid-layer for skiing. It's not as puffy as a Patagonia jacket (which are also a lot warmer and possibly too warm to be used as a mid-layer) so it's real comfortable to wear underneath a shell. It's warm enough to only have to wear one base layer underneath it and the stretchy material on the sides (and the wrists) is a real nice fit to keep the jacket snug and close to the body. OBSESSED

The Pine/Chartreuse color is real sharp. Looks great!

I am a Telemark skier and I was struggling to find a mid layer that would satisfy the extremes of resort skiing. The problem I found for in bounds skiing was that unless you are carrying a backpack it is tough to dress for the high endurance of telemark then be warm enough on the long windy chairlift back to the top. Merino Loft seems to fit the bill. I wore it back East under a Hellytech shell when the wind chills were well below 0 and it did just what I had hoped. Breathed on the run but was warm and comfortable on the chair. If you wear it as a mid layer it fits true to size.

Special thanks to backcountry.com and Icebreaker for hand-selecting me to review this piece of gear for the benefit of the backcountry.com community. I appreciate the opportunity to put new gear to the test, as well as giving honest and reliable feedback that consumers can rely on. Again, thank you!



Now for the full review of the Men's Icebreaker Helix Zip [Agean/Metro Heather].



The color of this bright blue jacket is fashionable and very true to what's shown on backcountry.com. I am a bigger male climber, around 6'2" and 200lbs, and the large fits perfectly without being too small in critical places. I.E. the waist and arms.



I really appreciate the attention to detail Icebreaker gave this jacket. It has those lovely little thumb loops for high activity, a favorite feature of mine being as how I rock climb frequently and rely on a jacket staying in place while not bunching up under my harness as well. I can climb in this thing or simply hang out and brush holds and this jacket performs well in both mediums.



The Helix is super lightweight and packs down to around the size of a softball, a must have for distance hiking or even day hikes where weather can change instantly. It breathes AMAZINGLY well for a layer of this kind and keeps a person warm when wet, a testament to their Merino Wool technology.



Another favorite feature to mention is that this contains mostly recycled materials as well, so one doesn't have to feel like their carbon footprint is growing with a smart purchase such as this.



IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE A GREEN MENTALITY WITHOUT SACRIFICING PERFORMANCE!



This jacket would also surmise as an outer layer for dryer days skiing and though it hasn't started dumping here yet, I'm excited to bust this out on the mountain at some point, hopefully sooner then later!



GREAT JACKET! Icebreaker has my undivided attention.



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[Outdoor Pics coming soon!]