Skip to main content

Helly Hansen Paramount Accelerator S jacket


THE CUT OF this jacket impresses from the off. It’s neat but not tight, with a hood that pops straight over a helmet and stays in place, maintaining perfect peripheral vision.

On the bike it proved itself an ideal weight for spring riding. The fabric is lighter than on some of the other softshells here, with a double-weave construction that gives the inside a ribbed texture. This makes it warmer to the touch when you put it on but has superb sweat-wicking qualities once you start to warm up.

There are pockets aplenty (two on the chest plus two hand warmers) and construction quality is good. Because the Accelerator isn’t bike-specific it’s not as long as we’d like at the back. But if versatility matters more than protection, it’s one to seriously consider.

Price 195$
Labels

Popular posts from this blog

ENVE M50 29" Wheels

Utah based company ENVE have been making drool-worthy carbon components for some years now. Despite the fact that carbon rims are becoming more and more common on mountain bikes these days, you can guarantee that ENVE wheels will be a talking point when someone is eyeing off a steed. Instantly, the big bold logos on each rim scream "fast", "light" and to some extent, "expensive" The kids call this 'bling'.

READ MORE >>

KONA SHRED

With a reputation for no-nonsense ruggedness and a background in the always progressive and punishing riding of Canada, Kona have been building hardcore hardtails for longer than almost anyone else. The Shred is the most expensive bike on test but it’s a proper trail tank.

READ MORE >>

GT Zaskar Evolution

While some bike models last just a couple of years, others change with the times to stay at the top of riders’ wishlists. In the second part of this series looking at the evolution of bikes that enjoy enduring popularity with UK riders, we turn to the GT Zaskar – a bike that was at the forefront of our sport for a long time and still has plenty of appeal today.

READ MORE >>

COMMENCAL EL CAMINO 3

Commencal are going from strength to strength at the moment and they’ve taken their tough trail hardtail bang up to date with 650b wheels. With its skinny rims, crankset and fork, the El Camino certainly isn’t perfect and it’s the least hardcore bike here. The handling, smoothness, speed and all-round agility of the basic bike still make it a real blast for technical trail riding though, and it’s a great base for upgrading over time.

READ MORE >>

iXS Asper BC shorts

THEY AREN’T CHEAP, but these well made and feature packed shorts are the epitome of classic mountainbike-specific functionality, and on the bike they don’t disappoint.

READ MORE >>