Helly Hansen Urban Lab Down Parka Review

Bottom Line

The Helly Hansen Urban Lab Parka is a top performer for a casual city wear jacket. Its warmth, weather resistance, and durable features make it one of our top winter jackets.

With a staunch following in the downhill skiing world, Helly Hansen brings their performance materials to the city with the Urban Lab.  Their Helly Tech Professional outer is extremely weather resistant, and 480-fill down offers enough warmth for most winter days. We tested this jacket on a frigid day in Anchorage, Alaska as the wind chill dipped below zero and ice and snow blew. It kept us warm and protected even with just a base layer underneath.

The Urban Lab comes with its share of shortcomings, however. Its large and boxy fit does not have any cinches in the cuffs or hem, leaving the jacket to hang smock-like off the body. It doesn’t quite pack the insulative punch of other jackets tested, and its heft and bulk make it unsuitable for backcountry use. Despite these shortcomings, we still turn to this jacket on some of the windiest and coldest days while out on the town.

How We Tested

On cold and windy days along Alaska’s Knik arm, we repeatedly tested the Helly Hansen Urban Lab Parka over three months. Whether icy, snowy, or even rainy, we tested the Urban Lab Parka in Anchorage, Alaska’s harsh winter weather to find how it performs as a heavy-duty urban jacket.

Warmth

When the winds blew off the glaciers of South-Central Alaska, pummelling the Knik Arm with gale-force winds, we were happy to be safe and sound in the Urban Lab Parka. One of the longest jackets we’ve tested, the Urban Lab provides warmth and coverage down to the upper thigh keeping us toasty warm on some of the coldest days of the year.

While the 48-fill down is not the highest quality compared to other parkas, we found it more than suitable for most winter temperatures. Testing this jacket with only a base layer underneath, we were plenty warm enough for excursions around town and short hikes on winter trails. While likely too heavy and warm for your next mountain summit, the Urban Lab excels at keeping you warm in town and for short hikes on local trails.

Weather Resistance

With a background in sailing, skiing, and wet weather work wear, Helly Hansen has long been an industry leader in producing weather-resistant shells. They continue this tradition in the Urban Lab to make a resilient and waterproof outer that can withstand snow, ice, and rain.

With a proprietary polyamide blend called Helly Tech Professional, the Urban Lab effectively shielded us from all exposure to the elements both in liquid and frozen states.

A layer of PFC-free DWR also helps shed water and reduce absorbency. We did find that the shell of this jacket did start to absorb some precipitation, but it never impacted the insulation or reached further into the jacket.

Fully seam-sealed construction keeps the seams watertight and we will continue using this jacket for some of the nastiest days.

Comfort & Functionality

True to its name, the Urban Lab is solidly designed as an urban jacket while maintaining technical elements in performance jackets. Weighing in at almost four pounds, this is one of the heaviest and bulkiest jackets in our lineup. While we won’t be trying to stuff this jacket into an overnight backpack any time soon, it serves its purpose as a bomb-proof city jacket for fierce winter conditions.

Like a lot of parkas, the Urban Lab runs large through the body and arms. The arms are especially voluminous, and without any cuff straps to tighten them down, they can feel oversized and tube-like. A medium felt true to size for us, but this jacket may fit larger torsos more comfortably. Its large body has room to layer underneath to create an extremely warm and weatherproof system.

Features

The Urban Lab has features common to other parkas but with a few unique touches. A d-ring on the outer is great for clipping your keys/dog/child to and seven pockets provide an array of storage options. A unique chest storage zip is located on the exterior, but under the storm flap, for a great place to keep a phone or wallet secure.

While lacking any cuff tensioners on the exterior of the jacket, the Urban Lab comes equipped with knit coves that are warm and cozy against the skin. However, these are difficult to pair with gloves as they can bunch up awkwardly when wearing a glove thicker than a liner.

The hood, while slightly smaller than other parkas, is a welcome relief compared to the drowning feeling experienced in other jackets. The Urban Lab comes with well-appointed features that provide increased functionality but without an overly technical appearance.

Should You Buy the Helly Hansen Urban Lab Down Parka?

If you’re in the market for a purely city-use parka, but one that offers some of the highest weather resistance on the market, check out the Urban Lab. Its long length, warm insulation, and waterproof outer make it an excellent choice for citygoers in harsh climates.

While we won’t be reaching for this jacket on our next expedition or climbing trip due to its bulk and weight, it’s perfect for around town or your next ski holiday. Parka lovers will feel right at home in the Urban Lab and we pull it out of our closet every time the temperatures drop and the winds pick up.

What Other Winter Jackets Should You Consider?

Check out our other best winter jackets for men or take a look at some specific models that are similar to the Urban Lab:

Fjallraven Nuuk Parka Review: With a similar Polyamide shell, the Nuuk offers the wet weather performance of the Urban Lab but with even more pockets and features.

The North Face McMurdo Parka Review: If you are looking for a parka, but are looking for one at a more affordable price, the McMurdo offers all the benefits of a parka but at a more attainable price.

Feathered Friends Khumbu Review: While the Urban Lab is too bulky for backcountry use, the Khumbu is light and packable enough for the high mountains while still providing impressive warmth.