Helly Hansen Moss Raincoat Review: The Best Affordable Rain Jacket (2023)

The Helly Hansen Women’s Moss Raincoat was the winner of the best value rain jacket in my roundup of the best everyday rain jackets. Find out more about this affordable rain jacket and why I recommend it so highly.

The Helly Hansen Moss Raincoat (also available for men) is an affordable and comfortable jacket that will keep you dry in heavy rain. I tested the Moss against nine other top contenders for my best everyday rain jackets review. It proved to be the best value pick for climates that see a lot of rain because it’s a classic fisherman-style rain slicker, with an adjustable hood and welded seams, that looks, feels and performs just as well as similarly made jackets that cost more than twice as much.

If you’re looking to spend around $100 for a rain jacket you can use for city life and light outdoor activities, you’d have a difficult time finding something as well made and reliable as the Moss.

Style: Women | Men | Sizes: Women’s XS-XL | Men’s S-XXL | Colors: 3 | Fabric: Polyurethane | Waterproofing: Polyurethane (PU) coating | Sustainability: Bluesign product | Warranty: Limited one-year

Best For:

• Heavy rain
• People looking for a classic fisherman-style rain jacket
• Urban commuting and light outdoor activities

Skip If:

• You don’t like the rubbery feel of polyurethane

Classic, Great Value Waterproof Rain Jacket

The Helly Hansen Moss is an updated version of the classic yellow rain slicker that’s been a reliable staple for decades. Like its rubbery predecessors, the Moss will keep you dry no matter how heavy the precipitation. At around $100 (and often on sale for much less), the Moss costs significantly less than other polyurethane-coated jackets with a similar design, like those from Stutterheim, and offers the same degree of weather protection. The Moss excelled in my test of wearing it in the shower and was more than capable in all the conditions I experienced outdoors, including heavy, sustained rain. It might not have the upgraded hardware and design details of some pricier jackets, but given how impenetrable it is, it’s a solid choice for someone whose top priority is staying dry.

A Comfortable Fit And Nice Mix Of Features

The Moss has a standard fit: slightly off-the-body but not too baggy, with enough room to add a heavier layer underneath. The jacket has two front pockets and a simple hood that tightens around the face and moves well given the thicker rubbery fabric. The front zipper isn’t two-way adjustable though, so mobility is slightly impaired when stepping up or getting active. The mid-thigh length keeps more of your body dry and lets you sit on wet surfaces, which is key in an everyday jacket.

While the Moss aced the water-resistance test, breathability isn’t its forte. If it’s warm outside and you’re being active, it can feel like a sauna (this was especially noticeable during a 15-minute session on my indoor rower). The perforated holes under the back yoke add minimal ventilation, but if you’re only going to be in warm climates, it might be best to get a lighter-weight and more breathable jacket. If you like the jacket’s look but want something shorter, the Moss is also available in hip-length (for women and men) and a stylish women’s trench that I didn’t test.

Care, Warranty And Repair

Caring for the Moss is simple because it will hardly ever need to be laundered. Not much sticks to the slick surface, and when there is a spot of dirt, it can be wiped away with a damp cloth. To see how it holds up to deep cleaning, I laundered the jacket in my front-loading washing machine using a small amount of mild detergent and hung it to dry as per the label’s care instructions (high heat from the dryer can damage the PU fabric). There were no changes to the seams, material or shape of the jacket.

When comparing the sustainability attributes between rain jackets, there are many factors to consider, but any time there’s a reputable certification attached, it adds a layer of verification to a brand’s claims. The Moss rain jacket is a certified Bluesign product, meaning that the chemicals and materials used in manufacturing the garments have been approved by a third-party authority to meet strict health and safety criteria designed to reduce harmful impact on people and the environment.

Helly Hansen also offers a 2-year warranty on manufacturing defects at its discretion. The Moss comes with a 3-inch PU fabric repair patch that you can use to fix small tears like the ones you might get if you snag your jacket on a jagged branch. The patch matches the color of the fabric and works like an iron-on patch: Cut a piece large enough to cover the damage, then peel off the back, stick it on and set it with low heat.

My Expertise

As a journalist I’ve covered outdoor gear and apparel for nearly a decade. I’ve written about rainwear for brands like REI, as a gear columnist at Outside online and for Forbes Vetted. In that time, I’ve tested dozens of waterproof products and spoken with multiple experts on the topic. I also live in the Pacific Northwest, where I get about 180 rain days a year, so I’m almost always wearing something waterproof.

For this story, I also interviewed three experts, including Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) assistant professor Preeti Arya, who teaches courses on finishes, fabric development and performance textiles. I talked to Sarah Rutson, former vice president of global buying at Net-a-Porter, and Sara Ellis, a product specialist in the fabrics division at Gore-Tex. I also had a chance to virtually tour Gore-Tex’s testing labs, including its rain room, environmental chamber and biophysics lab.

How Does It Compare?

The Helly Hansen Moss Raincoat was awarded the best value rain jacket in my in-depth rain jacket review. At about half the price of the Outdoor Research Aspire II, the Moss is a heavier, rubbery, waterproof rain jacket that will keep you just as dry, though it isn’t as breathable, comfortable to wear or travel-friendly. If you’re in a warmer climate with light precipitation, you’d be better with a lighter-weight jacket like the Aspire II. And the classic fisherman’s style of the Moss might not be as universally appealing as the Aspire II. Still, for those who need a raincoat for sustained wet conditions, the Moss hangs a little lower, and the slick polyurethane fabric is practically impenetrable.

The Moss also isn’t as size-inclusive as the Aspire II. The women’s Moss is available in sizes XS to XL, while the Aspire II is available in sizes XS to 4X; the men’s Moss is available in sizes S to XXL, and the Foray II (the men’s version of the Aspire II) is available in sizes S to XXXL. However, the Moss is offered in a size range that’s comparable to the other rubbery jackets I tested.

How I Tested The Best Rain Jackets

The Helly Hansen Moss Raincoat was one of the 10 jackets I tested as part of my best everyday rain jackets review. I wore it during the height of the Pacific Northwest rainy season, walking my dog, running errands around town, playing with my son outdoors and on a rainy afternoon hike. I laundered the jacket once using my front-loading washing machine and dryer, tested the waterproofness in my home shower and evaluated breathability during a 15-minute rowing session on my indoor water rower. I also used a water dropper and spray bottle to evaluate beading closely and inspected the jacket’s seams for any signs of leakage. As I was testing, I paid close attention to water resistance, comfort, breathability, durability and overall versatility.

What Is PU And Why Is It On My Rain Jacket?

PU stands for polyurethane, a petroleum-based synthetic material that’s durable, flexible and waterproof. It’s less expensive than natural rubber, with a similar feel, and it has many applications, from yoga mats to camping gear. For many rain jackets, a material—typically polyester but sometimes cotton or a blend—is coated with a polyurethane layer, which provides a protective waterproof film. It’s a popular choice for people who have to work outside in the rain or live in wet climates because it’s durable, reliable and can handle heavy use. Like all materials, there’s variation in the manufacturing processes and the quality. When buying a polyurethane rain jacket, a sustainable certification like Bluesign ensures that the product’s manufacturing has the least amount of environmental harm.

How To Repair A Rubber Rain Jacket

The easiest and most effective way to repair a polyurethane rain jacket is to patch it. Many jackets, like the Helly Hansen Moss, will come with a small repair kit that contains a matching piece of fabric that acts like a bandage. Clean the fabric of dirt using a small amount of rubbing alcohol, cut the patch to fit it over the hole or tear (leaving some extra room to ensure a good seal), peel the back of the patch off, stick it and set it with low heat (be sure to check the specific instructions, as some patches do not require this step). If your jacket didn’t come with its own patch, you can use a Tenacious Tape Gear Patch, which is available in standard round and rectangular shapes or in fun wildlife and nature shapes. For loose seams that are starting to separate, you can try a seam sealer like Gear Aid Seam Grip Waterproof Sealant and Adhesive.