Helly Hansen Women's Hilton Insulated Winter Jacket - Waterproof, Windproof & Warm Cold Weather Coat for Snow, Skiing & Outdoor Activities

I had a hard time deciding between this and the HH Eira Jacket, which is the updated Hilton. It the end I chose this one. At the time when shopping both coats were the same price, $240. Ultimately I selected the Hilton using a special, so it was 25%off 159.00. The Eira went up to $320.00.The Hilton has much better face coverage when zipped all the way up. The neck is loose enough to pull over the lower part of my face. I like that I can use this instead of a scarf. There is also a soft warm fleece like lining material in the neck that feels good agains my face. The Eira neck was not as tall and was too tight to use as a face wind blocker.I liked that the Hilton was more fitted and flattering. I found the Hilton to run bigger than the Eira. I got a Medium in Hilton and would have gone with a Large in the Eira. I am 5'9; 155 lbs.The fur trim on the Hilton hood snaps on. The Eira fastens with buttons and loops. I thought the Hilton was easier to remove and refasten.The Eira hood is adjustable in the back with a draw string. The Hilton adjusts with Velcro sizing strips. The Eira hood is better to adjust and looks better.Both coats dip low in the back, which is nice to keep your butt dry and covered when sitting. The Hilton dips lower. On me it is a perfect length. I could see this being too long on a shorter person.The Eira has sleeve gaters, which are really nice. They are a sweater material that is fitted within the wrist area on the sleeve. They keep the wrists warm and prevent wind from coming through. They extend longer than the sleeve and look nice. The Hilton does not have these. It has outer velcro tightening strips on the sleeve wrists. Not really great looking when tightened.The Eira has better hand pockets- you can slip your hands in through the side, like a normal pocket. The Hilton hand pockets are top access only.The Eira has a nice metal HH Logo on the sleeve and no other branding. It looks very classy. The Hilton has the printed brand name on chest and printed HH on arm. It doesn't look as great to me, but my husband preferred the logoing in the Hilton.Both coats are made of different waterproof materials. Hilton seems more durable. Both coats are lightweight and warm. I thought the Hilton may be a touch heavier, but it was very hard to differentiate.I choose the Hilton bc it fit my body the best. I like that it is more fitted in the waist. I also like the Hilton neck. But I really wish the Hilton had the updated wrist gaters and hand pockets.I also chose Black over Olive Night. Hard choice, while I really like the olive, but I am seeing a ton of coats in that color. I want to wear this for a few years, so black won out, as it never goes out of style.I read a lot of reviews and had high hopes for this jacket.LIKES: Love the look of this jacket, esp the longer back part. When I received the coat I was worried that it wouldn't be warm enough as it felt really light, however, I wore it today for our first snowfall and walked home in -12degree C weather and it was fine (but I did have a fleece underneath, so not sure if that made it warmer). I like the fact that the hood is really roomy, so if you're wearing a pony tail you have room (I always get frustrated with hoods that do not accommodate ponytails!). Seemed to hold up with the wind and wet snow.DISLIKES: I didn't realize that this coat does not have those fabric cuffs, so without them I feel the wind up my sleeves. The hood is buttoned on so if you're not wearing a hat you can feel the wind a little on your head through the spaces that do not have buttons. The flap that covers the zipper does not button or snap in place, so it tends to fold open. The pockets are button closed, but the buttons seems too small and flimsy that I'm afraid they'll pop off.Overall, I think the coat is OK. I don't LOVE it, but I guess now that I bought it, I need to learn to love it. I did try and RETURN the coat once I received it, not for the reasons stated, but because I found one that was much cheaper, and because I was honest with AMAZON they said I had to pay the shipping fee for return and that I wouldn't be getting my full refund because the cost wasn't their fault. I found that strange...I spent a lot of time researching different coats and ended up with this one. It seems very well made and fits perfectly. I am 5' 3" and about 110 lbs.; I purchased the small and it fits well with room for a bulky sweater. It also comes in just ever so slightly at the waist so it doesn't look like I'm wearing a tent. The sleeves are a bit long but the opening is velcro adjustable, so it tightens up perfectly. The arrangement of the front pockets feels strange but I think they will work better and not allow things to fall out since they open from the top instead of from the side. I have not had it out in the cold yet but bought it for the blustery Wyoming winter; I have my fingers crossed it will be warm enough. A couple of great features are the removable faux fur and removable hood, it gives the jacket more combinations to make it the perfect 3 season jacket. Because I am fairly short, the back bottom of the jacket comes down to just above the backs of my knees, which will be really nice on those cold, windy days. The jacket has 1 inside zipper pocket but one on each side would have been nice. Overall, this is a really nice jacket and I would highly recommend it.This is a warm and works well for wind, rain and snow. The hood is good for extreme weather but can also be removed. A great addition to a your winter wardrobe. Simple and classic.