Super-packable yet stuffed with storage options
If the standard Helium is Peak Performance’s minimalist take on down warmth, the Utility is what happens when you ask a load of hikers what they’d actually change. The answer, it turns out, was more pockets – zippered hand, chest, and sleeve pockets, all useful for stashing a map, a bar of chocolate, or a phone you don’t want to fish out of the bottom of a bag. The whole thing then packs away into its own left-hand pocket, so it disappears into a rucksack if things start to warm up. Underneath, it’s the same 700 fill power duck down and windproof ripstop shell that’s kept Peak Performance’s reputation intact since 1986, with a two-way adjustable hood that copes with a stiff crosswind on an exposed ridge. It’s the jacket you grab when you’re not entirely sure what the weather’s going to do – which, in Britain, is most days.
- Zippered hand, chest, and sleeve pockets for stashing the essentials
- Packs away into its own left-hand pocket for easy carrying
- Two-way adjustable hood covers height and width for a snugger fit
- Adjustable sleeve hem and drawcord hem seal out the weather
- 42 gsm 20D ripstop
- Duck down, 700 fil l power, 90/10 down/feather
- Made without intentionally added PFAS
Body Measurements
| Size (cm) | Chest | Waist |
|---|---|---|
| XS | 85 - 91 | 73 |
| S | 91 - 96 | 78 |
| M | 96 - 102 | 83 |
| L | 102 - 108 | 89 |
| XL | 108 - 115 | 97 |
| Size (inches) | Chest | Waist |
|---|---|---|
| XS | 33 1/2 - 35 3/4 | 28 3/4 |
| S | 35 3/4 - 37 3/4 | 30 3/4 |
| M | 37 3/4 - 40 1/4 | 32 3/4 |
| L | 40 1/4 - 42 1/2 | 35 |
| XL | 42 1/2 - 45 1/4 | 38 1/4 |
- Chest: Measure around the widest part of the chest.
- Waist: Measure around the narrowest part of the waist.
- Height: Measure from the top of the head to the floor while standing straight and barefoot.
- Ethically sourced materials - The RDS certifies down against animal welfare requirements and tracks it from the source to the final product. The purchase of RDS certified products demonstrates demand for better animal welfare practices in the down and feather supply chain. Peak Performance is certified to the RDS.
Peak Performance started with two skiers on a chairlift in Åre, wondering why nobody made kit that worked as hard as they did. Forty years on, that same stubborn Scandinavian practicality runs through everything they make – gear built to survive the sort of weather that makes you question your enthusiasm for the outdoors, without looking like you’ve raided a search-and-rescue team’s locker. There’s a reason the motto “if it can handle Åre, it can handle anything” has followed them since day one. Reach for the brand’s Helium jackets on frost-bitten dog walks, stick one in your pack for the inevitable change in conditions halfway up a Lakeland fell, or layer it under a shell for reliable core warmth. Scandinavian minimalism meets genuine mountain pedigree – no fuss, no filler, just gear that gets on with the job.
