OMM's Halo Smock

Preface

As always, we're looking at the OMM Halo from the point of view of long distance trekking over tough terrain.

Test subject: Chest 42", Waist 33", Height: 5ft 8"
Test item: 2025 Version, Orange-Navy, Size = Large
Kit Tests: Spring, Summer
Disclaimer: None required (item not provided by manufacturer)

Datasheet

Manufacturer's Page

 

Scramble Review

Contents

• Introduction: A Categorical Shift
• Overview
• Features
• Traditional Wind-Tops
• Any Negatives?
• Conclusion, Rating & Product Images

 

Introduction: A Categorical Shift

In our Scramble News, April 2025 we wrote about our decision to alter two categories in our review catalogue. One such change was the shift from "Ultralight (~100g) Hooded Wind Jacket" to "Hybrid Wind-Top & UL Waterproof Jacket":

Inspired originally by items from Black Yak and Marmot (especially Marmot's very pricey yet very good Bantamweight Anorak), the advances in genuine ultralight waterproofs has narrowed the gap between a wind-top and a waterproof to such an extent that we've increasingly been packing jackets that are nearly as light as wind-tops (~140g) but which will get you through a few hours of very heavy rain, without resorting to a full-on waterproof. In locales (such as the UK) where the weather is capricious these UL waterproof jackets are ideal. Within this category, we'll still recommend a number of traditional wind-top options (a budget, an ultralight and a fully featured), but such items will no longer be our main focus. Instead we're going to be testing jackets like OMM's Halo Smock.

We've subsequently conducted two full (essentially) Wet Weather Kit Tests with the OMM Halo. The first in May 2025 and then again in September. We pushed the latter kit test back to garner a wetter experience and we got what we asked for. By August the hot spell had subsided and by the end of August the rain came (and barely stopped) and OMM's Halo didn't disappoint.

First we'll look over the Halo, then we'll recommend some traditional wind-tops for those not swayed by our shifting stance, before we jump back to the Halo, cover any negatives and offer our conclusion.
 

Overview

One could make the argument that, at least in theory, waterproofs have more of a duty to concentrate on "breathability" and moisture transport than traditional wind-tops.  Everyone knows that bin liners are 100% waterproof, but no one creates jackets from them, because wearers would get soaked from the inside due to condensation. So manufacturers, keen to avoid damning reviews, focus as much on releasing vapour as preventing water ingress.  In our experience, many of the light to ultralight waterproofs we've tested have been surprisingly breathable compared to (and when performing as) wind-tops.

Obviously, there are limits and we tested these on the two wet weather kit tests this year. The OMM Halo performed very well in cold and biting winds in May, even when the sun was out.  Though when the winds stilled and I was working hard on uphill stretches, the inevitable dilemma arose: "shall I keep this on, or can I do without it from here?".

This is why softshells exist; to muddle through the 50/50 conditions. In our view, the goal of a hybrid wind-top / UL waterproof is two-fold:

1. As an additional layer when conditions have become extreme and ones baselayer and softshell combo is being over-powered, and
2. As a waterproof to get you through on/off showery and stormy conditions (without requiring a full-on waterproof jacket).

The Halo performed this role superbly, allowing this wearer to largely ignore the warning signs overhead. With wind tops, I found I was always hedging: "shall I keep this on or do I need to get into my waterproofs", with the OMM Halo (and to a slightly lesser extent the Marmot Bantomweight, but to a greater extent the heavier Black Yak Bruna) I was able to "keep calm and carry on", largely impervious to the whims of the sky gods.

The OMM Halo Smock showing its windproof credentials.

Designed primarily for fell and trail runners, the Halo Smock's design mirrors that of a traditional minimalist hooded wind-top.  It's made from OMM's proprietary nylon Point Zero H2O 2-Layer fabric which has a hydrostatic head of 10,000mm. The smock has a nicely dropped back to cover your arse and an excellent non-adjustable hood. There are no pockets to stuff it into and it doesn't come with a stuff-sack (more on this later).

The OMM Halo Smock looks like a traditional minimalist hooded wind-top.

All the seams are taped and the smock employs a YKK Aquaguard zip which drops to just below the sternum and zips up to just below the mouth (at least on me, wearing a size large). Aside from that and a couple of hip adjusters, that's really about it. 

Next, we'll delve into the Halo's few features in a little more depth and see if we can't find something to complain about.
(spoiler: we can)

The Halo uses OMM's Point Zero H2O 2-Layer nylon fabric.

Features

We'll start from the top and work our way down.

Hood

The lycra-bound hood on the Halo Smock is a masterpiece of minimalist design.  It has no adjustments and doesn't seem to need any.  We always recommend carrying a cap and wore the Halo with a Mountain Equipment Squall (spring, pictured below right) and a Ronhill Air-Lite Split Cap (in summer). However, the hood on the Halo functions well without a cap, in part due to its reinforced (double layer) peak (pictured below left), which projects the hood outward and prevents it drooping over the eyes.

The Halo's hood has a double layer stiffened peak.

You'll notice in the image (above right), I'm wearing the Halo underneath my softshell. These ultralight pieces require some protection and when squeezing under felled trees (many of the forests had been decimated back in the winter by a violent storm) or scrambling over wet and sharp gritstone, it's often sensible to let the softshell take the pounding.

Zips

The OMM Halo features an Aquaguard zip from YKK, a tried and tested zip which ends in a zip housing / garage.  No issues here. In addition, OMM have their rather fancy zip pulls (pictured #3 below) which don't add much, but are funky enough to note. 

The OMM Halo has a single waterproof half-zip from YKK.

Wrist / Cuffs

The Halo has lycra bound cuffs with thumb loops.  I almost never used these, but they're a standard, unobtrusive feature which can occasionally be helpful.  One feature that was quite welcome and worthy of note was the double layer guard for the back of the hand (pictured #3 below).  When holding on to pack straps in harsh winds, these do a great job of protecting the hands and in conjunction with the thumb loops may negate the need for gloves. A nice touch.

Lycra binding at the wrist, with double-layer cuffs covering the back of the hand.

Hip Adjusters

Now we get into niggle territory.  We're aware that the target customer-base for the OMM Halo are runners and as such this group are unlikely to carry heavy packs with hip belts or be carrying heavy duty belt bags.  But, as the Halo is a pocket-less smock, it's not beyond the imagination to envisage a scenario where one might need to raise the smock to access a pocket on a softshell for example. Though not necessarily a criticism in and of itself, for such a lightweight jacket, the Halo hip adjusters are surprisingly heavy duty (see pic #2 below, red arrow).

To get the jacket on, I needed to take off my Machine Padded Belt and Belt Bag (MBB) and remove my backpack.  Then I'd slip into the Halo and re-attach my MBB and put on my pack.  What happened on numerous occasions, when I needed to access something from my softshell pockets (often my Sony RX0), the ends of the adjusters would be trapped under the strapping / belts and anchor the Halo, the shockcord would then bite into and rip through its stitched opening (as highlighted in green, pic#1 below).  

Surprisingly bulky plastic hardware at the hip.

We've laid out a couple of possible remedies in our "Negatives" section below and we'd urge OMM's design team to at least consider these potential solutions. The hip adjuster issue isn't a deal breaker, but it is a stain on what would have been a pristine review.

Before we delve further into negative territory, let's take a quick detour ...

Traditional Wind-Tops

For those interested in traditional lightweight windtops we recommend taking a look at the following:

• Basic:  Keela Cloud Smock (Size L = ~120g). RRP £50
• Fully Featured (Hooded, Side Pockets):  Rab Vital Hooded Jacket (Size L = ~140g).  RRP £75
• Ultralight:  OMM Sonic Smock (Size L = ~75g) . RRP £80

 

Any Negatives?

1. The reported weight issue

Near the end of the "Summer" Kit Test, I managed (for the first time) to lose a kit test item (somewhere around here, packed inside an UL Tread Lite Gear, grey DCF stuff sack - so if you find it and remove it from the mountains, please keep and enjoy it).

As such, we've now had two size large 2025 versions of the OMM Halo.  The first (Navy-Orange) weighed 135g, the second (Blue-Grey) weighs 128g.  We'd written to OMM regarding the weights in January 2025 stating:

Here's the stated weights per size courtesy of UOG:

• XSmall weighs: 94g     (which would mirror OMM's stated weight on the Halo Smock product page) and ...
• Large weighs: 110g

We got a size large (Orange, Navy) and it weighed (without tags):  135g.
This is about 22% heavier than UOG's stated weight (we would expect perhaps a +/- 5% manufacturing variation for fabric, seam sealer, coatings etc ... but 22% seems high).

In response OMM wrote:

We weighed a few different sizes and colours of the smock, and it seems like certain newer colourways come out a little heavier than older ones despite none of the specifications changing. [...] I have been in touch with our product design team about this, and they are contacting the fabric supplier to see if something has changed along the way.

As far as we know they're still looking into this. However, the solution is simple. OMM have nothing to hide; they've made an excellent lightweight piece. They should simply choose a standard size, M or L, and provide an average weight and give a margin of error for the variance, for example:
Weight (Size Large) = 125g (+/- 10%)

2. The Shockcord Hip Adjusters

As highlighted above, the hip adjuster method is surprisingly bulky for such a lightweight piece. We understand the OMM Halo is designed for trail and fell running and our issue relates to its use with heavier duty belt bags / backpack hips belts etc. But we feel a jacket like the Halo could simply copy Black Yak's elasticated banding as featured on the Bruna which covers approximately four-fifths of the hem and works very well.

The Black Yak Bruna's elasticated banding covers approx. four-fifths of the hem.

Since elements like hip adjusters are largely a set and forget feature, we're going to experiment with some Gorilla and Spinnaker tape to make an internal housing for the adjuster to prevent it dangling outside the jacket and getting caught underneath any belts and straps. We'll update this review if that's successful.

The OMM Halo feels robust for its weight. Its waterproof properties have been a real surprise and if I hadn't lost the Orange-Navy version pictured in this review, it would have served as the only waterproof worn over a very wet 23 day period.  I was really pissed off to lose it.  Half of the frustration was due to leaving something on the mountains (normally I'm removing litter), but the other half was because I'd grown to like it so much - it's just so useful.

I stored the OMM Halo in a DSF stuff sack and attached it inside the lid of my Machine Belt Bag, secured via the loops in one of the drybags. I'd clearly neglected to clip it in and while Scrambling up a ridge it came free and jumped ship. Not wanting this to happen again, I've purchased a Dragonfly Pouch from the excellent Wild Sky Gear (who we hope to work with in the future). This attaches below the lid of my MBB and cannot come free (I really don't want to lose another Halo).

We've docked a full point for the hip adjusters and a half point for the overweight / weight reporting issue. In addition we're going to dock another half point for the fact that the Halo doesn't come with a stuff sack and has no way to pack into itself.

But that's the totality of the niggles in what has been a very positive overall experience. 

 

Conclusion & Rating

Much cheaper then Marmot's Bantomweight and much lighter than Black Yak's Bruna, the OMM Halo Smock is a superb and impressive hybrid for battling wind and rain. The Halo feels surprisingly robust for its weight and the Point Zero H2O fabric offers outstanding waterproof and windproof properties.

The Halo's deep zip allows for venting and provides sufficient space for a map bag. The peaked hood and protective cuffs have been well thought out and nicely implimented. The OMM smock packs down small and easily fits in a hip or belt bag. At just 130g (for a size large) it's a genuine ultralight option and will benefit from a little protection when the going gets sharp and spiky.

If you're gutted when you lose an item, it's a pretty good sign you really liked it. I immediately got mine replaced; OMM's Halo Smock has quickly become an essential part of Scramble's kit and is our top pick in the new "Hybrid Wind-Top & UL Waterproof Jacket" category.
 

Side Note:  A while back (quite a few years now) we checked out OMM quite a bit and, somewhat like Montane, they were making, in our opinion, odd decisions we couldn't really understand, often around certain fabrics and insulations. They've certainly turned things around and now seem to be making good and thoughtful choices (for example using "Crosscore" insulation and Primaloft's "Next" fabric).

 

Product Images

 

Rating (out of 10)

* The value score is derived from two factors:
1) Competitive Market Price (CMP). This represents our judgement of a competitive online price point if we were to stock the item. e.g. if we feel we would need to sell an item at 40% off (i.e. 60% of its full RRP) to be competitive, then our CMP score will be 6/10.
2) Customer Value Price (CVP). We then make an honest appraisal of the maximum price we would be willing to pay for the item (and we're mean). So if we'd pay 80% of its RRP our CVP score would be 8/10.
We then average the two scores to get our final value score, which in our example would be 7/10.

 

 

Last Updated: 25/11/25