Topic: The Best Men’s Parkas of 2022 (Read 44 times)
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This could keep you alive in extreme temps during long expeditions and high summits.
With a name like Absolute Zero, it exudes extreme use. I can attest that this jacket can handle temps well below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. A staple piece of gear for many high-altitude climbers, I used a previous model of this jacket while exploring the Alaska Range and climbing Denali. Additionally, my wife and I used it while volunteering on the Iditarod in remote arctic checkpoints during subzero conditions. More specifically, the 800-fill down parka kept me warm in temps down to -40 degrees Fahrenheit with winds gusting to 50 mph.
If that is not enough, this updated jacket has some futuristic features. My favorite is the massive 17-inch underarm zips to dump heat, as this is something you don’t typically see in a parka. The huge 7.5-inch draft collar extends over your face and Velcros together. It even has the ability to stow away in a pocket when you just want to use the hood and not the collar. The ingenious craftsmanship continues with stretchy wrist cuffs that feature a 6.5-inch tight material that cinches tightly around your wrist with a watch window so you never have to pull up your cuff in freezing temps to check the time or distance on your GPS watch. The two-way front zipper works great with your climbing harness and has a draft collar underneath each side of the zipper.
This coat has a whopping 12 pockets both on the inside (four) and outside (eight). These include two huge zippered pockets on the chest, one on each sleeve, and four at your waist. All the pockets have large zipper pulls that can be opened with mittens and are roomy enough to store food, an avalanche transceiver, electronics, hand warmers, extra gloves, and more. The interior of the jacket has built in straps that look like suspenders allowing you to strap into your pants for extra support. Bonus: Each sleeve has a Velcro square for you to attach your nation’s or team’s flag.
It co*es with a stuff sack, but the tradeoff is it only packs down to the size of a small sleeping bag. Another tradeoff is the price. Still, I cannot praise this jacket enough for battling the coldest temps and keeping me alive, which is worth every penny.
This feature-rich, fully adjustable, men’s parka is also water and windproof.
A traditional down jacket is not what you want to be wearing on hunting trips. Not only does down lose its insulating capability when wet, but there’s bound to be bushwacking while searching for game and some jackets can get caught on branches and tear easily.
In this parka, the stretchy three-layer nylon exterior is more durable, and the proprietary 850-fill Quixdown down is treated with DWR, thus keeping moisture away, so you stay dry even when wet.
There are zero cold spots on this jacket. You can cinch it tighter in just about every part on the upper body—two different spots on the hood, both sides of the waist, a middle cinch about 9 inches around the torso accessed from each pocket, and both cuffs with Velcro. Cold cannot penetrate the two-way zipper thanks to the 2 inches of backing as well as a snap button on the bottom and a zipper pouch on top (one of my pet peeves is my zipper hitting me in the chin). The massive hood is packed with insulation and has a 4-inch draft collar.
You can never have enough pockets, especially on a hunt. This parka has two seam-sealed hand pockets where I stored my phone and GoPro, one zippered interior pocket on the chest where I kept my SPOT, and a huge open dump pocket where I stored my gloves and beanie when I heated up.
One standout feature that is a rare find in down jackets is the internal mesh underarm zips, which means a bit of breathability when sweating up a storm.
At 1 pound 12 ounces, this jacket isn’t the lightest, but it kept me dry and warm while exploring the windy, wet southern coast of Alaska, where the weather can turn on a dime. Bonus: I used this as extra insulation while camping, allowing me to carry a lighter sleeping bag.
Down puffies usually can’t take a beating, but this one’s durable canvas shell can.
Our tester noted this jacket crosses the line between work, play, and everyday use. The calling card on the Del Campo parka is its 320-denier exterior shell made of burly nylon canvas, which is built to protect against any weather and be durable for years of rugged conditions. With a snap and two-way zipper closure acco*panied by a storm flap, this double reinforced front truly keeps the wind and cold out. The cinch bottom cuff with extra canvas around the waist and a drawcord hood battens down the hatches even more. The wrist cuffs have a “gaiter” made of cotton meant to prevent any cold air seeping in, but our tester said they wet out in extreme precipitation and looked like an old school sweater cuff.
However, there are two deep, soft-lined hand pockets that zip up, two medium chest pockets with a one-snap closure, with one of the pockets having outside pencil pockets. Inside the jacket, you have one large mesh dump pocket with a snap closure that can fit hats and/or large gloves/mittens. There’s also a zippered interior chest pocket which can keep a phone warm, although our tester noted it’s a bit hard to find.
There are some downsides. The parka doesn’t feel like it has that much stretch and though the insulation is 700+ fill down, the downside is it’s not packable and heavy at 2.7 pounds.
Still, if you are looking for something to cross over from simple everyday use to backcountry travel and work in the field, this is one is the right pick and is built to last a lifetime. Plus, it’s a great price to boot.
Parkas are really not ever affordable, but this synthetic variety can work for everyday use as well as winter escapes in the mountains.
At $300, the Active Winter parka is cheaper than others out there, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it held its warmth and how many features it still boasts.
I feel like the stay puff marshmallow man in this parka, as you can feel the co*pressed polyester throughout the jacket with each baffle bulging out. Yet, I appreciated the full-bodied insulation that kept me warm when temps dipped to the -20s.
I loved that the cinch around the cuffs retracts into the jacket, mimicking gaiters around your wrist. The hood is well insulated with easy-to-adjust drawstrings on either side. The back of the jacket has a drop-in tail, which helps keep the cold air from blowing in from underneath and provides a seat warmer when taking a break on snow.
The chest pocket is easy to access with a huge pull but was not as big as I wanted it to be as it could not fit my avalanche beacon. The interior pockets make up for this, as there is one large mesh and one large zipper pocket on either side. The two exterior hand pockets are average size. But do zip up. With gloves on, I give it a ding for the small zipper pulls—a bit cumbersome.
Pro Tip: I reco*mend upsizing this men’s parka. I am a medium and feel the large would have been a better fit, especially with additional clothing underneath.
Wearing a climbing harness and a parka can be bulky, but this parka avoids that.
This parka made the cut mainly because it’s made for mountaineering. The 2-way zipper and high hand pockets mean it fits perfectly with a climbing harness making for easy belaying and accessing your pockets without taking your harness off. Adjustability is nice, with one at the waist and two on the hood.
The insulation is a blend of 800-fill down and synthetic, so it not only kept me plenty warm while snowshoeing on the outskirts of Denali National Park, but I didn’t have to worry when it started to change to freezing rain. The warmth was sustained. The 30-denier ripstop nylon fabric kept all the down in with no problems even when bushwhacking through thickets of willows and alders.
The hood works perfectly with or without a helmet, and I especially love the elastic cuffs, which are set back in the sleeve and can fit under or over your glove.
Six pockets (four of them zippered) provide plenty of room to stash all types of gear, snacks, and your beacon. I used this jacket when temps dipped into the -30s, and with minimal layers underneath I was plenty warm.
I researched and used my past experiences with parkas to find who makes the best and why. I wanted to find a range of jackets from budget-friendly to high-quality performance options and co*pare the differences. I then ventured out into the Alaska wilderness just outside my front door.
Before investing in my first expensive parka, I did a ton of research. I looked at magazines and online for quality reviews that would lead me in the right direction. I also talked to like-minded people who have been doing the same activity that I wanted the parka for. I gathered real feedback and then went to my local store to try on several options. I even rented a heavy parka for a Mount Rainier climb. I’s reco*mend you do the same prior to any substantial gear investment.
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