The Best Parka Review for Men

There is a lot of variety in the world of parkas. Naturally, the spectrum of parkas we chose to test is rather large. So First, let’s define what’s included here – 1) All of these parkas are down insulated. 2) They all weigh at least one pound (16oz) or more. Down insulated jackets weighing less than one pound are found in our Men's Down Jacket Review. Synthetic insulated jackets are found here - Men's Insulated Jacket Review.

Within those set parameters remains quite a bit of variation. On the lighter end of our spectrum there are parkas that weigh just over one pound. These parkas tend to feature super-light outer fabrics and are often designed with weight-saving functionality forefront in mind. They are generally intended for backcountry use by those looking to travel light, and usually also serve as excellent alpine and ice climbing belay parkas. On the heavy end of our spectrum are parkas truly ready for the worst of winter conditions. Maximizing warmth is name of the game here. In between you will find mid-weight parkas that function well in a variety of applications, offering a bit of a balance.

Warmth
Although there are many factors that ultimately determine the overall warmth of a down parka, the most significant is the amount of down it contains – the fill weight. The warmest parka in this review, the Feathered Friends Icefall, contains over 13oz of down. The Mountain Hardwear Chillwave Jacket and the Feathered Friends Volant are next in line with about 12oz of down insulation. This is significantly more down, and noticeably more warmth, than the light parkas in this review like Rab Infinity, Feathered Friends Hooded Helios, Outdoor Research Incandescent and Brooks Range Mojave all of which have between 7 and 9 ounces. The fill weight of each parka is noted in the specs listing beneath the scoring. In the table above, which compares all the parkas side-by-side, you will also find the down fill power - the higher the fill power, the loftier the down. The fill power number is actually a measurement of volume. It is the amount of cubic inches per one ounce of down. In other words, 800 fill power down is warmer for its weight than 600 fill power down. Most of the parkas in this review are made with 800 or more fill power down. The biggest exception is the Mountain Hardwear Chillwave Jacket which uses 650 fill power down. It is the combination of these two factors the fill weight, and the fill power, that will give you a good estimate of a parka’s warmth. For a more in depth discussion of fill power and down insulation see our Parka Buying Advice article.

Contruction
The method of construction used on a parka plays a role in warmth as well. Many of the parkas in this review are made with a sewn-through style of construction. This is the way in which many lighter weight down jackets are made and it is indeed the lightest method of baffle construction. In this style, down baffles are created by simply sewing the outer fabric directly to a backing layer. This means that there is no down insulation at each point of stitching, and allows for cold spots in these areas. Box-baffles allow for the down insulation to loft more fully throughout the baffle, and thus mitigate cold spots in the parka. The warmest parkas we reviewed use box-baffling throughout to maximize warmth. These are the Feathered Friends Icefall, Feathered Friends Volant, and the Mountain Hardwear Chillwave Jacket. The Patagonia Fitz Roy also uses box baffling to maximize the warmth of its smaller fill weight and the Brooks Range Mojave, although a light parka, features box-baffling in the chest.

Weight and Compactness
Generally speaking, down parkas are not as light, nor are they as packable as down jackets. The reason to opt for a parka over a jacket is warmth, and with added warmth is added weight and bulk. Several of the parkas in this review, those at the lightest end of the weight spectrum, are actually extremely packable. The beauty of down as an insulation is that it compresses much better than synthetic insulation, and you will get more warmth from the space it occupies in your pack. If weight and compressibility are a major concern look for a parka that combines high fill power down with a lighter outer fabric. Heavier, more durable outer fabrics do not compress as well. The Feathered Friends Volant, for example, is a more compressible (yet similarly warm) parka than the Mountain Hardwear Chillwave due to the lower fill power down and heavier fabrics of the Chillwave. Certain parkas offer convenience in packability, like the Outdoor Research Incandescent, which is not only light, but also packable into its own pocket and clippable to your climbing harness.

Water ResistanceDown is vulnerable to water; when it gets wet, it loses it loft and warmth. You primary defense against precipitation is the outer fabric of your parka. If you’re living and/or recreating in a wetter climate, consider that a synthetic insulted jacket or parka may be the best choice. That being said, all the parkas we reviewed are water resistant to some degree and will stand up to snow all day long and a light rain (at least for a while). The notable exceptions in this review are the Rab Neutrino Endurance and the Feathered Friends Hooded Helios, both of which a Pertex Endurance outer fabric that is constructed with a highly water resistant coating to add water repellency. This increases the versatility of these parkas. The Feathered Friends Volant and Feathered Friends Icefall parkas both use an even more water resistant Pertex Shield fabric. Generally speaking, if it is cold enough outside to warrant a down parka, it will be either clear or snowing. All of the parkas we tested will stand up to a snowstorm, unless it is exceedingly wet.
The other factor in the water resistance of your down parka is the down itself. Hydrophobic down insulation is one of the newest innovations in the outdoor gear market. Currently the Brooks Range Mojave is the only down parka we’ve reviewed that features this technology. The merits of hydrophobic down, at least in theory, are faster drying times for your down if it does get wet, and in general better resilience versus water in the first place. This is a technology that will certainly evolve and improve. Parkas that feature hydrophobic down are a bit more versatile in that you can be more confident it your garments defense against moisture. This does not mean however that they are equivalent to synthetic insulations in terms of function and warmth when wet. We are looking forward to reviewing more down parkas, jackets, and sleeping bags with this new technology as more products come to market. Stay tuned for our parka updates!
Durability
Down itself is durable and will likely last the lifetime of your parka. Your main durability concern will be fabrics and features, such as zippers, pockets, cinch cords etc. Some parkas, like the Feathered Friends Hooded Helios and the Feathered Friends Volant have zipperless “clamshell” pockets and elastic bottom hems and are thus a tiny bit more durable since there are no zippers or cinch cords in those places to begin with. The primary durability issue however is with the outer fabric. More than likely a well used down parka, no matter the fabric, will eventually tear a hole here or there and require a quick and easy patch. The lighter parkas we reviewed however, like the Rab Infinity, the Brook Range Mojave and the Outdoor Research Incandescent, feature ultra-light fabrics that are more susceptible to snagging relative to the parkas that use more beefy materials. A few of the parkas we reviewed have taken durability as a major concern and feature different, and heavier, fabrics in the high wear and tear areas. The Mountain Hardwear Chillwave is a good example of this, as is the Feathered Friends Icefall, and North Face Nuptse 2.

Keep in mind also the warranty offered by the manufacturer. Some companies, like Outdoor Research, offer a lifetime warranty on their gear.

Versatility
Unless you are purchasing a parka for a particular use, or expedition (in which case you may have a more narrow application), the versatility of the parka you choose is important. Certain parkas we tested had very narrow applications. The Feathered Friends Hooded Helios, for example, excelled as a light belay parka for ice and alpine climbing, but due to fit performed fairly poorly for wearing day-to-day around town in winter. The Feathered Friends Icefall also lacks versatility. We found it to be much too warm and unwieldy for all but the coldest of conditions.

The parkas we found most versatile were the Patagonia Fitz Roy, the Rab Neutrino Endurance, the Feathered Friends Volant, and the Outdoor Research Incandescent. All of these parkas work great in the mountains, offer varying degrees of warmth, and are comfortable, and functional around town.
Comfort
The comfort of a parka is partly a subjective interpretation. There are however features that add or subtract comfort. The North Face Nuptse 2 lost comfort points for lacking a hood, a major factor in your warmth and comfort. Other parkas, notably the Feathered Friends Hooded Helios, have a short cut and are a bit less comfortable for normal everyday use. Overall parkas with more down tend to feel more “cozy” to wear. A good fit, both in the body and in the hood (and around the face), will certainly increase the comfort. The Rab Neutrino Endurance for example, has a longer cut in back to cover the butt, and has a hood that perfectly covers the face and nose when facing a cold wind. Keep an eye out also for little touches that add to the overall comfort. Some parkas will have fleece lined hand pockets, which feel much nicer than un-lined pockets.

Editor's Choice Award
The Feathered Friends Volant is the perfect warm parka for winter backcountry use and was among the warmest parkas we tested. With 11 ounces of 850+ fill down insulation and a full box-baffle construction, the Volant offers excellant cold weather protection in a package weighing 28 ounces overall. This is our go-to parka for ice climbing on cold days, and any time we need a high level of warmth that is also packable and weight-efficient.

Top Pick Award
We gave our Top Pick Award to the Mountain Hardwear Chillwave Jacket. Although some will find it too heavy for backcountry use, the Chillwave is a good all-around parka that does a parkas most important job quite well - it keeps you very warm. Packed into its warm box-baffled construction are 12 ounces of 650 fill down. A well-designed hood provides excellant warmth and weather protection, and is removable, adding a touch of versatility to the parka. Mountain Hardwear has also provided for durability concerns here, with the Chillwave featuring windproof / water resistant AirSheild nylon for the main body fabric and then a heavier, more durable fabric on the high wear areas of the shoulders, upper back, and outer arms.

Best Buy Award
Although not necessarily cheap, the Rab Neutrino Endurance is a great choice as an all-around, does-it-all parka. 23 ounces in total weight, the Neutrino Endurance features 8 ounces of 800 fill down, a comfortably long cut, highly weather resistant fabric, and an excellant protective hood design. We found it performed excellently as a winter climbing belay parka, and equally well as a day-to-day winter parka for around town.