REI Co-op Stormhenge Down Hybrid Parka Review

This inexpensive parka is loaded with high-quality materials and construction details that help it perform nearly as well as much more expensive options at a fraction of the price.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

The REI Co-op Stormhenge Down Hybrid Parka is packed with 850-fill power down insulation, which is very high quality down for a jacket in this price range. These feathers puff up dramatically and keep the coat lofty and thick, providing good warmth at a low weight and bulk. Overall, the jacket is warm enough for most winter days, but during the coldest snaps, you'll want a little more warmth in the form of layers, or a thick sweater.

The hood is roomy enough to keep the entire head warm and fit a beanie underneath. We also appreciate fine details, including an insulated neck rib and stretchy wrist gaiters with thumb loops. These features act together to seal warm air into the torso area and prevent heat from escaping out of the neck or wrists. The long hem protrudes over the lower body, helping you stay warm all over.

Weather Resistance

Parkas are relied upon to provide all of the weather resistance needed during brutal winter storms, which can be windy, snowy, and sometimes wet. The Stormhenge uses a proprietary waterproof and breathable shell fabric that does an excellent job at keeping water out, and it earned a decent score for weather resistance. It is also very effective at preventing wind from penetrating the torso area. The roomy hood has drawstrings on either side of the face to seal out the worst winter weather, and the wrist gaskets help prevent drafts. The long hem has two adjustable drawcords to seal the parka from the bottom.

Down insulation is warm, light, and very packable, but it can lose its loft and warmth when wet. While the outer shell fabric and front zipper are entirely waterproof, the pocket zippers aren't, which allows water an entry point into the down insulation. While it would take a tremendous downpour for the pocket zippers to soak through, we made a note of this hole in the armor.

Comfort

The REI Stormhenge Down Hybrid Parka is a moderately comfortable jacket to wear. The thin inner lining fabric is made of nylon, which gives the garment a technical feel, and the insulated neck rib is cozy. We also like the stretchy wrist gaiters and fleece-lined handwarmer pockets.

The jacket's cut is boxy, which means that the garment doesn't always closely match the contours of the human body. While this is a common fit pattern for winter jackets, we don't like the feel of a garment that is loosely draped over our bodies. We think the most comfortable jackets have more sophisticated tailoring. Also, the fleece chin protector patch is a nice touch, but it needs to be larger to be effective.

Style

The Stormhenge Parka has an unremarkable style due to its boxy, straight cut, and limited color options. Sometimes, loose-fitting garments can be stylish, but they have to be overtly urban-focused. This jacket looks more like a technical piece, with puffy insulation and a waterproof shell, but the cut is more reminiscent of more casual urban-styled jackets. The result is a garment whose style doesn't fit into any situation perfectly.

That said, some users will certainly like an understated style. This jacket blends in with the crowd and probably won't win any fashion contests, but it won't lose either. If you're looking for a coat that you can wear in a wide variety of situations, or if you don't want to take any fashion risks, this is a good option.

Features

The REI Stormhenge Down Hybrid Parka has a decent set of features that make winter living easier. The two handwarmer pockets are large and easy to access and are also lined with fleece on both sides of the hand. There is also one external chest pocket and one internal zippered chest pocket. However, they are placed directly on top of each other and are thus less helpful because it's uncomfortable to store items in both of them simultaneously.

The jacket also has two internal stash pockets made of thin nylon fabric, which are useful for storing gloves, hats, scarves, and other winter accessories. The hood isn't removable, but there is a high collar that adds warmth and style when the jacket is worn with the hood down. Overall, the Stormhenge's features are useful and thoughtful.

Durability

We had no problems with durability during the test period of the Stormhenge. The outer shell fabric is thick enough to slide easily over sharp objects without being torn. The front zipper is surrounded by thicker shell material to prevent the thin inner lining fabric from getting caught in the zipper.

The pocket zippers have much smaller teeth than the front zipper, and the hood drawstring is very thin. These seem like the most obvious weak points in the jacket, but again, we didn't have any problems with them during our testing. Down insulation lasts a long time if treated properly, leading us to believe that this parka will have a long lifespan.

Should You Buy the REI Co-op Stormhenge Down Hybrid Parka?

The REI Co-op Stormhenge Down Hybrid Parka offers excellent warmth and weather resistance that stands up to winter's wrath for an attractive price, winning our Best Buy award for winter jackets. Most importantly, it combines all of the necessary components of a practical winter jacket. It lacks the style or refined tailoring of more expensive jackets, and the cut could be more comfortable, but it does everything it should and is affordable to boot. If you need a warm and weatherproof option to include in your jacket collection, but don't want to spend very much to get it, this is the jacket for you.

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