Patagonia Jackson Glacier - Women's Review

Performance Comparison

High fill power down lets the Jackson Glacier keep you warm without feeling bulky.

Photo: Clark Tate

Warmth

The Jackson Glacier parka's warmth surprised us a little. It's light and comparatively thin construction makes it hard to believe it can keep up with the bulkier options we tested. Our lead tester stood still outside, watching the sunrise at below-freezing temperatures. She was recording both how warm she felt and checking each jackets' surface temperature with a laser thermometer at regular intervals. The Jackson Glacier's external temps stayed a bit lower than any other jacket, indicating that more warmth stayed inside.

Of course, we shouldn't be that surprised. The jacket does have a fair bit of high-quality down, wrist cuffs, and an insulated hood. The non-detachable hood is smaller and more fitted than most, which helps hold warm air around your ears. We liked it best when it was tightened down over our head a bit to hold it in place. And yes, it will tighten down, you just have to find and squeeze the hidden internal cinches on either side.

We were impressed by how well the Glacier's DWR finish sheds water.

Photo: Clark Tate

Weather Resistance

The Glacier's 100% recycled polyester fabric has a durable water repellent finish (DWR) that helps water roll off the jacket. The coating did a great job of shedding water in our shower test. While it's not waterproof, drops rolled right off for minutes without ever seeming to soak through. The no-sew seams are meant to help. Every stitch creates a tiny hole in your jacket, avoiding them keeps water from seeping inside.

We are also really impressed with the zipper. We let the water pound on it for a full minute without even a drop working through. We do prefer to have a flap that snaps over the zipper to give us peace of mind (and because it makes it easy to snap a few buttons instead of zipping the whole coat). But it doesn't seem necessary with this bomber coat.

While we appreciate that the close-fitting hood kept us warm, it didn't do much to keep water off our face and out of the collar in the shower test.

Photo: Clark Tate

What did get wet, was our shower tester's face, neck, and the front of her shirt. That's because the hood is a little too shallow to form a bill over your face. And the collar comes up just under the point of our chin, leaving room for the "rain" to roll into the jacket. We're worried that snow could infiltrate the same way, though we haven't had a chance to wear it on a snowy day.

We appreciate that the hood is a little snug to hold in warmth, but it just doesn't stand up to precipitation like we expected it to.

This jacket allows for a great range of motion.

Photo: Clark Tate

Comfort

We love pulling this jacket on and anticipating its warmth. The smooth liner glides over winter layers and the cut is roomy enough to accommodate a few. It feels light on and moves well. The shoulders feel a little tight when we try the universal are-the-shoulders-tight? arm cross, but they give us plenty of room to raise our arms comfortably. The pockets are well placed and big enough for a hand and a phone.

When this jacket unzipped or only zipped up to our chest, we have no complaints. Zipping it to the base of our necks or all the way up brings a pokey collar into play. The collar often holds the zipper under your chin, and it can jab you. It's especially awkward when you zip it all the way up. It hits right at the point of our chins and easily slides back to jab us. We avoid zip it up because of this.

Other online reviews comment on the issue, with some stating that it isn't a problem for them. The margin for error here is thinner than with the other jackets. If you have a chance, try this jacket on to see if this it's an issue for you.

We feel pretty suave in this jacket as long as we don't pull the hood up.

Photo: Clark Tate

Style

This jacket's high quality down and no stitch quilting makes for a slim and streamlined profile. It helps us feel put together whether on city streets or wandering around on the trail. We also appreciate the classic colors and lack of branding. All of it comes together to create a general impression of elegance.

For us though, the cut and proportions don't come together in an inspired way. The jacket tends to bunch in the midsection when you move around or sit. It's a common parka issue and maybe we just notice it more with the Glacier since it is otherwise so streamlined. And the whole look works better when you aren't wearing the hood. Its close fit keeps you warm but makes your head look tiny, particularly when compared to the winter coat proportions we're used to.

We expect this well-constructed parka to last for years.

Photo: Clark Tate

Durability

During the several months we tested these jackets, we saw nothing to indicate durability issues with the Glacier. The recycled polyester fabric shrugs off branches, and minimal stitches cut down on stuff to snag. Since the hood doesn't detach, you have fewer weak points to consider.

A few online reviewers mentioned that their zipper malfunctioned, and that is a traditional weak point for gear. We would be surprised if this happens very often. If it does, Patagonia offers a gear guarantee that should repair it at no or low cost.

Features

The two hand pockets zip stayed dry in the shower test, and they are lined with microfleece. They fit our hands and our phones, and we like them. The internal chest pocket also zips and has a port to slide your headphone cords through.

The hood doesn't detach. On its face, this doesn't bother us. We pretty much always want a hood on our winter coat as insurance. But, if it did detach, the collar would be designed differently, and it might just be comfortable. It's also a little tricky to figure out how to snug the hood down. There is a drawcord hidden beneath a flap at the back that tightens it around your head. And two cinches are hidden in the fabric around your jawline. Press those as you pull the cord tabs to snug it down.

We really appreciate Patagonia's commitment to the environment and its efforts to improve fair compensation for labor.

Photo: Clark Tate

Value

This jacket is expensive but is within the range of its competition. The extra warmth, general comfort, and street-ready style are all well worth the money. If the hood and collar combo irritate your neck like it did ours though, that's a frustrating issue at this price point. If you get a chance to try this jacket on, make sure the collar works well for you.

With Patagonia products, you're also paying a bit more for environmental and ethical decisions like fair trade, recycled down, and recycled polyester. If these steps toward sustainability and ethical labor treatment matter to you, they certainly add to the value of the jacket.

Conclusion

Overall we're impressed with the warm, weather resistance, and style of the Jackson Glacier. We just wish the collar and hood had slightly different proportions.

We feel prepared for the cold, wet, wild, blue, yonder in this one.

Photo: Clark Tate