Need a new Down Parka

S

soapboxpreacher

Joined
Apr 3, 2010
Messages
955
My old Eddie Bauer parka of 16 years is beat and I need a new one. It was an old, non-waterproof, not very technical coat but it did alright. It was big and a little bulky but I was ok with that. So I have narrowed down what I want in a new parka. I need something that is good in single digits. I live north of chicago and spend a ton of time in lake geneva, wi. Wind gets going and the cold seems to get in the single digits often over the winter months. It might go weeks at a time where it can be single digits and below with the windchill. So I need something for that temp range. I also want something waterproof! Not water resistant either! We can get a good amount of snow so this is a must. Not to mention I want something down. And finally something that can cover minor ice fishing (havent done it in years), sledding (with my son) and work. Oh and I dont want a parka that requires a ton of layers for going to work I want to be able to wear my undershirt and my dress shirt or sweatshirt to work....thats it and still not be cold. All under 300 bucks. Here is that I have found after a week plus of heavy research:

TNF (northface) Vosktok Down Parka: Hyvent 2L waterproofing and breathable, powder skirt, 700 goose down 1670g. Northface has become a fashion company with some exceptions...this is one of them. This is a sweet jacket and looks awesome. I wear a medium in it. It fits well, looks very good. It has a detachable hood as well. It runs about $272. This jacket was extremely warm and well built! This is the northface I know of old! I really liked this jacket. Awesome interior!!! One of the best of the bunch! It is rated to -60F!

Marmot Yukon Classic Down: 650 goose down, Membrane Waterproofing and breathabel, powder skirt, 1559g, very warm same as the Vostok however the hood is big and dumb on this jacket! It makes this jacket looks bad and gets in your face. This is not as stylist as the other ones I have looked at. Priced at: $314 top of my price point

TNF McMurdo: Hyvent 2l waterproofing and breathable, 550 goose down, detachable hood, 1700g! Warm, heavy, decent looking, and priced at 230 bucks! It is a solid piece however the down rating is a little lower but still not bad. The Hyvent 2l is good but not gore-tex. In my price range gore-tex in a insulated down jacket is not going to be found unless on clearance or on sale. This is a nice jacket as well...not as good as the vostok but up there.

Eddie Bauer WeatherEdge Superior: Weatheredge waterproofing/breathable (not the best but around 5-10k mm), DWR coated exterior as well, 600 goose down, one of the best interiors of all, warm!, idea weight! No powder skirt...damn it (but not a deal breaker), looks awesome and fits probably the best of all! It is also built very well considering. I was not expecting this from eddie bauer! It isnt as good as the vostok or the OR StormBound from a technical standpoint but for everyday extreme cold it looks very good and is extremely functional! Range of motion in the arms was among the best on the eddie, and the biggest kicker was price...I can get it for $150!!!!!!!! So this might be the one! It does lack the powder skirt so skiing might be a down fall for this jacket but I am not sure this heavy of a jacket would be good for that...for all of these parkas would be too hot for heavy activities in anything higher then 10 degrees. This coat is rated to -20F and is around 1600g

Columbia Storm Raid II: 700 goose down, omitech Waterproofing/breathable, decent looking, not as bulky as most nor as warm as the vostok, EB, Marmot, or McMurdo, doesnt have a snow skirt, hood is not detachable, and it is 261 bucks! So it is expensive and lacks what the other have. It does have the omniheat interior which I have tried so it will probably be as warm or near close to the others without the weight...that omniheat does work! Not a marketing piece!

Finally the Outdoor Research StormBound, this is the most technical jacket of all!! It is 650 goose down, not as warm as the others but has the best waterproofing and breathable of all (Pertex...its a laminate not a coating and is performance wise right there with goretex!), It is slimmer then the others has an awesome interior, detachable hood, best powder skirt of all, it is more geared for skiing then anything else and it might be cold compared to the others, it only weights 1075g!! It looks more like a ski jacket as well..I would probably never use the balaclava but it is a cool integrated feature!! Pit zips are nice! I really like this one but cant find a place that sell it to try one on! priced in around 262-244! Not bad for what it is! Once again this is the most technical and feature rich jacket of all! It isnt quite a parka and isnt as long as the other but is still goes over 31" from the center of the back...all the others start at 32" and go to 35". I like parkas for what I am looking for.

My purpose for this is for outside play with my son, snow sculptures (we were in Lake Geneva this past weekend for the competition up there and I froze! It was 6 degrees and the wind was high...my current Apex northface didnt cut it...I didnt layer enough...which I hate layering for casual events like this), I also might use this jacket or at least try for an ice fishing trip, and of course everyday heavy cold and snow...which will be its main purpose. I am leaning towards the Eddie Bauer for cost reasons and evaluating how much use this will really get it might be the best decision our temps here dont get past 20 often and I am not out in it that long if it is...everything else I can plan for. The EB isnt as advanced or has all the highest technology but it seems like it is just the right fit and can hack it more than good enough! My second or first pick would be the TNF Vostok (if I could find it for the same price I would probably do it over the EB) it is really a nice jacket. Let me know what you guys think or any suggestions...just remember 300 is my budget...most of these are on-sale but availability is getting tougher by the day!
 
I have added the Mountain Hardware Downtown Coat to the mix: It is 650 Goose Down, DryQ Core which is 10k mm/gm2 waterprroof/breathable, 1160g, detachable hood, insulated pockets, looks really nice!! Not as bulky as other parkas either. And it is warm! It has no powder skirt so skiing wouldnt be good in this. It is however great for casual use, to and from work, and some activity. The logos on it are the same color as the shell so this is a very low-profile coat that is a little dressier than the others. Shells seems pretty tough and well insulated throughout the arms. There isnt a lot of pockets and only one inside. But the outside pockets are insulated very well! It is around $262. Not bad!
 
I asked this same thing not long ago got a Helly Hansen Zeta Parka and i couldnt be happier its proven itself in all kinds of weather and i know we live in the same area. Freezing rain below zero temps it even work great in warmer weather because of the pit zippers . Never leaked i have never been cold in it . The best money i have ever spent on a jacket not sure if Primaloft is a down product but i cant recommend it enough . Plus its sound like its a lot less than you were thinking about spending found a great deal . Good luck on your quest .
 
LEGION 12 said:
I asked this same thing not long ago got a Helly Hansen Zeta Parka and i couldnt be happier its proven itself in all kinds of weather and i know we live in the same area. Freezing rain below zero temps it even work great in warmer weather because of the pit zippers . Never leaked i have never been cold in it . The best money i have ever spent on a jacket not sure if Primaloft is a down product but i cant recommend it enough . Plus its sound like its a lot less than you were thinking about spending found a great deal . Good luck on your quest .
Click to expand...

Primaloft isnt down, it isnt that bad but takes more to make it really warm. I believe down is better per gram then primaloft. Primaloft does however work if the garment gets wet...where as down is useless! This is also why I wanted it to be fully waterproof. Just in case. I like the H/H they make nice stuff! Hood looks big on it. Helly Tech is pretty awesome stuff! 3-layer and high mm/gm2 for waterproof/breathable rating. I looked at there QUEBEC DOWN JACKET as well. Very nice but it is bulky!
 
soapboxpreacher said:
Primaloft isnt down, it isnt that bad but takes more to make it really warm. I believe down is better per gram then primaloft. Primaloft does however work if the garment gets wet...where as down is useless! This is also why I wanted it to be fully waterproof. Just in case. I like the H/H they make nice stuff! Hood looks big on it. Helly Tech is pretty awesome stuff! 3-layer and high mm/gm2 for waterproof/breathable rating. I looked at there QUEBEC DOWN JACKET as well. Very nice but it is bulky!
Click to expand...
If there is one downside to the Zeta its the hood cant remove it and it is a little bulky the hood not the jacket but i can live with it . First time i went out in the rain i was impressed water runs right off and not one drop came in . I am no expert first good coat i bought in a long time technology always getting better thats for sure .
 
I've got the Mountain Hardware parka, worn it for one winter and so far so good. Generally gets to -40 here in the winter, and as long as I have a sweater underneath I've yet to be cold. The odd feather comes out of a seam from time to time, but so far its held up quite well. The hood covers the face / mouth well when its done up, and the velcro makes it easy to put the hood up with big gloves on. For cold weather outdoor activity I personally prefer a goretex shell (with vents) and layers underneath, and the down parka for day to day activity
 
I used to sell "The North Face" (TNF) gear (including garments) and in my experience, unless you *personally* can select the item, TNF down insulated anything is unevenly filled and Q/C is pathetic. I have a Mountain Hardwear SL Parka and it's great for the price.

If was ordering a *parka* "blind" meaning i couldn't try it on personally, i'd choose Feathered Friends (Rock and Ice parka), next Marmot 8000M parka and finally Mountain Hardwear Absolute Zero parka.

There are also down "sweaters" or jackets and many makers to choose from and are *much* more economically priced.
 
I get a lot of my gear gratis as I am a sponsored Winter athlete, but you can't go wrong with backcountry.com's outlet. The Patagonia Fitzroy (not sponsored by Patagonia) is a great deal: http://www.departmentofgoods.com/patagonia-fitz-roy-hooded-down-jacket-mens

Parkas tend to be lower-loft than jacket styles. I have a 2005 TNF limited edition Pertex that is 900-fill that is so warm that I can't wear it with anything other than a tee when it's above freezing. TNF makes some great stuff, but I understand the hesitation.

Here's the backcountry outlet list, descending by price: http://www.departmentofgoods.com/sa...goodsc11s20%23%23b%23%234w&page=1&scroll=1416

Also there is rock/creek, campmor and leftlanesports.com to check out. Also theclymb.com

Patagonia is having a 40% off all outlet merch through Wed. of next week.

My apologies is links are verboten. If so, please delete. Thanks
 
Thanks devgru66...I like that site, been there a ton. Thanks for all the recommendation! That patagonia is nice but I dont believe it is waterproof and it is more of a ski jacket but still impressive. You are right about some of these parkas being too warm that you cant wear anything but a t-shirt underneath if the weather isnt colder then say 25-30F...I live in chicago and it does see its very cold days but the past few winters have been pretty mild. This is were I have a hard time blowing a ton of money on a parka...this is also why the eddie bauer is an attractive buy at 150 buck! It isnt the best of the bunch but no slouch either! Plus it looks very nice as well. There are other I really like some better but at a higher cost. I was thinking of this as well and started to realize I would use this jacket in rare occasions for it would be too hot other wise...the Mountain Hardwear Downtown or OR might be the ticket with that being said. I have heard some mixed on the Downtown for unless it is 2012 model the older one didnt have a DWR coating on the outside..it did have the membrane inbetween but the outside would get wet yet never to your body.

I did look at the Pat Wanaka but it goes to the belt line not past it like a parka. I didnt think looking for a jacket would be this tough or involved but I learned a ton and actually enjoy the research. One thing is for sure...you need to really determine a few things. What are you going to primarily use it for and second where are you going to us it? With that being said for me I wanted something first for causal use when the mercury falls. So everyday 1st and far most...it has to look business friendly this is gonna be most of my use. Next would be the winter activities like: snow sculptures competitions, tree lighting, sledding, ice fishing (maybe once a year at best) and maybe downhill skiing (but probably would not wear this type of jacket unless it was 0F for you tend to get hot when you ski). These winter activities arent going to be that common and the weather obviously has to be bad to bring this style of coat out...in the 30s I have something that is fine. There is no such thing as bad weather just the wrong clothing!
 
When it is "cold enough" (About 25f for me at rest), the little holes in waterproof "breathable" freeze shut = plastic trash bag. Liquid water then starts condensing inside the outer layer. Down, of course, absorbs the water, collapses, and is about impossible to dry in the field in the mid-west. So if you just must go with an insulation pretty much abandoned, do not make it worse with "waterproof breathable."

The current outer layer for extreme cold in the Armed Forces was developed through science and extensive field trials, instead of whatever means of selection that they were using before. It is not waterproof. It is water "repellant." Ditto for all Antarctic expeditions.
 
Last edited:
I was born and raised in Lake Forest, North of Chi. I went to undegrad at the USNA and haven't been back to the North Shore since, but I check the weather from time to time. I am in Lake Tahoe now and the weather is actually similar, save for the humidity. I miss Portillo's something fierce.

Thomas is correct that you really don't want a truly water-proof shell fabric on the down. Maybe you want to get a 3-layer GoreTex shell and a down "sweater" for layering? That would be ideal and most of the good stuff is worn "business casual". I work a real job also as my sport is not hugely followed nor popular. I am in finance (hedge fund space) and wear an Arc'teryx shell into the office, most days.

The shell/sweater combo would be perfect, but even a closeout 3L Gore shell will run $300 alone. Another $150 for the down layer. A positive is the pit-zips on most water-proof shells.
 
A ski-buddy of mine has this jacket (closer to parka length) from beyondclothing. It's truly a custom piece and you supply numerous measurements. The quality is fantastic. A great choice, but it's Primaloft. http://www.beyondclothing.com/shop/mens-outdoor-apparel/mission-apparel/products/pl5-jacket

Most down jackets are made of thin polyester or nylon (best). It's the nature of the beast to maintain the insulation layer.

The Marmot Yukon would work, but the colors are not great: http://www.sierratradingpost.com/s~men-down/?page=1
 
I have, and love, an Eddie Bauer First Ascent Mountain Guide jacket. For nasty weather I wear the Mountain Guide with a First Ascent BC-200 shell. They don't sell it anymore but they have the Downlines jacket that has a membrane layer (more like what you're looking for)

First Ascent is excellent quality at a decent price. I really love their fit.
In addition to the BC-200 shell and Mountain Guide down jacket I own their MicroTherm Down Shirt, Downlight Sweater, Downlight Vest, and a bunch of their light and midweight base layers.

You should check out their First Ascent line, especially if you're already looking at the regular Eddie Bauer stuff.
 
fumbler said:
I have, and love, an Eddie Bauer First Ascent Mountain Guide jacket. For nasty weather I wear the Mountain Guide with a First Ascent BC-200 shell. They don't sell it anymore but they have the Downlines jacket that has a membrane layer (more like what you're looking for)

First Ascent is excellent quality at a decent price. I really love their fit.
In addition to the BC-200 shell and Mountain Guide down jacket I own their MicroTherm Down Shirt, Downlight Sweater, Downlight Vest, and a bunch of their light and midweight base layers.

You should check out their First Ascent line, especially if you're already looking at the regular Eddie Bauer stuff.
Click to expand...

I looked at the Eddie Bauer peak vx jacket...wow! I didn't think Eddie Bauer was about performance jackets! This one was pretty awesome! The shell is tough unlike many marmot, TNF, and so on. Not to mention this jacket is warm below 0. Price to performance ratio this is a very good jacket. 20k mm/20k gm2 waterproof/breathable rating that is right up there with gore tex. and good feature set.
 
Yeah, Eddie Bauer has gotten back to its roots in the performance gear with the First Ascent/Whitaker Mountaineering line. They've sponsored teams to go to the top of Everest. You can buy the same First Ascent down suits on the RMI/Whitaker Mountaineering site.

The Peak XV is a great jacket and I'd like to own one one day. I didn't mention it because you had a $300 cap.

Their waterproof/breathable membranes are great. I have the BC-200 jacket and it's more breathable than the two Goretex jackets I have. It's more along the lines of eVent.
Some people only recognize the Goretex name and don't realize there are plenty of other options, many of which are better.
 
There are "Waterproof breathable" fabrics that are several times as breathable as Gore (until they freeze shut or are covered with a film of water). eVent is the best. Experimental results at: www.verber.com/mark/outdoors/gear/breathability.pdf

Down is never "bombproof." If you have dry/sunny conditions most of the time (even if cold) or have an indoor retreat available, down will be acceptable most of the time - except when it is not.
 
Down is never "bombproof." If you have dry/sunny conditions most of the time (even if cold) or have an indoor retreat available, down will be acceptable most of the time - except when it is not.
Click to expand...

It was adequate enough (again, the combination of rain/down) to serve me 6 weeks and 550 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Teens at night and a foot of snow in the Smokies for a couple of those weeks
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top