Mens Waterproof Long Parka with Fur Hood

A waterproof parka is an insulated winter coat with a bonded membrane and taped seams, which is what separates it from a water repellent parka that only beads off light rain. This one is rated to 10,000mm with a fleece lined storm hood, a detachable faux fur trim, a two way zip with a storm flap and eleven pockets, in sizes XXS to 3XL.

Why this one uses synthetic insulation and not down

Most parkas at this length are filled with down, so it is worth explaining why this one is not, because it is a deliberate choice rather than a cost saving. Down is warmer per gram than anything else. Its weakness is water: wet down clumps together, collapses, and stops insulating almost entirely until it dries, which can take a day or more. This parka is built for the kind of winter where the temperature hovers near freezing and snow turns to sleet turns to rain. In that weather, down is the wrong material even inside a waterproof shell, because moisture gets in at the cuffs and the hem regardless. The 250gsm recycled polyester padding here is bulkier than down would be for the same warmth. In exchange it keeps insulating when damp and it dries in hours rather than days. If your winter is cold and dry, buy down and enjoy the lighter coat. If your winter is wet, this is the correct choice and the extra bulk is the price of it.

The 10,000mm rating, and what the number means

Waterproof ratings get quoted constantly and almost never explained. The test involves standing a sealed tube of water on the fabric and measuring how tall the column of water can get before it starts forcing its way through. A 10,000mm rating means a column of water ten metres tall. In practical terms, anything from 5,000mm handles light rain. 10,000mm handles sustained rain and wet snow, including the pressure of a backpack strap pressing wet fabric against your shoulder, which is where cheaper coats leak first. The rating is only half the story though. The seams matter as much as the fabric, because every stitch is a hole. This parka has taped seams, which is the thing to look for. A high rated fabric with untapped seams will still let water in along the shoulders.

Eleven pockets is not a gimmick

Pocket counts on outerwear are usually marketing. This one is genuinely useful and worth understanding before you buy. The two large bellows pockets on the front load from the top and have side openings as well, so they work as hand warmers and as storage without choosing between the two. The chest pockets zip, which is where a phone or a wallet should live because a top loading pocket will spill when you bend over. Inside there are two zipped pockets and two large mesh pockets. The mesh ones are the useful surprise: they hold a hat, gloves and a scarf without any bulk showing through the outside of the coat, which is where those items normally end up making you look lumpy.

The wire in the hood

There is a bendable metal wire running through the hood brim. This is a small feature that makes a genuine difference. It lets you shape the hood opening so it holds a position in wind instead of collapsing over your eyes or blowing flat. Once you have used a hood with a wired brim in a headwind you notice its absence in every hood that does not have one. The fur trim around the opening is faux and it detaches. Take it off before washing, always, because faux fur mats permanently once it has been through a machine.

Fit

Regular fit, cut with room for a mid layer. Take your usual size over a jumper. The length covers the seat and the top of the thighs. That is a significant amount of extra warmth over a hip length jacket, and it is the main reason to buy a parka rather than a puffer. Sleeves should reach the wrist bone or slightly past. On a waterproof coat, slightly long is correct, because your wrists are where rain runs in.

Care

Machine wash warm on a normal cycle, on its own, with the fur trim removed. No fabric softener, which clogs the breathable membrane and ruins it. Do not tumble dry and do not dry clean. Hang to dry at room temperature. Reproof the outer once a season with a spray on water repellent treatment. The membrane keeps working for years but the surface coating wears off, and when it does the fabric soaks up water and stops breathing even though it is still technically waterproof.

Specification table

Specification	Detail
Outer material	Recycled polyamide
Lining	Recycled polyester
Hood	Storm hood, fleece lined, shaping wire, detachable faux fur trim
Collar	Shirt collar, unstudded
Cuffs	open hem, buttoned or knit
External pockets	Two flap pockets and two hand warmer pockets at the waist
Internal pockets	Two inside
Insulation	Recycled polyester, 250gsm
Colour	Distressed Brown
Fit	Regular, takes a mid weight layer
Sizes	XXS to 3XL, plus made to measure
Care	Machine wash warm, remove fur trim first, no tumble dry, no fabric softener

Garment measurements by size. Measured flat, in inches. These cells stay empty until you send production figures. Publishing a measurement that is wrong causes returns, so I have not guessed.

Size	Chest across	Shoulder	Sleeve	Back length
XXS	40	18	25	25
XS	42	18	25	25
S	44	19	25	26
M	46	20	26	27
L	48	20	27	27
XL	50	20.5	27	27.5
2XL	52	21.5	27	28
3XL	54	23	28	29