A good parka for men can be hard to find, especially if your standards are high and you want something that will really keep you warm and look great.
It’s worth finding the right parka for you – not just because you deserve to have a jacket that protects you from the elements and represents your style – but also because the best parkas on the market are built to last and can provide stylish comfort for much longer than your average jacket.
Whether you are planning a hiking expedition to the Himalayas or you just want to look good on cold mornings pumping gas, a great parka is something everyone is happy to have when they need it.
In this article, we’ll look at some of the major brands producing the best parkas out there, and what differentiates them, so you can find the company that makes the right parka for you.
1. Everlane
Ethical outerwear that is also high-quality can be hard to come by, and this is where Everlane comes in. They have scoured the world to find factories with the highest standards and best working conditions to support the high standards they have for their fashion lines.
With an ethical mission, Everlane is also radically transparent about the design, production, manufacturing, and shipping of its clothes and the impact that they have. You can see a breakdown of what goes into each garment on their website.
Their ReNew Long Parka for men is made from more than 90% recycled material. Everything except the trim and the zippers is recycled, and 90% of the plastic involved has been recycled as well.
The fabric is 100% recycled, as is the PrimaLoft insulation. Long, loose, and baggy with oversized cargo pockets, the ReNew is comfortable, warm, and dry in some of the coldest and most inhospitable conditions while also looking great and turning heads on ordinary days.
If you are looking for a stylish and comfortable parka that you can feel good about wearing, knowing that it is ethically sourced, Everlane has you covered.
2. The North Face
Named after the coldest, unforgiving side of a mountain, the North Face was founded in 1966 by two avid hikers who wanted to create their own kind of mountaineering store.
From humble beginnings in San Francisco, the North Face eventually grew into an ecologically minded activewear company supporting rock climbers, skiers, and snowboarders.
For more than 50 years, they have been pushing the limits on outerwear, trying out new materials and designs to get the most mileage for their customers who like to play in the cold.
The North Face has plenty of experience with parkas, and their technological innovations in this field are legendary.
If you are looking for a parka that will hold up over time and resist wear and tear while protecting your body from the most chilling effects of deep winter, the North Face is a company you can trust, and this is borne out in their McMurdo Parka. It’s practically impossible to get cold in this coat.
Named after McMurdo station, a tiny scientific outpost on an island in Antarctica, the North Face McMurdo Parka is made to protect you from the elements. It is the longest coat the North Face makes, reaching your needs to offer optimal leg protection.
It is waterproof, windproof, breathable, and well insulated. The 600-fill-power goose down lining is soft and traps your body heat so you can stay comfortable.
The North Face is a parka brand you can trust, with more than 50 years of experience in keeping active people warm in some of the harshest conditions on the globe.
3. Woolrich
An American company founded in Pennsylvania in 1830, Woolrich has been around for more than 190 years. They call themselves “the original outdoor clothing company,” and with their longstanding reputation for great outerwear, it would be hard to dispute that claim.
Woolrich is known especially for some of its trademark stylistic elements, like the Buffalo check, which started out as a branded design but has become an American standard.
When it comes to parkas, Woolrich is a competitor to the best manufacturers in the world. In the 1970s, they were tasked with making parkas for workers who were constructing the Alaskan pipeline in conditions that regularly dropped below -40C. The Arctic Parka was born, with the needs of those workers in mind, to help keep people comfortable and moving despite the cold.
The modern version of this parka has been updated for practical reasons and to make it much more stylish for everyday wear. Although Woolrich is a very traditional American company, the modern Arctic Parka is even more fashionable than it is practical, coming in many different colors and featuring a detachable fur-lined minimum.
You don’t need to be a worker in the arctic to appreciate the workmanship of Woolrich’s Arctic Parka. This classic has been around for more than 50 years and has gotten better with each new update and incarnation.
The one thing to consider about the Arctic Parka might be the price tag. At around $800, it is more expensive than many of its competitors, even if it is worth the money.
4. Magcomsen
A relative newcomer to the parka game, Magcomsen is a Chinese-based company that started in 2015. Its mission is to produce the kind of high-quality outdoor gear and technology that other companies like the North Face and Patagonia do while using their supply chain in China to keep prices low.
So far, it looks like they are doing a great job of that with highly-reviewed products that sell for a fraction of the cost of their competitors.
The waterproof fleece-lined parka from Magcomsen is windproof and water-resistant, with a soft inner lining, multiple drawstrings, and more than enough pockets to store all of your gear. This parka is almost a throwback to the late nineties stylistically, with a big hood, lots of zippered pockets, and elastic cuffs.
Although this parka might not turn heads the same way that some other parkas in this bracket might style, their jackets are extremely practical, especially when you consider their price points.
If you are looking for a windproof and water-resistant parka with plenty of pockets and zippers that won’t break the bank, Magcomsen’s fleece-lined parka over-delivers for the price.
5. Patagonia
Possibly the most famous and acclaimed of all outerwear and mountaineering brands, Patagonia was founded by legendary mountaineer Yvon Chouinard and has set the standard over the decades for cold weather gear, providing the highest-quality garments to hikers and climbers who brave the most hostile environments.
Patagonia might be a true mountaineer’s brand with some serious cred, but it’s also at the forefront when it comes to quality construction and aesthetic style. Sometimes called “Patagucci,” it is the expensive luxury brand in the parka space that consistently delivers value.
Their Men’s Tres 3-in-1 parka is an example of the kind of innovation that Patagonia is famous for. It can be worn as a lightweight, waterproof shell, an insulated jacket, or an insulated parka, giving you plenty of options depending on the weather and what your plans are.
One of the great things about Patagonia parkas is that they are so adaptable. You can wear a Patagonia parka to the Arctic circle or out to dinner, and it will work in either environment.
The 3-in-1 makes the most of this value proposition. It’s a perfect all-around parka that looks great but can also keep you warm and dry in some outright awful conditions if that’s what is called for.
Patagonia makes some of the best parkas on the market, including the Tres 3-in-1, although they are a little more expensive than their competitors due to a stellar brand reputation and high demand.
6. L.L. Bean
This American outerwear apparel company is another recognized classic. L.L. Bean has produced warm and durable jackets and outerwear for more than a century, and they are still going strong with new designs and products available.
Founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean, L.L. Bean started as a one-man operation in Freeport, Maine. Leon was a good tailor and a good businessman who cared about his customers, and his hard work and acumen paid off as the company grew.
Today, L.L. Bean is a multinational company that makes more than 1.6 billion in annual revenue. The company’s focus on outdoor athletics, hiking, camping, and rock climbing has remained in the products they design as well as in the outdoor discovery schools they sponsor, introducing people to sports like stand-up paddling, kayaking, fishing, and archery.
The largest L.L. Bean store is currently down the road from where it all started, in Freeport, Maine.
The L.L. Bean Mountain Classic Down Parka is one of their most enduring and popular designs and deserves the great reputation it holds.
A closer fitting jacket than many of the loose and baggy parkas on the market, the Mountain Classic Down Parka has a recycled polyester outer layer that can be machine washed and dried, covering an underlayer made with L.L. Bean’s patented DownTek insulation that keeps you warm and dry, even in wet conditions.
7. Fjallraven
A newer outdoor apparel and gear company hailing from Sweden, Fjallraven is committed to simplicity, sustainability, and getting more people involved in the natural world.
The company started in the remote town of Örnsköldsvik, where mountains meet the ocean and extremely cold and windy conditions are regular.
Fjallraven is a practical company that is staffed by people who love the outdoors and use the products they make, but they are also notable for the simplistic but impactful style of their designs. The minimalist Swedish aesthetic of Ikea comes through in Fjallraven’s outerwear, which merges functionality with a simple and elegant European style.
The Nuuk Parka is a very long coat that will protect you from the elements and highlight your personal style at the same time.
With a synthetic lining that will keep your core warm and a breathable but wind and water-resistant outer shell, the Nuuk is also convenient to wear with tons of extra pockets to help you carry whatever you need on your adventures and a faux-fur hood that will keep you toasty even in harsh wind conditions.
Fjallraven makes some fashionably designed parkas that don’t drop the ball when it comes to protecting you from the elements. Functional and beautiful, these coats are some of the best men’s parkas out there.
8. Arc’teryx
This Canadian company was founded in Vancouver in 1989 by passionate local climbers, and ever since then, it has been a growing force in international mountaineering gear. Named after the prehistoric archaeopteryx, a winged dinosaur and one of the closest relatives to modern birds, Arc’teryx is anything but fossilized.
Just like the archaeopteryx was the first animal to form feathers for flight, Arc’teryx has been focused on innovation from the start. Their entirely in-house design and production processes are formulated to allow ongoing testing and adaptation to produce the best products possible.
When it comes to parkas, at least, they are getting it right. The warmest jackets from Arc’teryx are slightly cheaper than those from seasoned competitors like Patagonia and the North Face, but they are equally warm and durable. In tests, they hold up well over time against the best jackets from global brands.
The Arc’teryx Therme Insulated Parka is the best-looking parka on this list, in my opinion, and it holds up in the coldest conditions, as well. With windproof, waterproof, and breathable GORE-TEX protection and synthetic Coretex insulation that quickly dries, this is a parka you can take skiing, snowboarding, or on a sailing trip to Antarctica if you want.
Although it has fewer pockets and drawstrings than some of its competitors, that is a plus when you are looking at style. The Therme Insulated Parka is a minimalist design that stands out and looks expensive no matter where you wear it.
For a high-quality synthetically insulated parka that also turns heads, the Arc’teryx Therme Insulated Parka is hard to beat.
9. Columbia Sportswear
Since 1938, Columbia has been a leader in sportswear and outerwear. Focused on connecting people with their passions and enabling them to live the lifestyles they want, Columbia makes a range of products from backpacks to parkas. They also care about sustainability and corporate responsibility, with programs that help
The Columbia Marquam Peak Fusion Omni-Heat Parka uses Columbia’s Omni-Heat system that retains more body heat using thermal-reflective patterns while remaining breathable and light.
With plenty of zippers and pockets, adjustable cuffs, and terminator synthetic insulation, it is perfect for hiking, skiing, or snowboarding in frigid conditions.
With a heavy faux-fur lined hood and a windproof and waterproof shell, you’ll be stylish and protected, whether you are climbing a mountain or just commuting to work.
10. Lululemon
Although Lululemon is most popular for its yoga apparel, they are far from just a women’s brand. They offer some great outerwear for men, too, with all of the comforts you would expect from yoga pants.
Founded in 1998 in Vancouver, Canada, Lululemon Athletica produces activewear for all kinds of sweaty pursuits, from yoga to running to rock climbing. They are famous around the world for comfort, producing clothes that fit like a glove and are durable enough to stand up for exercise and everyday wear.
Lululemon produces two different parkas for men.
The Cold City parka is a stylish and warm jacket that is unbelievably comfortable. It is the full parka you need to keep yourself comfortable in sub-zero temperatures. It is waterproof, and the seams are sealed to keep you dry. The 600-fill-power goose down is soft and cushiony while also providing plenty of insulation.
The lab packable parka is an ultralight parka that won’t keep you warm but will definitely keep you comfortable and dry. With a loose and comfortable relaxed fit and waterproof but breathable materials, it’s a warm weather parka for foul weather that you can roll up easily to pack in a suitcase.
You might not immediately associate Lululemon with parkas, but they make some of the most comfortable outerwear on the market, and if you want a parka that will keep you warm and dry while moving through the great outdoors, you shouldn’t miss their Cold City parka. It currently retails for about $600.
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