The North Face Men's Himalayan Parka

Philip - 2008-06-15

the holy grail of down jackets
It took considerable effort to actually get the jacket (I live in NZ). It was worth it. The jacket is fantastic - extremely well made and incredibly warm. Bring on the next Ice Age! My only criticism would be - a sleeping bag style "stuff sack" would be useful to store this jacket when not in use - as it requires it's own seat in the car when not being worn. Very good value for money.

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Jon Lehman - 2008-02-29

The absolute best
It's the warmest and absolute best parka I've ever owned. When I put it on it feels like it's hugging me. I've worn it in the rain and didn't get wet. I've been snowmobiling in -20 degrees and didn't even feel cool. Can't ask for anything better.

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Ron - 2007-02-24

A very, very warm and light jacket
My first impression was that I found the jacket to be very light in weight. When I first tried it on I immediately felt the warmth (this was inside the house). After about 3 minutes I had to take it off. I kept it in my closet for 3 days. Then the next day the temperature descended to 7 deg F. (wind chill factor: -6 F.). I put it on (hood off), and went out with it. I could not tell how cold it was, except for my head of course. My legs and feet were well insulated. After about 20 minutes I put the hood on. It became a totally different jacket (as far as warmth is concern). Hope you guys get it: This is a very warm jacket. Quality is self evident: just look at it, feel it, and try it own for yourselves. If I was forced to find something that I would like to see differently, then I would say the zip: I wish it was bigger and stronger. In conclusion: I have absolutely no regrets in buying this jacket, and would gladly buy it again.

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> Read All 13 Reviews

Philip - 2008-06-15

the holy grail of down jackets
It took considerable effort to actually get the jacket (I live in NZ). It was worth it. The jacket is fantastic - extremely well made and incredibly warm. Bring on the next Ice Age! My only criticism would be - a sleeping bag style "stuff sack" would be useful to store this jacket when not in use - as it requires it's own seat in the car when not being worn. Very good value for money.

Was this North Face Himalayan Parka Review Helpful? - Yes - No

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Jon Lehman - 2008-02-29

The absolute best
It's the warmest and absolute best parka I've ever owned. When I put it on it feels like it's hugging me. I've worn it in the rain and didn't get wet. I've been snowmobiling in -20 degrees and didn't even feel cool. Can't ask for anything better.

Is this Handy? - Yes - No

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Ron - 2007-02-24

A very, very warm and light jacket
My first impression was that I found the jacket to be very light in weight. When I first tried it on I immediately felt the warmth (this was inside the house). After about 3 minutes I had to take it off. I kept it in my closet for 3 days. Then the next day the temperature descended to 7 deg F. (wind chill factor: -6 F.). I put it on (hood off), and went out with it. I could not tell how cold it was, except for my head of course. My legs and feet were well insulated. After about 20 minutes I put the hood on. It became a totally different jacket (as far as warmth is concern). Hope you guys get it: This is a very warm jacket. Quality is self evident: just look at it, feel it, and try it own for yourselves. If I was forced to find something that I would like to see differently, then I would say the zip: I wish it was bigger and stronger. In conclusion: I have absolutely no regrets in buying this jacket, and would gladly buy it again.

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Peter - 2007-02-22

Wonderful, but...
It is what you would expect for a well made very warm DOWN 850 fill jacket. The outer waterproof shell is a nicer feel than most outer materials. But, I have two improvements to suggest: In addition to or instead of the bottom cinch, there should be a waist cinch cord (+/- a skirt to improve the contour and keep any wind/snow out. The hood should be able to zip off if desired. From a very picky guy -p

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Ted K - 2007-02-10

Himalayan Parka is a Five Star Jacket!
To begin with, this is a beautiful stylish jacket not only for the country, but for city wearing too!! The color black (which I always thought was popular) has been recently discontinued and I was able to save $150 off retail on a black Himalayan here at ALTREC. I have always liked the feel and comfort of the Nuptse Down Jacket, but I was looking for something similar in style and feel, but "waterproof" and much warmer for when the temps drop well below freezing; and, the Himalayan provides that warmth "consistently." The Himalayan can't be beat for warmth, not even by my long LL Bean Storm Coat. The Himalayan is sized relatively snuggly -- intentionally, I believe to keep the wind out. It's comfortable with a Denali jacket or vest inside, but it would be too snug to say... wear a sport coat inside. In comparison, I have worn a sport coat comfortablly inside the same sized, but roomier McMurdo parka. The McMurdo outer lining is more durable in harsh dirty conditions, e.g., wilderness camping than the Himalayan. But, you can't beat the Himalayan for that "impenetrable" barrier against the cold and the wind. It's comfortable snuggness is part of the integral design to keeping out the harsh, biting cold and wind that you can see in New York and Boston. I read something in another review that I agree with. If you intend on regularly carrying water bottles inside the parka, you need to step up one size to do so. I have a half a dozen Mountain Guide jackets because I love them so much, but when it gets really cold, I love my Himalayan Parka.

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Kevin - 2007-02-07

Ultimate jacket for freezing conditions
This is the jacket that will keep you warm and dry no matter the conditions. I don't think I've ever worn such an awesome jacket before. The 850 fill down keeps you super warm and the hyvent shell fabric keeps you and the down bone dry. I'm skinny (6'3" 150lbs) and the medium fits great, not super baggy but a decent amount of room for under layers, not that I think I'll ever need any since it's that warm. It is a bit bulky though but that's to be expected with an 850 fill parka and even with the hyvent shell instead of a typical ultralight material the parka is very light and compresses nicely when you need to pack it away. The hood is awesome and the neck closure keeps you very warm and comfortable. I can't say enough positive things about this jacket. It's a bit spendy but definitely worth it.

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Todd Rose - 2007-02-05

Awesome Parka
This thing is warm, I mean really warm and very well made. I will be using this parka on Denali this year and Aconcagua next January along with several winter trips coming up.

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Mike - 2006-11-12

One Great Parka!
I too purchased TNF Himalayan Down Parka. I was looking for a single heavyweight Parka that can stand up the the elements and remain warm and waterproof like no other. . .This is the one. The fit is very comfortable and allows for up to a medium weight layer if conditions require it. Both the construction and quality are true to the standard that North Face is respected for. I'm very satisfied and like Jeff said this is a keeper and I'm going to enjoy this Parka for many years to come. . .

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Jeff - 2006-02-07

Hardcore Parka for the Worst Northern Weather
I purchased this Parka for skiing in Northern New New England. It can easily withstand -20F conditions without the windchill. All seams and down are "welded" so there is no airflow through the jacket like a lot of other ones I owned. Only downside is the fact that the hood is not detachable, however this would probably result in more airflow instead of its tight construction. North Face logo on front and back. Plan to keep this one for a lifetime...

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Michael Ong - 2006-01-28

Warmest Jacket I've Ever Owned. Great Quality!
The jacket had a satin like texture on my arms when I wore it with a short sleeve shirt. It was nice & puffy with a comfortable feel to it. I thought it would be even nicer if the thick down filled hood was detachable. I like the fact that rain drops that hit the jacket do not soak into the jacket's outer Hyvent shell, but rather kling to the outer shell looking like dew that you might see on lawn grass blades on an early Spring morning. If you shake like a dog with those dew drops on the jacket's outer shell, the rain drops fall right of the jacket preventing the jacket from getting soaked. Therefore, I felt that the jacket was worth every penny & certainly worth the wait for my proper size to be in stock. I left my name & e-mail address with Altrec to contact me as soon as they had my size in stock. A day after they e-mailed me, I submitted my order for The North Face Himalayan Parka & it only took a week to reach me with Altrec's free United Parcel Service Ground shipping. Overall, I was real satisfied with my purchase & the excellent warmth & water resistance that this parka provides me. The silky satin like texture of the interior of the parka feels so luxuriously comfortable that I enjoy wearing it to all occassions. Altrec even gave me a free one year subscription to National Geographic's Adventure magazine with the order I placed for the Men's The North Face Himalayan Down Parka.

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Luek - 2005-12-07

Sets a new standard.
I tried it on... and bought it 2 weeks later. It really puts everything else on a different level. Now I just need to find a place cold enough to use it. Mt. Washington may be the closest place that I can think off... Nicest piece of equipment - 100% attention to detail.

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Carisa Pasquale - 2007-03-19

northface himalayan parka
I received this jacket about a week ago and am sorry to say that it was a mistake ordering this jacket. Although the parka was extremely high quality, at 5 feet 7 inches, 135 pounds the medium was just far too big. Definitely lives up to it reputation for extreme warmth. The picture is also deceiving, it appealed to me because it was such a high percentage of down yet it doesnt look very puffy. It was definitely puffy however, as i was described as looking like the Michelin man when it was on. Overall the jacket is a great jacket, very high quality but if you're about my height, i wouldn't even bother unless you can miraculously find a size small, which you wont because i've looked everywhere. I realize that it is 900 down so you should expect puffyness, but i didnt expect it to look that puffy.

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Mike - 2007-02-27

Excellent product.
Mount Washington got 3 feet of snow on Valentine's Day and I summited 3 days later with 40 mile an hour winds and night time temps of -25 and day time highs of 8 degrees. I carried this very light weight jacket up and down that mountain, unprotected from the winds above the tree line and below the tree line through ice climbing, and roping and it (1) kept me very warm; (2) allowed for reasonable venting; and (3) maintained its integrity (no rips or loose down). By far, the best jacket and hood (I first thought that not being detachable was a bad thing, but quickly learned that being permanently joined with the jacket allowed for no wind seepage) I have owned. The only thing stopping me from giving it 5 stars is that I've owned it only for 3 weeks.

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