I spotted this parka at an LL Bean Outlet Center. I've been looking for a longer, down jacket to wear skiing in the cold Vermont winters. To be fair, this jacket is not marketed as a ski jacket; however, it just looked like it might fit the bill!
So I bought the jacket and brought it home to show my husband who commented wryly that it looked like a "car coat" or a "mall coat" or a "dog walking coat", not a ski jacket!!!!!
Despite my husband's comments, I wore the parka at my ski instructor training session. As other reviewers have indicated, this jacket lacks the technical features of performance outerwear. The jacket (even with multiple layers) was not as warm as I would have liked (temperatures ranged from -3 to 15 degrees this past week) nor did the hood fit all the way over my ski helmet.
However, I received a number of compliments from my fellow ski instructors about the length of the parka as well as the snappy color (green).
I think I will wear the coat in the car and while walking the dog (I don't go to the mall) but I probably will not wear it skiing again. I'm back in the market for a super warm down jacket with a hood that will fit over my helmet!!!!
I was looking for a warm hooded jacket for the winter and prefer to avoid the 3-in-ones. This parka seemed like it would fit the bill. The styling looks good -- it has a more streamlined and less boxy appearance than I expected. I don't need a lot of pockets, so that was not an issue for me, although another pocket or two would have been nice. The length is nice, just what I expected, and quality seems to be pretty good although I have not washed it yet. I debated long and hard, though, about sending it back. The sleeves are slightly too short, maybe an inch, and I do not have long arms. If I am not really careful, I get a band of skin showing above my gloves. And I just am not convinced that this will be warm enough for bitter cold weather. So far, I have worn it indoors shopping layered over a fleece and turtleneck, and was not too warm. So I cannot give this a rave review. If you have shorter arms, or don't need to cover bitter cold temperatures, this could be the right choice for you.
