This coat saved my marriage.
I’m now 77 years old, but learned a long time ago (Army Basic, Fort Dix, 1970) that when pronounced correctly, “outstanding” is a 5-syllable word. This coat is 5-syllable (and 5 star) outstanding. At one point in my life, I lived in a car (VW camper) during wintertime in MD and PA. I know what a good parka feels like and can and cannot do on nights when you feel every degree change in temperature. I recently was able to afford several new coats/jackets and learned a lot about the subject from online research and actual purchase. Much to my wife’s displeasure, I now own numerous winter coats and jackets due to trial and error. I know what slash and Napoleon pockets are, and the difference between top entry and side entry pockets. I have learned that “YKK” is an unpronounceable corporate name (hence the acronym), not a zipper type. I know that “hook and loop” is the same as Velcro. I know the value of 2-in-1lower front pockets doubling as hand warmer pockets. I love having a pocket in each of a coat’s 4 front quadrants, and 2 (a rarity) internal pockets – one for each hand. I’m a big believer in plackets with storm flaps – double seal and closure. A great parka is snug at the chin/throat and falls below the knee. And I value a jacket that includes hooded head protection, especially with lower face protection. This coat has got it all. Add a good set of gloves, a balaclava, and a thick scarf, maybe layer a little bit, and you can go to Nome, Pluto, or anywhere they hang meat. At 6’ 210 lbs., I buy everything online in 2XL. Except for some weird Asian-friendly tailoring, most of my purchases fit very well, as does this parka. About that abra-cadabra double zipper. As another reviewer said, it’s a PITA. No argument here. The trick is to set it up with the zipper insert fully seated in both receiving parts (ALL the way down), as well as both receiving parts tightly touching each other, and both fully “down” on the receiving side. Only then try to zip the top receiver. Yeah, it’s tricky, but something you can learn. In return you get a quality metal zipper, “underneath” quick independent access (concealed carry for polar bears or a quick trip to the igloo loo or yellow snow garden), and one helluva dog sled-ready parka. I can’t think of anything this coat is missing. My wife is happy that my buying adventure has come to a close. 5 stars only because nothing higher is available. UPDATE (1/15/25) [“If The Love Fits wear it baby, and if it feels good put it on.” – Leslie Pearl, 1982] A winter coat (I’ve bought over 10 in 6 months) is like a marriage (I’ve had 3 in 55 years). Initial impressions give way to unexpected realizations over time. I’ve had this coat for over a week now and like it even more due to several realizations. So much so that I just bought a second one. There is LOTS more to love. “Bad news” first. The zipper continues to be a PITA, but less so with practice. I can see why some people would reject this coat based on that alone, but believe they are missing out on a superior product because of a minor inconvenience. Every problem I have had with this zipper happened because I failed in step 1, which is make sure the two (right side) receiving units are ALL the way down and touching each other. Step 2 is make sure the (left side) insert is seated all the way into the two receiving units. You can verify this by looking down and flipping the bottom out at a right angle. The bottommost zipper left and right hems should line up (straight edge) exactly horizontally across on either side of the metal parts. Do this correctly and it works like a charm. It really is a dependable, heavy, good quality metal zipper that closes tight and seals out the weather. Don’t let it be your reason for missing this beauty. Practice makes it an asset not a liability. And now the good news. Like real estate’s “location, location, location“, for this coat it’s “pockets, pockets, pockets.” Besides being numerous and plentiful, the pockets are deep and roomy. Some other manufacturers leave you just enough room for keys or a pair of sunglasses. I’m a guy who carries a wallet, key chain (w/car fob, 3 keys, & convenience card), cellphone, checkbook, folded grocery list/coupons, tissues, glasses, sunglasses, gloves, snow cap/beanie, pocket camera, spare change, comb, pen, meds, glucose tablets, flashlight, eye drops, Swiss Army knife, compass, and a magnifying glass. (So sue me. I’m old and live in the country.) Not a problem for this coat. I’m in the process of assigning pocket locations based on access urgency and security, then letting muscle memory kick in (e.g. my wallet will always be in my exterior front lower right pocket – I’m right-handed). Several of the zippered pockets are hidden under placket-like flaps, protecting the zippers from the elements and enhancing the “look”. I wore this guy for a week before discovering an exterior pocket on the upper left arm. The interior “cell phone” pocket is almost perfect. It’s zippered vertically and located just inside the left main coat zipper by mere inches. You are not reaching “back” or “around” for it. It’s center chest where the gods intended. (You concealed carry folks know what I mean.) Nor are you reaching over and into a top entry pocket. The opening is located vertically exactly where your fingers fall when your right forearm is parallel to the ground. You are not reaching up or down. The pocket size is perfect for my Samsung Galaxy – snug but not tight, for easy, quick retrieval. However, the pocket insulation prevents you from opening the coat and reading your phone screen while still in the pocket (if the pocket were transparent). Oh well. The hand warmer pockets are situated lower than on other similar coats. Most others are at waist level and result in your opposing fingertips almost touching – about the same position as when you unbuckle your belt or unzip your pants zipper. In this jacket’s hand warmer pockets, your hands fall naturally outside your body width and about where your arms fall naturally when walking or at rest. Somebody put some real thought into this design. The front (exterior) lower right pocket is not a 2-in-1, with 1 being a hand warmer. It’s actually a 3-in-1 pocket. It’s a top entry pocket on top of a larger top entry pocket (both covered by the same hook and loop closure flap), with both over a side entry hand warmer pocket. And thus endeth the scripture on pockets. The hood is lined, fully functional, thick and warm, not a thin afterthought. It IS missing the fur and that real Nanook look – not a deal breaker, just a nitpick short of personal preference perfection. This coat looks good. There are some “three season jackets” out there that are tailored to enhance a guy’s torso and give you that Steve McQueen coolness, but they don’t do all the other good things that this parka does. Once the thermometer gets down to the magic 32F, put the jackets away and reach for this guy. In my initial review I suggested the addition of gloves, balaclava, and a dash-of-color scarf. Add a classy set of reflective ski goggles, and you’re ready for your selfie close-up. One OUTSTANDING feature of this coat occurred to me while noticing other people’s coats in the grocery store. I actually started to laugh because they were all walking ad campaigns for various coat manufacturers. They all had logos, symbols, patches, banners, or printed words on their garments. This coat has no exterior labels of any kind. Amish fashion designers would just plain love it. After you pay for this coat, you are not required to visually promote it. The “look” is better for it. I finally wore this 2XL coat while driving. I’m larger than average at 6’ 210, and need the space in my Toyota RAV4, but there was never an in-my-seat problem of any kind turning, maneuvering, reaching, or steering, even with the coat zipped up. It’s flexible enough for any driving task. I did notice I was constantly lowering the dashboard interior heat. I haven’t worn it in rain or snow yet but am not worried in the least. Somebody throw me a blizzard. The “back pack” feature is probably not something I would use, but a convenient extra for the less style conscious. On at least one occasion, I wound up putting my arm through the strap while inserting my arm in the coat sleeve. You know right away because it feels like a suspender, and it’s not a continuing problem. The internal waistband drawstring tightener, tight fitting elastic sleeve cuffs, tailoring, and overall quality are just icing on the cake. The colors are hue perfect. When you pick this coat up, your impression is “too heavy, too thick”. A few minutes after you put it on, your impression changes to a Goldilocks “just right.” My personal impression is “security blanket.” This coat makes me feel snug and confident that I’m ready for whatever Mother Nature or Invictus nights can hurl at me during a Gettysburg winter. It just feels right. Whoever designed this coat is someone who actually wears them. This parka for $99 is like stealing clothing. Put a different brand name on this item and it’s easily a $200-$300 coat. This is the unadvertised red tag sale you’ve been surfing for. I bought the second one (in a different color - black vs. blue) just in case my doctor has underestimated my expected longevity. Like my marriages, of all my winter coats, this is the one. However long “the rest of the way” is, I don’t want to be without either. Read more





















