Customer Reviews The North Face Arctic Parka

This parka keeps me nice and warm...even in downtown Chicago. I love it! I get lots of compliments on the style too. I weigh 134 and I am 5 '5...medium fits great!

This coat is perfect for the cold but damp climate. It keeps me perfectly dry and completely cozy.The hood on this coat is actually comfortable to wear! It has nice lines. I don't feel like a snowman when I wear it.

It's like wearing a sleeping bag. So so warm and comfortable. For the really cold days only.

I love this coat! It's comfortable, stylish and warm with a sweater and the hood up. I'm cozy down in the 20 degree temps in the 30 degree temps. I can make do with just a t-shirt underneath and be comfortable. By the way, swamp green is a great color! It's the main reason I chose this particular coat. For reference, I'm 5'5, 125 lbs, small-chested and the SM is fitting size. My only concern would be how the coat holds up after a wash. I take it these aren't supposed to be washed often.

I've been searching for a down jacket that I would love for the past 2 years and also that fits right and doesn't make you look like a marshmallow. Well I finally found it. This years North Face Arctic Parka differs from last year's in a good way and it's because it has a feminine fit so it's more flattering on your body. I am 5 ft and usually wear a large in their fleeces. I got the xl so I can layer if necessary and the coat goes down to my knees. I love that the person has the option to have the fur on the hood or you can unzip it and have it off. Also with the hood, you can adjust it on the sides to fit your head. I wore this parka in single digit weather with 40 mph winds and I was extremely warm. Overall, I am happy with this parka and finally relieved that I found the down jacket that is flattering as well as it is going to last me for a long time.

This is the warmest coat I've ever owned. You can feel the difference of warmth between the parts of your body that the coat covers and the other parts. I look like a giant puffy marshmallow in it, but who cares when it's zero degree outside! This coat is worth every single penny.

I received this coat last week and absolutely love it. Just in time for the 20 degree weather. I must say that this is the warmest coat I have ever owned. I was only wearing one layer underneath but I was not freezing like I usually am. I am 5'2" about 110 lbs and I ordered the XS. It fits great, arms are still roomy, not too tight, but if you plan to wear many layers underneath, then I would size up. I got this coat so I wouldn't need to wear all these layers so I'm happy with my size because a size small would have been too bulky looking. It hits right above the knee for my height and the cinched back gives it a nicer look. I love the swamp green color, it's dark and just perfect, not a lighter green that I was afraid it would be. You do get static shocked often because of the fleece lines cuffs but maybe it's just me, I can deal.

I live in Minnesota and got this coat just in time for the onset of some prolonged sub-zero temps coupled with high winds (Thank you Zappos!). This coat really delivers. I've been out for a couple hours at a time to walk and shovel snow and have felt more than insulated from the cold, even at -10 with high winds. It's bulky, make no mistake, but worth it, if you are looking for a serious winter coat and don't mind looking pretty bundled up. 2010 model does seem to run a little bigger than last year's model but still runs fairly true to size. At 5'1"/115 lbs, I generally wear an XS or S in North Face and in this case the Small fits well, for the most part.

I just got my coat in time for the snow storm. I was extremely excited to go outside and test it out. Results? I stayed plenty warm. I didn't feel like I was lugging tons around. I liked how it didn't make me feel like a puffy marshmallow. Prior to this coat, I was dressing in serious layers. With this coat, I stayed warm with a sweatshirt over a tee shirt. I read the other Chicago reviews and couldn't agree more. This coat does justice for surviving the windy city.

Very warm coat! at 5'3 at 100 pounds, the size small was the right size. Any smaller and it would have been too tight across the chest. Also bought the navy blue since I find the blinding North Face logo on the black coat to be a little too much. Only down side is that there's a 2 way zipper that can be a pain to zip. I've found if you sit down and zip it up, it helps.

This coat came highly recommended by many a seasoned Chicagoan. The outer shell is waterproof, and stands up to our winds. The inner lining is a cozy 550 down. The hood shelters your noggin plus has a removable fake fur lining. Thanks to the great people Zappos, it shipped and arrived in time for the first snowflakes fluttering out my window. Zappos is saving me from the elements today and letting me enjoy the outdoors. The bonus is with all these positive experiences, now putting on the coat is like getting a hug by Zappos every time! Hurrah!

This is a great coat! It just arrived, so I cannot speak to the durability, but the quality seems nice, and the fit is great! I am a 6-8 and I got a medium. It is a little snug with layers underneath, but I would prefer that to bulkiness. One minor drawback is that the hood is kind of small and does not detach, but I guess that will give it a snug fit

I love and live in this jacket! It is so cozy and warm! I've received many compliments and know a few ladies buying this jacket once they saw and checked out mine. It's definitely a must have!

Finally! It took me forever, being a petite size, to find a parka length jacket/coat, in a color I liked with a good amount of down. This fits just perfectly and I know it'll be super warm, because I did my research, and CS helped me confirm it. Very happy with Zappos and my purchase.

This coat is wonderful. It's warm, comfortable, looks great and goes with everything. I highly recommend it!

This was a compromise coat between a down coat and a rain jacket. Style and function are both equally important to me. I was leaning towards a knee-length down jacket, but was discouraged by multiple salespeople who recommended something waterproof, not water-resistant, since I was shopping for a rainy Southern Hemisphere winter (rainy, temps 45+F). I ended up looking for a jacket that was knee-length, black, waterproof, insulated with down, and stylish for an urban setting. The options I considered were Patagonia Northwest Parka, The North Face Juneau, and TNF Arctic Parka. I did not consider the coats with removable layers for simplicity and style reasons. The Patagonia Northwest was too frumpy, while the Juneau had embellishments on the front pockets that I didn't like, and I couldn't figure out why it cost more than the Arctic. I blindly ordered the Arctic Parka without seeing it in real life first. I ordered the black in XS despite reviews warning the coat runs small. I'm 5'3, 120 lbs, athletic build. The jacket fits well. No issues with armholes feeling tight, though someone who prefers thick layers may want to go up a size. The cinching on the back is quite flattering though the upper back puffs up a bit since I'm on the shorter side. The arms are slightly long on me, which gives a puffy look, but it's not too obvious. The front North Face logo is black and blends in (a plus!). The coat probably does not photograph well -- I was pleased that the material did not have lots of obvious wrinkles/creases as in the photos. The detachable faux fur looks okay for being faux...I'll probably skip it. One huge issue with the jacket is the plastic zipper -- it gets jammed easily especially when zipping up the jacket on a hanger. The parka is also not warm enough as a primary coat for most Northern Hemisphere winters. I wore the coat to a Halloween parade in New Jersey, and could feel the cold (temps in 40sF) after standing in place for over an hour. Overall, despite looking more utilitarian than styling as I would like, I'm pleased with the purchase. The recommended price for this jacket was higher than Zappos' regular price, which was the lowest online price (as of late October 2012). Since Zappos isn't known to have bargain prices, I contacted customer service to confirm that the parka was this season's model. It was!

I love this coat! It is a beautiful and very warm. The only complaint I have is that the collar hits my chin and snaps closed there. This can begin to feel a bit tight and uncomfortable. Other than that it is very comfortable.

This coat had such high reviews that I had to try it. However, the chest pockets are difficult to access and therefore not very useful. There are no interior pockets. The arms do run tight, and I am a skinny girl. I didn't find the elastic in the back to be flattering. Warm well made coat, but not quite what I was looking for.

I was unsure if I wanted to keep this coat because it is a little bit ill fitting. I have a large chest, a small waist, and large hips. To get the coat to fit, I had to go up to a size that is obviously a little large on top and on the arms, but still snug on the bottom. Does't look too good, but the size up was just preposterously too large. But I kept it anyway because it is so super warm. Warmest coat I've had and the hood is the best. I have gotten compliments on how it looks as well.

I have yet to wear it in "weather," but I'm confident this coat will do the job. It's sturdy, and obviously windproof and weather proof. I feel a little bit like a "marshmallow winter wonder" in it, but when it's freezing rain, comfort trumps appearance. My husband, who is known for his blunt critical eye, has assured me that it's attractive, and that I don't look like a snowman or a marshmallow in the coat. I'm looking forward to one of the New England freezing rain storms to really test the coat's meddle. I'm confident it will stand to the test. I'm a sixty year old school teacher in CT and I spend a lot of time outdoors on and off the job... from recess duty to walking our black lab.

I was very satisfied with the quality, warmth, and nice long sleeves. The reasons I am returning the coat are: too tight through the chest and waist, and the hood is not detachable. Please allow more room through these areas and change the hood, and I will buy this coat next year. Thank you.

I wore this coat to sit through a football game in Chicago. There were wind gusts of 40 MPH, the temperature was around 0 degrees, and it was dumping snow. I could not have been happier with the purchase. I was as warm as could be expected given the conditions, and the coat kept me dry even after sitting outside for hours. I wish there were more pockets and that the hood was detachable, but that aside, it was a fabulous purchase. This coat is extremely warm without being too bulky, and I love that the hood also has some insulation in it for extra warmth.

1) BEWARE: North Face has absolutely abysmal quality control in its manufacturing. My experience has been that three coats labeled the same size will NOT necessarily fit the same, and will display varying degrees of warmth. 2) I have "auditioned" (i.e. worn to work on a cold day, or at least walked around a city block) more than a dozen different coats this winter, trying to find one that is truly warm without having to wear a lot of thick layers underneath. I am settling for this one: the body is warm, the length is great, and it has a more feminine shape than most down coats, BUT there is DEFINITELY cold seepage through the arms and top of the shoulders of the coat, even in outdoor temperatures as warm as 40 degrees farenheit while wearing two medium layers underneath!! The soft cuffs inside the wrists are wonderful for keeping out wind, but there just is not enough down filling in the arms and neck area. Amazingly though, this is the warmest of all the coats I have tried. I need a coat that is a bit rugged and not quite dressy, but still nice looking, so I will wear a scarf inside it, and be forced to wear a fleece layer on particularly cold or windy days. Maybe I'll harvest some satin-lined sleeves from a fleece jacket and have a tailor affix them inside my coat.....? All in all, I love the look and features of the coat, but am not as satisfied with North Face's execution of its idea. To their credit, as I said, it IS the warmest of the high-end arctic-intended coats I've tried, so it seems that no one else out there is consistently producing warm-armed coats for people who are cold-nature like I am. Hope this helps someone else make a decision!

I'm an A cup, and this is still a flattering coat. However, the hood situation isn't flattering at all. There is a gap between the black base of the hood and the fur. The hood is much nicer with out the fur. Unfortunately, this parka looks pretty weird if it isn't zipped up all the way. The way the front of the coat lies is not all nice and neat like it is on the model. You also have to have an incredibly long neck, in order for you to be comfortable with it being zipped up all the way. The good thing is it seems really warm!

Too small around arm pits. Sent it back and got a Large. Also too tight around arm holes and sent it back.