Customer Reviews The North Face Arctic Parka

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.

I was excited to order this coat because of all the fabulous reviews. I thought this coat was too puffy and bulky for my body (I am fairly petite - 5'3" and 120lbs). I'm returning it.

I loved this coat. Yes, past tense. I live in very cold Germany and this coat kept me warm in all weather conditions. However it got dirty as coats do and I had to wash it. I read the instructions and washed it according to those instructions (to the letter). But when I took to coat out it was completely ruined. The filling was all matted and clumped together and my nice puffy warm coat was flat a pancake! Now I'm still in freezing Germany with no winter coat!

I did not understand why everyone in Chicago had this coat but after freezing for two winters I decided to give it a try. This is hands down the best winter coat that I have ever had; it is seriously worth every penny. I will never buy another brand.

I absolutely love this coat. I got an x-small. I went back and forth on the size. I like fitted clothing. I'm glad I went with my gut. It kept me very warm. On windy days,I would put the hood on and it kept my ears warm as well. This coat has inside zipper pockets. You can put your phone, money, etc. It was a great investment.

This is the warmest, most comfortable coat I've ever owned. I was hesitant at first, due to the price, and put off purchasing it for several years...ended up buying a new coat every winter, ultimately spending much more! This coat, for being so warm, is a nice fit, and almost flattering! Perfect for an icky Chicago Winter! A little snug around the bust, but still comfortable.

I ordered this coat because of temperatures in the negatives with wind chills. It's amazing! Super warm, and I've gotten many compliments about it. I'm 5'5 140 lbs and the Medium allowed plenty of room to layer up.

This parka is amazing! It is incredibly warm; I only wish I had purchased it sooner! I live in Colorado and its not normally necessary to have such a warm jacket, but I wish I had it when we were visiting family in Wisconsin! I got this in graphite grey and love the color - it goes with anything! Definitely size down - I got the XS and have plenty of room for layering. The double zip is great and convenient when you don't want to walk like a duck!

I'm 5'6", 123#, and the medium fit me perfectly. Nice and warm. I'm in Chicago and walk a lot of places. This coat has kept me warm and dry in all kinds of cold, wet weather. Highly recommend!

Very warm and very comfy jacket!

I love this jacket. It's perfect for really cold weather. I live in the mountains where it gets below zero Celsius, and this jacket keeps you warm. I like the color, because it won't show dirt. Looks good on. I'm very happy I bought it, and will be cozy warm all winter.

This jacket is so warm, incredibly comfortable.

I could not believe how fast this order came! Great Job Zappos. It was the next day! Amazing. My daughter was heading to Canada for 18 months and needed a warm coat. This was all we could find and we are so happy with it. A darling coat. Fit beautifully.

Was looking for a coat that would keep me warm, since I always seem to be so cold all the time, and this coat does the trick. It is lightweight and works great in this cold midwest climate. I debated for over a year as to which coat to buy, and am very pleased with my choice. And as a side note, I have been extremely pleased with Zappos as well and will continue to order from them.

This is the first time I ordered from Zappos and was a bit skeptical, but I asked my daughter and she said she orders from them and has never had a problem. I ended up selecting the Brown Arctic Parka, as I wanted a very warm jacket when I am visiting Minnesota and I couldn't be more pleased. It is super warm. I was outside one night with a windchill of minus 20. Didn't need a hat - the hood did its job. The fit was true to size. I'm 5'5 and 148 and I ordered a medium. Finally, I have to say the customer service was excellent - The rep was very helpful and gave me her honest opinions. Love that!

I knew what I wanted and found the best price at Zappos. Since I had already tried it on in a store, size was fine. Shipping was free and it arrived the next day as promised - just in time for single digit temperatures that we were experiencing!

The jacket is just as advertised. It's super warm. (I live in Canada, and it can get to minus 40 Celsius!) It's a great coat. Well worth the money!

I looked for a long time for a coat that was both warm and stylish. I ordered this one and have been very happy with it. It is not bulky but has kept me warm in under freezing temperatures. I like that it is a little bit gathered at the waist which keeps it from being boxy looking. A very good purchase.

This coat is very warm. I bought it just in time for a winter temperature drop that had the northeast in the -10 to -20 degree range. It has kept me toasty every time I have worn it. I am 5'4" and 125 lbs and I got this coat in a size small. Fits like a glove. I also had an amazing customer service experience with Zappos. I could not find this coat anywhere, so I set up an alert on the site and crossed my fingers. I tweeted Zappos customer service about the coat at 8pm on a Sunday and the person told me that one in my size had just come back in stock! I was able to order it right away and got free next business day shipping so it was on my doorstep on Tuesday. I could not have been happier with my experience!

I love this coat! The fit and style are perfect. I usually wear a M but I had to get a L to fit my hips. I'm a size 12 bottom and 36 top. One of my best buys yet.

I absolutely LOVE my jacket. I have been warm and I love how the length is. I just went sledding over the weekend and I was warm. I am so glad I invested my money in a jacket I know I will wear for a long time. :)

This coat is fitted, stylish, and incredibly warm - definitely a godsend when temperatures dropped into the teens (and would have kept me nice and toasty in even colder weather). I'm usually a M with North Face, but this time a S fit great.