Customer Reviews The North Face Arctic Parka

I have an arctic parka from 6 years ago, and bought an XS at that time. It was extremely tight then, with it cinches a bit in the underarm area, and I couldn't fit any additional layers. Wanting an upgrade, I bought the new version in S and found myself swimming in it. I returned and exchanged for an XS and it is noticeable larger than the previous model. I can fit my size S stretch down jacket inside the XS arctic parka and it's not tight at all. It's much more boxy so style-wise it's not as sleek, but it's different. It's also longer than before. I still love the coat for its functionality. It keeps you warm and dry. Would recommend sizing down if you are between sizes.

I am 5'2 120 lbs. I got an Xs cause I was scared the small was going to be too long. Well the xs fit perfect besides it was little past my knees. TO LONG. Very sad. From it being too long it was hard to zip it without a struggle. Very sad that I have to return it and pick a different coat.

Love this for cold-weather camping and have used it twice in freezing climates. Kept me warm and dry so the overall functionality and quality is as stated. However, if you're 5'4 and shorter, it'll be at your knee and below. I personally wanted this to be mid thigh, but it turned out to be longer than expected. If you also want to layer a thick sweater or light jacket under, I'd size up. I ordered my normal size small and the arms pinch with just a thin sweater underneath.

Bought this coat when I moved to Boston because I needed something that covered more of my body for those super cold and windy days. This coat is very warm and still comfortable even when it's not totally frigid outside. I also like that the stuff in my pockets are secure and don't fall out, which is great because taking public transportation has me constantly grabbing my Charlie Card. Only two cons (why I only gave 4/5 stars): the zipper is plastic and the arms aren't quite as warm as the rest of the body.

I really like this jacket. It looks great and keeps me warm.

Wanted to use parka for walking winter mornings in Minnesota. Loved the look and feel of parka but needed a larger size if I wanted to layer clothes under it:)

I kept this parka despite its faults because it was the warmest of the 3 TNF parkas I tried. Because of the windproof and water resistant outer fabric, the coat is heavy and stiff especially in the neck area. When the neck is completely zipped up, it covers the chin partially which is a tight fit. This makes it uncomfortable so I don't wear it zipped all the way up. Instead I wear a scarf and only zip it partially since the scarf will not fit with it completely zipped. Oddly, the hood on this parka is very short. When I pull it over my head, it feels like it is tugging on the back of the coat. It also ends up smashing the top front part of your hair really flat because the hood is so short. The bottom half of the parka was especially cold because it feels thinner on the bottom than the core. I wish TNF would make this parka in a higher fill power than 550. Many other brands use higher fill power. I almost bought the Triple Fat Goose brand equiavalent to this parka which costs a little more than TNF's regular price but uses 650 fill however they only have 1 year warrranty compared to TNF's life time warranty. So for the sale price that I got this TNF parka, I kept it but am looking for a warmer solution for future. I wore it in Canada for a trip and it was not warm enough. The temperature was -5F to 0F. I would way this is sufficient down to 10F if you're just walking around. I also wore it for sledding in 0F and I was still a little cold. Another point to note is I found it restrictive to wear getting into a car. It's stiff and I had to unzip the bottom everytime I got in the car. I wish it had a longer tail with a slit in the back so I wouldn't need to unzip everytime. Bottom line is I wouldn't recommend this parka if you can afford a warmer one from another brand but if you're on a budget and you get this on sale, it's a decent alternative. If you get it full price, I'd think about spending a little more to get a warmer coat elsewhere.

I think this jacket is very stylish as it come in at the middle to give you a more flattering look. If you are a little bigger in the stomach or arms area you should defiantly go up a size to have more room in the mid section.

Add a little more room or offer 4X

It's a really warm jacket don't need much under it

Great coat, very warm! It gets a little frayed at the seams, the fabric itself, not the seam stitching, doesn't seem a quality issue of the seam itself, just the fabric is frayed at that location in various places on the coat.

The material is lovely and the coat is warm without feeling heavy or bulky. It's stylish and fitted. My only issue is that if you have a larger chest, it's a bit tight on the top.

This is more of a medium weight winter coat than an actual winter parka. I also have the Defdown Parka GTX which, in comparison, is a true heavy weight winter parka, which in very windy NYC, I wear most of the winter. The Arctic Parka II is much more fitted, lighter, less bulky and more fashionable looking but not as warm as the Defdown Parka GTX. I kind of look like the Michelin Lady in the Defdown Parka GTX, so I wear the Arctic II on warmer days or going out on the weekends.It does stop the wind and rain well, though. I've received quite a few complements wearing the Arctic II. 5'6" 145lbs and a Med fits me well with a little extra room for a light under layer.

Perfect for walking the dogs in the winter or sitting through cold soccer games but a bit bulky for being active.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this coat! It is warm and more stylish than I anticipated!

I really wanted to like it, but it wasn't as warm as I thought it was going to be. The fit was good. I had purchased the Def Down Parka prior to this, but returned it because the zippers on it were flimsy and hard to use. Since the warm, wind, waterproof ratings were all the same I was hoping that this jacket would be just as warm with a different fit/style. I had a long talk with Customer Service going over the differences. I was told they were basically the same. It wasn't. It was thinner and didn't hold the heat as well as the Def Down. I ended up returning it because for the price I wanted to get a jacket that had all the features that I was looking for and not settle. And I really wanted a jacket that could hold up to the harsh winter weather of New England. I think if I lived in a slightly warmer climate or I was looking for a jacket that I could wear on days where it's 20 degrees F I may have kept it. But I was looking for something that would work on days when it's less than 10 degrees and very windy.

I would say this coat is mostly true to size but, is just a little narrow in the shoulder/chest area. I bought a M and a L would have been way too big. Overall, still very satisfied with this coat!!!

I always wanted a North Face coat. And I finally got one!

Extremely comfortable and warm jacket. The sleeves are perfect length for me but may be short in someone taller or with longer arms (5'2"). There is plenty of room in the shoulders and arms, the torso is fitted, the length is perfect. I do wish the fur on the hood was removable without removing the whole hood. The buttons over the zipper is not my favorite because that's a lot of buttons to buttons but it does stay shut without buttoning them.

I use the jacket to brave the cold New England winter. The harbor breeze sends a chill down my spine and wearing the jacket helps with me not freezing to death.

I really loved the quality of the coach. If it fit me well across the bust I would have kept it. I tried one size up from it and that was awful the same didn't fit across the bust. I would definitely keep this if it hadn't been for fit.

This is my 2nd Northface coat purchase, which to survive Chicago winters. Had my first for 7 years, so hoping the same for this new one. Initial impressions, itll meet these expectations!

I've been eyeing on this jacket for quite some time now, when I saw this on sale, I couldn't resist. Somehow I've convinced myself that I "needed" this. No regret so far. I'm quite petite, 5'1", between 95-100lbs for reference. I was debating between S and the xS but after reading some comments, I went with the Small and I'm glad I did. I like my jackets to have a bit more room when I layer clothing underneath. Felt like if I ordered xS, I would feel like I'm suffocating if I layer or wear a thick sweater/hoodie underneath it. Small felt perfect, would still be warm enough if I wear something thin under. It hits below my knees ('cause I'm short), but I personally like it; gives a bit more warmth. I like that you can take off hood/faux fur but I like the look of it so I'll most likely keep it on. Thing that I don't like is the lack of pockets. There's one on each side (exterior) of the jacket and one in the left side (interior) of the jacket. It's also not as shallow as I would like which is a con for me. But other than that, I felt like this jacket is quite well rounded. Feels good, comfortable, and will keep you warm!

As a tall woman with hips, i hate wearing men coats. They are unattractive and bulky. Because i am 6'1 it is hard to find coats with long sleeves. This coat fits me perfectly. The sleeves and length of the coats has surpassed my expectations. I love the lightness of the coat and it covers my rear. There hasn't been much wind and rain in NYC so i can't make an evaluation on those features as of yet.

Great quality love this coat