Customer Reviews L.L.Bean Baxter State Parka

I actually returned the coat. I generally wear a Large, but many LL Bean goods seem generously sized. This coat seemed too big, too long, even over a sweater. I also wasn't thrilled with the charcoal heather color--much more prominent pattern than I could see in online photo. Maybe my bad for not zooming in more. In any event, I decided this is something I best purchase from a visit to the store.

Ordered the men's small as I am between small and medium. Good thing I took my own measurements and used the size chart otherwise I would have ordered the medium and it would have fit like a parachute. Even in the small I felt like a giant pillow. Did an amazing job in keeping me warm in December in NYC. Pros- The jacket is extremely warm and works very well in repelling water in light rain. Having so many pockets is awesome. It's one of the best things about this jacket. The jacket has a long fit which is great in windy conditions. The chest and waist pockets with hand insulation did a really amazing job of keeping my hands warm in really cold conditions. This is very helpful as I don't really wear gloves and taking them on and off is a hassle. Cons- The sleeves are extremely long about 3-4 inches too long and the hood fits somewhat awkward and doesn't really stay up properly in order to be able to see. Even when adjusting the hood it is either too far forward or too short. The faux fur trim does look cheap but it's easily removed. THE FEATHERS. So many feathers!!! This jacket leaves so many feathers all over my clothes. It would be nice to have known that ahead of time that it would shed so many feathers all over my clothes. Not only does it shed feathers but they are extremely difficult to remove from clothing. I've seen this issue in a few reviews but not many so I'm not too sure if this is just a defect on certain jackets or if this is just a common occurrence but be warned. Will be contacting customer service about the issue as I don't want the warmth of my jacket to be affected by the loss of feathers.

Love that it has plenty of pockets, it's very warm and cozy, it's large enough that allows me to wear a sweater if I need to (but I doubt I will need to do so), drawback is that it constantly leaves feathers on my shirts, blouses, etc. I would have rated it a 5 if it wasn't for those pesky feathers.

If you are looking for a REAL cold weather coat, this is a good one. Exterior is durable and pretty stylish. In 20 degrees and windy, the coat performed very well. Critiques: 1. I am 5' 11", 158 lbs, 64 years old. I have NEVER worn a small. I ordered a medium, despite the sizing chart, and was wrong. The small fits very well, even with a fleece under it. 2. The zipper; get used to it and it will function well. Don't try to operate it with your mittens on. 3. The length provides warmth and this is longer than a jacket, which is good. The inner cuffs in the sleeves also cut down drafting a lot. 4. The front storm attachment of the hood in overly complex but this is a pretty minor criticism. Overall: 4.5 out of 5.

This is the second Baxter State parka I've owned. I like these parkas very much. The only thing about this new one I'm not sure I like is LLB changed the outer shell from the soft and pliable to a rather stiff material. I decided to keep it, but I liked the previous version better, though this new material is probably better at wind and water resistance. Overall a nicely made garment.

I find the parka to be very warm. It is very tight around the neck which prevents easily zippering up to the top. At some point I believe I will rip the zipper off the jacket. The pockets are all in strange places and their hidden access makes them difficult to find when wearing gloves. There is a small pocket along the zipper line with its own zipper and I keep pulling it down thinking I am opening the jacket. Very frustrating.

An excellant coat. My only wish is that 3X would be offered as it is a bit snug around the waistline. The length is great, a multitude of pockets, and big enough to enclose you in good shape against the elements.

This coat has truly great features. Its praise is well deserved. I really, really like it, but it's not true love. I hope perhaps someone from the Bean design team will contact me about it. I'd be happy to discuss. I'm 6'2" and 225 lbs. I wear the xxl since I like the space for thermal under layers. However, when I go to zip the parka all the way to the top (snorkel effect), it is restricted by my jaw and cant close properly.

I shopped around for a coat for a long time before finally settling on this one. I haven't had it for very long yet, but so far it has served me well. I've lived my entire life in Kentucky, USA and bought this jacket when I moved to Minnesota a few weeks ago. It's been bitter cold most days, but I've stayed nice and toasty thanks to this coat. It's my impression that finding a warm coat isn't all that hard though. The thing that set this one apart for me was the bevy of features included. Here are some of the things I thought were great: - Plenty of insulated(!) pockets in useful and easily-accessible places -Adjustment straps at the bottom, middle, and hood -Fur hood lining to keep wind off your face -Two-way zipper to help with sitting down or walking fast -Water-resistant down AND waterproof shell These are all things you can find in other coats, but the ones I found with all of these features cost two hundred-plus dollars more. The only thing really missing for me is zippered vents in the underarms, but obviously that's not super important. For how much I paid, and for the guaranteed quality that comes with an LL Bean product, I feel great about this purchase. I would recommend it to anyone. The reason that I'm leaving 4/5 stars is that I've only had it for a little over a month. If my opinion doesn't change in a year I'd feel more than confident giving it 6/5.

I got this coat to replace a Maine Warden's Jacket in which the zipper broker after a number of years. It seems comparable. Unlike the old coat the lining does not come out which makes the garment less versatile in warmer weather. Also, the zipper should be bigger to operate with gloves or cold hands.

Coat is warm and robust as advertised. However, It would be nice to have the option to add a REAL FUR ruff to the coat. The synthetic ruff might look good BUT it does not cut it when you really need a ruff for its intended purpose. I will be replacing the ruff zipper and with a zipper that will match the one on a fur ruff I currently have.

I have one of the older coats when you had a choice of either down or Thensalate and mine was the less balky Thensalate.We would like to see the same coat offered in permeloft.

I like everything about the Baxter State Parka except that, as a left-hander, I'd like to have an inside zippered pocket on the right to match the one on the left. The parka is well made and quite warm. It was comfortable on several very cold northern VT mornings.

I purchased this parka for my husband to commute during the coldest weeks in winter. He loves it, warmer than the Northface down parka he owned with a better cost performance. The only thing is the fur trim around the detachable hat, it doesnot feel good when touching your cheek. Other than this, we love this parka. And hope LL Bean could have longer version in the future.

This is a very good warm coat for the cold windy winter we have has so far. It is a bit bulky and the zipper is sometimes difficult to get started. My issue is that the second time I wore the coat the bottom snap for the zipper flap came off! (the male side)But it really had no effect on the overall performance of the coat. That is why it gets 4 stars and not 5. A two hundred and seventy dollar coat should have better quality snaps.

undoubtedly keeps you warm and dry. i wish it had a longer version that reaches below the knee. Given how bulky it is, that would probably have made walking a drag? All the same, it would have been pleasant to have the rest of my body feel as snugly as my upper body feels under this thing.

This is my 4th or 5th Baxter State Parka. I put mine through a workout when I carry heavy loads, so the parka is getting really beat up and never last more than a couple of winters. The previous versions were alway 5 stars. This latest incarnation however has some design flaws the make it just not as good as its predecessor. The outside breast pockets are now oriented in the wrong direction, forcing the wearer to insert his hands awkwardly and keeping them in is uncomfortable. The hood design has also been changed and in order to close it now; A. You can't do it if you're wearing gloves at all. B. It no longer closes in front of one's throat, leaving that area open to the elements (I have to wear a long neck balaclava) C. In order to keep it from flapping off of your head, you have to awkwardly insert the sides DEEP into an opening on either side of the collar. The bottom line is; This is the warmest parka you will find for the money but, there is a number of design issues that could and should be addressed by LLBean. I still would recommend this parka to everyone and I will keep on buying them as the wear out, but LLBean should redesign the layout to keep the customers 100% satisfied, instead of only 85%!

As everyone else said, this is a great, heavy, warm coat. Bean got a lot of small features right, and they add up to a great coat: two drawstrings so you can get the perfect fit; fuzzy cuffs in the sleeves to seal out snow and cold air; a ton of pockets, including two sets of hand warmers and all kinds of internal pockets (small and medium zipped inside and along the shell; two large mesh pockets inside near the bottom); and a nice soft, warm collar. The coat is also very waterproof, which is awesome. My only complaint is the hood. While it is nicely adjustable and plenty warm (and the fake fur ruff is ok, though it gets to looking pretty gnarly when it gets wet), the material used to line the hood is the same nylon as the rest of the inside of the coat. It is weirdly scratchy on the skin, and also makes a chafing sound against your ears as you move. This makes it impossible to hear with the hood up, and your ears get irritated from the scratching too. I desperately wish they'd fix the hood with a layer of microfiber fur (but keep the down filling too!), like my girlfriend's winter warmer coat has on its hood. All that said, I strongly recommend this coat. If you only wear a hood when there's weather, this coat is a good deal. If you want to wear the hood all the time, you might want to look elsewhere, as the lining will probably drive you nuts after a while.

I received my Baxter Parka a couple days ago. Fit is good, overall quality is good, and it is very warm; very comfy in the cold snap we are having in the northeast. My only complaint, LL, please ditch the 5 cent zippers and start using something real!!!

This coat is well made and will be perfect for cold weather. It is however weighs a lot and was too much for my 73 year old husband to manage due to the weight of the jacket.

Waterproof, warm and wind proof as advertised. Fit is good. The hood is grossly oversized. Had to remove the fur and adjust cords and strap to the limit and it is still too big. Maybe it's designed to cover a football helmet let alone a hat. The snaps on the front flap could be more substantial. Overall satisfied with the parka.

I bought this coat for my son. He will spend 4 winters on the campus of UM Ann Arbor, Michigan. I was very careful to pick the warmest coat for him. The product description says 100% down and claims for light activity to +5 F. This is the main reason I chose it. My son really likes the coat. I would want to rate it 5 stars except I have one doubt about its warmth rating, after seeing the tag on the coat saying "minimum 80% down". Why is it not marked as 100% down? This is one discrepancy with the production description online. Another discrepancy is the number of pockets. We found 4 pockets inside, but the description says 3. My son is happy with 4. But it made me wonder if I actually received the exact product as described online. I further wonder if this coat Will be as warm as it claimed under single digit temperature.

Bought this a couple weeks ago. I'm 5'7, 175. Medium turned out HUGE, so exchanged for a Small. Haven't tested it in the cold yet, but wearing around the house to get a feel. It is well made and warm, but here are a few constructive criticisms: 1) The faux fur lining on the hood flops around too much. It is wide enough that it has to be folded on itself, but there is nothing to tack it down on? Either there needs to be a button/velcro, or it needs to be thinner not requiring a fold. 2) The waist draw-cord in the outer chest pockets is very inconvenient- too hard to reach. Should have just been the conventional cords on the inside. Also, tightening the waist cord gives bit of an awkward "poof" in the front of the jacket (around zipper) because draw-cord does not extend through the entire waist. 3) Wish LLBean embroidered their name on the jacket in a contrast color like "TEK" is on the sleeve. It is okay to be proud of your products!

This coat makes winter fun again; I don't know if it's possible to get cold with it on. The fabric is sturdy, the fit and style perfect, and the hood is one of the best designs ever. One drawback is the front, upper pocket zippers (men's) are extremely hard to access - having to contort your upper arms to the point of discomfort. One other small thing is the main zipper is a little difficult to get started (maybe something beefier.) Well done parka ovrerall.

The fit and quality of the coat was good. The front chest pockets are hard to acess due to the locations of the zippers, they should be on the top of the pockets. The fake fur on the hood should have been of better quality. The coat is very warm. It scores a 8 of 10 .