Review of The North Face Womens Arctic Parka

Update: We no longer stock the Arctic Parka and instead recommend The North Face Suzanne Tri Climate Jacket, the Jack Wolfskin Nova Scotia Jacket or the Didricksons Women’s Angelina Parka.

As with many The North Face Jackets, the Arctic Parka is a best seller, normally selling out within days of arrival at our shop. To find out why the Ladies Arctic Parka is such a huge seller we asked Sarah to take it for a test, just as she did with the North Face Womens Resolve Jacket a few weeks ago.

Looks and Feels Great

When I think of winter I think of the cold, wind and rain… and not forgetting snow. Luckily the Arctic Parka can deal with all the winter weather you can chuck at it, and you will still be nice and toasty. Add to this the jacket looks and feels great, and already I think we are on to a winner.

The HyVent breathable, waterproof outer fabric, combined with 550 fill goose down, makes for one cosy jacket. With down jackets you may expect them to weigh a fair amount and most do, but The North Face Arctic Parka is lighter than most yet still feels warmer than most. There is a lovely feel to the fleece cuffs which keep the wind out and your arms warm. The hood has a removable faux fur trim, adding a certain elegance to the jacket as well as keeping your cheeks cosy.

This is a winter jacket that is prepared for use by those of us who can’t do without technology. There are two external pockets to keep your hands warm, as well as two internal chest pockets which are ideal for keeping your phone and other gadgets in.

By this stage I am thinking “is there anything wrong at all with this jacket?” So it’s time for a testing outdoors.

On taking a walk in the pouring rain I found the trim to be a little annoying, it seemed to collect the rain somewhat and after a while I had to remove it. But this was fairly heavy rain so I can forgive it this little issue. The zip and buttons ensure that no rain, snow or find is coming through, this combined with the longer length of the jacket and keeping warm isn’t hard.

In summary, The North Face Womens Arctic Parka is pretty great. It has an understated sophistication in it’s design, and it has some great features like the fleece cuffs to keep the wind out. With all the seams sealed with HyVent membrane and the down filling, this is a waterproof winter jacket ideal for taking a stroll in the country, going shopping or even going out for a Christmas meal with friends. With a price of £210 (that’s £65 off) it is superb value, and a price that would be hard to beat.