Army Parka

A cold weather coat built around length and a hood

An army parka is a long, hooded, insulated coat drawn for standing about in the cold rather than for moving fast. The range here is arctic and extreme cold weather patterns, several with a faux fur trimmed hood, alongside thermal waterproof versions. Two details separate a parka from a shorter coat: the hem drops well below the hip so the back stays covered when seated, and the hood is cut deep enough to shelter the face rather than simply cover the head.

What does the fur trim on the hood do?

It is not decoration. A ruff around the hood opening breaks the wind before it reaches the face and disrupts the airflow that otherwise strips heat from exposed skin. It also catches frozen breath away from the cheeks. The trim here is faux fur and often detaches, worth knowing because a ruff mats first if the coat is washed with it attached. The shorter field coats in military jackets rarely carry a ruff at all, one way to tell the two apart at a glance.

How should an army parka fit?

Size it around what goes underneath, not around a shirt. A cold weather coat is the outer shell of a layered system and needs room for a mid layer without pulling across the back. The test: with the layers on, reach forward as if taking something off a shelf. If the hem rises above the belt or the sleeve pulls off the wrist, the coat is a size short. A parka swimming with empty space has more air to heat and takes longer to feel warm. For a narrower shoulder line, the coats in female army jacket are cut closer.

Which details decide whether a parka works?

• Hood adjustment: drawcords at the face and at the back of the head, so the opening can be closed down without the hood turning independently of the head.
• Two way front zip: opening the hem from the bottom lets a long coat be worn seated or while driving without bunching.
• Storm flap and cuffs: a covered zip and closable cuffs are where wind is stopped, long after the insulation has done its part.
• Pocket position: hand pockets set high stay usable under a rucksack hip belt; low slash pockets disappear beneath one.

What do you wear underneath?

Insulation works by trapping still air, so the layer next to the parka should add loft rather than bulk. A mid weight fleece jumper does that job and can be removed indoors without taking the coat off entirely. For long spells sitting still, when the body produces little heat of its own, an active layer such as a heated gilet answers a problem no amount of padding solves. Base layer, insulation, shell: keep that order and each piece does its own work.

Will it keep rain out as well as cold?

Not always, and the two jobs are built differently. A cold weather coat holds heat, and a heavy soaking flattens insulation and carries warmth away with it. Where wet is the main risk rather than cold, the taped and coated shells grouped in military waterproof jacket are the sensible starting point, with the fleece worn beneath.