Let me start out by saying I am generally a fan of mountain hardwear products. I have, however, been consistently dissapointed by their down coats. The zub zero parka is pretty nice but has design flaws in that the fabric inside the jacket always get caught in the zippers. It's also pretty bulky. I ended up getting a 900 fill down coat from a local manufacturer that is going to work better for about the same price. Don't get me wrong, mountain hardwear gear is bomber but for my needs, 650 down in a house sized parka with zippers that always jam is not going to cut it.

I purchased the Mountain Hardware Sub Zero SL Parka specifically for a high-altitude mountain climb (Aconcagua) and although it was warm enough, it did not perform as expected. I wore it briefly a few times at Camp 1 and Camp 2, and all day on Feb 12, 2008 (summit day).

Although it was quite warm, poor design/ construction revealed itself in several very disappointing / annoying ways:
1) The main zipper was very hard to get started. It required a lot of struggling to get the zipper started. In the early morning of summit day, I had to remove my outer gloves and fiddle for a long time with just thin polypro liner gloves in extremely cold conditions before I could get the zipper started properly. Plus the zipper is metal. This seems like a good recipe for frostbite. An unreliable main zipper is a fatal flaw for a climber’s parka
2) During the climb, the zips on two or three of the pockets snagged on the fabric backing that runs along the zipper just due to normal operation (opening and closing the pockets). It was too cold to mess with them, so I left them in the snagged / half-closed state until I returned to high camp. I later found that I had to operate the zippers very slowly to prevent snagging
3) The removable hood needs a different, more secure attachment system. At one point after a brief rest stop, I put my pack back on and realized that the hood was trapped between my pack and my back. I pulled on the hood and it started to detach, being held only by a few snaps.
In summary, the jacket was a hassle the entire day. I think it needs significant revisions to meet the needs of high-altitude mountain climbing. It is less expensive than some other parkas, such as the North Face one, but in retrospect, the savings were not worth it. I returned this item.

This is one of the worst MH products I have ever owned and I have a lot of MH. I used this parka for a winter summit attempt on Mt. Rainier. #1 the hood snaps on - not zippers. In a 'real' winter mountain wind the wind will blow through every snap gap and freeze your neck. #2 everytime you try to zipper the pockets the zippers get material in them and jam-up. Then you have to remove your gloves to fix the zippers. To me these are both show stoppers for a coat designed for as the name implies Sub Zero. Don't buy this parka and MH should either fix these issues or pull it off the market! Of course if you are just wearing it as a puffy jacket to the bar go ahead just don't wear it for its real use.

This so-called mountaineering parka is a huge boondoggle. Here's why:

1. The snap on hood comes detached easily and will rip the fabric around the snaps. The gaps cause a draft to blow in in high winds.

2. The down will become very thin around the inside of the arms and you will feel it.

3. The waist drawcord doesn't wrap entirely around your waist and you will no doubt feel a draft blow through. (what idiot came up with this design).

4. The zippers are a royal pain in the ass...pocket zippers get snagged constantly and the main zipper is a real pisser to get started.

5. The stuffsack is a bit small and it's a pain to get the darn thing into it.

The parka is worth maybe $100.00, and that might be too much. On the plus side, it looks great in the orange and black color and the fleece lined pockets are warm. Please don't buy this if you want a hassle free time trying to deal with it in bitter cold environments.

1) very warm down parka in temps. Of 10 degrees or less with high winds.
2) excellent hood is face protective!
3) comfortable parka!
4) better parka than anything made by north face, ll bean, land's end, and even better than individually hand made parkas from feathered friends in seattle, which cost
$200 more. The absolute zero sl parka is better than their icefall parka. (i know. I have both)

Bottom line:
Buy this parka without reservation.
It will protect you from winter's worst elements!! Trust me.

I have used this parka mostly for work purposes all over Greenland these past two months, which involves a lot of stationary work and some trekking. I chose this over the North Face McMurdo mainly because of weight issues, compactability and more downfill. And I didn't want to spend Canada Goose money.

The good:
-Very warm
-Lightweight
-Very compactable
-Outer layer is water resistent
-Plenty of pockets
-Affordable

The bad:
-Outer layer is ultra sensitive to sharp edges and hooks. I have already ripped it three times in two months.
-Pocket zippers get stuck on fabric, which is very annoying
-Hood attachment is somewhat flimsy. My hood blew off the buttons in +30m/s winds
-No Zippered back-of-arm vents

Also get the parka instead of the jacket if you plan to use it in arctic conditions.

BTW. the size was just perfect. XXL for 6'6", 240 pounds.

Other than the lame hood attachment, this is the best coat for the money. Living in Fairbanks for 10 years, I've seen some pretty cold weather. Last year, when the temperature scales met (-40 C and F) for a few days, I put on one light base layer, a very thin softshell, and the Sub Zero Parka on top, with the same bottom two layers on my legs, with the Compressor Pant as an outer layer, and my normal winter boots, and was overheating after simply standing outside for almost an hour. The only reason to get the Absolute Zero parka is if you are heading to Antarctica in winter or doing some high altitude mountaineering, like the description says.

Great parka. I had to exchange it for a larger size after following the guidance of another review. The review that says this jacket is "great for fat people" and has enough room to zip it over his bent legs is spoofing us. This is an "over everything" parka, and it needs some space, but it's just right in line with the Marmot size guides. Don't order it to "skin size" because you will not have room to move. I especially like the inside pockets!

1) best parka i have ever owned!
2) live in ny and it keeps you warm in 10 to 20 degree temperatures with winds.
3) the hood is great. Is face protective!
4) this mt. Hardwear sub zero sl down parka feels more comfortable than
The icefall parka - from feathered friends, which is an expedition parka
That costs about $200 more!!!
(i should know. I own both)
5) this year i bought my second mt. Hardwear subzero sl parka!!
6) i simply feel absolutely safe, knowing i have this warm and well designed protective parka.
7) it is a better parka than anything made by north face, ll bean, eastern mountain sports, land's end, or most any other manufacturer.
Bottom line:
Go for it!!! It is a great parka!!

When I bought this in the winter of 2007/2008, the product descriptions advertised a zippered hood. Apparently the information applied to earlier versions, and I had problems coping with the snap-on hood, fall off hood. It kept blowing part way off in the zero degree gusts, and I wound up tying stay cords at every snap to keep it in place. Now, I have a slightly leaky fixed hood because of the gaps between the snaps, instead of a solidly zippered removable hood. Had I noticed before I roughed up the parka, I would have returned it. But I was in the backcountry when it really counted, and discovered the hood was not reliably attached. Now, I'm stuck, because there is no way to remedy this circumstance. I don't have budget for a "spare" heavy down parka, and I'm going to have to live with it. I've purchased little from MH since then, because I can't trust their gear any more. It's warm overall, but the hood is a critical disappointment.

A year ago I bought Mountain Hardwear's 800 loft jacket. Warm, but short enough in length that it has a tendency to ride up and leave that cold spot at the waistline. I wanted a high-quality down parka that would last for the next 20 years and Mountain Hardwear had already proven to me they had perfected construction and design in specific niches. This item is no different. The baffle construction assures that there are no cold spots, the length allows the parka to drop low enough to cover the round of your ass and keep it warm. The sleeves are finished with the proper velcro flaps to tighten to perfect comfort without having elastic controlling the opening. Double drawstrings allow it to be tightened at the bottom to keep out draft and further compartmentalize the torso from any draft by cinching it up a little more at the waist. This waistline drawstring also allows for a somewhat tapered look, rather than appearing to be wearing a tent. You'll pay for this one, but you'll get a parka that you'll wear for a couple decades and be warm every bit of the time. Dont' scrimp when buying something like this; pay the little extra it takes to get the best construction and the coat you'll be happy with for decades. You'll be happy that you did.

Nice Parka/Very light and warm/big enough to layer underneath but not to an extreme/Hood feels a little bulky but is down filled and warm and I can live with the bulk considering . No problem with snaps on the hood/ I like them much better than a zipper.

Iam Currently in Kazakhstan, and when I arrived in Aktobe it was -27 c, and my baggage has been lost in transit.
However I did pack this coat and the compressor pants in my carry on luggage and it is all I have got at the moment.
The coat is super warm and the pants the same, they are just great and at the moment saving my life.

This parka has a snap-on hood -just right for letting draughts up the back of your head. I expected a zip-on hood for the price. Even the tags that come with it say it has a zip on hood. The other thing is that in my experience the snaps will fail- either the material tears or the snap button will distort making it impossible to secure the point. If you have 300 bucks, spend it on a different parka.

Very nive and very warm. The parka is a longer lenght than the jackert and works better for warmth; the zipper is fine and works great; the pockets are great; the hood is very nice and had no problems with the snaps; and the jack is very well made and is very nice!

I love this jacket! The Parka looks good for a puffy jacket. I bought the parka because it is longer and I heard that the jacket version has a tendency to lift above the waist when hands are raised in the air. Not a problem with the parka. I have had no problems with the fabric in anyway (although I do not scrape the jacket against jagged edges or wear it while playing contact sports). It appears to actually be water proof from my tests (I couldn't imagine wearing this jacket in temperatures above 25ºF anyway). The hood is great. I have no complaints about the zipper. I have done away with layering when walking around town as a T-shirt and the jacket keep me warm to 10ºF. With long Johns and a fleece underneath I bet I would be comfortable to -20ºF. With in the first few days of using the parka I notice some down emerging from the fabric, but since the initial half a dozen feathers have come out the problem has ceased. I hope the Parka holds up against the test of time and keeps me warm for many winter to come.

This is the only parka you will ever need,had it on at 1:00am in 50mph winds,snow and freezing rain never got cold or wet,it is very well constructed and very very warm, best buy i have made in years.

By far it is the must have in any real mountaineers gear bag!
this guy never climbed mr or any other mountain because the jacket is the nicest in every way and I have tried them all!!
unless you want to go but mh hs they run 1,000.00 so buy it where it love go nuts!!!
I am 5'8 160 lbs and I got a large so it will fit over layers! it is loose but good loose!!!

What a great coat! I used it the Upper Penninsula of Michigan but packed it in it's travel pouch. The best cold weather coat I have ever owned.

Very warm parka, well designed. Down is compartmentalized and does not shift for the most part. Well insulated zippers. The hook and loop closure on the arms and over the zipper is easy to adjust with mits on. This jacket compresses well and has held its loft so far (~15 trips, 1 year). Primary uses: (very) cold weather belaying, alpine regions, winter camping, etc. I would consider this jacket overkill if you are using it in weather above -15 C (i.e., you WILL sweat). I have to disagree with "sman's" commment: This jacket is not that tough and is very easily torn on sharp edges/rock/ice-tools. Overall: excellent quality and value if you are in a very cold-weather climate.

I love my Parka. Just what I was looking for. Longer than a down jacket and it has down hood to keep your head warm and toasty. I would like it to zip out as advertised, but it still works fine. The parka is lightweight and yet keeps the cold out. The stuff pack is great for traveling. Wish I bought this years ago.

Great Parka. Light weight, but really does the job. I like the extra length over a jacket for extra warmth. Although the hood is not zipped in as claimed, it still does a very nice job. When you purchase the parka you get a stuff bag which is nice for traveling. All in all, just a great parka. Should have bought it years ago.

i loved it because it was so lightweight and warm, but hated it because one of the 2 outer materials (the one that runs down your shoulders) attracts so much dust, hair, and animal fur that it drove me crazy.

Used my Mountain Hardwear Sub Zero Jacket for the first time on a remote 4000 foot mountain in the Adirondacks. It stormed on our approach in and we had 30 to 40 mph winds during the climb the next day. Due to the storm and lack of ice on the face, we had to do a snow climb with continuous post holing. I wore my parka while setting up camp and was amazed how warm it kept my core, allowing me to use my hands without gloves for several minutes at a time. I also wore the parka the entire time we climbed the next day over my shell. I was concerned from another review about perspiration management but this was not an issue. I simply regulated my temperature by opening the zipper Also, going with the parka versus the sub zero jacket was a wise choice for winter camping, belaying, and winter climbing.

Nothing like being warm and toasty. I love it. Like being wrapped in a super warm sleeping bag. Tough material also.

Super coat that is fireplace warm. Runs a little big but this does allow extra layers to be worn-but you won't need any extra layers with this baby. Hood is excellent. I bought this for Antarctica expedition and I think it will be plenty warm. Now if I could just get my feet that warm!

Also have the Subzero Jacket and have taken it on a few trips, but was always left wanting in really freakin cold weather. The Subzero Parka leaves nothing out. Ultra warm with plenty of length to handle longer bodies (6'2") even when stooping to light a camp stove. The hood is amazing. I've never been this warm. Is like wearing a sleeping bag.

The Sub Zero SL Parka is a great jacket. The hood is well designed, comfortable and adjustable, it can be easily worn unattached so that you can turn your head and still stay warm. The one drawback of this jacket is that it's a loose fit. There are drawcords around the base and waist, which is good, but the waist drawcord only pulls in the back of the jacket, leaving the possibility of drafts up the front. One possible advantage of all that extra space is that I can fit my knees inside the jacket if I'm sitting around and it's freezing, but Mountain Hardwear should change the design of the waist drawcord to allow the jacket to give a closer fit.

Great parka if you need to be toasty. I definitely recommend the longer length since I am 6'6" (compared to the regular Sub Zero Parka). No colds spots in the jacket. It can get a little too warm if you are using it with a lot of physical activity.

Very warm, very well constructed, and great pockets. It looks great too. All in all, it’s a great parka. It certainly has been all that I was looking for.

This is by far the "VERY BEST" parka I've ever owned. The quality is SUPERB,you would be hard pressed to find a better parka than this.To be able to roll it up and fit it in its small packing/storing bag is just an added bonus.You could climb Mt.Everest and still be warm with this jacket,your head is well covered,you just feel so very snug in it.

these are on the larger side of things - which is the point, i guess, since they are supposed to fit over all your other gear - pack excluded.
comes with little tuff sack which is nice. compresses nicely to fit in pack. all around solid buy.

Best jacket I've ever owned. I love the Tiger color. Been out in a cold wet rain, about 34 degrees, steady rain, stayed warm and dry. The hood is excellent. Nice deep pockets. Highly recommended.. this sites service is top notch. I get comments all the time on this jacket, like " you going to Alaska, or what". Or "that jacket sure looks warm".

I had one of these for 5 years. It was by far the best jacket I've ever owned. Then it wore out and disaster - they don't sell them in the UK anymore! Had to import one from the US AND pay shipping, VAT and import duty, which added a further $120 and I'm still very happy. It really is that good.

This coat rules. Kept me toasty in single digit weather with 50 mph wind gusts in the Colorado mountains. The snaps on the hood hold in place fine. Not sure how some have reported the hood to blow off. Unless you're in a hurricane, it should hold fine. This coat is worth every penny.

Picked this parka up on sale and glad I did. Yea the zipper can be a bit hinky but that is mainly because of the length, and the snaps on the hood could have been a zipper but those are minor. It's warm, light weight looks good for around town, and great for my winter backcountry outings. For the price, I am more than satisfied.

It's a good parka in general. Warm, waterproof, reinforcement at key areas. The lengh is just right, enough to cover my butt. Originally i'd get a subzero jacket. but i know it might be too short from reviews, so i get this parka. The only problem is that i found a little down 'escaping' sometimes, especially in the two pockets. The main zipper is fine when you learn how to operate it.

Got this in Nov. 2008, within weeks, Chicago weather dropped down to 10 degrees in the morning. My 15 minutes walking commute couldn't be warmer. With my hood on, after 10 minutes walk my back actually begin to sweat and I needed to unzip a little to stay cool.

Looking forward to try it out on -15 degree mornings...

Hope this parker will keep it's warm for years to come,my other down jackets become less warm once the down get compressed and weighted down to the bottom.

Minor beefs: Yes, the zippers can be a bit frustrating but actually I haven't had too many problems with them. If you have the hem cinched up tight the main zipper can be very difficult to get started. I haven't tested the hood in windy conditions but its a great shape and doesn't obstruct my vision even when tightened down.
I wish MH had put the waist draw cord the whole way around to the front. It's annoying to have to reach in behind your back to tighten. It also tends to leave a bit of air flow up the front.

Major Beef: The inside of the collar is not lined with soft fuzzy material which means that when its done all the way up you get a chapped chin. I am going to sew in some light fleece.

Now having said all that.... I LOVE the jacket. I live in Aspen and it gets used pretty much every day. In town, on the mountain, and hanging outside in the Backcountry. Great value!

True to size. I am 5-10 and 195 and the large is perfect. Long enough to cover the butt, thick enough to be warm--we live in NE Wyoming and it has been as low as -30 so far this winter. Also is compact enough so that you don't look like the Michelin Man. good enough tat my wife has ordered the men's small. Finally, it really does breathe so that when you come inside (store, car etc.) you don't have to immediately strip.

Got this on my old ski team. Phenomenal for those cold mtn days and biting winds. It insulates better than my patagucci down jacket, and doesn't have moisture issues b/c of the synthetic insulation. I've worn it skiing in -20 w/o any problems. I esp lke the removable hood for ease of use. Plus, the jacket tail extends to my rear, keep more of my body warm for long chair lifts. The jacket material is rip-stop, and sheds wet snow and light precip w/o problems. I wouldn't say waterproof, but then again mine is an older model. Summary: warm, functional, wind and water resistant, rip-proof, lots of pockets. A+

The zipper need to be worked out, I suggest a large tooth ykk with a tether on both zippers so that one can grab with gloves or mitts.

Hood needs to be a zipper not snaps, as living in Alaska and doing late winter hunts snaps are the worst idea ever.

Pockets needs to be double stitched near the mouth of the pocket. This would fix the problem of the pocket pulling out and getting stuck in the zipper, again tether on the zippers. Not a dinky cute one but, a real man sized tether that your can grab on and yank with gloves or mitts.

Snow skirt with wind stopper, at -50 with 40 mph winds things get chilly.

People don't want to buy the 1k jacket but an inexpensive jacket that will perform well.

At first I really liked the parka, but after wearing it I realized a few things. With the bottom draw cords tightened there were no up-drafts, but what did happen was the two-way zipper began to creep up once you were finally able to zip it. Also, I knew the outer shell was thin, but it had me apprehensive that if I caught the jacket on something it would tear easily. Also, don't let the picture of the black parka fool you, it is a completely black parka, not charcoal and black as the picture appears. All in all it is a good jacket, but ultimately I needed something I could depend on, and the zipper did not have me convinced.

I bought the Sub Zero SL Parka Medium as a gift for my friend who lives in Canada. He simply loves its color, great warmth, style, and fit.

He is 5ft 3inches tall and 145 lbs.

I strongly recommend this practical and beautiful parka.

Awesome , toasty warm. Great but needs more down fill. Needs 800 fill, for the price. Then it would be toasty at a great price.

I'd forgotten how warm a good down parka could be. Really does the trick on those cold mornings when I am walking the dogs before the sun comes up. I really like that the hood can be adjusted for the tightness of the fit. Only complaint is that it lacks vertical slit handwarmer pockets. Overall very pleased.

It keeps you so warm that I don't feel the cold at 20 F with slight wind. I was laughing when everyone around me show they're cold while I walk around like the summer time. If anything were to happen to this parka, i'd simply buy another one. It's very good. Had a great deal with backcountry for only $236 shipped.

I spoke with many gearheads before deciding on the MH Sub Zero SL Parka. i needed somelthing for around town use with occasional below zero temps. I'm getting colder mofre easily and more frequently as I age and always bought cheap jackets in teh past. this is my first quality down jacket, the on sale price was surprisingly not much more that what I've bought at big box stores all my life for cheap polyester jackets. my compliments to all of the knowledgeable and helpful gearheads, especially Corey P. I initially ordered a medium with layering mind but found it a little big. I tried on a small and found it had a much better fit with our without layering. It's sized according to the chart so I wouldn't recommend larger than what you usually wear. All in all it exceeded my expectations. I've had no problems with zippers or snaps but I don't use it under mountaineering conditions, in town only.
I highly recomment this jacket, especially when on sale around 60 bucks less than list price. it truely is like a good fitting toasty sleeping bag.

Trust mountain hardwear to have created the best down parka, that is good to -20 wind chill. Also water resistant!!
Light and very comfortable!