The North Face Himalayan Down Parka - Men's - 2008 BCS

This jacket is EXTREMELY WARM. You won't find a better jacket for the fully himalayan gnar. You could pretty much lay down and take a nap in this thing on a below freezing day! It's extremely durable and has the highest quality down known to human kind. Next time you find your self at 8000 meters...look around....some one up there is probably wearing this jacket. If you are serious about the alpine gnar....this is your jacket...but it also will make you look baller and keep you toasty if you live in a cold climate. Wear it in the mojave desert in the summer and lose ten pounds in ten minutes.

This jacket is all about keeping you warm in parts of the planet humans should not survive!

I had this jacket in extreme cold on Mount Logan for over three weeks and it held up to the task and kept me warm!
You can get lost in that amazing hood!

Great parka,used it on aconcagua last year and it is wicked. Keeps u warm and ready when the summit gets closer,and the temp.drops way beyond...Nice pockets inside it to have water in so it dosent freeze high in the mountain.

Put this parka on and there are no if, and, or buts you are instantly warm and comfortable. At the top of Mammoth skiing while others were freezing on the lift I was toasty, and comfortable. The wind was blowing at 50mph, and I could have flown a kite. To warm for Southern California, I bring it out only for skiing or instant warmth! Worth every cent!

This is really an amazing jacket! My body runs a little bit cold so I thought I be doing a little overkill and I was very right/wrong! This jacket is packed with down and makes you look much larger than you really are. I don't know that I head to the disco but for what it's intended to do it's absolutely the best! The exterior is completely windproof. I've been in some wicked cold regions and in some extreme wind in those regions and I didn't feel even the slightest breeze! Part of the beauty of this jacket is that even thought the jacket is completely windproof the material used at the liner inside the jacket is very thin and feels very soft. The collar around the neck is also very soft and kind of tucks you right in. Sizing ran true to the norm. Yeah, it's a lot of money but from what I've experience it's well worth every penny!

Love the Parka- its amazingly lightweight for its appearance- oh, about the title- this thing is wicked lofty! If you are worried about "looking 40 lbs heavier in your jacket, this isnt for you- If you couldnt care less about how inflated you appear- by all means BUY IT! This a great parka for the money (got mine @ 30% off from here @ Backcountry.com- would have bought another but the price returned to retail/MSRP since). The only boggle I have with it are the "monkey cuffs". But once you resolve to the fact they are there to stay, they really dont mind them too much. Thought about cutting them off, but they are easily tucked up out of the way around your wrist & back up into the sleeves. Ive received compliments on the color (Molten Red) and the simplicity of the jacket/parka design is outstanding. I have purchased maybe 25-30 various TNF products and have given them to my wife & extensive family members as gifts on numerous occassions. I highly recommend this parka for casual wear as well. You dont sweat in it even if the weather is mild but are securely warm if the temp plummetts. One more thing- the hood does NOT detach from the jacket and with the "neck roll" which is also sewn into the neck of the jacket, the two together can look like a "sack of potatoes" residing behind your head. Love the color, size is near-true ( I usually buy an XL, but as TNF sizes run comfortably big, I opted for the L instead- fits perfectly with room to move freely & layer underneath. Tried a Med in this coat but the area around the waist/hip area was too snug (5'10, a non-athletic 213 lbs).

This parka is super hot on any temp well below freezing. Great stuff North Face!!

This is the warmest coat I have ever owned. Almost never gets cold enough for me to use it; in most cases I could wear a t-shirt and this coat and be comfortable at like 10F with minor activity. it seems to stop all the wind, and is basically a -40F mummy bag with sleeves and pockets.

I am 6'1", 180 lb, 32" waist and the large fits fantastic.

Prologue:

This jacket is embarrassing to wear!

Why?

Because it's so unbelievably snug and warm that you'll more than likely find yourself doing what I keep doing - walking down the street trying desperately to stifle a huge grin, by burying your face into the collar of the jacket! I'm absolutely serious about this! LOL

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I'll add more detail to this review when I get a moment, but for now, let me say that this jacket is well worth the money. VERY warm.

A few quick points which may or may not be useful to potential buyers reading this:

The general insulation level (and bulkiness) of this jacket is extremely similar to Mountain Equipment's 'Greenland' jacket. However, the M-E Greenland is dramatically different in the tailoring of torso size - it is clearly intended to wrap around multiple layers, for expedition purposes, whereas the Himalayan is of a much closer fit - I'm slim and wearing just a T-shirt, the Large TNF Himalayan fits me very snugly (not tight, but snug - only enough spare space to fit a mid or heavy-weight fleece beneath, IF I wanted to, which I don't).

The hobo mits, which I anticipated removing with scissors, have actually turned out to be very unobtrusive - if you slide your wrists all the way through them, they do NOT irritate your wrists, thankfully, so if you, like me, are wondering if you're going to hate the hobo mits, let me reassure you that you have absolutely nothing to worry about, you'll barely notice them.

Some reviewers have criticised the main zip...in my view, this criticism IS justified. However, the rest of the jacket is so damn good I definitely do not consider this a deal-breaker for general use. I carefully rubbed clear candle wax on the zip (including the entry points) and this made it locate and run much more easily (I did not use spray PTFE or oil for fear of damaging the adjacent fabric).

The hood is enormous if you wear it without a climbing helmet beneath, but it is still usable without a helmet, with some serious tugging on the adjustment strings.

With most down jackets, one wears them. With this down jacket (and the aforementioned Mountain Equipment 'Greenland'), one straps themselves INTO the jacket! You'll understand what I mean once you try it on, it's neither positive or negative, it's just 'different'. The Gore Windstopper fabric is less flexible (and, of course, heavier) than the thinner nylon ripstops seen on most down jackets in the marketplace.

TNF are not clear on where the Climashield Neo insulation is used in the jacket, but, looking at the TNF Prism Optimus, which uses Primaloft in the collar and hood, with goosedown in all other areas of the jacket, I imagine TNF have done much the same with the Himalayan, presumably using Climashield Neo for the collar and hood, instead of Primaloft or goosedown. I'd still like clarification on this, though, so if anyone knows for certain, please let me know.

I'll add much more to this when I have time, but, in short, this is a great jacket provided you do not intend to use it for HIGH levels of activity, in which case you are likely to burn to a frazzle.

I already own a new MH Absolute Zero parka so when I saw the super low price on the Himalayan I thought I would go for it since just about every review I've seen says the Himalayan is superior to the Absolute zero. Well, they're absolutely wrong. I would say the only thing better about the Himalayan is the down insulation doesn't seem to move around the arms as much but that's it. The Himalayan has 2 serious flaws in design. Number one is the zipper. This thing is almost impossible to zipper unless you're looking at it and for me it takes a few tries before it goes. The Absolutes zipper is big and burly and easily slides into place every single time even in pitch black. Number 2 is the drawstrings at the waist on the Himalayan. If you pull them tight, they immediately come loose causing cold air to blow up under. it's ridiculous. The hood is also a pain to adjust compared to the Absolute Zero, where both drawstrings are in the same position. The handwarmer pockets on the Absolute Zero are much bigger and are higher up on the chest. The Himalayan has that goofy clasp at the neck. I just don't know what clown designed this thing because they got it all wrong. I could go on but just do yourself a favor and pay the extra hundred and fifty and get yourself a real mountaineering parka. The Himalyan just doesn't cut it.

2 things people: 800+ fill power, and GORE WINDSTOPPER. Real 800 fill power. So much so that wearing it will make you look a bit like a weather balloon floating around. But...given North Face's real experience equipping people for the most inhospitable places on Earth, you know this parka is a flagship and the rest are a biiit pretend. ;)

Yah that's all pretty bold, but the first time I saw a Himalayan was in a glass case at the North Face store in Minneapolis- the suit. It literally looked like a Space Suit, made for outer space, let alone terra firma here.

So, there you have it. It's overkill for most situations, but if I ever get trapped in a blizzard in Northern Minnesota with noone else around, I'd bet this parka will see me through to daylight. The clencher for me, is that I got mine, a Large Red, at the local dealer for $372. Given this past Winter in Minnesota, how could I pass it up??

A bit more news: I walked about 5 miles around a frozen lake a few days ago here in Minnesota, 15 degrees F with a decent wind blowing. Some impressions: I had it fully zipped with the hood up and was never too warm with it. It is very light and comfortable to wear (unobtrusive to wear). The hand pockets and silky soft and have down on either wide of your hands, eliminating the need to gloves if need be. I thought it would look slightly funny to wear such a parka, but it actually looks pretty normal, albeit definitely arctic type gear. I've uploaded a couple of photos. Bottomline, it's here to stay in my Winter collection.

Apart from a few flaws (hood to small, and hanger inside the jacket came loose after a week) this jacket is a winner.

It is fairly light, and comfortable. I got the Denim blue which in my opinion is better looking than the black, get while you can since they are only making blacks from now on.

This jacket is hands down the most expensice jacket I've ever bought. It's also the warmest. I've worn this in negative degree weather, without any layers underneath, and it still felt like a furnace. The monkey hand gloves are awesome. They allow you to take your hands out of your gloves without your hands freezing and the neck zippers up far enough to keep heat from escaping through the collar. My only advice to a would be buyer is to buy it for what it was intended to be used for; frigid outdoor temperatures. It's not the kind of coat you wear to the mall. As far as complaints about it...my only complaint is that it doesn't come in women's sizes. My wife would love one.

While I like this coat pretty well, I will point out a couple of things that I have a problem with. There is no doubt in my mind that I could hike the Denali in January with it and stay quite warm, I am going to give a slightly different perspective on it. I spend many long winter nights sitting nearly motionless sometimes with light to moderate breezes as an amateur astronomer. It doesn't take long for the cold to work its way through whatever you are wearing. I have found two issues with this coat. There is not a good balance between the insulation in the sleeves as opposed to the torso. I find my arms feeling the cold well before any place else. If anything a coat needs at least as much insulation in the arms as the body, not less. The biggest problem I have found is the down distribution. The box baffling does a good job keeping the down in place in the back and the chest area however down each side there is a sewn through seam where the front joins the back. There is no down to speak of two inches either side of this seam. If you are holding your arms straight down or your hands are in the pockets, the sleeves cover over this area and everything is fine. If you raise your arms away from your body, which I have to do for extended periods to maneuver my telescope, you will feel the cold almost immediately as it is not much more that two layers of nylon shielding you from the cold. This would be a good area for North Face to sew in a 4 inch strip of their synthetic insulation where the down won't accumulate. This is my only real experience with an expedition grade parka, so maybe they are all this way. I have a Marmot Greenland parka on the way so I will have a good opportunity to see how it compares. I think these are only issues when you use it in the manor I have described of long periods of inactivity. When it is time to pack up and go home, I actually have to take the coat off as I will start to roast in it as I move around. Just a different perspective for everyone to consider amidst all the glowing reviews of this coat.

This parka is awesome. I thought my MH Subzero SL parka was superb, which it is, but this TNF Himalayan is incredible for general purpose chores in bad weather. Born and raised/lived in Colorado most of my life and I know either one of these parka's will handle anything this state has to offer. I have not had this TNF parka very long so I can not speak for the durability of the outer fabric, but it looks very promising. I got it on sale for almost half price, but considering other products I've had I'd say it is worth the asking price. Great pockets, hood and so on. I am 5' 9" and 190, and the large fits the way I like it. Plenty of room to layer should it ever become an issue. And, as always the gearheads are a pleasure to do business with. This is probably the only store besides REI I trust buying over the phone, since I know if something is wrong or the fit is off, I can always send it back and try something else.

I wore this parka with nothing but a t-shirt underneath in Siberia at temperatures below -40F (probably -50 with windchill) and stayed perfectly warm. This is likely to be too warm for temperatures above zero degrees F unless you are sedentary for long periods of time. This thing is so stuffed with down it's like covering your entire body in a big fluffy down pillow. It's super comfortable.

The Company: I purchased a North Face Himalayan Insulated Parka (Men's) from BackCountry.com by telephone. I was pleased with the order process and the shipping. The first jacket I promptly received had a small cut in the material located on the upper left shoulder. Once called, BackCountry quickly sent another item and documents to return the offending item.

The Himalayan: I have been a customer of North Face since 1986, so my comments are relative tot he NF products I have owned over the years, from shirts to heavy jackets and parkas. This Himalayan is a great garment. It is well designed and has a variety of features that make it a pleasure to wear. It is light wieght and packs well. There are adjustments in the hood and coat and wrists so it can be made to fit perfectly. This is an expensive investment, but I am pleased with the money spent for the quality received.

The only concern I have with the Himilayan Parka is that I have a little trouble when trying to zip the parka. The zipper can easily catch nearby material and jam in the area near the bottom third of the zipper track. The zipper is a bit difficult to start at the bottom. The zipper is also tough to move in the area from the upper chest to the top of the zipper track.

This has been a good buy and a jacket that I love. Very warm, comfortable and durable. My only disappointment is in the zipper. For a jacket of this grade, the zipper appears to have been poorly designed. it lacks substance and catches on the material as you zip it up. Other than that, I am very pleased with this jacket and it will serve me well through MN winters. I am 6'2, 250 and went with the XXL. Northface seems to run a bit small so this XXL was perfect.

The jacket is beautiful and appears to be extremely warm, however, I had to return it because I was never able to zip up the jacket do to a faulty zipper despite trying for 15 minutes. Backcountry was great in refunding my money, and I commend their wonderful customer service. I will buy from them in the future.

I'm a Brazilian and we dont have snow but in my saty in New York I got a lot snow and fill like in Rio de Janeiro, very hot. This parka is the must

This year I finally retired my old,well used jacket. So I was in the market for a lighter /warmer down jacket to mainly use for shovel snow in..the temp this winter in the upper mid west was very harsh--even few days down into the -30 territory..
I visited Seattle's Feathered Friends--I love their Rock and Ice Parka but FF's cut was way too tight on my waist. I needed more than a XXL on FF's --and the sales lady wasn't too sure if they can make more room around the waist..But the fit and finish was very, very nice.
Then I tried Mountain Hardware Sub-Zero jacket---way too short.too light .returned it right away..
Order This one...NF has a more generous cut (around the waist) for us big guys..Fit and finish is much better than MH's Sub-Zero. (but of course not in the $800 FF custom parka bracket) ..Its lighter than it looks, It looks way better in person than the image provided, Red looks very handsome-- But No doubt -this jacket will look huge on you but when you are in the below -0 temp range, No one will stare.. overall..its a nice parka, I like the Hobo gloves..they work well when you are walking about in the freeze..The Hood is well designed--covers your ears with the high collar and it hugs your head with only a few pulls--The only weakness on this parka is the YKK front zipper...they are difficult to mate and catch correctly..It often takes more than a few tries..but once mated correctly...pulling up the zipper is smooth..I Hope the zipper will last, other wise this is really a very nice jacket ..Hopefully NF Life time warranty would help if the zipper gives in down the road.. ...NF should improve this zipper in their next version if there's one..Overall..its a great Buy from backcountry..with this special price..its hard to beat....

This year I finally retired my old,well used jacket. So I was in the market for a lighter ,warmer down jacket to mainly use for shovel snow in..the temp this winter in the upper mid west was very harsh--even few days down into the -30 territory..
I visited Seattle's Feathered Friends--I love their Rock and Ice Parka but FF's cut was way too tight on my waist. I needed more than a XXL on FF's --and the sales lady wasn't too sure if they can make more room around the waist..But the fit and finish was very, very nice.
Then I tried Mountain Hardware Sub-Zero jacket---way too short.too light .returned it right away..
Order This one...NF has a more generous cut (around the waist) for us big guys..Fit and finish is much better than MH's Sub-Zero. (but of course not in the $800 FF custom parka bracket) ..Its lighter than it looks, It looks way better in person than the image provided, Red looks very handsome-- But No doubt -this jacket will look huge on you but when you are in the below -0 temp range, No one will stare.. overall..its a nice parka, I like the Hobo gloves..they work well when you are walking about in the freeze..The Hood is well designed--covers your ears with the high collar and it hugs your head with only a few pulls--The only weakness on this parka is the YKK front zipper...they are difficult to mate and catch correctly..It often takes more than a few tries..but once mated correctly...pulling up the zipper is smooth..I Hope the zipper will last, other wise this is really a very nice jacket ..Hopefully NF Life time warranty would help if the zipper gives in down the road.. ...NF should improve this zipper in their next version if there's one..Overall..its a great Buy from backcountry..with this special price..its hard to beat....

The weather has turned to more normal seasonal temps. The coldest nights so far have been upper teens. With wearing just a tee shirt the Jacket has kept me very comfortable under these conditions. The Windstopper feature is true to name. Gusts coming off the Coast don't penetrate the barriers built into this jacket. Dan, I am about your size and have a medium. It is a little large on me but comfortably so. I am still impressed by the quality of the jacket and feel it was worth the investment.
Nick

Just received my jacket and I love it! It gives me the look of arms that should be on the Hulk (and the belly look of Kung Fu Panda). Only thing is right now the weather is 60 to 70 degrees f., in Nor Cal which explains my title. Normally it's much cooler this time of year. The jacket looks and feels as if it will last a lifetime, pure quality. Looking forward to my next cold climate adventure in the comfort of my Himalayan Parka.
Nick

nice , really warm but not very practical. The zip has been made water proof but is a pain to close. The jacket is bulky, fluffy as a result i also bought a NF nuptse which is much more practical . When it is less than -10c i wear the himalayan other wise nuptse. Overall a good very warm jacket and it serves its purpose

Best northface piece hands down ! Comfy , stylish and keeps u warm in the coldest weather . I highly reccomend this jacket to anyone who can afford it.

You can get much cheaper at Moutain Gear.