The Parka Shop Winter Collection

Select a category... All Products Expedition Down Parkas Extreme Down Parkas Active Sport Parkas Expedition Down Suits Ski Bibs & Pants Overfilled Down Gear Sleeping Bags Selk Bags Accessories

CHOOSING A PARKA

Will the Parka be used for Adventure or Expedition Travel?

Will the Parka be used in Extreme Cold Conditions?

Will the Parka be used at altitude?

Will the Parka be used over 8000M?

KEEPING WARM The main principle of cold-weather dressing is to trap layers of warm air near your body. Air held in place by tiny fibers, is the only effective body insulator. The greater the trapped 'dead air space' the greater the garment insulation properties. Many thin layers are often better than a single thick one. Also the whole body should be covered evenly. A goose down parka will not keep you warm in sub-zero conditions if you are wearing jeans. Vigorous activity requires undergarments that wick perspiration away from the skin so it can evaporate without leaving a clammy, cold feeling. Depending on conditions, layers can be built up including thermal leggings and tops, fleeces, goose down or synthetic insulated parka and pants and finally the outermost layer should be windproof to keep cold air out. It should also have adjustable fastenings to close off the waist, sleeves, and the face of a parka hood. The head is a major areas of heat loss, so a thick, warm hat and scarf or a thick parka hood are essential. Where different items of clothing meet at ankles and wrists, prevent bare spots by interleaving the layers. The extremities,fingers, ears, toes, and nose freeze first. Good heavily insulated footgear is crucial. Boots should have an insulated bottom liner and allow you to wear heavy wool socks over your regular socks without any feeling of tightness. Circulation to hands and feet must be kept completely free; anything that feels tight will soon feel frozen. Protecting fingers is difficult as they are in constant use. Layers again work with silk gloves inside thin skier's gloves inside loose, more heavily insulated mittens. A ski mask with holes for your eyes and mouth protects the face, In extreme conditions a down mask can be worn.

Will the Parka be used for Casual use?

Will the Parka be used for Sports Activities such as Trekking / skiing?

Will the Parka be used in Alpine Conditions?

Will the Parka be used in Polar Regions?

Will the Parka be used over 6000M?

Is style & Fashion Important?

Will the Parka be used for several seasons?

Will the Parka be used in Wet Conditions?

Will the Parka be used for long distance Trekking?

Will the parka be used at Basecamp?

Will the Parka have to adapt to climatic changes?

Is cost a Factor?

Will the parka need extra durability for hauling loads?

Will the Parka also be used for casual wear?

Parkas constitute one of the most basic survival elements for the extreme outdoors. They bear the brunt of the weather and wear, keeping you warm, dry and safe from hypothermia. A good fit is crucial to the parka's ability to protect you from the elements. If the fit is too tight, you will compress the fill and loose the insulating benefits. If it is too loose, the heat loss will be very rapid, again loosing the insulating qualities you seek. A good fit requires proper wind seals occur at the neck, hood, sleeves and waist. The sleeves should extend over the wrist to trap the warmth. Pay close attention to the way a parka fits around the neck. Wind reaching the bare neck and chill you quickly. A good parka will have a tunnel collar that seals the neck area, and a hood that attaches below the collar with a drawcord that pulls it close around the face. Look for a durable external shell that will resist snags and protect you against the wind. This should be followed by an internal breathable lamination of Gore-Tex or similar. Next comes the insulating layer. As with sleeping bags, there are two types of basic insulation. Down is a natural fiber with excellent insulating qualities. Unfortunately, it looses most of its insulating qualities if it gets wet. Synthetics can insulate almost as well as down but will retain approximately 85% of their insulating ability when wet. The most popular synthetics today are Thinsulate, Primaloft and Quallofil. There should be an internal liner of either nylon or cotton. Where weight is not a consideration, a parka should have plenty of pockets, including cargo/handwarmer pockets large enough to fit a hand wearing gloves or mitts. The Inuit have known for centuries that nothing beats a fur ruff to protect the face from wind and blown snow. There are many types of synthetic fur available but unfortunately only real fur will stop ice sticking to the ruff. A well-designed ruff will create a hot-air pocket in front of your face, and even if you walk against the wind, it will keep your face comfy warm. Condensation forms on the fur, but shake it, and the ice will fall right off. Look closely at the clothes of polar adventurers they almost always have a fur ruff on their parkas. they are nuts. Sadly enough popular sentiment seems to keep companies from producing good modern parkas with decent fur ruffs. So far the only good parkas are those produced in Canada. The only problem is that they are very bulky, and heavy, hardly apppropriate for winter trekking.

WINDCHILL TABLE - (Clothing Type v Temperature)

Mountaineering Clothing list - If you plan on climbing the Himilayas here's an outline list of clothing you will need for your climb. Footwear Double Plastic Climbing Boots with Aveolite Liners. Good quality plastic shells with inner boots, Fully Insulated Overboots, Gaiters, Camp (goosedown) Booties, 4 pairs of Heavyweight wool or synthetic socks (wool is warmer) to be worn over the liner socks, 4 pairs of Liner Socks - smooth thin wool, nylon or Capilene to be worn next to the skin, Vapor barrier socks. (Optional). Technical Clothing Expedition weight underwear, Lightweight Underwear. 2-3 pair top & bottom, synthetic or wool. No Cotton, Zip-T-neck tops allow more ventilation options. One set of white for intense sunny days on the glacier and one pair of dark for faster drying gives the most versatility. Fleece Jacket. Heavyweight pile (Polartec 300). A full-zip version is easier to put on and has better ventilation than a pull-over, Fleece Pants. Heavyweight pile (Polartec 300) with full separating side zippers (This is very important for ventilation and for ease of dressing up or down when conditions change in the middle of a climb). Down Pants. To fit over insulation layers. Outer shell must be windproof. Down Parka. (Fully Baffled, Expedition Weight, must have good hood) Suggested Option - Down onepiece suit. Shell Pants & Shell Jacket with hood. (Bibs recommended) For the jacket we highly recommend a long front zipper, a roomy rather than snug fit and underarm zips which go well below the armpit. We also require full separating side zippers on the pants. Mitts & Gloves * 2 Pair Synthetic Gloves. Fleece gloves which will fit comfortably inside mitts. A heavier fleece will do a better job of keeping hands warmer when wet than lighter polypropylene . 2 Pair Pile Mitts and Gore-Tex Overmitts. Headgear * Baseball Cap or other Sun Hat. One with a good visor to shade the nose and eyes. Include a bandanna to shade the neck. * Wool or pile ski hat. Make sure ears are covered. * Balaclava (1) Heavy weight, (1) Lightweight. Heavyweight must fit over lightweight. * Neoprene face mask. Optional *

Antarctic Clothing list - clothing for polar regions is different to mountaineering due to usage and duration or wear. polyprop underwear, polarfleece bib overalls, winter weight Extreme Cold Weather (ECW) bib overalls over the top, a woolen or polarfleece shirt, polarfleece jacket, and an ECW down/synthetic mix ECW jacket. In our pockets we have stuffed our gloves, neck warmers, hats, etc. 3 pairs of boots. ECW quality Mucklucs. Clumpy to walk in but good for very low temperatures and if you want to guarantee warm feet in most situations. The boots come with liners that look like oven mitts for feet. The soles are very rigid and are designed to be fitted with crampons if required.Sorrels are steel capped boots and also have a sheep skin or a heavy cotton type liner. These boots are good for temperatures down to about -30 deg C. Normal work boots are for walking around inside the base while working. They are normal slip on boots with steel caps and rubber soles. Gloves Rrubbery thermal insulated glove for use with fuels. If you get oil or fuel onto normal glove it transfers the heat away from you skin and you quickly freeze. These gloves are good but in cold conditions like -45 deg C the rubber in the gloves goes hard and makes them unusable. Poly prop gloves make very good glove inners when combined with other gloves. There are also fleece gloves made from a heavier version of polyprop material. Over-mitts provide not only a windproof outer but also a thermal barrier for most conditions. Normally used as part of a glove combination when you the weather turns colder. Leather work gloves with a thermal insulation on the inside. Heavy over-mitts for use on skidoo travel or extreme cold weather where your hands may be exposed for long periods of time. Very warm, but very bulky and no good for doing anything other than keeping your hands warm.. Hats, Neck Gaiters. Woolen belaclava, ok in mild conditions but is no good if the wind gets too strong. Fur-lined hats. They are very warm comfortable in the -35 to -50 degree temperatures. Neck Gaiters are often used instead of scarves because they are smaller and provide a high degree of insulation against the cold and wind. Parkas. Are made from a very windproof material with the ability to take moisture away from the body. The entire garment is down filled providing incredible warmth. 2 way heavy-duty zipper closure with storm flap, multiple pockets with Velcro flaps and side entry hand warmer pockets. Tunnel hood with detachable fur ruff. Hood wire to shape hood around your face. Nylon cummerbund with Velcro closure. Hidden storm cuffs on sleeves. Abrasive resistant armor trim cuffs. Drawcord at waist to help keep warmth in. Leggings are made similar to the parkas. Insulated and windproof, they provide protection around your legs and middle body as they are shaped like bib overalls with zips down the front and down the sides. Windproof jackets and leggings, without all the heavy insulating qualities. These are used in the summer for moderate conditions. The Bunny suit: A one piece overall that has thermal insulation all through it. They have zips up the side of the legs and a zip down the front so they are easy to get in and out of with boots and other clothing.