Nuuk Parka with Faux Fur Trim

Bought the Nuuk Park at the end of January when it was on sale. I'm 6 ft, 175 lbs, with a 36 in (circumference) chest. The small fit well in arms and over length but was too tight around the chest to facilitate any sort of fun or play in the snow and layering a sweater underneath was too tight, so I opted for a medium. The arms are longer than I'm used to but without storm-cuffs, the length is needed in covering the wrists of gloves and the Velcro helps get a good fit. The zipper is great, it just gets some getting used to it, and the two-way system is handy for venting when you get too warm. Other things I really like: the size and structure of the hood (it easily fits my wool toque); the soft fabric inside the zipper and how high up the collar goes; the snaps to cover the zipper; and all the pockets. The only thing that would be nicer to have is chest pockets that faced outwards (like on the women's version), so that hands could be rested inside them when waiting around. I haven't been able to test the parka in really cold weather but I don't doubt its ability to keep me warm. This morning was -25 C (-30C with windchill) in Winnipeg and I was too warm wearing a wool sweater. With snow pants and proper winter boots (I have Baffin's), and a bit of layering, I think I'd be comfortable down to -40C.

I live around Calgary Alberta, and I purchased this jacket to help withstand the bitter winters here. Overall I am impressed with the jacket. It is quite heavy compared to down jackets, but it has kept me very warm as I had hoped. With this jacket being more on the heavy end. It’s not something you’d really wear for mountaineering or expeditions of any sort. This is more of a jacket that you simply exist in during cold winter months. It’s a lifestyle jacket more than anything else. For me, that exactly what I wanted. A warm coat so that I wouldn’t be miserable during Canadian winters. I have an average resistance to the cold. With that being said, -15C is the jackets limit for wearing a T-Shirt underneath which is rather impressive. A light sweater under neath and I’m good for -20. This temperature range hits the typical average seen around Calgary. Sure, we see down to -50 from time to time, but that’s not an every day occurrence. Now, a few things about the jacket that kind of suck. It has no wristlets, the sleeve length is quite short, the width of the sleeves are very large and bulky with no taper going towards the wrists. The jacket also runs quite large around the body which making sizing problematic. I’m 6ft at 185lbs with a lean build. Purchased a Medium. My arms are a bit too long for the sleeves given there are no wristlets, and any larger in size, the jacket would drown my torso. The torso does have an elastic adjustment to synch it close, but it does end up looking odd with the fabric folded. It also gives you an hour glass figure which looks odd on a man. If you don’t synch up the waist, cold rushes up the jacket so your options are to either layer up to the point you don’t have to use the waist adjustment, or accept your new feminine physique. Another issue is the hood. It’s very nice, but could do with some straps separately in the hood to give you some real closure. There are elastics around the hood to close it, but they are completely useless as the hood has a wire surround to hold its shape so there is no closing it. The fur also looks strange. It’s as if they cut it too short giving a bowl cut look from the front. As you can see, a lot of issues come down to aesthetics, but the functionality is there. Another thing is the zipper. It’s really not a problem. I don’t know who is having issues with the zip, but it seems every second grown man in these reviews has problems with the zipper. If you have any level of competence or coordination, the zipper won’t bother you. Maybe the reviews regarding the zipper actually did have problems, but my zipper works just fine. Some improvements that could be made to the jacket would be wristlets, longer sleeves, and some straps around the hood to give some good neck closure. The final thing I will mention is the photos for the men’s absolutely suck when trying to pick a size. I had to find reviews off of Reddit and YouTube because the size charts say I needed a large, but my gut told me a medium. It was a good thing I listened to my gut. For the Women, the Nuuk is actually shown being worn properly. It’s zipped up and the woman looks warm. For the men’s advertisement, the guy is wearing it swag with the zipper open like a 16 year old on his way to the bus stop. It doesn’t show us the jacket fully zipped, or out in the elements so you have no idea on how it will fit. Lucky, if you view the Singi down Parka for men, in some of the photos you can see the Nuuk being worn in the background. I’ll leave it at that. Jacket is awesome and good for -15 in just a t shirt, but could do with some minor, and some major tweaks. Make it with wristlets, and I’d have been forced to give 5 stars. Cold and snow getting up the sleeves is not pleasant.