What do you think of the Patagonia Hibernation Parka?

I think the Hibernation Parka is just fine. How’s that? It’s a thigh-length, down-insulated, highly water-resistant jacket that works best as sort of a city-style commuter jacket for nasty winters. But...availability is rather limited, as Patagonia isn’t making it any more.

What Patagonia does offer now is the Shotover Down Jacket ($375). It’s clearly a jacket for enduring a winter in Chicago, not an alpine adventure on Mount Whitney. It’s cut long, and sandwiches 600-fill down between a tough polyester shell and a smooth polyester lining. Weighs a ton, metaphorically—four pounds.

Marmot’s Yukon Parka ($360) is very similar. A little better down fill (650) and covered with Marmot’s proprietary MemBrain fabric, a waterproof-breathable material with pores that open when you’re warm for better breathability, then close up when you cool down. I think it’s a little nicer-looking than the Patagonia piece, to be honest, and I assume fashion is a bit of a factor here.

If function is the target=, just get the Feathered Friends’ Helios Jacket ($240). Super-light (weighs a pound), really well insulated (800 fill down), covered in Epic fabric for good breathability and water resistance. Very nice!