What is the Arctus Parka?
If you want a genuine workhorse jacket that will fight extreme conditions on winter expeditions, the Arctus Parka is for you. It's a super burly jacket that offers optimum warmth and durability all in one. This piece is an absolute staple for your kit list if you're planning a winter expedition anytime soon - it's gnaaarly dude.
What is it made of?
The Arctus Parka is constructed using three layers of fabric and high quality 750 fill power down. The combination of materials creates a practical system to keep out harsh weather while keeping the warmth in.
Insulation: The jacket uses 750 fill power, R.D.S Certified European Goose Down, offering maximum loft (fluffiness) and insulation.
European Goose Down is fantastic quality down - it has larger clusters than Duck Down which improves the warmth to weight ratio. The clusters are made up of tiny feather strands that trap heat after they have lofted (fluffed up), which is why it's so important to get a quality jacket with construction that allows the insulation to loft effectively!
The down is treated with a Nikwax fluorocarbon free Hydrophobic finish, which adds light water resistance to the down itself.
Can't quite catch the lingo? Here's a quick break down.
Fill power - Fill power measures the warmth and efficiency of the down, alongside its ability to loft/fluff up. A rating of 750 fill power means that 1oz of this down fills 750 cubic inches of space when fully lofted. For a full explanation, you can check out our YouTube video on fill power by clicking here.
R.D.S - The Responsible Down Standard ensures that the down is sourced from happy birds who haven't been plucked and have been well cared for.
Hydrophobic - Hydrophobic down dries out and lofts quicker, resisting moisture from sweat that may build up as you're warming up inside the jacket. Fluorocarbon free Hydrophobic finishes don't use harmful chemicals that cause damage to the environment - a bonus for more eco-conscious adventurers.
Outer fabric: The outer is made from 70% recycled 70D Pertex® Ripstop Nylon - a 70D outer is a really high denier for a down jacket. Having a higher denier offers improved toughness and durability. Usually, a down jacket uses much lighter denier fabrics to improve its packability - generally around 10D to 40D, so this is quite a big leap for the Arctus!
Nylon ripstop is a super reliable fabric. It's known for its longevity and ability to withstand hard scrapes outdoors. Using a higher denier of the Pertex® Nylon Ripstop creates a fantastic outer shell that is hardy enough to take on the toughest of environments and conditions.
Drop liner: The secondary drop liner fabric is Pertex® Shield 2L. It's a waterproof yet breathable material with less bulk than many other waterproof materials on the market. The breathability allows you to feel more comfortable working hard in the mountains by allowing water vapour from sweat to pass through to the outside. You won't have to worry about feeling clammy when you're slogging kit up steep inclines, even with all those layers on.
It has a hydrostatic head rating of 10,000mm - if you're unsure, hydrostatic head is the rating of how much water pressure a material can take before it starts leaking. A 10,000m rating is a good rating for a reliable waterproof jacket.
Lining: The third fabric used is Pertex® Quantum. Pertex® Quantum is a tightly woven structure that is lightweight and soft enough to allow down insulation to loft properly. It's downproof by construction, meaning it helps prevent feathers from leaking out and light, helping reduce the overall bulk of this heavyweight jacket.
What are its features?
A fantastic piece for extreme adventurers, it has everything you need and looks great too! Who said you can't do Arctic expeditions in style?
Overall, the jacket has a 2cm boxwall construction throughout, offering maximum loft to the insulation. The boxwall structure gives the down more space than stitch-through baffles, allowing it to fluff up and trap more heat inside. Boxwall baffles help reduce cold spots as they don't have as much stitching. Therefore, there are fewer tiny holes in the fabric, making it feel much more insulative than other down jackets!
The jacket has a gnarly looking faux fur hood trim, it feels really soft and fluffy to touch. However, it can be removed if the weather starts pouring. The hood itself is adjustable. It has internal cordlocks, and rear hook and loop volume control to really cinch it in and protect your head from the cold. There's a shaped internal chin guard which sits really high up for maximum protection. The chin guard has a luxuriously smooth brushed back that feels lovely against your face. It also has small vent holes that help reduce moisture freeze in those harsh minus temperatures.
Strong aluminium D-Rings, sitting across the front chest, are designed for skidoo kill switches or clipping on equipment if required.
On the upper chest, you'll find two large, synthetic insulated, concealed zipped pockets. These pockets are perfect for storing energy gels, snacks and hand warmers. Larger items can be stored in the two patch pockets that have a hook and loop closure. They are placed on the lower torso and are easy to get into, even with chunky gloves!
An easy grab, zipped outer pocket also allows somewhere more secure to store valuables like a mobile or your GPS. This pocket also has a small, zipped inner pocket, perfect for smaller belongings such as keys, that you can't afford to lose.
The cuffs are close fitting yet stretchy to adapt to the wearer and their layering system. These cuffs fit seamlessly with gloves and mitts, and help prevent cold spots by pulling in the fabric, closing any gaps around the wrist.
Fasten the jacket with the large YKK® VISLON® front zip. It has an easy grab puller, which, again, can be used when wearing big expedition gloves.
There are large reflective patches on the upper arms and lumbar, adding additional visibility and safety for those venturing out of hours.
How does it fit?
The Arctus Parka has a relaxed fit, coming up a little larger than most down jackets. The main reason for this is to allow the wearer to maximise their layering system effectively, as it's very likely they're going to be taking on freezing conditions and need multiple layers underneath.
Features:
- 70D Pertex® Ripstop Nylon (70% Recycled) (127gsm)
- Secondary Fabric: Pertex® Shield 2L Waterproof Drop Liner Insert HH: 10,000mm/MVTR: 10,000 g/m2/24hrs
- 20D Recycled Pertex® Quantum with fluorocarbon free DWR (38gsm)
- Main Insulation: 750FP RDS Certified European Goose Down with Nikwax fluorocarbon-free Hydrophobic Finish (500g, Size Medium)
- 2cm box wall construction throughout
- Removable snap on faux fur hood trim for weather protection
- Adjustable hood, internal cordlocks and rear hook and loop volume control
- Aluminium D-Rings designed for skidoo kill switches
- Shaped internal chin guard with soft brushed back and vent holes to reduce moisture freeze
- Soft, close fitting internal cuff fits seamlessly with gloves or mitts
- 2 large, synthetic insulated, concealed zipped pockets on upper chest
- 2 large patch pockets with hook and loop on lower torso for large items
- 1 easy grab zip outer pocket with zipped inner security pocket
- Large 2 way YKK® VISLON® front zip with easy grab zip puller
- Large reflective patches on upper arms and lumbar
- Fit: Relaxed