Mountain Hardwear Sub Zero SL Parka - Men's

The Sub-Zero is a great mid-range parka. It's not an 8000 meter jacket (get something like the Mountain Hardwear Absolute Zero or the Marmot 8000M for that), but it will keep you warm at the top of Rainier and in most weather conditions you'll face in the contiguous U.S. What makes this parka great for mountaineers and cold-weather hikers is the weight. It is extremely light given the protection it affords. That makes this a nice parka for mountaineers who may be required to backpack for a few hours in warm weather prior to ascending to locations that require cold-weather protection. There are a lot of niceties too, like the large, internal water-bottle pocket so your water doesn't freeze during a cold trek. The parka compresses well and the hood removes too, so I can wear it to work without like I stepped off the top of Everest. I cannot profess the durability as I have only owned it for about six months, but it's Mountain Heardwear, which means it's likely to be above average...Read more

First off, I love this parka. It is amazingly warm and I would buy it again, and recommend it to anyone needing a parka.
Second, disclosure. I am not a mountaineering/Alaskan/Antarctic living person. It gets into the low positive single digit Fahrenheit temps where I live, and I bought this jacket to handle those types of temperatures.

Review points:
1. This parka is incredibly light, and the stuff/cinch bag is really small, so if you want to carry it stowed, it is really compact.
2. The down and construction are really warm, the fleece lined pockets are really comfortable and the hood is a snug fit with adjustments for fit making it very warm.
3. I am 6'2" 210#, and I bought the XL version and the fit was perfect. I can wear the parka solo or with under layering, and use the cinch straps to get an excellent seal on the elements. The length came to mid-thigh which was what was advertised for the parka (versus waist for the jacket).
4. The...Read more

I have owned this jacket for two winters, now. The zipper has always been difficult to get started and so I usually ignore it and just close the hook-and-loop fasteners unless it is windy out. Yet despite this limited use, the zipper has now started to come open below the raised pull tab, just as most cheap plastic zippers do eventually. (No, it is not because it fits too tightly. It is actually quite loose on me.) For this price, I expected a decent, heavy-duty zipper. Perhaps they could afford that if they left off all their embroidered company logos.... Also, the top of the zipper comes to the top of the collar, and when closed pokes into the bottom of my chin, which is very annoying.

In addition, you must be very careful not to brush against anything sharp, such as broken branches or barbed wire, as the outer material tears VERY easily.

I gave it two stars instead of one because it is warm, and the sleeves are actually long enough for my long arms...Read more