Killer parka - Fjallraven Polar Guide Parka - Mens

I'm a guy who does a ton of research on products. I mean A LOT. If it's a product I use daily (TV, coffee maker, bed, etc), I read and watch pretty much every review online before I make the purchase. I am surprised this jacket didn't have more reviews than it does, but 99% of the reviews I did read were extremely positive. I have zero issue spending money on something I need or want, but I won't squander money away either.

That being said, I reviewed parkas for a solid month before I settled on the Fjallraven Polar Guide parka. It's not my first rodeo with parkas. I live in Wisconsin and on Lake Michigan so I warm winter jacket is a must. I've had a Canada Goose Expedition and a North Face McMurdo III, but I sold them both for reasons you can read in other reviews.

I regards to the Polar Guide, this is a killer, killer parka at a killer, killer price. I would pay full price for jacket without blinking an eye because it's just that good. Quality wise, it's right there with CG (if not better) and it far exceeds the quality of the NF. Not knocking NF at all because that's a quality jacket for the price, but comparing the two head-to-head is like comparing homemade bread to Wonder bread. It's not even close.

The G-1000 is a quality fabric that is really tough and strong, but it's still very pliable so you're not walking around like the tin-man. In regards to warmth, it's really warm. It's not "sweating bullets unless you're outside for an entire day in a 70 mph Alaskan arctic blast" kinda warm like one of my previous parkas, but it's wearable all day in a regular winter day. I don't feel like I just went swimming after I clear the driveway with my snowblower. It's wearable in every situation from sledding with my daughter for hours to walking across the parking lot at Target while feeling warm, comfortable, and without feeling like the Michelin Man.

The construction is really solid and there are a ton of large, easy to access, pockets inside and out. I do wish they were lined on throughout the pocket rather than just one side, but it does make it easier to pull things out of them if you're wearing gloves or mittens so I get why they did that. The hood is awesome. It's insulated, attached, and it's deep so it's warm, you won't get drafts running through your hood with the slightest breeze, and your face isn't exposed when you have it on your head. It's also has draw strings that actually do a good job of cinching the hood. I also really like that they're cuffs at the wrist and not velcro. It really does make a difference with letting cold and snow in. The waist drawstring is perfect also.

The only issue I had initially was the zipper. It's a left handed zipper (I am left handed), but it took a little getting used to and some fine motor training to get the zipper engaged. It's a two way zipper so it's not the easiest getting it engaged in both zipper things. It only took a few times of frustration until I got it down. The trick is to pinch the two zippers together with your left hand to get them lined up. They won't just fall into place like most jackets. The two-way zipper is so useful when sitting down in the car and the zipper cover is buttons, not velcro, which I like a lot more.

Overall, it's a truly great parka and I can't recommend it enough. The transaction with CampSaver was stellar also. No issues whatsoever and I had the parka in 5 days from order to delivery.