Fjällräven Barents Parka review

It’s been a pretty rubbish winter, lets be honest. It’s be extremely wet and cold, which is not a great combination. I’d rather have cold and snowy any day. Hosing rain at 2 degrees is just dispiriting. On the mountain, technical kit rules, but for more mundane use you need something that’s warm and can handle anything from rain to sleet and snow. This is the Fjällräven Barents Parka.

Fjallraven Barents

The specs are simple enough, it’s G-1000 outer fabric (previously mentioned here and here) which is a polycotton mix. I know, I just said cotton, but don’t panic. The material is very weatherproof, very breathable. There’s a Hydratic membrane in there to keep it waterproof. Instead of relying on DWR to keep the outer material repellent, you can just apply some Greenland wax and the weather resistance instantly improves enormously. Once it gets very cold again you can wash the wax out and have a superbreathable jacket. This kind of flexibility is important. It’s why I tend to wear Fjällräven trousers in winter, they are very adaptable to conditions. There’s reinforcement in key areas with the Heavyduty version of G1000 too, which makes for a very robust and hardwearing piece of kit.

The lining is a microloft polyester, which is very warm, even in damp conditions. It adds a fair bit of weight (my Large is 1980g), but it’s worth it in terms of warmth. The length of the cut means that you won’t get a draught around your middle either.

The hood is a shield of wonder against the driving rain, and will instantly transport you back to that time in school when you had a snorkel parka you could zip right up and shrink your world to a wee periscope view. It makes me feel like a kid again. The fur is removable if you want to look a bit more like a Nordic outdoorsman than a Scottish schoolboy, but I know what my preference is.

Fjallraven Barents

Pockets are multiple and massive. The two front lower bellows pockets will take a paperback book or a pint of milk, or both. They are that big. The handwarmer pockets behind are deep and warm. There are two more concealed napoleon pockets which will easily take an OS map and a selection of confectionery, I speak from experience here. There’s also large velcro adjustment on the cuffs so you can adjust with gloves or mitts on.

I’ve been wearing this right through the worst of the winter. It’s not super technical, it’s not lightweight but I know it’ll last me for years because it’s flexible and robust. When I’m packing for the mountains, it stays on the rack, but over the last few months I’ve often been stood at the back door, looking out at the gale-driven rain. On each occasion my hand instinctively reached for the suit of armour that is the Barents.

Recommended.

 

 

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7 Comments

  1. Thanks for the great review. Here in the States my go-to online merchant only has the Dark Grey on sale at 50% off and the Dark Olive which I like is only at 25% off. I am hoping they’ll put it down to 50% off so I can get it on a good deal. I also picked up a Fjallraven Pak Down jacket on sale which is a great piece of casual wear Winter kit. What are your thoughts on Norrona?
    Eric

  2. I like some Norrona kit, the falketind range in particular is good, although they tend not to make legwear long enough for me.

  3. Hi there, Thanks for this review. It looks very informational. I live in Toronto and I am planning to buy a winter coat after my very old 10-year-old Columbia Jacket literally felt apart. I wanted to ask if these parkas were warm enough for winter. We get -30C here in Toronto. I really like the way this brand looks and I honestly don’t want to spend over 1K on a Canada Goose. I’ll be walking and using public transport so I need something warm that won’t break my pockets.

  4. Definitely warm enough for winter here in Scotland, although I haven’t used in temperatures anywhere near as low as you need. It’s comfortable on it’s own down to minus 7 or so, with layering it would go lower. At minus 30 I’d be wrapping myself in down though!

  5. Many thanks for your really helpful review. On the strength of it I have taken the plunge and bought a Barents Parka……I have not been disappointed. I wanted it for going sheepdog trialling on days when the weather is throwing cold, squally wind and rain on bleak Dartmoor hillsides. Often there is a lot of standing around in these conditions with no shelter which can be pretty miserable but this parka provides the ultimate shield against these conditions. I bought a small man’s (I did not like the ladies colours), I am a 10/12 and it fits fine, with room for base layers for really cold days. The length means your bum stays warm and the hood is the ultimate shield against horizontal rain. The fabric is tough enough to do jobs round my wee farm, as it has double fabric in all the important areas, an important consideration for me. I bought mine online from Trekkit and they were very helpful and measured the parka for me. My only grouch is that the double zip can be a little bit fiddly but I have got the hang of it now. It’s an investment at £380, and I thought long and hard about it, but it is proving really worth it and it should give many years of service. One warm and dry Cornish sheep crafter!

  6. Rob – I live in Toronto too and just bought one of these [from Neon on Queen West]. The guy in the store has worked with Fjallraven for years in Montreal and he said that is the parka he sold the most of for their winters. I’m only a couple of days in, but so far so good. And, when you think about it, we get more ‘feels like’ -30 with wind taken into account than actual -30. So far I haven’t felt a hint of a breeze in mine. I’m sure the coldest days – when we do get down to -30 – will require an extra layer, but so far it feels toasty warm to me. I walked to work in this jacket and just a dress shirt underneath this morning [-12] and didn’t notice the cold at all.

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