Warm Jackets For Arctic

For those of us that reside in cold weather climes, winter bring the cold, snow, ice and freezing rain each year. Just the thought of going on the food store or dentist can feel daunting when it is -20c outside. Each year we re-evaluate our winter wear including gloves, boots, hats, pants, and lastly the ever-important jacket.

My philosophy is: Take a lesson from those who are now living in extremely cold climates. If the clothing they wear is adequate to outlive -40c or -50c, then it's definitely going to keep me warm at -20c. I first learned about extreme cold weather garments with a three week vacation to Frobisher Bay on Baffin Island, within the far Canadian North. The native Inuit people (don't give them a call Eskimo's!) wore a thigh length pullover coat using a fur-trimmed hood called a "parka".

Traditionally, the arctic parka was made from caribou hide, and fox fur. Nowadays, modern materials are used, as well as the design has been adapted to accommodate a front zip closure. Even the Inuit rarely wear the original garb in support of modern styles.

For those of us that live in cold weather climes, winter bring the cold, snow, ice and freezing rain each year. Just the thought of going to the grocery store or the dentist can seem daunting when it's -20c outside. Each year we re-evaluate our winter wear including gloves, boots, hats, pants, and of course the ever-important jacket.

My philosophy is: Take a lesson from people who live in extremely cold climates. If the clothing they wear is good enough to survive -40c or -50c, then it's definitely going to keep me warm at -20c. I first learned about extreme cold weather garments on a three week trip to Frobisher Bay on Baffin Island, in the far Canadian North. The native Inuit people (don't call them Eskimo's!) wore a thigh length pullover coat with a fur-trimmed hood called a "parka".

Traditionally, the arctic parka was made from caribou hide, and fox fur. Nowadays, modern materials are used, and the design has been adapted to accommodate a front zip closure. Even the Inuit rarely wear the traditional garb in favor of modern styles.

The term 'parka' has become part of the common vernacular in North America, and every year consumers snap up parka deals from North Face, Columbia, Patagonia and other leading manufacturers. You might find yourself shopping for a parka this winter and come across a wide range of styles from puffy jackets to shells, but nothing that actually fits the description. That's because these companies love to use the word 'parka' to describe all kinds of different models and it's used very loosely.

This begs the question - what features define authentic arctic parkas and distinguish them from other non-parkas that still bear the name? to help you cut through the noise, here are some of the key features:

Warm Jackets For Arctic

1. Thigh length cut. Parkas were always traditionally thigh-length and stopped just above the knee. This design helped to create a warm pocket of air and cover the area at the waistline, where the pants end.
2. Fur-trimmed hood. Arctic parkas always have a fur-trimmed hood (or faux fur) to help break the wind around the face and add warmth. Traditionally this would have been fox fur or rabbit fur, but nowadays, synthetic furs are used quite often.
3. Goose down fill. Traditionally and even still today, you will find that down is the warmest and most commonly used fill. However, synthetic fills are also used and are perfectly acceptable.

Originally, the Inuit arctic parkas were pullover style jackets, but nowadays a front zip closure is standard. While many of the original materials aren't used anymore, like caribou hide, the basic design is in tact. In fact, several years ago on a trip to Baffin Island in the Arctic Circle, I noticed that almost none of the native people wear the traditional clothes anymore in favor of modern designs. As with most remote cultures, western products and technology have a way of replacing traditional materials.

Staying warm in the winter is incredibly important if you live in a cold climate. If you don't invest in the right cold weather wear, you will be miserable and dread the outdoors during the winter months. With the right hat, gloves, boots, pants and a good quality arctic parka, you can be comfortable and enjoy temperatures other people cringe to avoid.

Arctic Parkas - What the Inuit Taught Us About Keeping Warm