Rab Deep Cowl Down Parka Evaluate

Backside Line

The Rab Deep Cowl Parka combines heat and magnificence, making it ultimate for city winter settings or informal winter walks. With 700 fill-power hydrophobic goose down handled with Nikwax, the jacket affords glorious insulation and moisture resistance, holding you heat in chilly and wet-snow situations. It additionally dried in a short time. We felt like this coat was all the time simply sufficient with out being overkill. 

Its tailor-made match offers a smooth, female silhouette with understated baffles on the physique and smaller baffles on the aspect panels. It carried out nicely in chilly temperatures, lasting 94 minutes in our heat check earlier than reaching ambient out of doors temperatures.

One problem we discovered is as a result of the baffle chambers are made by stitching the internal lining and the outer shell, it’s going to enable water and wind to sneak by throughout actually moist or windy eventualities. This design can also let heat air transfer extra shortly out of the coat. That is one thing we caught in testing however didn’t discover once we wore it. If something, we appreciated that it breathed as a result of down is usually a tortuous oven if you happen to’re doing something past an off-the-cuff stroll. We ended up sporting this one probably the most out of all our favourite winter coats as a result of it isn’t too cumbersome, however we might belief it to maintain us heat.

How We Examined

We examined the Rab Deep Cowl winter parka in all types of winter situations: windy passes, sub-zero canine strolls, working errands, and strolling downtown. We additionally put it to the check by sticking a thermometer on the within of the coat and timing how lengthy it took to drop 30 levels and attain out of doors ambient temperatures. Lastly, we did a soak-through check to see how nicely the shell and down repels water.

Heat

The Rab Deep Cowl Parka excels in heat, which was surprising given its light-weight, tailor-made design. At 1 lb 13 ounces, 12 ounces of the load is 700-fill-power goose down that has been handled with Nikwax’s hydrophobic end. This therapy helps the down keep lofty and, subsequently, heat even when uncovered to snow or moisture. 

Throughout our heat check, the jacket lasted a stable 94 minutes earlier than the interior temperature dropped by 30°F, which makes it appropriate for temperatures within the single digits or low teenagers. 

This jacket hits at mid-thigh, which is sufficient to preserve you cozy if you need to sit exterior. Should you run chilly and just like the added full seat safety, we expect this coat is a house run. Whereas the down performs nicely in reasonably moist situations, we wouldn’t put on this coat realizing we had been going to be out in rain/heavy snow for prolonged intervals.

Climate Resistance

This parka just isn’t supposed for heavy precipitation, however it does have a sturdy water-repellent (DWR) end that protects towards mild snow and transient rain. In our checks, it carried out nicely in flurries and light-weight rain, drying shortly and retaining heat. 

The Nikwax hydrophobic down therapy did a fantastic job of sustaining the loft of the feathers. Our soak check confirmed that after 20 minutes, they weren’t utterly globbed up. The Rab Deep Cowl did one of the best out of all of the DWR-treated coats, barely soaking by its baffle seams in about 20 minutes. Most weather-resistant DWR-treated coats didn’t make it previous 10 minutes earlier than water soaked to the within. Due to this, we’d belief it for heat in chilly and dry situations and in brief bouts of moist snow or heavy rain.

Consolation & Performance

That is the class the place we felt this winter coat struck gold. We might throw this on and wouldn’t fear about how we regarded or if we had been chilly.

Outsized baffles is usually a little “additional” for on a regular basis use, and the Rab does a great job of functioning like a giant baffle parka with out trying like one. The female silhouette is fitted, so it may not be for each physique kind, however we felt no restriction of motion.  

The chevron baffles alongside the aspect panels assist stop chilly spots and make the jacket really feel much less cumbersome underneath the arms. The lengthy, stretchy cuffs are a pleasant contact, serving to to maintain snow and chilly air from getting in. The surface panel of the pockets is produced from fleece so as to add additional heat however the design could possibly be improved by totally lining them.

Because of its slim match, this jacket doesn’t depart a lot room for thick layering beneath. Should you plan to put on it in very chilly situations, you’ll must pair it with low-bulk, high-performance mid and base layers. Whereas the jacket could really feel a bit tight with layers beneath, its consolation is ideal for day by day winter put on in average chilly.

Options

The Rab Deep Cowl Parka affords a number of well-designed options that improve its efficiency. 

Some of the notable options is its smooth, tailor-made match. Not like most cumbersome winter jackets, this one contours to the physique, offering a slim and flattering silhouette. 

The brass-colored zipper is easy and high-quality, whereas the fleece-lined pockets supply added heat and luxury to your arms. 

The jacket additionally consists of lengthy, stretchy cuffs with thumb holes that stop drafts and snow from getting into.

One other standout function is its packability; it compresses to the scale of a basketball (smaller with a compression sack), making it ultimate for vacationers. 

The detachable hood and faux-fur ruff let you tailor the look and assist prolong this coat’s wearability nicely into shoulder seasons.

Ought to You Purchase the Rab Deep Cowl Down Parka?

We predict you received’t remorse it. It’s not an excessive amount of or too little for what a down parka is supposed to do. The Rab Deep Cowl Parka is ideal for anybody on the lookout for the standard of a technical efficiency Rab puffy with a little bit extra road model.

The 700-fill-power hydrophobic down affords a fantastic warmth-to-weight ratio, making it snug for temperatures all the way down to the only digits or low teenagers. Plus, it is among the extra packable parkas on our record.

The DWR end ensures it may deal with mild snow and transient rain, however it’s not fitted to heavy or extended precipitation. The slim match means it’s not the best choice for layering in excessive chilly or for individuals who want bulkier jackets. 

Nevertheless, if you happen to’re looking for a classy, purposeful jacket for many winter situations, the Deep Cowl parka is a good purchase.

What Different Winter Jackets Ought to You Think about?

Beneath are another related choices from our information to the finest winter jackets for ladies.

Patagonia Down with It Parka Evaluate: The Down with It Parka offers related DWR climate resilience however is a heavier-duty puffy with the same female reduce.

The North Face Arctic Parka: Should you want a jacket that may deal with excessive chilly and moist situations, the Arctic Parka is a greater choice, with extra insulation and full waterproofing.

Columbia Heavenly Jacket: Should you want the tailor-made match however don’t want down fill, the Columbia Heavenly offers glorious heat and luxury in chilly climate at a fraction of the value.