Cover photo: Nike ACG lookbook
After defining the different types of parkas that existed in this article , we will talk about the technicality of the parka.
Brands often claim that their parkas are warm, breathable, waterproof: how do you determine this?
They sometimes mention technical terms such as DWR, heat sealing, lamination: what do these mean?
We will clarify all this together. Musto Parka
1. Waterproofing and water repellency
Rainproof clothing can be:
- Water repellent , thanks to a surface treatment on the material making it slightly resistant to rain (or if the material is woven very tightly like Ventile )
- Waterproof , thanks to the lamination process which consists of laminating a technical membrane to a fabric. Thus, during strong or prolonged exposure to rain, water will not penetrate the garment thanks to the action of the membrane.
So, a parka can be :
- Water repellent BUT NOT waterproof : light resistance to rain, no membrane
- Waterproof BUT NOT water-repellent : in case of rain, the outer material will quickly get wet but not the inside, thanks to the membrane
- Waterproof AND water-repellent : if the outer fabric is water-repellent AND a membrane is present.
The fact that water runs off the material shows that the garment is water repellent. It does not show waterproofness. Parka Waterproof and Water Repellent Textiles and Clothing Book " used by Benoît on the presentation article of our parka cordura, eVent and Climashield :
Below 5,000 mm : a fabric is somewhat waterproof
Between 5000 and 10,000 mm : a fabric is very waterproof
Between 1000 and 15000mm : a fabric is very waterproof
Above 15000mm : a fabric is “very very” waterproof
Concretely, remember that:
- Basic water repellency or moderate waterproofing is sufficient to withstand a light shower.
- If you are likely to be exposed to heavy rain for more than 10 or 15 minutes, choose a waterproof rating of at least 5000mm.
3. Welded seams
When we talk about welded or heat-sealed seams ( sealed seam or taped seam in English), this means that the seams of the garment have been sealed using special strips to prevent any water from passing through.
Here we can clearly see the black band that represents the welded seam. Source: Obermeyer
It is a slow, technical process (which not all clothing workshops have mastered) and therefore expensive.
You will find welded seams on very technical and rather high-end parkas.
4. What to remember
So, you can trust a brand when it says that its clothing is water-repellent, waterproof thanks to a membrane (it's even better if it is able to provide you with figures to support this) or when welded seams are mentioned.
However :
- If a brand simply states that the garment is "waterproof" in a sentence without saying anything more, be wary. Perhaps the brand is playing on the water-repellent/waterproof ambiguity by deliberately blurring the point.
- If a brand does specify that a garment is waterproof using a membrane but does not provide any data, this means that the waterproofing is probably rather light, average at best.
- If a brand doesn't say anything at all about this, the garment is probably neither water-repellent nor waterproof.
If you want to delve deeper into the subject of parka padding, I invite you to read Michel's extensive article on the subject .
In particular, he mentions:
- The big match between synthetic and down
- Clo, index calculating the insulation of synthetic padding
- Cuin, an index calculating the capacity of a duvet to compress, expand, and therefore store air.
If you want to free yourself from all this complex data, the best thing to do is to see if the brand gives a thermal amplitude to which the garment is adapted.
" Comfort zone: -10 °". The information is very clear on this Kanuk parka.
If the weight of the padding is given, that can also help.
Here is what we observed on ranges at Primaloft or Climashield for example:
- Below 100g/m² : light weight, for a garment that is comfortable around 0°.
- Between 100 and 180g/m² : medium weight, for a garment that is comfortable down to -5, -10°
- Above 200g/m² : heavy weight, we start to arrive at "extreme cold" parkas which can easily protect below -20°C or even colder
Primaloft 180g/m2 for this Alchemy Equipment parka . It's a very warm garment.
If the brand says absolutely nothing about the thickness of the padding or the thermal range of the parka, it is difficult for you as a customer to guess. And it is also difficult for us to say.
I wanted to write a paragraph that could summarize breathability in a simple way until Benoît told me that it is a very complex subject.
A subject where exact, scientific data is not exhaustive, changes and is difficult to access.
There are three main breathability tests, only for waterproof membranes (you will logically not find data on this point for a garment that does not have a membrane, also, unfortunately there is currently no in-depth scientific test that gives a breathability index on membranes).
A first test for Gore-Tex, the RET, here is the interpretation of the results:
The lower the RET, the more breathable it is.
And two others that calculate quantities of water in g/m2 per day.
However, the values of these last two tests are very different, and it is not always easy, when a brand gives a numerical data for breathability, to determine which test is taken into account.
Benoît tells me that most of the time it is the so-called " Inverted cup " test that is used, here is the interpretation of the data:
The higher the score, the more breathable the membrane.
You can also compare a brand's breathability data with the right column of this table, also from the " Waterproof and Water Repellent Textiles and Clothing Book ":
The right column shows the amount of breath emitted by a human body based on its physical activity, in g/m2 per day.
If you find information on breathability, compare it to one of the tables above. Also, proven insulators (Climashield, Primaloft, etc.) are quite efficient in terms of both insulation and breathability.
Let's look at some parka data sheets together to apply what we've seen:
1. UBR Jasper model
Here is a moderately comprehensive technical sheet:
- We know that the padding is Primaloft without knowing the weight.
- The fact that the garment is called "2 layers" and then "waterproof" (without further details) strongly suggests that a membrane is present, without the term "membrane" being explicitly mentioned.
- There are welded seams, which also supports the presence of a membrane (putting welded seams but no waterproof membrane does not make much sense)
- The fabric is said to be "breathable" without further information being given.
- The outer material is 100% polyamide, with a not too technical visual effect.
For 500€, we therefore have a parka:
- Well suited for rain
- Who looks pretty hot
- With a rather urban and versatile look
3. Clash
Here is a more meager technical sheet:
- Outer material 100% cotton
- Lined with " quilted nylon "
And that's it. The other information is not technical.
For €240, you get a parka that is more focused on aesthetics and will keep you reasonably warm. You shouldn't expect much more.
1. This is not to say that you need a completely waterproof and insulated parka. This article aims to help you decipher the technical specifications of parkas.
This will be useful if you are looking for a parka with a certain warmth or with a certain level of waterproofing. If this is not the case (if you are simply looking for a parka that will keep you properly warm), I hope you will have learned something anyway (it is always interesting to know what a welded seam is even if you will never buy a garment that has one).
2. Although exceptions exist, remember the general principle that a brand that makes a parka with technical elements has every interest in telling you so .
The more information you have, the more likely you are to find a technically efficient parka.
3. It is impossible for you or us to determine the level of warmth or waterproofness of a garment if the brand does not provide any information on this subject : we cannot guess.
In this case, it is best to contact the brand directly to obtain more information. Provided that they respond.
