It's winter.
While the trees sleep, parkas reappear on the four corners of the streets. Given the level of investment that such clothing represents, I preferred to wait to set my sights on one of them knowingly, without haste.
A few months after finally making up my mind, it is time to present to you in detail the Arctic model from Woolrich (on sale for €768 in France). Before the complete test of this very warm men's parka , let's take a look at the history of this prestigious American brand.
The history of the Woolrich brand
The story begins in 1830, when an Englishman named John Rich, an immigrant to the United States, built his first woolen mill in Plum Run, Pennsylvania.
Photo of the Rich spinning mill taken on Google Map in 1887.
The location of the spinning mill is ideal, John Rich is in the heart of the agricultural operations which allow him to travel the farms in search of the best wool.
Subsequently, John Rich's company (left) will diversify its activity into the creation of clothing from woolen fabrics from the spinning mill.
Woolrich quickly specialized in outdoor clothing, particularly in hunting outfits, the social activity par excellence in the 19th century.
Legend has it that Woolrich was the first manufacturer to equip men's pants with zippers. It is difficult to know if this is true, as there are so many rumors of this type within the textile industry.
However, if the company has managed to cross 180 years of contemporary history, it is certainly at the cost of a constant effort to adapt production to the Western way of life, and the innovation strategy that results from it. .
It is because of this industrial success that the American government signed a contract with the company. This was tasked with imagining, conceptualizing and producing the equipment for the American expedition to the Antarctic led by Admiral Byrd in the 1930s.
Photo of the Arctic expedition known as “Byrd First”.
At the end of these years of R&D in the field of equipment for extreme conditions , Woolrich definitively combines the mastery of synthetic materials with the experience of traditional natural materials sectors .
Review of the Arctic parka by Woolrich
If I had to cross the Canadian boreal forest naked, in the middle of winter, but with only one item of clothing, which one would I choose?
This is the 800 question I asked myself when choosing THE ultimate winter coat . More than a strong piece, the parka is for me the item of clothing that is halfway between the down jacket and the space suit.
In these conditions, it was impossible for me to choose a model in the style of the short urban parkas that abound in Paris. I needed something long enough to cover my butt and part of my legs. A stupid thing, in short.
A parka worth the investment
It's been a while since I heard professionals in the men's fashion sector extolling the merits of Woolrich parkas, a brand whose reputation is apparently well established.
Enough to catch my attention and then decide to take action to choose one of the many parka models offered by the brand.
Between the different technical materials, including 100% Italian wool treated with nanomaterials (like the Woolrich model in Loro Piana wool at 1,500 euros ), I wanted to go with an intermediate model in order to position my choice in the middle of the brand's catalog .
The Woolrich Arctic Dark navy model at 769 euros seemed to me to present the best compromise.
This is me in 2015, on a polar expedition on Place de la République.
A masculine parka designed for winter
In terms of color, I chose a gray-blue for several reasons:
- It makes it easy to put together outfits in masculine colors.
- It highlights the horn buttons , the fur and my hair.
As for the material, I took care to choose a natural fiber/synthetic fiber blend (60% cotton/40% polyamide) which has the particularity of being completely waterproof, which is very appreciable for an outdoor coat. winter.
To be precise, it is a hydrophobic and oleophobic Teflon® mixture designed to dry quickly.
In practice, I found that the effect obtained is consistent with the theory:
I admit, I didn't have the audacity to do the same test with oil. #small player
A sober design but a high-end garment
If the assembly of the coat is not particularly sophisticated, it certainly exudes robustness.
We feel that the designers have gone to the essential by choosing excellent quality materials , without trying to put pockets, closures and badges everywhere.
View of one of the few purely aesthetic details on the coat, the right angle formed by the topstitching line which joins the sleeve fold.
Duck down, authentic coyote fur and waterproof coating , only the materials have presumably improved over the original version.
For the rest, we actually find the 1972 model, right down to the cut and aesthetics.
I'm wearing homemade cotton gabardine pants, APC boots and a MelindaGloss hat.
Unsurprisingly, this coat is one of the warmest I've ever worn .
Completely closed, temperatures must be very low to avoid dying from heat. The opportunity to once again test the excellent insulating property of duck down .
When the temperatures are not extreme, like on this winter afternoon in Paris, a simple button-up and a scarf are enough (Burberry model).
A practical and functional men's parka
By observing the coat in its smallest details, we recognize American pragmatism.
Woolrich has gone to the essentials, so that the user has a real suit against the cold.
I particularly like the fleece covering that lines the inside of the chest pockets...
... as well as the pure wool ribbed cuff hidden in the sleeve, which keeps warm air in the coat.
Inside, rather than classic "wallet" pockets which would pierce the down, the designers have designed two hook-and-loop pockets with the double advantage of being very wide, and of being located at the very bottom of the garment so that the silhouette remains fine.
As someone who always wears my gloves, hats and scarves, I will know where to put them. Note: remember to write my name in ballpoint pen on the dotted lines provided for this purpose.
The only fault I find with this parka concerns the direction of the zipper which is reversed compared to my other coats.
It is thus the left hand which directs the mobile tube to bring it into the shuttle which is on the right hand, as you can see in the following photo.
It sounds stupid, but it's almost as weird as driving in England.
Otherwise, it is possible to remove the fur which is attached to the hood by a double system of zip and snap buttons.
This is an important function, whether you want to take the item of clothing to the dry cleaners, or whether you are going to an anti-fur environmental meeting.
Usefulness of real fur
It turns out that fur has obvious thermal benefits compared to a synthetic equivalent. I have noticed that the presence of this animal fodder breaks the flow of incident cold wind, and immobilizes the air around the neck and the outer rim of the face.
I tested putting the hood on before riding my bike, in bad weather (+ 4°C, wind and rain), and, unlike my other hooded coats, I noticed that wind and rain did not get engulfed, even if the hood drawstrings were not tight.
Sorry, but Maxime didn't want to follow me running with his beautiful camera while I was cycling in the pouring rain.
Note also the presence of an internal drawstring which allows you to bend the parka and thus increase your protection against the cold, by preventing air from rushing in from underneath when you walk.
Testing the Arctic parka after two winters (Geoffrey)
As I too am the happy owner of an Arctic parka, I completely share Romain's opinion: it's a great product . A definite investment, but worth the price .
A very practical product too, with attention to the smallest details of drawstrings or straps to protect the neck.
I am happy in my parka (Howlin by Morrison hat, unbranded gloves ordered on a Peruvian site, Commune de Paris sweatshirt, Gustin jeans, and Heschung ankle boots).
I will simply complete by saying that after two seasons, the parka is still in good condition.
So happy I'm miming. We don't deny ourselves anything.
On the negative side: the water repellency has greatly decreased , which is still quite normal given my intensive use. But the parka can still be used in light showers : the down doesn't get too wet.
Two buttons also fell off, but over two years it's ok, especially since once I had forced the closure a little.
Production of real fur
If the thermal advantage of real fur over synthetic fur is clear, it must be remembered that it comes from the hunting of wild animals , and that the question of the treatment of these living beings endowed with sensitivity is important.
Woolrich claims to respect a host of international charters on the protection of animals, in particular European regulation 3254/1991 which prohibits leghold traps, and more broadly all European law which only authorizes hunting methods considered "cruelty-free" aimed at species that are not in danger of extinction.
In this case, Woolrich claims that 100% of its coyote fur supply comes from Canadian trappers and hunters certified under the AIHTS (Agreement on International Human Trapping Standards), a standard intended to adhere to European law on the subject. of fur regulations.
The coyote is considered in Canada to be a species harmful to livestock and domestic animals. It must, as such, be subject to regulation given the natural proliferation of the species in the Canadian environment. Exactly like wild boars in France.
Pest animal whose population must be regulated, humane hunting method, compliance with European standards; all this should not prevent us from considering the use of wild animal fur as exceptional.
I therefore believe that this purchase must be part of a reasonable consumption approach, and I would refuse to have several furry garments of this type .
My opinion on the Arctic Woolrich parka (€769)
If I have the chance to realize my dream of participating, one day, in an expedition to the South Pole, it will clearly be with the Arctic model offered by Woolrich .
The noble materials and functional design of this parka make it a robust, resolutely technical garment.
