Nice jacket!

Very good jacket. I took it with event and with the 800 upgrade. This jacket is really light for it's warmth! The down really loft well. The baffle construstion is great and the hood is huge. I'm not a fan about the "removable hood" but this one sure do the job. A great insulation jacket.

Customer Service

Never needed it

Similar Products Used:

North face Baltoro parka, dolomitti jacket, a dryloft north face with hood and down 700.

This jacket rates the highest in initial quality of any piece of gear I have ever purchased. The seams are accurate and the loft is incredible. The fit seems true to the description on their website which says it is cut full for layering. I am 6'0 175 pounds and i wear a size 42 coat and the large fits perfectly. I ordered the Epic fabric and it seems highly water resistant as I have worn it in light showers with no problem. It is not a full parka but it still covers below my waist. Do not waste your money on the North Face nuptse ot the MH Subzero SL. The quality of down and the custom order availability from Feathered Friends makes these products obselete. Overall a great value with looks to match.

Customer Service

I ordered my jacket on November 8th and received it on Dec. 11. Customer service was helpful even when I called and added the 800 fill upgrade and shoulder reinforcement. My biggest complaint is the Feathered Friends web site. Since there are no retail stores except in Seattle, they need to have more detailed pictures and better descriptions of each of their products. The same goes for the catalog. Another suggestion would be to have pictures with people wearing the clothes.

Similar Products Used:

Mountain Hardwear Sub-zero SL

Shell (Epic by Nextex Ripstop Microfiber):
- Water Resistance -
1. When i received the parka the first thing i did was pour water onto it and try to rub it in. Wouldn't go through.
2. First trip i tried to rub it on the tent walls to get condensation all over it and see if that would go through. Nope, and with a simple brush it was all gone.
3. Second trip was snowing like crazy and it just fell right off. Although the snow was not a very wet snow.
4. Seems to breath well as i have not had any build up of moisture, but any moisture from my clothes and body dries quickly once i put this inferno on.
- Wind Resistance -
1. Both trips had gusts of at least 50mph and constant 35mph winds so i put myself right in front of it with the parka. From what i could tell it shedded wind without a problem because i lost no warmth. ]

We'll see how this shell holds up over time.

Insulation (13.3oz of 800+ down, including the 2 extra oz's i had added):
1. This thing is light for the loft it provides.
2. It is super warm, although i have yet to try it in temps below 0. But i am confident that i can take this on denali next year and use it all next winter.

Design and Construction:
1.Their sizing is tighter than other manufacturers. I wear a large of other parkas i have tried, but an XL in feathered friends.
2. Construction is beautiful. You can see the time and effort that went into making this. Quality.
3. Articulation is perfect on the arms and the cuffs are nice.
4. Hood is very well stuffed and the draw cord works well, although there is only one. The stiffened brim works nicely to keep out wind and snow, but can be folded back and will stay in place.
5. The inside pockets are huge and can fit stuff to keep warm.
6. The outside pockets are also large.
7. Well designed draft flaps.
8. Waist is cut nicely and has elastic as well as a draw cord (very awesome design here). I am a narrow guy so it takes a lot of pulling to get it tight.
9. Collar fits nice and tight, but not too tight. It is fleeced lined and that feels great.

In general i am very pleased with this parka and would never fork out money for any other brand again. Very glad that i gave feathered friends a try.

Customer Service

Bought it through a retailer. Took 8 weeks for them to put it all together with the custom stuff i had done.

Similar Products Used:

Mountain Hardwear, Marmot

another great product. Mine is goretex. The hood is huge very warm and expensive. I wear it in -20 to 30, and I never worry about being cold.

Customer Service

no problems

Similar Products Used:

helios

Great winter jacket. Much warmer than comparable jackets. Construction is light, but definately tough and accurate. Upgrade to 800 fill.. it's worth it. I also added 2 ounces of overfill for a bit more. I'd go with the Epic shell.. it's very water repellent/wind resistant and has the advantages that nylon has over the PTFE shell. Couldn't ask for a better winter camp jacket!

Customer Service

FF seems to have somewhat of a bad rep as far as CS goes... I talked to them via email and phone (3 times) talking about differences in shells/styles. They were extremely friendly and helpful. Always curtious, even when I changed my order. Call them and you'll see.

Similar Products Used:

None

Being from Florida I really feel the cold when I have to go out of town to work, sometimes Canada,Scandinavia, up into the artic circle. In wintertime I could freeze if not carefull, not with this jacket though,there are warmer jackets on the market but at a little over $200.00 from the FF website sale page this is a great bargain. I upgraded to 800+fill and added two extra ounces for around $20.00 extra ( I get the feeling I was under charged for the upgrades!)My jacket came without the wear patches on the elbows and shoulders to FF credit they replaced it within a week, although the jacket originally arrived a week after the promised date (so I had to go out of town and freeze once again). This is an excellent product it oozes quality.It is very warm, however I get to sleep in a hotel every night not on the frozen tundra! If I were I might consider the "Rock and ice".In below freezing temp's the heat would rush out of the collar (if I let it) like I had a hair dryer in there not once did I ever wish for something warmer it truly acts like it has it's own heat source. Don't kid yourself that you can buy just any jacket with a few ounces of 500 fill and chicken feathers and it'll keep you warm. When this wears out I'll buy another. I bought this over the internet without a single phone call.

Customer Service

As much as I like FF products I felt like I were dealing with martians trying to buy from them. Just bite your lip as you deal with them.

Similar Products Used:

Numerous jackets over the years.this is the best I've owned, although I did buy a nondescript jacket in China twenty five years ago for fourty bucks which came close.

I spent a lot of time trying to decide on a belay parka/emergency bivi insulation. Synthetic or Down? I decided on this parka with the optional (more $$) PTFE shell which makes the jacket more water and wind resistant. This jacket is WARM. It stuffs small and takes a few minutes to expand to it's maximum loft, but when it does..."come in out of the cold!" So far A+! It's so puffy it takes some skill to manipulate the zipper with gloves on (witout seeing it). But the velcro works fine for swapping at belays. I wouldn't know how to fix this except a bigger (less packable, heavier) zipper, but I don't think I'd do it, and I think that's why those folks at F. F. use the current set up.

Customer Service

The mail order folks were helpful.

Similar Products Used:

Marmot Parbat
Wild Things Denali

Very warm. Very light and soft. Compresses quite small. The hood (which is huge) is detachable, which is nice for those times around town or for belays where you know you will not need the extra protection. Very large pockets. Though not officially wind resistant, it does an excellent job in all but the harshest wind. Good deal.