Patagonia DAS Parka

[David Kuchtrczyk]

An excellent mid-weight cold weather parka. Very warm for it’s size. However, it’s far from lightweight or compressible in the ultralight sense. My regular old REI down jacket compresses smaller and weighs about the same.

It’s a great bombproof garment and thus would be my choice for environments where getting cold can be life threatening. I have used this jacket and a 30 degree bag in sub zero temps with no discomfort.

Cut is generous, allowing you to easily wear a heavy sweater or 300 thickness fleece under it if you buy your regular size. And the sleeves are long enough for tall people (thank you Patagonia).

I love the jacket but it’s downfall is primarily the bulk. It uses up more space in a pack than most winter sleeping bags.

[Peter Horan]

I agree with most of what the previous reviewer said about the DAS Parka except his rating which I thought was too low. DAS Parka is designed to keep you warm in bitterly cold conditions but potentially wet conditions. It does that exceptionally well.

It is my “go to” parka for belaying when ice climbing. I used it this past weekend when it was 15 degrees, snowy, with a strong wind. DAS Parka kept me warm.

There are no frills or functions on this jacket beyond what’s essential for its function. The inner mesh pockets are great for drying out gloves and caps. The hood works well with a helmet.

Put in the included stuff sack, it’s about the same size as my 20 degree UL down sleeping bag. Bulky? yes.But that comes with the territory. I chose this parka because I wanted the assurance of synthetic insulation rather than down. I accept that greater bulk is one of the byproducts of that decision.

[Bob Gabbart]

Although I have found it to be a nice parka, I think some of the claims are over stated. I wouldn’t plan on it keeping you warm at 0 degrees when standing still, or turning your summer bag into a winter bag. Wearing a base layer, wind shirt, and the DAS parka, I get chilled standing around in the teens.

Bob

[Sven Klingemann]

I have had the parka for a month now and decided to pull it out when temps got down to -4 degrees Fahrenheit (wind chill factor). It is very warm and since I was walking most of the time, I quickly overheated! The hood is great since you can adjust it in multiple ways, including your head size. I have to both agree and disagree with some of the previous postings – it is rather bulky and I don't know whether I would take it on a hiking trip. I probably would take the micro puff and combine it with additional layers. In terms of warmth I have no doubt that this parka would keep me warm in significantly colder temperatures, but then again that is subjective.
The DAS parka is great as a winter parka and I highly recommend it! Non-hiking rating is a 5 – for hiking/backpacking probably a 4.

[Ryan Hutchins]

I agree that this Parka is excellent as a cold weather/winter parka. It has a good performance to weight ratio, considering it is synthetic. I have worn it in temps ranging from the teens(Fº) to -40, and it was an integral part of my winter (or shoulder season Desert) layering system. It does well in cold wet conditions, and very well in cold dry conditions. It layers well over other clothes for belaying. My zipper blew out on it, but that was the only problem I had in ~8 yrs of use (besides fading).

[Jonathan Ryan]

If I were a more lyrical person (or unemployed) I am pretty sure I could write a poem about how amazing this jacket is. Not only is it a bombproof super warm garment, it is a confidence building insurance policy that I do not go anywhere without when winter rolls around in the White Mountains. The fit is perfect over all layers, the hood makes you feel like you are wrapped in a cocoon and the rather large inside mesh pockets are great for drying wet gloves or storing warm water bottles at night. In the deepest of winter trips this jacket allows me to actually hang around on sub zero summits as apposed to running back to treeline for shelter. While not ultra light by any standards, I feel comforted with the knowledge that when I stop, I will be warm. Considering that with even the lightest clothing setup, you can still sweat up a storm on a 15 degree day, it is nice to have a big warm jacket to fight off the flash off cooling effect.

Staying warm at -10 in the Mahoosuc

[Matthew L.]

The Patagonia DAS has been a great addition to my winter hiking kit. While there is no doubt that it is pretty bulky in the pack (I would like to see a newer insulation than the PG 3D), it keeps me warm with some mid-weight layers to below zero. The fit is great for layering (big, but not too big), the hood is superb and really seals in the heat, and the pockets on the inside and outside are well designed and are a great place to dry out damp items and keep the hands warm (I would like there to be insulation on the inner portion of the handwarmer pockets). The durability of the jacket has not been an issue for me, nor has the DWR; it shrugs off snow and light rain with ease. For a belay jacket (especially since I carry a down winter bag), it is a vital piece for me that can block the wind and conserve precious warmth while at camps or during breaks. While it could use an update of the fill, it is an extremely toasty, well-designed, good-fitting, and durable piece of gear that weighs a quite reasonable 25 ounces in size small. Great garment!

[Greg Vaillancourt]

A 4 because the main zipper pull looks pretty fragile.

I like the breathability of this parka. Reminds me of my MH Chugach (also Polarguard 3D) in the way it dries your other layers after you put it on. Not the warmest parka by itself but it does restore the warmth of your other layers and that is more important to me.

PG 3D has proven itself to be a fairly durable synthetic insulation and that is worth considering when a garment will be stuffed into a small sack regularly.

[Daniel Strange]

I got this jacket for a shockinging low $50 at a Patagonia outlet closeout. It's become one of my most valuable winter hiking items. While some may question whether this is an "ultralighters" parka, I find that the security of bringing this parka allows me to leave other items at home.

For example, if I'm going on a solo winter climb in the Whites I will leave my Waterproof shell at home knowing that this parka will block the wind and not easily get wet. For solo winter day hikes I feel confident that I could survive an emergency bivy with just this parka and my pack pulled over my legs, therefore I can leave the bivy sack and sleeping bag. If I'm going overnight I can bring my 20 degree down bag and this parka and be comfortable down to 0 easily, saving me the weight of my winter bag. Plus the fact that it's synthetic gives me more confidence to bring the down bag.

I keep considering other, less bulky options such as a down jacket, but keep coming back to this parka for winter hiking. I've climbed in sustained above-tree line winter conditions with just a thermal shirt, wind resistant fleece, and this parka. If I was bringing a lighter down jacket then I would feel compelled to bring a waterproof shell and the weight advantage would be lost. Also I'd be worried about sweating too much in the down jacket and getting it wet. With this parka I sometimes leave it on despite being slightly too warm. Perspiration just goes right through it, and I can just open the front to ventilate.

I find the jacket well designed, perfectly sized for layering, and the pockets are well placed. The interior mesh pockets are huge and I can fit a full 2 liter bladder in there and it won't freeze. The fabric feels lightweight but I haven't torn it despite substantial bushwacking. It breaths well and sheds snow and light rain. I can't think of anything to improve other than I wish it was more compressible.

[Mike Clelland]

I am chiming in and giving the DAS a low grade of 3.

It is NOT a lightweight piece of gear! It's a porker, and should be refered to as such on the BPL site.

29 ounces? Thats 1 pound 13 ounces!

Look at the BPL COCOON series (much lighter). Layer these together (see below) for a similar warmth to the DAS.

cocoon hoody, 10 oz
( + )
cocoon vest, 3.7 oz
total = 13.7 oz

Or – get a montbell down jacket = 14.2 oz

Yes, the DAS is a warm & sturdy synthetic parka, but don't call it lightweight. Cuz it's NOT. Alas, It is a "traditional" piece of gear.

= = = = FOLLOW UP BIT OF EXTRA TEXT = = = = (added april 2008) = = = =

I STAND BY MY REVIEW FROM ABOVE. Yes – The DAS is very well-made, sturdy, trustworthy, warm and fool-proof. It is NOT light.

I have used down in wet conditions and it holds up fine.

And I have also used the synthetic COCOON combo (hooded pullover & vest) under my parka, and over my windshirt. It is a VERY warm option, and much lighter, almost a pound saved.

= = = = Even MORE FOLLOW EXTRA TEXT = = = (added May 2008) = = = = = =

Okay – I just spent 17 days in the Chugatch mountains of Alaska, and I had to deal with a 6-day storm and freekin' COLD weather. My insulating layers were:

A patagonia R1 hoody
A Cocoon full-zip hooded parka
A patagonia puff ball vest

I have done a lot of winter camping, and this was as crappy as it gets. And I was perfectly fine. Other folks had DAS parkas, and they were fine too, but my system was a little bit lighter.

[James Loy]

Whoa, did I miss something? Are we only supposed to offer reviews of lightweight gear? Although not a lightweight piece of gear, I have to give the above rating to a product that works as advertised and is truly warm. I also have both the Cocoon vest and hooded pullover, and to me, at least, they are not as warm as the DAS Parka. To each his own, I guess.

[Richard Peters]

I recently took a new DAS parka on a traverse of the Wapta Icefield. The beginning of the trip started pleasantly enough with temperatures around -7C but by the end of the trip temperatures had plummented to -37C and we had winds approaching 100kmph. I was very glad I had the DAS. Although I didn't wear it while travelling, as soon as I stopped it went on over my "action suit". It's a bulletproof piece of gear and part of my essential safety net. The materials were appropiate for the task and I didn't have to worry about moisture. With it, I was able to use a lighter sleeping bag than I would otherwise. A down jacket might have been lighter and more compresible, but not as foolproof.

It seems to me that using the adjective "lightweight" (or "heavyweight" for that matter) without a context is meaningless. For me, in the circumstances I found myself, the DAS Parka was the lightweight option.

[Chris Ells]

This jacket will keep you alive in some pretty extreme conditions. I'm not sure if Mike understands what the purpose of this jacket is. A Cocoon Hoody and Vest simply don't provide the insulation that the DAS Parka does. It doesn't. The DAS has 2.5x the insulation of the Cocoon Hoody and still more than the Hoody and Vest put together, plus you would severely be lacking insulation for your arms. To put it into context, if the Cocoon Hoody had the amount of insulation that the DAS Parka does it would weigh upwards of 20-24 oz. which is just a few ounces less than the DAS, which has a full zipper that opens from both ends, which is preferred when used with a climbing harness. This jacket isn't designed as a layering piece. Its for mountaineering. Having multiple lightweight garments simply isn't practical for mountaineering. You put this on over whatever you are wearing when you are inactive.

This jacket is designed to keep climbers alive in extreme conditions. A 10oz jacket and 4 oz vest would come up very short in that regard compared to the DAS parka. A mountain guide would laugh at somebody bringing a 10 oz jacket and a 4 oz vest on a big mountain and that is the bottom line. This is not an ultralight backpacking piece and nobody here claimed it was. Claiming a hooded jacket with 68g/sq.m. of insulation is the equal of a jacket with nearly 3x that insulation is highly irresponsible though.

Using a lightweight 14oz Montbell Down Jacket in place of a DAS Parka would be dangerous as well. Mountaineers use synthetic belay jackets as a secondary shelter when high on the mountain and use the heat generated by the jacket to dry gear. Try that with a down jacket and you would freeze to death after the down turned into pancake batter.

[David Chenault]

Please note: my comments pertain to the 2009 Primaloft One version of the DAS.

I have to agree that this is not an ultralight piece of gear. Not insofar as the insulation goes (the P-One is great stuff), but in the detailing. For me this is a bonus, for others, perhaps not.

The main zipper is a beefy #5 YKK. Having had quite a few main zips fail over the years, I appreciate this choice. I'll gladly take an bit more weight for long-term durability and ease of use. The draw cord elastic on the hem and the hood are also very thick (compared to my V.1 Houdini, for instance). An appropriate choice for a winter sports parka, IMO. The shell fabric isn't heavy, and lacks the superfluous shoulder and elbow reinforcements of previous versions. It is however heavier than current state of the art sub 1 oz/yard shell materials. All these choices add up. If Montbell made this parka, it would likely be closer to 20 oz for about the same warmth. I prefer the more durable construction. YMMV.

What is less up for debate are the quality of the design, construction, and insulation of the parka, all of which are superlative. The P-One is shockingly warmth for it's (lack of) loft. The insulation dries very fast, and soaks up little water. The DWR is high-quality, and the shell fabric also dries very fast. The cut is, for the size, roomy. Buy true to your normal size and all but the extremely barrel-chested should be able to layer anything short of a down coat underneath easily. The hood is roomy, but cinches down when needed, and the tail drops down to cover your butt. Not room for improvement here in my eyes.

The coat has two zippered handwarmer pockets and a zippered napolean pocket. All fine and dandy. It also has two massive mesh drying pockets inside the front on both sides. They seem a bit excessive to me, but you need not worry about having enough room for multiple pairs of gloves and socks, or anything else you care to stash away. If anything, it's problematic because you can overload the pockets with heavier stuff and resemble a lumpy santa in short order.

In summary, for winter pursuits like backcountry skiing (my primary use for this parka) Patagonia has things dialed. It's not at the cutting edge of ultralight, but may be ahead of the field w/r/t functionality over the long term.

[Shane Shin]

I have owned a Das parka for 5 years and use it mostly for its intended purpose (ice climb belays).

The major benefit of this parka is its bombproof nature. It continues to insulate well when wet and actually dries very fast. You can wear wet clothes inside the parka, and they will actually dry out. Although the shell is not particularly durable, it is reinforced on shoulders/elbows and you don't have to worry about down pouring out of a hole.

The downsides of the parka are that its not that warm! This will keep me warm in 20 degree weather standing around for about an hour, with a baselayer and shell on underneath. Any lower temp or longer standing around and you'll be cold. It's also bulky/heavy like others have said. I am a believer in the synthetic belay parka, but I do not think this is the best one – and it's way overpriced.

[V k]

I spent 5 hours sitting around in camp at 0F to 5F wearing mid weight base-layer, montbell down inner and DAS parka. I was very comfortable entire time.

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