better button up
2 Nov 2006
remember when you were a little kid and everyone had the same parka? it was was a blue or green nylon jacket with a zipper and button loops with a big fake-fur hood. they were usually so big they came down to your thighs. yah i remember playgrounds full of them.
now kids and adults alike are rocking the parka again. those in colder, snowier climes may go for the traditional long parka, but those of us who are a little bit rock’n'roll can now look good in a shorter jacket-length version. these things are seriously big pimpin. they’re toasty warm and stylish as hell. trust.
If you live in an seriously cold environment, your winter jacket has to be equally serious, and no one knows this better than burton. vermont gets friggin cold, my friends. the analog cyro2 (analog is a burton brand) is the perfect jacket for those of you who need some cold weather protection but still want to look good. it’s goose down stuffed inside a seriously waterproof. as a nice touch, you can zip out the faux fur hood lining if it’s too wet out or you just can’t rock the fur. but trust me when i say a fur hood keeps your head seriously toasty. the wood camo is as hip as hip can get, but you can always buy the white one if you need something a bit more conservative. just no black, ok?
for urban dwellers who need to battle the cold, but not 550 fill power goose down cold, Alpha offers the N3-B military replica Parka. we’re not a fan of the black, but damn if this jacket isn’t perfect in every other way. it’s filled with polyester instead of goose down, and the shell isn’t quite as water proof, but it’s less than half the price and looks totally bad ass. i mean didn’t bill murray wear this jacket in stripes? what better reason do you need?
spiewak makes a slightly more luxe version of the parka from your youth. it’s still long and nylon, but the cut is a bit narrower and the hood is lined with real fur. for those in wetter climes, this might actually be the best choice since the long cut will help keep your thighs dry.
ew! fur is gross.
yah. i was apprehensive about posting anything with real fur. especially since it’s coyote fur and i couldn’t stop thinking about the RHCP song. but i’ve had parkas with both real and fake fur and i can tell you the real fur is superior in both it’s structural integrity and it’s water resistance. at least i offered two faux fur options for the morally sensitive readers. and in the end, i decide most people i know eat meat, so i can’t feel all that guilty.
i’ve been a complete Analog junkie… 3 coats, a few pair of jeans, several shirts, gloves, hats, boardshorts, even an ace wallet… but 2 years ago they stopped paying attention to detail and began crudding-up the brand (much to my dismay). the new Analog gear doesn’t rate as well… my suggestion is to buy old analog stock off eBay. look-out esp for the vintage Analog special edition leather P.O.T.A. parka… it’s art.
of the 3, my vote’s with the Alpha.
I wonder if this style might work well for crap-weather scootering…think Quadrophenia meets antarctic exploration.
Is that Josh Davis in the middle pic?