REI Triad Parka - Men's

Comments about REI Triad Parka - Men's:

I rarely take the time to write product reviews. However, I felt I just had to complement the REI team for the superb design and outstanding quality of this parka. If you need a new parka please check this one out before you buy one of the other famous name brands. You won't be sorry. I own similar parkas with removable liners from North Face and Columbia. They are good jackets. Still I was pleasantly surprised at how much better this REI parka is. I tried on over a dozen different parkas before I bought it. I was not shopping for price. I would have purchased a more expensive jacket if found a better one. But this parka was by far the most comfortable and easy to use. For me at least, the overall fit was perfect. In addition, it has lots of pockets in strategic places so they are accessible and easy to use. The shell and liner was softer, less stiff and much less scratchy than the others. I found it easy to bend my elbows and raise my arms. Also, the zippers were very smooth and quiet. In addition, the shell is waterproof and windproof. Both the shell and liner fabric are made from 100% recycled polyester. The hood fits well too and doesn't hang over the eyes when used like many other jackets. It is also easy to adjust. Finally, I like the classic subdued appearance of the REI parka. I have a pet peeve against manufacturers such as North Face who use their customers as unpaid walking advertisements by embroidering their name in prominent places on both the front and the back of their jackets. I don't need to impress anyone with the brand of parka I wear. What more can I say? This REI parka is a great product that I can highly recommend.

Comments about REI Triad Parka - Men's:

I am 5'10" and approximately 175-180lbs and purchased the Black Large "REI Triad Parka" which fits and looks great (Medium size was a little too tight around the middle and short in the arms.). I feel ready for any cool-cold climate in it.I spent some time reading reviews and trying on jackets at a REI store and came to the conclusion that the "REI Triad Parka" was the best 3-season jacket around. It's main competitor for me was the "The North Face Vortex 3-in-1 Jacket," which I found to be made of alot stiffer material ... the "REI Triad Parka" was alot easier to move around in. That's why I called it lightweight... and, of course, the comfortable liner by itself is lightweight.The "REI Triad Parka" is also 1.5 inches longer past the waist than the "The North Face Vortex 3-in-1 Jacket". I am not sure which style I prefer, but since I can sit reasonably well in my car with the "REI Triad Parka" zipped up, I am content. It's length also keeps me warmer lower down. The "REI Triad Parka" can be cinched at the bottom in both the liner and shell.There are many pockets on this 2-piece jacket and I use most of them for liner gloves (great "Black Diamond Midweight Liner" gloves - Large), shell gloves (good "Mountain Hardwear Epic Shell Gloves" - waterproof and windproof), a hat (great great "Mountain Hardwear Dome Perignon" - Medium, Titanium), a neckwarmer/facewarmer (good "REI Thermo Neck Gaiter" - Black). I keep everything in the shell except the liner gloves, which go into the left inner pocket of the jacket liner for use in warmer weather when using the jacket liner alone (that pocket has a opening for headphones, btw).Although I may have liked other color selections than drab green and black (like grey, dark navy blue, or tan), I find that the Black one (which comes with a nice dark grey liner) that I purchased looks great/classy for a variety of normal/non-recreational situations, from casual wear to even a suit and tie. Many other jackets are very bright and perhaps convey that a person is always on the way to the slopes.Jacket is warm in freezing temperatures (0-30F) with minimal clothing underneath.I like the waterproof, windproof, and breathable aspects. In my home test, water rolled off the shell nicely ... Liner is at least semi-waterproof. Outside in windy sub-freezing temps (0-30F) no wind penetrated anywhere. I can leave this jacket on in warmer environments (stores, car, etc.) with little to no sweating because of its breathability ... can unzip the front a little for those situations... no under-arm zippers on this jacket, btw, which is fine with me.Hood detaches and adjusts/cinches if desired, but I just like to leave it attached. The hood is lightweight and non-obstrusive while not used. When used, I found that it fit better than the one on the "The North Face Vortex 3-in-1 Jacket" and didn't readily cover my eyes unlike that one (although the North Face one seemed "somewhat" adjustable too to fix that).The shell can cinch at the wrist cuffs using velcro. The base/non-moving/less-rough strip of velcro on the jacket can perhaps be longer (1 inch extra would be great) so that the piece that comes down upon it does not hang a little loose when cinching the wrists a little tighter. Not too bad though ... I suppose I can sew on a black strip myself if it becomes an issue."REI Triad Parka" is pretty soft around the neck area with both the shell and liner. Shell can zip up to around the chin area but is a little stiff when zipped up fully.Fell nicely on the ice on my back once while ice-skating and jacket had not a scratch on it.[...].HIGHLY Recommended.

Comments about REI Triad Parka - Men's:

I've had this parka for about 10 days. It has exceeded my expectations. I have another 3-in-1 parka by a competitor. I favor this one. It's more comfortable and fits better. The slippery, friction-free liner makes the parka very easy to get in and out of and contributes to overall comfort. I feels really good to wear. I live in west central Oregon where it rains almost every day in the winter. The parka sheds water like a duck. It is certainly warm enough for much colder or windier weather than we get here. My one minor complaint is that the the liner lacks a zipper or snaps at the neck to keep it connected to the shell there and consequently feels like it is separating from the shell when handled. It's a small deal and is not an issue while wearing it. The front pockets are large and deep which is nice. They hold my big gloves without looking like I've got potatoes in my pockets. The hood adjusts easily to keep the brim off one's nose. It has a great-looking stylish fit so I don't look like I'm on an expedition shopping for groceries.

Comments about REI Triad Parka - Men's:

So I took this jacket with me to the summit of Kilimanjaro earlier this month and it preformed beautifully! At the summit it was -7F and i was still comfortably warm in this jacket. Actually at times a bit too warm, but i'll take that any day. Great jacket at a good price, it's well worth the money and i'm sure i'll be taking it on many an adventure to come!

Comments about REI Triad Parka - Men's:

Great coat for all seasons. I wanted something I can wear over dress clothes and not look like I am headed to Mount Everest. Yet, it holds up at the top of Vail in Colorado. Exactly what I was looking for and the price was right. Thanks again REI!

Comments about REI Triad Parka - Men's:

Has been great so far this winter. I have a North Face down jacket which is very warm but it is bulky and has a thin non-waterproof shell on it that I'm afraid I might rip. This jacket is not as warm but more than makes up for it with the waterproofing, durability, and versitilty it offers with the removable liner which can be worn seperately as a lighter jacket.

Comments about REI Triad Parka - Men's:

Jacket is great. Love the media pockets in both the inner and outer shell. Three-in-one is the way to go. The inner layer is warm and blocks a lot of wind. The outer layer breathes really well. I am glad that I got the waterproof instead of water resistant outer shell.

Comments about REI Triad Parka - Men's:

Bought this jacket for the cold, midwestern winter. I love it. Comfortable inner jacket and lining, not fleece which gets too hot. Limited use of velcro which sticks to too many things. It's lightweight for such a warm jacket. It never gets too hot inside and has a nice matte shell. Bottom line is that it's comfortable, looks great, love the inner jacket and not too heavy.

Comments about REI Triad Parka - Men's:

I just moved to Detroit after six years in southern california. When it started to get cold, I realized I didn't have anything like a real winter coat any more.

My experience so far with winter in Detroit is that it alternates (practically daily) between cold and dry, cool but wet, cold and snowy, and cold and rainy. I was glad to find a non-puffy winter coat that works for any of those conditions.

The liner is great at keeping me warm, the shell is an excellent windbreaker and raincoat. I was advised by the salesperson that the proper way to layer the coat (for warmth) is to detach the liner from the shell and just wear both zipped up individually, which has worked well for me so far.

I have one, relatively minor complaint about the coat: When wearing the shell alone or when wearing both with the liner detached, the fasteners inside the sleeves (to hold the liner's sleeves in place) scratch my wrist in a somewhat annoying fashion. I might eventually just cut them out, but I didn't want to start physically altering the coat right after getting it.

One of the best things about the coat (apart from it doing a good job of keeping me warm/dry in the various weather conditions I am facing) is the abundance of pockets.

The last thing worth mentioning is that I like the material on the inner collar of the shell (I think the official description is that the "collar is lined with brushed tricot"). Since the shell covers the lower half of my face when it is zipped all the way, the collar lining makes a big difference for comfort.

Comments about REI Triad Parka - Men's:

I've had this parka for over a month and used several times in very cold and windy days where temps fell well below freezing with sustained winds. Wind chill was in the single digits. This parka fits great and looks just as good. The removable outer shell contains a good 3/4 of the weight but in cold, windy weather, it's not a problem. The overall weight is reasonable as it is wind and water proof. The female version has pit-zips which would have been really nice on this coat. The inner lining is very comfortable with out the outer shell and can be worn casually. I often hike with the shell off as it can get stuffy with out the pit zips. That being said, if you do hike without the shell, you will pull the stitching on the lining. The stitching is not imbedded or tightly made and tree limbs will pull the threading out. Granted I didn't pay $250 for just an insulated jacket and I suppose REI wants the shell on at all times, but you will find it gets a bit heave and stuffy. Hiking with the shell off will result in torn stitching.