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November 09, 2009

Patagonia’s Downtown Loft Parka (courtesy of Patagonia)

What is the best women’s full-length parka for very cold weather?

— Linda McFarlane
Calgary, Alberta

gear girl answer

I’m partial to two parkas. Patagonia’s Downtown Loft Parka ($350; patagonia.com) is made out of a buttery soft, durable, water-repellant satin polyester that feels so good against your skin you could wear it and nothing else. The 800-fill goose down, below-the-knee parka will insulate against even the bleakest Canadian cold front. The DLP also has a lot of thoughtful extras, like a shawl-collar that transforms into a hood, a two-way zipper with a windflap, and hand-warmer pockets. Best of all, this parka is svelte, ensuring you won’t feel like the Bride of Michelin every time you put it on.

Do you have a question of your
own?

Cloudveil’s Oslo ($300; cloudveil.com) is another dreamy down option. Trimmed with fleece at the cuffs and collar, the 550-fill, full-length parka has a zip-off hood, a two-way zipper, hand-warmer exterior pockets, plus one more inside to keep important items like doggie treats safe when you’re out braving the subzero temps, taking Fido for a midnight potty break.

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Stephanie Pearson: The Gear Girl
When it comes to gear, contributing editor Stephanie Pearson lives by one rule: What you own, owns you. That's why the skier, hiker, biker, runner, canoe paddler, and sometimes yogini is on an eternal quest to find gear and clothing that will enhance her life rather than make her a slave to dysfunctional stuff. During her seven-year stint as a travel editor at Outside, Pearson received three honorable mentions in The Best American Travel Writing series for stories on Guatemala, New Zealand, and Bhutan. Now that she's no longer in the office at Outside HQ in Santa Fe, Pearson hopes to be on the road more and is always in search of functional and aesthetically pleasing gear that's easy to use or clothing that's elegant to wear. Pearson is based in northern Minnesota and Santa Fe. Her latest adventure was on the fringe of the Amazon Basin in Brazil.