Customer Reviews The North Face Arctic Parka

This coat is very nice. I am usually a 12-14 and 5'5" tall and so I am on the fence of L and XL in puffy coats. I ordered an XL and I'm happy I did. The arms and bust/back are form fitting in this coat, so if you want to zip it up over a sweater, you'll need the extra room. It doesn't fit too boxy even in the larger size because it is fitted through the chest and flares out slightly only after the upper waist. The Fig Green is a dim dark brown green, which I like because it's neutral and slimming. The interior pockets are nice and satiny smooth inside - no nasty snaggy acrylic fabric in there - and the sleeves have cuffs. The waterproof aspect is a really nice bonus. I would say it's medium heavy - not as heavy as previous coats I've had - and comfortable and practical with a little feminine shape to it. Thumbs up!

This coat does run on the small size - I ended up with an XL (5'11") - I needed to be sure the arms were long enough. The coat is very warm. I purchased this coat as use public transportation for work - it can get rather cold waiting for the bus. This coat is perfect for the cold/snowy/wet weather.

I finally got this coat after thinking about it forever. Of course the shipping was fast and it arrived the next day as always. I love this coat! I am 5'2, 150 lbs and my clothes size is a medium and all my other brand coats and jackets are mediums. I was conflicted about if I should get this coat in a medium or large based on reviews that it ran small and according to the sizing chart and the size finder on the North Face website the coat ran small. So I got this in a large. I tried it on as soon as it arrived and it is a little big even with a couple layers of clothes it is still a little loose in my waist. I prefer a fitted feel in the waist. Right now it reminds me of my old maternity coat in the way that it fits fine all over except the waist area. I can pull it away from my waist and there is a handful of extra space. I suggest finding a store that carries this coat and trying it on to find your size. The coat feels a little heavy and is long, it comes right below my knees, which I was wanting for the blistering cold Chicago winter. The hood is very large and the faux fur is soft. A very well made coat. Despite it not fitting perfectly on me, I will most likely keep it and order the fig green in a medium when in stock. Since I can have this merlot colored one taken in by a tailor to fit better. You can never have too many coats.

This coat is very warm & very attractive! It's actually more fitted than it appears in this photo. I've gotten several compliments on the coat & color (which I would say is more of an eggplant color than Merlot). While this is not north face's warmest coat available, it certainly has kept me warm in the frigid Chicago winter!

Got this great coast for my wife for Christmas. Saved big dollars over what other stores were charging. She loves it!

If you are looking for a warm coat then this is it. I ordered up a size usually I am medium but in this coat I got a large. It leaves extra room. I am 5'4" weight 148 pounds. This coat is worth every penny. The hood is so warn and comfortable.

I got this coat after a long search for a down coat. It is perfect. So cozy, warm, and still stylish enough to be able to wear it just about anywhere. I live in Utah and wanted a weather proof down coat that wasn't my ski jacket. I am 5'6'', 135 lbs, and got the size medium. It fits perfectly.

Excellent jacket! Keeps me super warm during the winter and is very comfortable while still being trendy. However, it does run small (I usually wear a M and ordered a L and it fits like a glove). It's like a sleeping bag that is a jacket except it is not heavy or super thick. Highly recommended!

I needed a warmer wind and waterproof longer winter coat. I selected this style as it looked sort of a-line and I thought it would work well with my pear shape figure. When entering my info into the sizing guide it told me I would need a large (measurements are bust 32, waist 30, hips 40) being a skeptic I ordered a medium as well so I could try both on. Well the large was swimming on me and the medium fit perfect, the only issue is the sleeves on the medium could be a little longer. Overall LOVE the jacket but beware depending on your shape the coat could run big.

I love this coat because it is incredibly warm and comfortable. In addition, I think it is well-made with attention to detail like the hardy zipper, fleece lined pockets, and an extra cuff around the wrists so no drafts go up those sleeves in the blistering cold. I thought I would not like the fur lining at the hood, but it is actually really cute; it has the option to zip it off if I prefer. I originally ordered an XL based off the measurements listed by North Face, even though I normally wear a large size in most other women’s clothing. I did exchange the XL for the L, and I am happy I did. There is still plenty of room for a sweater or hoodie under this coat. I highly recommend!

If you're looking for a warm, pretty, and non-quilted looking long winter coat this is the one! I wanted a long fluffy coat, but being a curvy girl anything with square quilts would make me look twice as large. I was so excited when I found this jacket because the long lines and stitching are definitely the most slimming long coat I've seen in a long time. Definitely agree with other reviewers that you should size up on this coat! I've owned probably a dozen North Face coats (currently have 6 in my closet) and they are all larges, but the large in this was too small. The XL was just right (still a bit small in the shoulders, but will definitely work. I ordered both the Fig Green and the Graphite Grey, but am ultimately only keeping the grey. The green is STUNNING if you're looking for a more casual coat. I was however looking for something that I could wear while trekking back and forth between classes I teach on a college campus and so I went for the still very pretty but less unique grey because in the long term I think it will be more versatile. I LOVE the extra cotton cuff on the inside of the sleeve, it'll be really nice when it gets super cold out and fabric tends to chafe me.

Awesome parka. Live in Chicago and this is what I've been looking for! I'm 5'3", 135 lbs and bought a medium so I could wear bulky sweaters or hoodies and it's perfect!

Absolutely love this jacket! It's lightweight and very warm but you won't get overheated. One of the best jackets I've had!

I'm 5'10" and 135 lbs and while the Small was the right size for my shoulders and body, the sleeves were about 2 inches too short and the coat came to mid-thigh. I was looking for a coat to my knee so it is going back. It would have been fabulous otherwise, really warm, great hood, super soft handwarmer pockets and not too puffy looking.

I bought this jacket for myself as a Christmas present. My boyfriend read all the reviews and determined that the jacket runs big. I am between a small and medium, 5'8" 140 pounds. I ordered a medium based off of what he said. I was a little disappointed in the lack of feminine shape. I had a more slim image in mind. However if I were to order a small it would have been small in the shoulders/sleeves (difficult to drive you know). It is a little loose and puffy in the waist, but seems proportional. Once I accepted the fact that it is indeed a down jacket and that I am not willing to sacrifice warmth during the polar vortex in Minneapolis, Minnesota for a slim figure, I was satisfied. It is warm, it is comfortable, if you want an ultra feminine shaping (or form fitting) jacket this may not be for you. If you like a slight feminine shape and extra warmth, click buy now!

Very warm jacket. A bit snug but I like that, especially when it's freezing outside. My only complaint about the coat is that I wish it was a few inches longer. It falls high above my knee (I ordered a size S and I'm 5'5"). It's water proof and I love the huge extremely warm hood. Very happy with quality.

My favorite coat! Pros: really cute coat, fur hood keeps you really warm, zips/buttons all the way up to your chin, wrist suction thingys (proper name) make it so wind can't go up your sleeves. Cons: not long enough, zipper gets stuck I have this coat and a long Patagonia coat. Even though the Patagonia coat is longer, this coat wins almost all the time. It keeps you very warm and is comfortable even in really cold temps.

I am returning this coat because it runs small. I usually wear a medium, which is what I ordered. It is tight across the shoulders and would not leave enough room for a heavier sweater underneath. I read a similar review about the size running small, but thought I would take a chance. I was wrong.

This is a nice jacket but it does seem to run small through the shoulders like others have mentioned. It fits well in the sleeves so I doubt that moving up to the next size would work. I'm exchanging it for a different brand.

After reading lots of reviews of this coat on this and other websites I decided to order a size M, since it seemed to run small. I am 5'4, 130lb and have somewhat broad shoulders, but in other TNF garments I usually take a S. As another reviewer noted, the coat did seem tight across the front chest/arm openings, though the arms were very generous elsewhere, and it was uncomfortable to move my arms around forward or up above my head. Below the shoulders the coat billowed out. Because of the precise form of the front chest pinching I wonder if a size S would actually work better. It seemed like if the whole front was hoisted up a bit (as might be the case in a smaller size) on my frame that the arm hole openings would be high enough not to constrict my arms/chest. I guess with a peculiar fitting coat like this, nothing beats being able to try on a few sizes back to back. I'm definitely sending this back but I still haven't decided if I'll order a S or just try to find one in a store nearby. As to all of the coat's other features, it seemed pretty durable and heavy duty on the outside, well filled with down but not too bulky, and like it would be very warm. The sleeve length was fine.

I own several North Face down jackets and I love them. I ordered this parka because I wanted something with better wind resistance. I always take a Large in North Face (even though my clothing size is usually Medium; I am 8-10). This jacket was very tight across the front of my shoulders, and I am not broad shouldered. When I raised my arms out in front of me the sleeves climbed up too short and the jacket cut into my arms. The body of the jacket however, was too big if anything. I'm disappointed and it is going back to Zappos.