REI Co-Op Norseland Down Parka Review
With substantial warmth, weather protection, features, and style, the Norseland is an incredible value
November 10th, 2024
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Our Verdict
At $229, REI's Norseland Down Parka is an incredible value, with quality and features you'd expect at a much higher price point. This stylish winter parka has it all – warmth, features, weather resistance, and a modern urban look. It's warm without being too bulky, and it has carefully thought-out features (such as the side vent zippers) that extend its functionality.
I'm not exaggerating when I say that I get compliments on it everywhere I go – both the color (rustic gold) and the style – and both in the city and in mountain towns. From walking the dog to watching hockey games, the Norseland will keep you warm, dry, and stylish!
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Quick Facts
Price: $229
Shell fabric: nylon with durable water resistant treatment
Insulation: 650-fill duck down (RDS certified)
Hand warmer pockets: 2 zippered and lined
Internal pockets: 1 internal zippered chest pocket
Hood: insulated and fleece lined
Back length: 36.5"
Best for: casual use
What We Liked
650 down fill is warm but not bulky
Side vents at the hem keep the profile sleek and allow for freedom of movement when necessary
Insulated hood
Two zippered handwarmer pockets and one internal zippered pocket (all of which are big enough for a large smartphone)
Handwarmer pockets are lined
Insulated hood with fleece lining
Knit cuff gaskets at the wrists
Length is just right – not too long, not too short
Stylish
Warmth
The Norseland has 650-fill-power duck down that is Responsible Down Standard (RDS) certified. The RDS certification is important because it incentivizes the down industry to treat their ducks and geese humanely. We always look for this in our down apparel and sleeping bags.
The 650 fill power is considered "good quality" (on a spectrum from 300 to 1,000, roughly). Fill power measures how fluffy the down is – more fluff means less down is needed to achieve the same warmth. So a jacket with 950 fill power will be warmer than a jacket with 650 fill power if the fill weight is the same.
Higher fill power down is usually more expensive than lower fill power down. You'll generally see higher fill power in jackets and coats where weight is the primary concern, such as the Montbell Plasma 1000. The Plasma 1000 fills a very specific need – the lightest warmth-to-weight jacket possible for backpacking and long-distance hiking. 1000-fill power would be overkill in the Norseland. For more about down fill power, we get into it in our Best Sleeping Bags guide.
The Norseland’s 650-fill power is excellent for a winter parka to stay warm walking around town – good warmth and not too bulky. I wore the Norseland while watching an outdoor hockey game with temps down into the low teens and stayed perfectly warm. I don't feel like the dreaded Michelin man either – my movement never feels restricted or restrained.
Wind and Water Protection
The Norseland's nylon shell is not waterproof. However, it is treated with a durable water-resistant coating to shed light rain and snow. I've worn the Norseland in both rain and snow and can attest to the water beading off and not soaking in. However, this is not a rain jacket, and it will eventually "wet out" if conditions are bad enough.
Nylon is also wind-resistant, which is why it has been used as windbreaker fabric for decades. But it isn't windproof (as Gore Infinium Windstopper is, for example). But again, the nylon fabric here is appropriate – the Norseland is not intended to be used on mountaineering expeditions. The Norseland does have a little bit of the swooshing sound inherent with nylon fabric, but we've had worse.
Features
Shell Fabric
The shell is made of nylon with a durable water-repellent (DWR) coating to repel light rain and snow. So – it isn't waterproof. However, I've found that the DWR coating is sufficient in most situations where I use this parka. I've used the Norseland in both rain and snow, and it's a delight to watch the water bead up on the surface and roll off. I've yet to have it "wet out" and reach the down insulation.
Lining Fabric
The lining is made from bluesign® approved recycled polyester. We're pleased to see more and more products using bluesign-approved fabrics, and the fact that REI used a bluesign liner fabric makes it even easier to recommend the Norseland. In addition, the lining has a beautifully soft hand – it's not cold or clammy against the skin. It feels like the lining you'd expect on a much higher-end coat.
Stormflap and 2-Way Zipper
The front zipper is a heavy-duty YKK Vislon metal zipper, with the color integrated into the metal so that the color will never peel, rub off, or chip. It's also a 2-way zipper, which I frequently use when I want ventilation but don't want the jacket completely open, such as shoveling snow or walking uphill.
The Norseland also has a snap storm flap that covers the front zipper to further keep the elements out. The snaps go all the way to the top of the neckline, and I've used them when the weather is really bad. The snaps feel substantial but not overly so, such that you're worried about ripping the fabric around the snap.
Pockets
There are two zippered handwarmer pockets – and they're huge. Like you can easily fit a phone, wallet, and keys in one pocket. They're lined with supersoft polyester, which I love the feeling of. The zippers are also YKK, like the front zipper, but smaller. The zipper pulls make it easy to zip them open and closed.
There's also one internal zippered chest pocket that's big enough for a large phone. It is also lined with soft polyester material.
Side Vents
The Norseland has two 6" zippered side vents, which I unzip while I walk. I have a fairly large stride, and the extra room at the hem with the zippers unzipped means that the jacket doesn't interrupt that. The side vents are also great for sitting – they give you a little more room, so you don't feel constricted. The zippers also help keep the silhouette a little more streamlined, which helps with that style factor.
Insulated Hood
The hood is insulated with polyester fleece and incredibly warm. It's so warm and comfortable, in fact, that I usually don't wear a hat with this parka. The weight of the fleece helps keep it on my head, even in a light wind. The hood is also generously sized for larger hairstyles.
Cuff Gaskets
The wrist cuffs are nice and wide, with a lot of stretch that makes them easy to get the sleeves on and off but still keep the snow and cold out (I can get the sleeves over my Garmin Instinct 2 no problem). The sleeves extend over the wrist cuffs, so you don't see them, which keeps the style sleek. Again, you'd expect this from a parka at a much higher price point (such as the $800 Arc'teryx Patera Parka or the $350 The North Face Arctic Parka).
Fit and Sizing
I bought a medium, my usual size, and the fit is perfect. There's enough room to wear bulky sweaters or mid-layers underneath, but it doesn't look too big. We're also happy to see that REI offers the Norseland in extending sizing – XS to 3X. I'd say buy your usual size if you want to be able to layer underneath.
Style
The Norseland is surprisingly stylish. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I get compliments on it everywhere I go – both the color (rustic gold) and the style – and both in the city and in mountain towns. And some of the people giving me compliments are notoriously picky about looks and style, so I feel safe in saying that the Norseland has great style. It's not too bulky that you look silly, yet it's incredibly warm. Way to go, REI!
Value
At $229, the Norseland is an incredible value. In a time of inflation, it has only gone up $30 in the last 3 years.
I often see it on sale at the end of summer – and I was tempted to buy another one in another color. Considering the down is RDS certified, and some of the fabrics are bluesign approved, I'm amazed that REI can sell it at this price. To think – I actually considered spending $800+ on a winter parka!
What Could Be Better
There's no way to cinch the hood down or adjust it
A waterproof, breathable shell fabric would improve the weatherproofness
The placement of the handwarmer pockets is a little low
What we look for in a down jacket or parka
We made a video that explains the criteria that we look for when choosing down apparel, including down fill, fill weight, insulation, and warmth.
Treeline Review tester Tiffany Searsdodd wearing the REI Co-Op 650 Down Jacket in black. Photo by Emily Haas.
Other Versions
REI makes a jacket version of the Norseland, the REI Co-Op 650 Down Jacket. It's similar to the Norseland, but hip length rather than thigh length. It also doesn’t have a hood. It's also not quite as warm as the Norseland, but it's a great option when you don't need a full parka.
Other Winter Parkas to Consider
There are other great parkas out there, but none compete in price.
The North Face Arctic Parka
Insulation: 100% recycled 600-fill-power waterfowl down
Shell: 2-layer DryVent
Waterproof? Yes
Windproof? Yes
At $350, The North Face Arctic Parka is an extra $120 over the Norseland. The shell is made with TNF's DryVent 2L fabric, which is waterproof. It comes in 7 different colors, which is a bonus.
Cotopaxi Fuego Down Parka
Insulation: 800-fill-power down Responsibly Sourced
Shell: Ripstop nylon
Waterproof? Water-resistant
Windproof? Wind-resistant
We love the styling and colors of the Cotopaxi Fuego Down Parka, but we think the Norseland is a better value. For an extra $100 we would expect better warmth and quality.
Patagonia's Down With It Parka
Insulation: 600-fill-power duck and goose down (100% recycled) Responsibly Sourced
Shell: Recycled polyester taffeta
Waterproof? Water-resistant
Windproof? No
Patagonia Down With It Parka is missing some of the features of the Norseland, such as elastic wrist cuffs to keep snow out and lining in the hood. We also don't think it's as warm as the Norseland (jackets aren't temperature rated, so we don't know this for sure). Similar to the Norseland's hem zippers, Patagonia uses snaps at the hem. We like the Norseland's zippers better – they're faster and easier to use than snaps. The Norseland's vents are also longer.
PaTagonia DownDrift Parka
Insulation: 600-fill-power duck and goose down (100% recycled) Responsibly Sourced
Shell: 4-ply NetPlus postconsumer recycled nylon faille
Waterproof? Water-resistant
Windproof? Wind-resistant
Similar in styling to the Norseland, Patagonia's Downdrift Parka is nearly twice the price at $399. With a nylon shell made of recycled fish nets and 600-fill-power recycled down, it scores higher on the sustainability scale. It's also Fair-Trade Certified sewn.
Arc'teryx Patera Parka
Insulation: 750-fill-power European RDS goose down; 60 g and 80 g Coreloft polyester (80% recycled; bluesign®-approved)
Shell: 2-layer GORE-TEX fabric (bluesign®-approved)
Waterproof? Yes
Windproof? Yes
At $800, the Arc'teryx Patera Parka is nearly 4 times the price of the Norseland. You do get more with the Patera, such as a waterproof, windproof GORE-TEX shell and hybrid insulation (synthetic insulation in places more prone to moisture). It's also slightly longer than the Norseland, which can be a pro or a con, depending on your needs.
Why You Should Trust Us
I’ve logged a few thousand miles during my thru-hiking career, and I've always carried a down jacket. Some of my favorite long-distance hikes (ok, they’re all my favorite) include: the Triple Crown (Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Appalachian Trail), Pacific Northwest Trail, Great Divide Trail, Oregon Desert Trail, Tahoe Rim Trail, Arizona Trail, Grand Enchantment Trail, Idaho Centennial Trail, Blue Mountains Trail, among others. I have put the REI Co-Op Norseland Parka to the test from the wet city streets of Portland, Oregon, to the frigid mountains of Winthrop, Washington and Bend, Oregon.
