North Face McMurdo parka.
 

Has anyone had one of these?
Do they keep the cold out?
Are they VFM
Is there anything out there thats any better in the same price bracket?

How about one of these, though not too sure on UK prices.

Actually, the expedition seems to be a massive rip-off in the UK, listed at about £825, which works out to CAD $1487, which is nuts, as the retail in Canada is $844

Keeping it short...
Yes, yes and yes.
Anything better, as with everything, probably.

Nik.

Three yes's thats good enough for me.Now to find a good price.

I fail to see how any jacket that costs £300 and upwards can be value for money.

I am diabetic i feel the cold when walking my dog.I am determined to stay warm this winter
Thanks for your input anyway.

With a lot of things you get what you pay for.
I bought mine from link below.

http://www.gaynors.co.uk/mens/clothi...cmurdo-parka-2


Nik

I got one a few years ago from http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/ in Coventry (when they actually sold other brands, rather than their own "invented" ones). Bloody good price though - twas a couple of hundred rather than the 300+ now.

A very substantial parka, with lots of big pockets (but with a zip-on hood with pop-on "fur" - i would rather they were fixed on such a jacket).

Not been many opportunities to wear it in recent years (it is very warm) but it was "christened" down in Guildford and worked well at the time despite lots of snow.

So yes, they are brilliant, but maybe overkill for the UK.

Cheers,

mb

Oh, and the only problem was that it had a "girly" (i.e. left hand) main zip!

For keeping cold out I find thermal undershirt and long johns very effective. Several thinner layers trap heat far more effectively than one big overcoat (and cheaper). £800 for a jacket/coat is extortionate.

I had a Mcmurdo and it was nice and warm,but was expensive..And i tore the freakin bottom half of the arm out on barbed wire and knacked it..

I have an M65 field jacket now,it has a detachable fleece inside and does a great job when out with the dog...

I'm rather taken with this:

http://www.howies.co.uk/mens/clothin...ue-bronze.html

I buy lots of stuff from these guys too:

http://www.finisterreuk.com/shop/men...lus-parka.html

Onion skin system.

I'm liking that too, I have 10 year old Ventile trousers from Howies, still good.

I recently bought their Epic waterproof jeans; amazing things!

Most of my clothes are from Howies or Finisterre (I happen to know the owner well and we worked with them in the early days).

None of this massive branding surf tat for us!

Good to hear the jeans are good, next purchase.

:thumb:
I wouldn't contemplate going out in winter without thermals. I cringe when I see scantily clad ladies and lads in t shirts shivering outside clubs and the like.

Since i have been diabetic i feel the cold a lot more.So this year i thought i would get better prepared.I will probably go with the several layers idea.Then i will be looking for thermal socks and gloves/mittens

I found an Army surplus store in Ross on Wye,I have bought a Swedish army parka,thermal socks and some thermal mittens.The fella says i will never be cold again. I know its not North face but at £55 for the lot i am willing to give it a go.The big test will be when i am watching the Wyedean Rally early next year stood around for 3/4 hours.

I tried it out this morning.Excellent bit of kit,

Nice one. I'd also consider thermal long johns, very effective I was outside today in a temperature of -2 and my legs were toasty warm. :thumb:

I will put them on my xmas list.
I am well impressed with the army surplus gear.

For headwear I highly recommend furhatworld.com. I have a rabbit fur trapper style hat and it is very warm. Before the rabbit fur hat I bought the beaver fur Russian hat and I had to send it back as it was too warm.

Its nice and warm in those chicken houses.

WARRIOR TUSCAN waterproof windproof the warmest coat i have ever had. a bargain at £17.50 on ebay, i got mine free from work logoed up :thumb: i has to be bloody cold before you can wear anything more than a tshirt, with it :thumb:

You must of looked a complete Bellend lol

http://www.furhatworld.com/images_wm...ka_Hat_345.jpg

Well, if you have ever been stuck on top of Grizedale for 4 hours in late November, in a gale, and the trees have been felled so there is no shelter, then you'll see how they become VFM ;)

I like a bargain, but I never skimp on outdoor gear.

However, if you just want it as nice coat to ponce about in the winter, then yes, £300 is questionable!

Sealskinz beanies are good bonce covers - waterproof, breathable, warm.

I'd feel uncomfortable spending less than £100 on a jacket - what WOULD people think? ;)

Some of them are completely OTT! But no the more subtle ones are great and extremely warm. Plus I wouldn't dare wear a hat upwards like that, because yes then you would look like a knob! :lol1: