User Review: The North Face Baltoro Jacket

The North Face Baltoro Jacket
Above: The current Baltoro Jacket, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed May 11, 2008 by jay327

Rating:
Fabric: Nylon
Fill: 800 Fill Down
Price Paid: Big bucks

I have the black North Face Baltoro down parka, non-detachable hood, Summit Series, 800 fill model which I've worn every winter season now for the past four years. I love the coat and have many good things to say about it and just one, maybe two bad things about it.

Firstly, if you'd own one of these Baltoros and live where it gets really cold in the winters? often below zero? You'd cherish and love this parka and wouldn't want any other coat to wear in sub-zero temperatures. The North Face Baltoro is the most comfortable, light-weight, climate-controlled parka you could ever imagine! You'd have to try one on and be outside in the freezing winds of winter to understand! This parka, there's nothing like it!

I describe the experience of wearing this parka in freezing winter temperatures to wearing pajamas out in the harshest winter winds and temperatures while feeling toasty, light and comfortable without breaking a sweat. Besides having a non-detachable hood, the parka has a down-filled neck collar inside the parka which is extremely comfortable and warm adding protection from any draft getting on your neck. No wind gets in this coat, I'll tell you that much! I've worn the coat in strong winter winds while walking along an ocean shoreline. I hadn't felt any wind at all inside the parka, nor was I cold at all!

The coat is unbelievable. I'd say it's PERFECT except for two things I'll explain shortly. The hood has a well-designed set of draw-strings where you can adjust them with winter gloves on and can make the hood opening very small. The hood is also very-well insulated with down.

The bads things I REALLY dislike about the North Face Baltoro parka?

1. The outer-shell fabric is very fragile and thin! Lean-up outside against anything that might have a burr, be it metal or wood or whatever?... and there'd be an excellent chance the burr would tear a gash in the outer shell fabric like it were butter! You might not even feel it happen or notice it until you'd see your goose down blowing away in the wind! This had happened to me once while I was walking with a friend downtown where I ever so gently brushed against a metal street sign that had a burr on one of its' edges. The burr tore a four-inch long gash in my parka without my even feeling or noticing it.. and the down was coming out blowing in the wind while I was walking. I almost wanted to cry when I saw it. North Face really has to consider using sturdier and thicker fabrics for the outer shell. That's my opinion. No one wants to spend big bucks and have a parka that can be easily damaged?

2. The 2nd thing I dislike is that the outer shell is also not water-repellent. The outer shell needs to be treated. If not and you were to get caught in the rain wearing this? You'd be screwed without a doubt! Snow is O.K... rain... forget it!

I love the pockets on the parka. They're designed really well. Washing the parka can be a task, though. I think it's worth mentioning there's a heat-reflective silver-colored coating on the inner liner of the parka which can be damaged and fade easily if the parka is cleaned in a non-conforming manner to the printed cleaning instructions on the label inside the parka.

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