There is nothing like getting out and about in the fresh air in the winter time… a brisk walk on a frosty morning is the perfect way to get the blood pumping and an after-dinner walk is a great way to offset some of that over indulgence! But if you are gonna go out at this time of year you need a decent coat…
Land’s End have got a wide range of winter coats, and they asked me if I’d would review on here on Splodz Blogz. After taking some time to browse the range, I chose the Women’s Snow Squall Parka in Dark Pistachio because it fits nicely with my outdoor kind of style and promised to keep me dry.
(Sincere apologies for the state of the model above!!!) I went for the small based on the size description on the website (a UK 10-12) and am happy with the fit. It’s got a bit of room (enough for a fleece layer underneath for very cold days) but isn’t baggy. It has a draw-cord in the waist if you prefer a more feminine shape, but I have left mine with straight sides. It is a long jacket for someone as short as me, maybe just a tad too long I don’t know, but it covers my backside nicely!
The hood is adjustable and is massive – giving full coverage. At this price point I’d probably expect a capped peak on the hood to stop it flopping down and covering your face, but while the material has been doubled over/strengthened it doesn’t do that job very well. I found the hood restricts my visibility unless I hold it up, which is a bit of a pain. Having said that though, it is a decent hood, and is very easy to take off with the popper fastening if you don’t want it on at all.
Apart from that, the attention to detail in this coat is really excellent. The pockets are good sizes, the zips have toggles on so you can open and close them with gloves on, and there is even a little compartment within each main pocket that is designed for hand warmers… very nice touch (must find some hand warmers to go in them – I’m sure I’ve got some at home somewhere!). The coat does up all the way to your chin, and has a storm flap with velcro to keep it shut over the zip. Oh and there’s a really handy zip up pocket on the inside with a hole to poke your earphones through so your iPod doesn’t get the slightest bit damp when you’re out for a walk in the rain.
The colour is fantastic isn’t it? A really good green – and it’s a matt finish, not shiny at all which can happen with waterproof coats. The coat is also available in various other colours which look equally as strong, but I’m glad I went for this one – I’m not telling a lie when I say I’ve had comment after comment on the colour, people really like it.
I’ve been wearing this as my everyday coat for a couple of weeks and I can honestly say it is warm and definitely waterproof! The “windcheck barrier” and sealed seams block out wind and rain very well. I’m not sure about snow yet as we haven’t had any, but I’d happily choose this when it does come (in this country anyway… I’ll stick to my ski jacket for the slopes!).
The best thing about this coat for me is that it’s light and easy to wear. The 100-gram insulation is warm but it’s still a thin coat that will roll up and go in a bag if you need it to (but this is a coat not just a pac-a-mac so it will take up a bit of space). I love the cosy fleece lining on the top half of the inside of the coat, and the fact that the pockets are lined with a similar material makes it nice to put your hands in them.
Oh and this is machine washable – an absolute must for a coat that is designed to encourage you to go outside this winter! I’ve not washed it yet so can’t comment on how well it cleans, or if it remains as waterproof as it is at the moment, but I’m pretty confident it will be fine.
This coat is available from the Land’s End website currently priced at £140. There’s a nice wide range on the site so if you’re wanting a new coat this winter then it’s definitely worth a look.