Men’s Patagonia DAS Parka Review

Bottom Line

Designed with alpinists and climbers in mind, the Patagonia DAS Parka offers such impressive performance and warmth that winter hikers have also caught on to this great winter jacket.

Its synthetic insulation is among the best in our lineup of best winter jackets and provides great warmth even when wet. Tested in the damp and cold of Alaska’s Prince William Sound, the DAS Parka is one of our favorites for a packable and warm synthetic jacket.

The DAS Parka offers some features unique from others we tested. Elastic thumb loops in the cuffs of the sleeves allow you to keep the jacket secure and warm. The cinch for the hem is under the bottom edge of the jacket, which eliminates some of the awkward bunching found in others tested.

Decidedly technical, the DAS Parka eschews style for performance. While this may not be the most stylish jacket to take out for a night on the town, its technical performance is among the best we’ve tested. Try out the DAS Parka for your next winter summit, or wet weather adventure.

How We Tested

The Patagonia DAS Parka was worn regularly in coastal Alaska’s damp cold over three months to test its durability and warmth when wet. From backcountry cabin trips in the single digits to wet days in the temperate rainforest, the DAS Parka was subjected to a variety of conditions to bring the most comprehensive review possible.

Warmth

The DAS Parka offers some of the best synthetic insulation of any jacket we have tested. When taking this out in the cold and damp of Alaska’s temperate rainforest in winter conditions, it kept us warm even while damp. We frequently had wet sleeves and a damp core, and it kept us warm throughout. If you’re someone who recreates in damp cold often, this is the jacket for you.

DAS stands for dead air space. The DAS Parka traps insulating air thanks to its 133-gram PimaLoft Gold Eco Insulation. An extra 40 grams of insulation is added to the core to further boost warmth. The jacket is roomy, allowing space to layer underneath while elastic in the side panels helps keep the profile trim enough to trap heat. This is the jacket to throw on while belaying, having lunch on a mountain summit, or walking through cold and wet climates.

Weather Resistance

The Patagonia DAS Parka offers moderate weather resistance, enough to withstand brief exposure to the elements encountered in most winter activities. Its Pertex Quantum Pro shell—a 10-denier ripstop nylon with a polyurethane coating and durable water-repellent (DWR) finish—effectively sheds snow, ice, and light rain. Water beads up and rolls off the fabric, while the windproof construction blocks cold gusts, creating a dependable barrier against the elements.

However, this jacket is not designed to be a standalone weatherproof layer. Warm enough that you’re likely not to use this jacket in a downpour, the DAS Parka is not waterproof and will absorb moisture with time. The outer material is thinner than others we tested which helps keep it lightweight but compromises its weather resistance. Due to its large size, layering over the top of this jacket is tough. If you’re going to be spending extended time exposed to rain, we suggest a lighter insulated layer that can fit a waterproof shell over it.

Comfort & Functionality

The DAS Parka is designed as a highly technical piece and while it won’t win any style awards, it’s most at home on adventures. Designed as a belay jacket to throw over the top of other layers, the fit is intentionally roomy. If you’re looking for a more athletic cut, we recommend trying to size down or testing out a different jacket that is slimmer. The cinch around the hem does bring in some of the lower material, but this jacket is still intentionally long to provide warmth and protection.

This technical jacket aims for function and efficiency in harsh environments over style and comfort. It passes up some of the comforts of other jackets we tested that have comfortable features like knit cuffs or fleece-lined pockets and collars. Regardless, we found the outer material smooth and comfortable on the skin, and left us without any feelings of abrasion or itchiness.

Features

While the DAS Parka may pass on some of the features dedicated to comfort and style, what features it does have are focused on performance. The elastic thumb loops are a unique feature not seen in any other jacket in our selection. These help keep the jacket securely in place when putting on mittens or gauntlet gloves. While the jacket does not have any velcro straps on the exterior to tighten down the cuffs, these thumb loops act as pseudo-cinches to help keep out the weather.

The hood while designed to fit a climbing helmet can often be too large for just wearing a hat. A single tensioner in the back of the hood secures it snugly around the head. The hem is cinched with an easily adjustable gasket inside the jacket that reminds of a powder skirt found on ski and snowboard jackets. We love this for keeping warmth in and snow out. 

With an included stuff stack, the DAS Parka is extremely packable. It is easily squashed down to the size of a large water bottle or loaf of bread. Lastly, the DAS Parka comes equipped with five pockets: two external hand pockets, one external chest, and two large internal stuff pockets. The internal stuff pockets are especially useful for stuffing mittens, hats, and other layers into.

Should You Buy the Patagonia DAS Parka?

If you’re the type of person who values performance and function above all else in your gear, then the DAS Parka is the jacket for you. Eschewing some of the style and comfort of other jackets, the DAS Parka is all business.

We love its warmth when wet performance, excellent weight-to-warmth ratio, and packability. This is the type of jacket to put in your backpack for an outing unsure of what weather you will encounter. It’s roomy enough to throw on over other layers and provides impressive warmth.

While not designed to replace a hardshell or rain shell, this jacket’s shell can handle ice, snow and the occasional drizzle. The DAS Parka is an excellent choice for anyone spending extended time in the damp and cold and is sure to appeal to climbers, hikers, and winter recreators alike.

What Other Winter Jackets Should You Consider?

Take a look at our other similar recommendations below or get the deets on the full lineup of best winter jackets for men.

REI Stormhenge Review: If the outer material of the DAS Parka left you wanting more weather resistance, the Stormhenge offers the warmth of down, but with the waterproof exterior of a shell.

LL Bean Ultralight 850 Review: If the weight of your jacket is among the top of your considerations, the LL Bean Ultralight 850 is the lightest jacket in our lineup. It’s perfect for adventures on the move.

Rab Neutrino Pro Review: The Neutrino Pro is the down-filled brother of the DAS Parka. With a similar outer material and length, the Neutrino Pro offers the packability and loft of down but with a similarly performance-oriented design.