Men’s Electro Amp™ Parka
3.5
5
4
4
Awesome Jacket but too small
Really excellent jacket, top quality piece with fitted look. The only problem for me is that it was too small down the waist. It would've been perfect if they carried a tall size, and it's disappointing that they don't consider most winter activities like skiing and snowboarding require a longer jacket down the waist. I had to return but I wouldn't hesitate buying it again if they offered it in tall
March 23, 2012
Heavy, Warm and Functional
My only major complaint, or rather aspect I would point out to potential buyers is the sizing. I had the luxury of trying one on in the store so I knew which size to get. However, I am 6' and 155lbs, so I need a medium fit but the length of a large. So I went with the large. The arms fit perfectly but of course the torso is a bit on the large size because of it. This inherently keeps the warming coils from being snug against your lower ribs, but it can be remedied by tightening the bungee pulls at the bottom of the jacket.
This jacket is heavy. I don't necessarily think that is a negative aspect given the benefit of warmth you get in return for that weight. But be aware that the battery packs add significant weight, I would guess the jacket weighs in at about 5-7lbs?
The design, seams, outer shell are all fantastic. No complaints. You can remove the inner snow skirt and outer hood. The chest pockets are a tad bit low but this is probably relative to the sizing of the jacket.
The warming function works well. I don't care to advertise to the world that my jacket is heating me, so I chose to put black tape on the inside of the outer shell to cover up the LED logo. While there is a stealth mode, you have to hold the button for 10 seconds, wait for it to flash twice, and then once you select your heat setting the button stays lit for 20 seconds or so before fading out. I would highly recommended that the design department rethink that on future iterations. The majority of people don't want to walk around with a glowing emblem on their chest, and the stealth mode is not very stealthy for the first minute of use.
These are minor issues, but I bought this jacket to generate some warmth and it does that. It protects you from the wind, the inner heating liner separates from the shell and it has ample pockets and attributes to make it functional.
January 11, 2012
Not bad overall, few design issues could be tweaked.
Just picked this jacket up at Sports Experts on Boxing day.
General comments.
- Without heat the jacket in my opinion is good to about -5c, the heat conducting elements also seem to conduct the cold when not using the batteries. Adding better insulation to the outer lining could have resolved this.
- With heat it’s actually hard to say but I'd speculate at least -20c maybe more. So far the most I’ve had it out in has been -10c. But I live in Canada so I’d imagine it’s going to get pushed to its limits this winter.
- The jacket is reasonably heavy but not really that noticeable when wearing it. The jacket is probably comparable in weight to a normal winter jacket with a set of keys and cellphone in it.
- The jacket is obviously very high priced. But given it’s a fairly unique design. There are not many designer electric ski jackets out there.
I'll start with the good.
- The jacket does output a decent amount of heat to certain areas in your lower torso. The heat going to your arms is less noticeable.
- I still haven't had the jacket long enough to give it a good trial on the existing batteries but so far they seem barely adequate. At the max setting the jacket does seem to burn through the batteries pretty fast but its long enough for you to make a trip out during the day.
- Overall design of the jacket is aesthetically very nice. The other portion of the outer lining actually seems heavier than the inner lining even with all the batteries and modules installed. Overall it seems fairly sturdy and structurally well built.
- The hood of the outer lining is detachable by a zipper which I like as I usually just wear a tuque.
- It apparently has a lifetime warranty which is critical for me given this is still fairly experimental technology for Columbia and the jacket is pretty expensive. I'm hoping the after sale support is good.
Now the bad.
- Considering the price of the jacket Columbia could afford to have done a better job insulating the heat in on the outer lining to allow for extended use without the batteries, maybe thinsulate or down feathers or something.
- Battery pockets are really tight; it’s difficult to get the batteries in and out. Also because the cords running through the battery pockets are so soft and exposed inside the pockets there is a high risk of damage if you put anything else in those pockets.
- Battery life could be better, as most of the jacket weight is not even from the batteries Columbia could have gone for slightly larger capacity batteries even with a small weight hit and just stretched it to that full 8 hour benchmark.
- Also it would have been nice if the battery connections could accept other standardized battery packs. That way if you’re away from a charger for an extended period it would be nice if you could swap out for conventional battery packs. Maybe a case the same size as the lithium packs that allows you to load it with AA batteries in a pinch? If Columbia is open to this I'd love to test the solution out as I don't always have access to a charger during the day and it would allow the jacket to be used outdoors for extended periods.
- The liner needs some type of draw cord or something for you middle torso to tighten the fit. The heating elements work best when right up against your skin. If you sitting the jacket liner tends to bulge outwards separating the heating elements from the user.
Overall.
I'd recommend it with some minor cautionary warnings. Hopefully they will get addressed by Columbia down the road.
December 28, 2011
Electro amp Parka
I live in Oregon and have a Columbia Whirlybird Parka which I love. But I wanted something to keep me warmer with outdoor activities like hiking on really cold days, watching football games in the rain and cold etc, so I thought this would be ideal.
Here is what I noticed about the jacket. I got the black color. The size seemed perfect.
1. When I got it home I laid on my white carpet and noted immediately when I picked it up it was coated with white lint and it will not brush off. The fabric is a lint magnet, unlike my Whirlybird Parks. This makes the jacket very unattractive looking ie covered with lint all the time.
2. The exterior shell is very thick and amost rubbery material that makes it very stiff. Bending my arms is difficult, and the coat rides up when sitting because it is is stiff. The waterproof zipper up the middle makes it even stiffer on the front.
3. I went for a walk in the mid thirties to try out what it would be like without batteries. I did not find it very warm honestly. The outside pockets have little to no lining and the cold air gets transmitted right to your hands by the rubbery fabric. The silvery lining on the inside shell remained cool after walking 20 minutes and the rubbery shell seemed to absorb and transmit the cold to the body.
4. The exterior pockets zip open from the top down. This means that with your hands in the pockets the zip puller is in contact with th edge of your hands and it is very sharp and uncomfortable along with the sharp zipper itself, so I did not want to use the pockets. The zip puller on the whirlybird is not sharp like this one. Also one can feel all the interior buttons, gromments, which are hard and unpleasant as well with your hands. Why not put some lining to make pockets comfortable on a jacket of this price?
5. The wire from the batteries runs from the battery to the electric warmers smack through the middle of the interior pockets! This is a bizarre design. That means everytime you put something in the interior pocket you are going to be stretching or crimping these delicate looking electrical wires and I bet they will not last long before they break or fail, and then no electric jacket. I am sure the wires could have been diverted around the pocket.
6. The collar where it meets the neck is stiff as can be and has some unknown metal elements stuck in them which constantly irritated my upper neck and chin.
7. There is a little sling that one puts ones thumbs through to warm the hands electrically and that also was too tight and also was uncomfortable. I would not use it.
Overall this is not a comfortable jacket
December 25, 2011
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