Nothing destroys a hunt faster than cold weather. For an ill-prepared hunter, consequences can range from minor mental distraction and reduced motor skills to loss of feeling and functions (gripping, walking), cognitive impairment, hypothermia and obviously, as a result if not treated immediately, death; moreover, simply freezing to death is a real danger for some hunters trekking in the harshest of environments. Considering cold-related illnesses, injuries and deaths can occur in wide-ranging climates, all hunters should carefully consider weather patterns and forecasts when preparing for adventures, especially through fall and winter months — the most popular seasons for hunting pursuits — and retailers should be prepared to guide them in decision making. 

Just as important, hunting retailers should follow suit with department stores in offering seasonal outerwear well in advance and throughout the duration of such periods of activity. In the case of America’s most popular hunting opportunities, this means predominantly colder weather and dictates that industry retailers should include outerwear items like parkas. What is a parka? Put simply, it’s still a jacket but with longer length covering most or all of the wearer’s hip area. That said, here are seven great hunting parkas sure to heat up fall through spring sales. 

Sitka Hudson Jacket

One of the most popular hunting apparel companies in the industry, Sitka Gear, was founded by former NFL football player and avid outdoorsman, Jason Hairston. In 2009, Hairston sold Sitka Gear to W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. — yes, the developer of famed Gore-Tex’s all-weather systems. Since then, the Gore & Associates team continues to follow in Hairston’s footsteps, dedicated to producing top-performing outerwear designed specifically for diehard hunters. One of the finest, most recent examples of Sitka’s focus can be found in the Hudson Jacket. 

Perfect for your most demanding duck hunters, the Hudson Jacket is parka-length outerwear built for comfort and mobility for all-day waterfowling in brutally cold and wet conditions. The Hudson Jacket boasts a three-layer Gore-Tex laminate outer shell; additional Gore-Tex with Stretch technology in the neck and shoulder areas for optimum mobility; PrimaLoft insulation; water-sealing gasket cuffs; sculpted, fully adjustable hood; roomy, bellowed shell pockets; zippered call pockets and GORE OPTIFADE Concealment Waterfowl Marsh finish. (www.sitkagear.com)

Drake Waterfowl G3 Flex 3-in-1 Waterfowler’s Jacket

Founded in 2002, Drake Waterfowl calls Olive Branch, Mississippi, home and from day one has been driven by the needs of hardcore duck hunters. For over 20 years now, Drake has aspired to deliver more protection from the waterfowling elements than any other outerwear producer. I’m a personal fan of Drake Waterfowl apparel, and my Guardian Elite insulated jacket and bibs are the best duck-hunting combo in my closet. That said, Drake’s current top-shelf parka-length offering is the G3 Flex 3-in-1 Waterfowler’s Jacket. 

According to Drake, the G3 Flex 3-in-1 Waterfowler’s Jacket is the company’s “warmest, most technical, functional and versatile jacket ever.” Considering the G3 Flex’s features, I have to agree. In a waterfowler’s world where weather can change on a dime, but where prime time is always brutally wet and blistering cold, design features like waterproof protection, insulation, layers and most importantly, versatility, not only rule the day, they dictate just how long your hunting day might be. Let’s face it, staying in the game all day when Mother Nature is dishing her worst, but duck hunting is at its best, can be tough. 

To ensure your duck-hunting customers can make the all-day cut, the G3 Flex features waterproof, windproof and breathable G3 Flex fabric; durable water-repellant treatment (DWR); polyester microfleece-lined collar; quick-access pockets with Magnattach closures; zippered underarm vents; Sherpa-lined handwarmer pockets; roomy cargo pockets with internal shell loops; adjustable cuffs and a removable LST Double Down Endurance hybrid Liner. The liner features 160-gram, polyester-synthetic down insulation on the chest, back, shoulders and upper arms; stretchable, breathable polyester forearms and sides; zippered and Magnattach pockets; elastic cuffs and waist; and zippered underarm vents. While Drake has aspired to offer the best protection and comfort to waterfowlers, today’s offerings also cover turkey and big-game adventures. Drake has something for all of your hunting customers. (www.drakewaterfowl.com)

Filson Tin Cloth Field Jacket

Clinton C. Filson called it right when he grew roots in Seattle, Washington. As it turned out, he was perfectly positioned to outfit the 1897 Klondike gold rushers, and he arrive well-equipped. As an apparel outfitter, he understood clothing in the Northwest was much more about purpose and protection, although Filson clothing looks darn good, too! Of course, Filson jackets aren’t just for gold rushers and blue-collared work environments — they are also great for hunting and outdoor adventures. My personal favorite is also one of Filson’s most popular, the Tin Cloth Field Jacket. 

Filson’s Tin Cloth Field Jacket, dressed out in dark tan with a richly contrasted brown collar, is quite popular among upland bird hunters. Boasting Filson’s oil finish and waxed cotton fabric, the Tin Cloth Field Jacket offers extraordinary weather-resistant protection from the elements to keep your customers warm and dry all day, every day. Additional features include a seamless shoulder design, robust shell pockets, wool-lined hand-warming pockets, two-way front zipper closure with storm flap, drawcord-adjustable waist and hem, and a rear nylon-coated, zippered game pocket. (www.filson.com)

Gamehide Whisper Blaze Orange Parka

Gamehide burst onto the hunting scene nearly 30 years ago with aspirations to deliver the best hunting outerwear available at the best price point. My first introduction to Gamehide began when I was a just a young Marine Corps sergeant in 1995, the year they introduced their revolutionary reversible hunting clothes — yes, I owned some. A year later, with my noisy hunting jacket as a major concern, I learned about Gamehide’s Hush Hide outer shell and had to have one — it was my first whisper-quiet jacket. Of course, a lot has changed over the years, including technology, and now Gamehide jackets are among the quietest, warmest I own. Even better, Gamehide parkas like the Whisper are offered in blaze orange, perfect for safety and to meet visibility requirements for hunting in various states. 

One of my favorite parkas, from personal experience and for color requirements, is the Gamehide Whisper Blaze Orange Parka. While the Whisper Parka is the most affordable offering in this lineup, it’s certainly no slouch in areas of warmth and comfort, even in ridiculously cold environments; in fact, the Whisper is Gamehide’s warmest parka. Features include 280 grams of HeatTech insulation; HydroCore lining; blaze-orange camo fabric; roomy rear cargo pocket perfect for upland birds; multiple front pockets to stow calls, cartridges and snacks; chest pocket with cartridge loops and a shoulder patch designed to keep a rifle sling from slipping. From duck hunting to elk hunting, Gamehide has something for everybody at price points your customers will love. (www.gamehide.com) 

Browning Women’s 4-in-1 Parka

Born in 1855, John Moses Browning made quick work to the elite firearm manufacturing ranks. At just 14, he produced a slide rifle for his brother’s birthday. At 23, he developed his first single-shot rifle and patented his design at just 24 years old. Soon after, in 1880, Browning was formed, and just two years later, Winchester bought Browning’s single-shot design and renamed it the Winchester Model 1885. Of course, we’re talking parkas, so 1968 was also important. It was the birth of Browning’s apparel. Today, Browning produces premium hunting clothes, and I definitely own a few items. Among the brand’s latest and greatest, your hunting customers are sure to love Browning’s Women’s 4-in-1 Parka. 

The only ladies-only offering in this lineup, the Browning Women’s 4-in-1 Parka is the perfect solution for any huntress planning off-grid adventures in ridiculously cold and wet conditions. The 4-in-1 Parka boasts a waterproof yet breathable, two-layer Pre-Vent Plus outer shell, chest-area fleece-lined handwarmer pockets; larger lower, fleece-lined hand-warming gear pockets; interior protective pockets; fully adjustable, attached hood with brim; adjustable cuffs, back license tab and an interior, insulated, removable liner. The insulated liner features a water- and wind-resistant outer shell, PrimaLoft Hi-Loft silver 80-gram insulation, handwarmer pockets, full-length front zipper, zippered external and internal pockets. The outer parka shell, as well as the internal liner, boasts a Browning Ovix camouflage finish. (www.browning.com)

Pnuma Selkirk Jacket

Founded in 2016 by Scott Schultz, a hardcore hunting enthusiast with a passion for improving the clothes we wear for intense pursuits in extreme conditions, Pnuma has been laser-focused since day one on producing premium hunting apparel designed to be as tough as the hunters who wear it, and in Pnuma’s words, “outperform and outlast” anything else in the market. It’s quite a bold statement; however, Pnuma backs it up with a lifetime warranty. Normally, I would insert “buy once, cry once” here, but Pnuma price points are definitely palatable. Your customers are sure to notice such value, and speaking from experience, my personal Pnuma outerwear definitely still looks new. Truth be told, however, my Pnuma gear has taken quite a beating through numerous hog hunts in thick woods and open crop fields — it has many miles of wear but shows nearly none. For colder and wetter fall weather, the Pnuma Selkirk Jacket is going to make many hunters happy this fall. 

At an average weight of just 40 ounces, the Pnuma Selkirk Jacket is exceptionally light; however, it’s designed to keep hunters warm and dry even in extreme conditions. Protective qualities include a Porelle Extreme waterproof, breathable membrane; 10,000mm waterproof rating; DWR repellent, whisper-quiet soft shell; 16,000g/sqm/24hr breathability rating; PnumaGrid fleece lining; YKK waterproof zippers; PnumaGuard non-slip, wear-resistant shoulder and elbow overlays; three-way adjustable hood and a safety harness port. For comfort, the Pnuma Selkirk is designed to accommodate sub-layering and features super micro-brushed tricot shell material, as well as thermal-regulating zippered vents. (www.pnumaoutdoors.com)

Arctic Shield Tundra 3-in-1 Parka

While original parent company ARC launched in 1999, the first ArcticShield product wasn’t unveiled until 2004. Today, ArcticShield is owned by Absolute Outdoor LLC, and the mission remains the same: to “create high-quality gear so you can outlast whatever conditions come your way.” Fortunately for your customers, while ArcticShield apparel is designed for all-day hunting in ridiculously cold environments, the apparel line is designed by hunters, for hunters. This means comfort and mobility are nearly as important as protection. Between quality, comfort, protection and price points, your customers are going to love ArcticShield. A personal favorite of mine is the Tundra 3-in-1 Parka. 

It's tough to beat a premium parka system at a value-focused price point, and Arctic fills the bill perfectly with the Tundra 3-in-1 Parka. Designed to keep hunters warm and dry for all-day pursuits in excessively wet and cold environments, the Tundra boasts Retain heat technology; durable, waterproof and windproof yet quiet outer shell with full-zip and storm-flap snap closures; Realtree Timber camouflage exterior pattern; roomy YKK-zippered chest and handwarmer pockets; zippered security pockets; additional two-way lower pockets; Adjustable wrist cuffs and articulated elbows; removable three-piece hood; adjustable hood and waist drawcords and a zip-out fleece vest. The interior vest features soft, warm fleece construction with a stand-up collar, zippered chest and handwarmer pockets, and an adjustable drawcord bottom hem. If the Tundra’s description reads like a too-much-to-list item, it is. This is where incredible value sits for your hunting customers. (www.arcticshieldoutdoor.com)