Men’s Fjallraven Nuuk Insulated Parka Review

Bottom Line

The Fjallraven Nuuk Parka is a high-quality jacket designed for activities in harsh arctic environments. As such, it comes equipped with an impressive array of features and solid performance in ensuring warmth and weather resistance. It’s one of our top picks for winter jackets and is sure to be a great fit for anyone demanding the most out of their gear.

Those who are a fan of the classic look and cold weather performance of a parka-style jacket will love the performance and features offered by the Nuuk. The synthetic insulation is a great feature for warmth when wet, and the polyamide shell is both durable and weather-resistant. The hood comes equipped with a removable faux fur ruff and wire brim to keep the elements at bay.  Coming equipped with no fewer than eleven pockets, the Nuuk is one of the most heavily featured jackets we’ve tested.

While not appealing to some, this tactical-styled jacket comes ready to take a beating in harsh environments. Some quirks in the design, like an oversized construction, hood, and sleeves, make the fit of this jacket somewhat awkward, and its extreme heft and high weight make it less than ideal for backcountry adventures where mobility is a priority. Regardless, the Nuuk is a solid cold-weather performer, most at home in the coldest places on the planet.

How We Tested

The Fjallraven Nuuk Parka was tested in the mid-winter cold of Alaska’s boreal forest. In double-digit negative temperatures or days when snow piled up, we took out the Nuuk Parka to test its weather resistance, warmth, and durability no matter the conditions. Over three months, we subjected the Nuuk Parka to a beating, ensuring a rigorous and comprehensive testing process.

Warmth

The Nuuk Parka is extremely warm as it is designed for polar work, sled dog racing, and arctic exploration. The recycled polyester insulation provides impressive warmth without any of the puffy cloud looks of down jackets. Fjallraven’s proprietary Microloft insulation is extremely effective at creating dead air space around the body in a protective blanket of warmth. Putting on the Nuuk feels like shrugging on a heavy homemade quilt on a cold winter day.

However, we did struggle with keeping cold air from moving up from the bottom of the jacket. The Nuuk has the longest length of any jacket tested and has a large opening around the hem of the jacket. While there is a tensioner around the waist to help the jacket tighten, it is not enough to keep cold air from creeping in. This was especially noticeable while sitting when the bottom of the jacket hung open to the air. These feelings of cold were fixed by a cozy mid-layer and keeping the jacket hugged securely around the body.

Weather Resistance

The Nuuk Parka’s shell is equipped with Polyamide, a common material used for the exterior of jackets.  This provides a strong outer that is tear-resistant, waterproof, and windproof. We took this jacket bushwhacking through the forest and the shell withstood all scrapes and scratches from brush and tree branches.

The weather resistance of the Nuuk Parka is unique among other jackets we tested. While precipitation does not bead and roll off the surface as well as others tested, the Polyamide shell absorbs the moisture but keeps it from penetrating the insulation.

The synthetic insulation provides further weather resistance for warmth even while saturated. The jacket would become noticeably heavier when wet, although the insulation remained dry. This may not be the jacket to take out into a tropical monsoon, but will handle snow, ice, and sleet excellently.

Comfort & Functionality

Weighing in at four pounds, the Nuuk Parka is a hefty jacket and is the heaviest in our lineup. A lot of material is used to construct this bomb-proof jacket, but that translates into its high-weight penalty.

We found the Nuuk to be the largest fitting parka of any we tested. If you’re looking for a slightly slimmer fit, we suggest sizing down. The hood felt like we had enough room to stack two heads in it, and frequently dropped over our eyes. The sleeves were extremely wide, and we had to cinch the cuffs down fully to be comfortable.

This large fit on the Nuuk translates into a lot of dead air space within the jacket which we were thankful for on extremely cold days. While too heavy and bulky to bring on a weight-conscious backcountry trip, the Nuuk works best as a great option for front-country performance or anyone who is working in extreme winter conditions. This jacket strikes us as a great workwear option due to its rugged build and plethora of pockets.

Features

With a whopping eleven pockets, the Nuuk parka is the undisputed winner of features.

Large leather pull tabs on the main zipper and pockets are easily grabbed while wearing gloves drop-in pockets are easily accessed with snap closures. The fleece-lined collar and hood are an excellent feature for coziness and the faux fur ruff is removable to easily adjust the style of the jacket.

One feature of this jacket that we struggled with is the zipper. The left-handed zip is common to European companies, but even after wearing the jacket for multiple months, we continued to struggle to start the main zipper. Putting on the jacket was not without significant effort trying to get the zipper started, rendering it all but impossible to do while wearing gloves. While a redesigned zipper would be appreciated, all other features shine in this tactical and heavily engineered jacket.

Should You Buy the Fjallraven Nuuk Insulated Parka?

The Fjallraven is fit for those spending extended time in extreme cold and adverse elements, where durability is paramount. Its durable shell and high-quality synthetic insulation make it ideal for cold and wet climates that require extreme protection from the elements.

While extremely heavy and bulky, this jacket is not our first pick for one to throw in the pack on your next backcountry trip. However, it performs best as a front-country jacket capable of filling multiple niches whether as a casual jacket around town, or work wear for the coldest days.

The large body of the jacket will fit larger torsos better, and we suggest sizing down if you are slender. The tactical style might not be appealing to some, but those who need the included eleven pockets will love this jacket’s heavy engineering and rugged design.

What Other Winter Jackets Should You Consider?

If you want something similar to the Nuuk, take a look at the options below or check out our full list of the best winter jackets for men.

The North Face McMurdo Parka Review: Also outfitted with a removable faux fur ruff, the McMurdo provides similar amounts of warmth and weather protection at a slightly lower price.

Feathered Friends Khumbu Parka Review: While the Nuuk provides great warmth, the Khumba takes insulation to a whole new level with 900-fill down for some of the warmest insulation on the market.

Helly Hansen Urban Lab Parka Review: If long-length parkas are your preferred style of winter jacket, the Urban Lab is another long coat with great warmth.