Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown Parka Review

Bottom Line

The Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown Parka is a unique and well-crafted down jacket best suited for technical outings in moderately cold temperatures. Unlike traditional shiny fabrics and horizontal baffles found in other top jackets we tested, it features stretchy, softshell-like material and welded seams, giving it a clean look and impressive durability. This design allows for an excellent range of motion, avoiding the stiff feel of conventional jackets. The parka length offers excellent coverage for true winter weather.

After putting the Stretchdown Parka through its paces this winter, we’re fans of its cozy warmth and versatility, but with a few shortcomings. The boxy fit runs large and might feel overly roomy without layering under it, particularly in the chest and sleeves.

For a jacket that can do both front and backcountry reasonably well, the stretchy fabric and durable build make it a worthy choice for your next winter jacket.

How We Tested

The Stetchdown was tested in all the wonderful winter weather of Alaska: snow, sleet, rain, wind, and cold and clear. We’ve also tested previous models of the Stretchdown Parka and our gear analysts continue to report back that this coat is going strong.

Warmth

With 700-fill power down, the Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown Parka is perfectly suited for most winter temperatures. 

We were most comfortable at low output activities in this jacket in the teens and twenties but wore this jacket down to negative ten and were comfortable in it while exercising. On a day backcountry ice skating in Alaska’s frigid early winter, as temperatures dropped below zero, this jacket was warm enough to keep us comfortable all day. While layering under this jacket is a must at these temperatures, the Stretchdown Parka provides versatility to insulate across most winter temperatures.

The 700-fill power down is quite a bit lower than others in our lineup, but we found that this lower power insulation has its pros. It makes the jacket much more packable than others we tested and excels in temperatures in the teens and twenties. We loved the parka length for full coverage and increased warmth in colder weather.

Weather Resistance

The Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown Parka provides increased weather resistance to other down jackets tested, thanks to its unique shell construction. The 20D Durable Stretch Doubleweave looks, feels, and performs more like a softshell compared to the flimsy, shiny outer of traditional down jackets. We found that this correlates to a higher weather resistance, and makes it better at shedding moisture.

We intentionally took this jacket out in conditions it was not intended for on a wet and snowy day and were pleasantly surprised with its performance. It shed moisture and beaded water, remaining weather resistant much longer than other down jackets tested.

While it did eventually wet through, this is one of the more resilient down jackets in our lineup. Good enough for brief exposure to rain and snow, the Stretchdown Parka is a surprisingly effective jacket for repelling light moisture.

Comfort & Functionality

The fit of the Stretchdown Parka is somewhat awkward, and we found that it runs large. Our typical size medium tested felt much larger than other mediums tested.

We found the body of the jacket boxy, and the length true to its parka specs. This fit may not be the best for everyone, so we recommend trying it on first.

The stretchy material of the outer does move with the body and stretches and big movements are easy to accomplish. While still being too heavy a jacket for three-season backpacking, its slightly lower loft means that it also doubles as a fall or spring jacket in addition to winter day trips.

Features

The standout feature of the Stretchdown Parka is the stretchable material. This is a great feature for a jacket fit for active outings. We loved hiking and ice skating in this jacket. This material, and easily compressible down, make this jacket packable and we easily stuffed it into small spaces in our backpack.

The dual external chest pockets are a huge bonus for us. This is great for keeping organized and items separated. We often kept our phone in one pocket and snacks/gloves in the other. Cinches around the hood and hem of the jacket are easy to use with gloves and tighten down nicely to retain warmth or help block the elements. For a longer jacket, we appreciated the dual zipper to alleviate awkward bunching when zipping, or to increase airflow to cool down while exercising.

Should You Buy the Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown Parka?

The Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown Parka offers the length and warmth of a parka but doesn’t overdo bulk and weight. The 700-fill down is more than adequate for most winter temperatures but lacks that sufficient warmth needed for being stationary in single digits or below.

This jacket excels while being active at lower temperatures, but is enough to insulate lower exertion activities at more moderate temperatures. The fit of the Stretchdown Parka is boxy and will fit larger torsos better. Resizing may be necessary to dial in the appropriate fit.

Its signature feature is its stretchable outer material and we loved it for its maneuverability and its surprisingly adequate weather resistance. While this jacket is not the one for the coldest of days, it will get you through most winter conditions in comfort and be versatile enough for many outings and settings.

What Other Down Jackets Should You Consider?

These are a few of our other favorite jackets, and if you want even more options, check out our complete lineup of the best winter jackets for men.

Rab Neutrino Pro Review: With a slightly higher fill power, the Neutrino Pro offers similarly exceptional packability and is warmer for colder temperatures.

Patagonia DAS Parka Review: While lighter than the Stretchdown Parka, the DAS Parka is similarly warm enough for cold winter temperatures but with synthetic insulation.

REI Stormhenge Review: If the shell of the Stretchdown Parka left you wanting more weather resistance, the Stormhenge provides warmth with the protection of a waterproof shell.