Sep 24

Sep 24 Arc'teryx Radsten Parka (2020)

Arc’teryx Radsten Parka (2020)

Type: Parka / Use: Lifestyle / Face: Nylon-Poly Melange / Insulation: Synthetic

Technologies: GORE-TEX 3L, Coreloft Compact 120g

The most fun you can have at your high school reunion comes from never asking a follow-up question. You’re not there to converse; you’re there to reveal! Who changed? Who didn’t? Both make for good stories, but only one sticks with you.

On a related note: remember the Magnus Coat? The lanky mid-layer who was still growing into his GORE-TEX?

… Magnus got hot.

The Radsten Parka ($625) is a hip-length urban all-in-one that improves on nearly everything the Magnus (RIP) left to be desired. It’s warmer. It’s sharper. And without continuing the classmate-coat metaphor too far, it has an identity: a bonafide place in the outerwear world that I didn’t know needed filling until it came around.

This is the knowledge economy’s parka. The “that’s nice” winter gear for those who own Peloton bikes and entry-level Rolexes, who demand a certain level of function from their creature comforts to justify their price tag.

The Radsten guy will never buy Veilance. But this blend of modern enough, conventional enough, and expensive enough is a long ball home run for his Aesop-Allbirds-Lulu world. And when offices are legal again, I expect every coastal WeWork to have at least two in the building.

Why’s that?

Well, let’s start with what it’s made of.

Like the Magnus, the Radsten Parka is also a GORE and Core sandwich. On the outside, a 100-denier nylon/poly blend faces a 2L GORE-TEX construction with a wool melange look. This is a proper jump up from the 2L/60-denier nylon textile that covered Magnus. Yes, it’s chunkier than it was back in school. But that heft doesn’t seem to translate to how it wears or moves. The Radsten is light (745g) and supremely packable in the grand scheme of tech parkas. With a little bit of elbow grease, it folds down smaller than a TNF Nuptse - a perk for frequent flyers, whenever planes are legal again.

On the inside, the Radsten is packing an insulation boost: Coreloft 120gsm vs. the Magnus’ 80gsm. It’s not the most galaxy brain update. But it works, damnit! It works! Loyal readers (hi Mom) will remember that my primary complaint with the Magnus was its underpowered insulation leading to a case of the ‘ol overpromises. The Magnus was a $550 GORE-TEX “winter parka” (!!!) that wore closer to an extended length fleece. The Radsten, meanwhile, is a bonafide snowblower, packing all the versatility benefits of synthetic insulation. It’s a touch too warm for the 55 degree fall days where the Magnus worked best. But it works great for a wider range below that. That’s why you’re buying any GORE’d up winter coat, right?

To make a long story short: the Magnus evolved into a proper pinnacle parka, giving the Arc lifestyle range a synthetic Camosun vs. an extended-length Atom. I’m happy with the nuts and bolts: aforementioned materials, two WaterTight-zipped slash pockets, adjustments on the hood and neckline, et al.

But that’s not why I’m so pleased with this new model.

I like it because it’s just plain wearable.

From fit to finish, the Radsten is the friendliest GORE-TEX monolith on the market. It is accessible in a way that few - even the so-called “technical lifestyle brands” like Aether - can match while still dabbling into the techwear world through its sheer matte simplicity. This particular color (Pyrite Heather) blended into my wardrobe with aplomb, matching both Gramicci cargos and Uniqlo chinos with ease.

Yeah, I had to Google how to spell “aplomb.” It felt fancy. As did I.

One could point to any number of details (the subdued seams; the errant zip pocket) as the reason the Radsten is a robot with a soul. As dumb as it sounds, I really think it’s the cross-stitching.

Similar to Goldwin’s Hooded Spur (my absolute favorite winter parka), the blended melange face fabric breathes life into what would otherwise be just another $700 synthetic wall. On the Radsten, the effect is far from a visible herringbone pattern. But it’s enough - enough that a 100-denier GORE-TEX facer doesn’t clash too hard with loafers and a sweater. Splash that lively (and soft to the touch) fabric over the Magnus’ techno-cape silhouette, and you get a highly-functional city piece that is undeniably contemporary. How that contemporaneousness (thanks, Google!) is expressed is entirely up to the wearer. Lulu’s ABC pants? Cool. You’re a modern yuppie dressed for comfort and function. P23’s and ACR Forces? Dope. Here’s your slick, featureless barrier parka.

Those living in cities with wet cold (New York, Seattle, London, Berlin) will find its slim profile and mix of features all rather nice. While some far north of the snow line may find themselves wanting more insulation, the cut of the Radsten plays nice with layers. My lanky 6’4” frame fit a hoodie under this szL without any bunching on the silhouette, but if you’re between sizes, definitely go up.

In summary, the Radsten is an understated style piece that manages to be perhaps the most athletic fully-featured parka out there. Arc’teryx fixed the function issues holding back one of their better-looking urban jackets, then gave it a dary I say mature wrapper in the form of a wool-alike face fabric. The result is a $625 parka designed for the 30 year olds to whom spending $625 on a parka feels like “the price you pay for quality.”

I’ll say it again: this is the knowledge economy’s parka. Its place in the outerwear world is that of the grown-up urban flagship. It’s modern enough but conventional enough to scratch the de-risk itch that arises whenever someone considering a $600+ coat actually realizes they might spend that much money. The features that orbit that nucleus collapse into a pretty darn versatile parka at a price tag cheaper than the comparable Norrøna’s and Norse’s.

My only complaint? If you spend too long thinking about it, you’ll realize a coat with enough enough’s attached to it ends up working because it’s almost rather bland - sorry, “timeless.” It’s just not inspiring in the way my absolute favorite parkas are. Even if that’s essentially by design.

That’s why you don’t ask follow-up questions at these things. The content is great. No need to wear it out.