When I first unpacked the Shackleton Endurance parka, sent to me to wear on my Antarctic trip, I doubted that a coat so light could keep me warm. Tested to minus 30 degrees Celsius, it weighs a mere 960 grams and, as I found when I packed it in my small suitcase, it compresses down to a mere 2 litres. But keep me warm it did, both on a freezing deck in gale force winds and overnighting on the Antarctic mainland.
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| In Antarctic waters with the Shackleton Endurance parka |
The Endurance parka's secret is the technical nature of its components. British made (in Manchester), its shell is a durable, waterproof Japanese fabric that kept off the spray as our ship butted through the restless South Atlantic waters. Insulation comes from 100% pure European goose down: no feathers here; it's all down. All this combines to make an extremely light but warm parka that's made to the same quality as the bespoke coats made by Shackleton for polar exploration.
For me, this is an investment piece that will deal with any conditions, with the added benefits of looking and feeling extremely stylish and comfortable. I wear it whenever the temperature drops to around and below freezing (it's getting a of of use at the time of writing) and, for the first time, have found a coat that I've never felt cold in.
For more information, see Shackleton's website.
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| Antarctic camping with the Shackleton Endurance parka |
