The Oros Orion Parka ($350) is a waterproof, cold-weather parka made with “NASA inspired” insulation. For months its Facebook ad followed me everywhere, on every hallowed page I actively follow, from I Love my Orange Tabby to Guide to Greenland. When I logged onto Grit and Gear‘s* Facebook page, it was always there. Watching me. Taunting me. “C’mon, click it. Click. CLICK! You know you want too.” And so I did.
I might have even emitted an audible “Huh. Well I’ll be.” Soon the opportunity came to test it for myself. And there you have it, folks. Proof that the algorithms of targeted Facebook marketing ads and sophisticated web cookies that stalk us online via EVERY. SINGLE. DEVICE. WE OWN. work.
(*C’mon, click it. Click. CLICK! You know you want too.”)
What I Liked
Warmth
The Oros Orion Parka is a winter jacket for very cold days. The core of its warmth is Solarcore, Oros’ proprietary synthetic insulation. According to Oros, Solarcore was inspired by Aerogel, a substance developed by NASA to insulate the space shuttles. In my review period of the month of December and into January, I used it for snowshoeing and winter hiking on days when the temperatures plunged to single digits and below.
In addition to its 3-milimeter Solarcore insulation, spandex-neopreneish wrist cuffs sealed out any cold or wind that could make its way up my arms. However, the Oros Orion Parka does have two distinct limitations to being on par with my Fjallraven Snowflake parka with 800-fill down. I discuss those in detail later.
Fit
I’m a size small and stand five foot, six inches tall. My sample women’s size small fit the way I expected. The hem hit me at the spot I like hems to hit – about two inches above my knee.
Glove-friendly zipper pulls
When you wear a coat designed for cold weather it’s a safe bet you’re wearing gloves. The zipper pulls on the Oros Orion parka as massive. I’ve worn heavy down-filled gloves and have had no issues with manipulating the zippers on both the front and the pockets.
What you Should Know
Breathability
Oros is not a parka for high-endurance activities. It worked fine for me when I used it for snowshoeing and hiking because both activities weren’t high-endurance. Pit zips, which are key to heat transfer, would be an important addition in future iterations.
Hood
The hood of the Oros Orion parka feels more like a superfluous add-on then a feature to keep the blowing snow off my face. It needs to be deeper so that it extends further around the face.
For those who need a parka with a helmet-compatible hood, this jacket definitely is not it.
Collar
Even when I fully zip the parka and secure the additional snaps, a wide enough gap remains around my neck that beckons the cold wind and blowing snow to penetrate. This is where I found discrepancy in its warmth: My core and arms are toasty warm—but my neck and face will always be exposed to cold. A neck gaiter mitigated this for me. However, I believe that when a customer pays $350 for a jacket she or he should not have to add a neck gaiter to keep out the cold wind.
I stated earlier that I loved the spandex-neopreneish wrist cuffs. I would love to see the same feature added as a sort of baffle around the neck that allows a snug fit. The collar height should also be increased so that when fully zipped, it works in conjunction with the hood to allow me to burrow my nose and chin in a parka’s collar when walking into a strong headwind or blowing snow.
Heavy
The Oros Orion parka is a heavy jacket for active winter use. In fact, it’s the heaviest winter parka I have ever worn in terms of weight. Depending on your objective this may or may not be an issue.
If you’re downhill skiing at a resort (which I would use this parka for when I get the chance), this isn’t a big deal. But if you’re backcountry skiing and need to skin uphill, its weight and breathability issues will be noticeable. As for removing it and tucking it into your pack, it’s not packable. At the very least you would have to strap it to the outside of your pack.
Non-removable Insulation
I call this out only because some buyers who pay $350 for a warm parka would want the opportunity to use it as a shoulder-season shell.
Final Thoughts
Though the Oros Orion parka has its limitations, it certainly has its benefits. There is no arguing its warmth (as long as you wear a neck gaiter on cold windy days). It’s well made, materials are top-notch and the concept is forward-thinking and space age. When it comes to that overall silhouette in cold-weather wear, the Oros Orion parka hits the mark.
Oros is on the right track.
