Vintage clothing never goes out of style, as evidenced by the hordes of hipsters rocking your grandpa’s favorite gear from the ‘50s. However, “vintage” is not usually a consideration when searching for a multi-functional piece of outerwear. If it’s classic style and modern performance you seek in a jacket, then Sierra Designs may have the ideal coat for you: the 60/40 Mountain Parka.
Classic? You betcha! The Mountain Parka has been a staple of the Sierra Designs lineup since 1968. This jacket has been around the block more than a few times, and it was my goal to see if it could perform as good as the modern, teched-out jackets of today. When I first donned it, the throwback style was obvious. This piece has a true parka cut: boxy enough for plenty of layers underneath, and lengthy enough to keep the elements out. Four velcro-sealed pockets on the front, two hand pockets, and one zippered compartment on the back panel mean you can carry a ton of extras with you. Forget bringing a pack, this jacket has enough storage to support nearly any day hike. And day hike I did, in my favorite testing grounds: the Wasatch Mountains.
I began testing this jacket in late February, which was a great time to get a feel for its versatility. When the weather was cold and windy, I wore a technical down jacket under the 60/40 Mountain Parka. Wind, snow and rain be damned! The parka kept me dry and warm in even the ugliest conditions. I love the attached hood on this coat: when I pulled it up I felt like an ancient Druid cloaked comfortably from the outside world.
The “60/40” in the name refers to the blend of cotton (60%) and nylon (40%). Using cotton to combat snow and rain may seem like a fool’s errand, but the tight weave of the fabric and durable water repellant finish never backed down from Mother Nature. Any time rain was eminent, I reached for the Mountain Parka. Thanks to the styling, this jacket also transitioned seamlessly from the trail to the office…a feat not every piece of outerwear can pull off.
The durability of the Mountain Parka is another highlight. I crashed through scrub oak and pine boughs, and never pulled a thread out of place. Even when it got dirty, the parka kept repelling the elements. I appreciate the bulky build of the main zipper; even with gloved hands it was easy to operate and doesn’t have a cheap feel to it.
The Sierra Designs 60/40 Mountain Parka is not without its limitations. I have a love/hate relationship with the cut of the jacket. When I wasn’t layering up underneath, I felt that there was too much extra fabric. Not a huge deal, but why bring more jacket on the trail than you need? Of course, when the weather was bad, I was happy to have some extra length and bulk. Also, I can’t see this as my go-to coat for technical adventures; I feel the Mountain Parka is far more suited to day hiking and combating the weather on your daily commute.
Despite these gripes, overall I was quite impressed with the SD Mountain Parka. It kept me dry, and was tough enough to withstand abuse from the local flora. It’s also an ideal layering piece for any outerwear system. Performance and style that were badass enough for Robert Deniro in Deerhunter? Believe it. Oh, and it’s 100% made in the USA…something that will never go out of vogue in my book.
The Good: Timeless style, stands up to the elements, quality build
The Bad: Boxy cut, not technical enough to take on every mountain adventure
The Verdict: If you want a jacket that can pull double duty in the mountains and city streets, this is it. Chances are you’ll have it in your closet for the next twenty years.
FYI…..I’ve still got mine (orange) from 1968. Here are a few things you or your readers may not know about the very first ones. There were no hand warmer pockets. The taffeta lining was short sleeved and only to the waist/drawstring area AND they were not all the same color to match the jacket. They were whatever SD wanted to use. There were 4 of us who got the same color and we had 4 different linings. The velcro was all white, no matching colors. The snaps were plain. The hood, unlike the later ones, had only two flat felled seams. A few year later the hood had 3 seams. Those of us who bought them were pretty sure the design was an old army field jacket with raglan rather than set in sleeves. Mine is faded but still in great shape. AND getting close to 50 years old…pretty amazing!
That’s amazing that you still have it! Thanks for sharing.
I have a light blue Mountain Parka from 1980. The only wear is on the velcro cuff closure. Still the single best garment I have have ever owned. Mine has a Gore-tex liner and still competes well with any of the new shells. 35 years and still going strong.
I still have my 60/40 down parka from 1975, still wear it on the cold days, I would buy another if they still made the down version.
SD no longer make this vintage parka as of 2016. Most outdoor clothing are manufactured oversea, even many from Marmot. Used ones are still available from eBay.
I got mine (orange) in 1971 and it finally started to shred in 2017…I’m heart-broken. Really wish SD would resurrect it.
There is no way to buy it anymore ?
What would it take to get Sierra Designs to resurrect the 6/40 parka? Has anyone started a petition?
I have my blue 60/40 down parka from 1978, I still wear it on cold days, I have sent it back a couple of times in years past for a snap fix or a seam that needed fixing, they repaired it promptly and without a charge. I am tempted to send it back to see if they can do anything with the shredding that is happening on the collar, id does have a lifetime warranty but I wonder if they would try to fix something like that, This parka is great advertising for their company as I spread the word how warm and durable it has been, they need to keep it going.
I have TWO; one I wear and REPAIR. The other(S) is in like new condition and sits in my closet as it has for decades. It was my wife’s and she did not like something to do with style. My kids did not want it. Grand kids are the next to have a shot at functional history. Hate to sell it on ebay; worth a small fortune.
I cannot believe someone is not producing a functional equivalent with updated tough fabric and similar tough hardware.
Mine is blue and tan from 1975. Wore it this AM in my morning walk and wondered if anyone loves it as much as I do. I finally replaced with one a little more stylish about 10 years ago. But pulled out again during the pandemic and when I put on I thought- this is still the best jacket ever! I have to resew the Velcro periodically- but other than that and a well worn look it has served me well!!! I have very broad shoulder so I’ve been buying men’s jackets for years!
I lived in Berkeley, back in the 70s and I still have my original Sierra Designs orange mountain parka (in a LRG size, neener-neener!). It has pioneered through years of mountain rescue and mountaineering work and I love the old thing to death! SD should reissue this classic! It still fulfills its function admirably!
I agree with these old farts who think theyre great. Back at CU they were very expensive, but everyone had one, all the stoned frat boys with ski whores loved them
Resurrecting an old comment thread because there’s too little online praising the humble 60/40 parka. There are currently three in our closet – one is my wife’s go-to for foul weather, two for me (one in constant winter use, the other almost off-the-shelf pristine and waiting as a just-in-case backup) all made sometime in the 80s by LL Bean as their Baxter State parka. I’m an unashamed outerwear junkie – I’ve spent more than I’d care to reveal over the years on Patagonia alone, but if I had to grab one jacket before my home was consumed by a black hole, it would be my Bean 60/40. Stylish? Not really – like the reviewer noted, it has a bit of a boxy cut and it’s not much of a shoulder season piece, probably too heavy for most spring and fall duty except in the extremes, but, man, when the weather is foul, this thing just performs. I have yet to find anything that strikes the elusive protection-to-breathability ratio better than the 60/40 … and I’m an anti-cotton snob in every other respect. And something about the design – the cozy full-lined hood, the tartan wool lining, the cargo pockets with side hand warmers, the shiny buttons – it just sneaks up on you and hits the kind of visceral, “I love this garment and hope I always have it” kind of cord that I’m always seeking in any piece of clothing. I’ll never get rid of mine – never.
I’m googling looking what to ask for these. I have 1 mountain parka and 2 short parkas in brand new produced condition zipper tags attached produced and purchased from the factory in 2013. Never worn and cleanly stored since. Short parka in tan/S short parka in navy/M and mountain parka in rust/M. If you’re interested in pictures and to throw offers you can email uncover -at- gmail -dot- com. Don’t intend to give them away due to the scarcity. I seem to be the only one online with these that aren’t soiled 80’s thrift shop finds. These are grails. Japan would snatch these and I don’t do that social media shit. Email me bye-Ryan