Kid's Parkas (Outerwear)

Length is the whole definition here. A parka reaches mid-thigh or lower and carries a hood. The seat and upper legs stay covered when a child sits on a wall, a bus seat or a sled. No gap opens at the waist when arms go up.

The build follows from the length. A weather-resistant shell goes over insulation, a storm flap, the strip of fabric covering the zip, stops wind pushing through the teeth. Longer versions use a two-way zipper so the bottom can be opened to sit down or pedal a bike. Hoods are usually lined or trimmed around the face, which does more than it looks. Fur or faux fur breaks up moving air right where cheeks are exposed. Many sell as 3-in-1, with a fleece or light puffer that zips out, so one purchase covers fall, winter and the wet weeks between.

A puffer stops at the hip and is quilted through, so it packs smaller and moves more freely while leaving the thighs cold. Snow pants and snowsuits cover the legs completely. A parka does not replace them, since sitting in snow still needs something waterproof below the waist. Fleece and vests go underneath a parka rather than instead of it. Set against a windbreaker there is no comparison at all, because a windbreaker holds no insulation whatever.

Cold climates where children stand still outdoors, at bus stops, on sidelines and in schoolyards, are where the extra length pays for itself. Older children who refuse snow pants get most of the same coverage from a long coat. Toddlers do better without one, since a long hem catches on trikes, slides and stairs, and a mild winter rarely justifies the length or the weight.

Pull the hood forward in the store and check that it tightens around the face without sliding off the back of the head. A chin guard behind the zip and fleece-lined hand pockets matter more day to day than the fill number on the label. Wash a parka once in the middle of the season, because dirt and body oil flatten insulation and a grimy coat really is colder than a clean one. Hang it on a broad hanger rather than a hook, which crushes the shoulders over a season.