Wondering how warm the Uniqlo Seamless Down Parka is, how well it’s made, how it fits and more importantly, if it’s a good buy? 

Then read on to find out, or watch the video below.

WARMTH

Fill power 

If you don’t already know, fill power is the space, in cubic inches, taken up by one ounce of down. The down in this jacket has a fill power of 750, meaning that 1 ounce of this down takes up 750 cubic inches of space. All things equal, a higher fill power traps more air, is warmer and therefore higher quality. For context, fill power typically ranges from 300 to 1000. Lower quality down is between 400 and 600 while more premium down starts from 800. So in terms of down quality, this jacket is mid tier but leans closer to the premium category.

Fill composition

However, fill power only indicates the quality of the down. Oftentimes, at this price point, you’ll see feathers added into the mix. It’s cheaper that way but is less warm than 100% down. With a 90% down and 10% feather filling, again, this jacket is a good middle ground, better than budget options which are usually a 70/30 or 80/20 mix, but still not as warm as 100% down. 

Fill weight

The fill weight tells you the amount of filling inside and the greater the fill weight, the more down there is, and the warmer the jacket. In fact, having a lower fill power can sometimes be warmer if the fill weight is large enough. For instance, 3 ounces of 700 fill power down will keep you warmer than 2 ounces of 900 fill power down. 

Unfortunately, Uniqlo doesn’t say the exact fill weight on this, only that the Seamless Down Hooded Coat, (a longer version of the Seamless down parka), weighs approximately 560g. This 560g includes the non-down elements, so the fill weight is likely lesser on this parka. Hard to draw any conclusion from this but for what it’s worth, I didn’t experience any shoulder fatigue after using it all day. 

Fill construction

The jacket has a seamless construction, meaning that parts of the outer shell are fused with the interlining. Because there are no stitches, this method has better wind and water resistance, and is less likely to have down and feather leakage, not to mention a cleaner look.

Compare this with the more common sewn-through construction, whereby the outer shell is stitched onto the interlining. Where the stitches are, the jacket is prone to cold spots since there’s no air between the layers to provide insulation. However, the seamless construction is even more prone to cold spots as the fusing covers a greater area than a line of stitch. 

Contrary to its name, not every part of the jacket is seamless. There are seams on the sides of the body, sleeves, shoulders, and hood, so these areas are less wind and water-resistant.

Also, if you’re looking for a packable parka, this probably isn’t it. It’s not impossible, but it’s a struggle to stuff it into a small bag. 

Warm or not?

We’ve covered fill power, fill composition, fill weight, and fill construction, but the real test is how the jacket performs in real-world conditions. The coldest I’ve put this through was in windy, -8-degree weather on the Japanese alps. I didn’t feel any windchill because of the windproof outer shell (more on that soon), and the jacket kept me comfortably warm with 3 layers underneath (synthetic base, fleece top, wool overshirt). I could’ve removed a layer and I’d probably still feel fine.

Above 10 degrees, it starts to feel stuffy, even with lighter layers underneath, but I’d say this is more of a drawback of down in general rather than this jacket in particular. Unlike wool, down is much less breathable and not as thermoregulating, hence the urge to take it off when you’re indoors.

THE WASH

Uniqlo recommends hand washing the jacket so after 2 weeks of occasional use, that’s what I did. I usually have no problem hand washing clothes, but this jacket kept floating up and it was near impossible to fully soak it underwater. Honestly felt like I had to learn some jiu-jitsu moves to pin this down. And just when I thought the worst was over, the down gave off a lingering stench that only went away after 2 days. 

FABRIC

The outer shell is made from 100% polyester. It’s windproof and water-repellent and like the Uniqlo Blocktech parka and round shoulder mini bag, I expect the water-repellent finish to run off over time. Not a big deal since you can always recoat it with a DWR spray. 

Inside, the lining is also 100% polyester and I like how easy it is to slide into, and surprisingly, the polyester isn’t uncomfortable on the arms even with a short sleeve t-shirt underneath.

FEATURES

The jacket has a front zip and 2 hand pockets with zip closures. As usual, they’re all YKK. The front zip has a braille-like texture for added grip, which I guess is useful when you can’t feel your fingers in the cold. Regardless, I would’ve preferred a larger zip so that it’s easier to grab onto with my gloves on. 

There’s a rubber strip along the zippers or whatever this material is to prevent rain from entering. Definitely a thoughtful detail for a jacket not marketed as waterproof. I tested it under running water and it works as intended, so no complaints here.

Despite the high quality basics narrative you hear about Uniqlo, they’re still a fast fashion brand so you can expect some corners to be cut. For instance, the fleece hand warmer pocket. It’s thin and dry, and unless I wear gloves, it always irritates my dry skin. On the other… hand, the cuffs come in handy to prevent cold air from entering.

Inside, there’s a vertical pocket on the right and a horizontal welt pocket on the left. Both pockets are a good size, big enough to stuff your wallet, phone, passport, charger or what have you. The bar tack on the right pocket is a nice touch but where the jacket falls short is in the snap buttons. There’s no branding on the buttons, so maybe it’s confirmation bias, but the buttons feel cheap and don’t have a satisfying snap, unlike the SunGrip branded, made in Japan snap button on the Uniqlo warm-lined pants. 

The drawstring hem, which, when pulled, cinches the hem to provide a better seal against the wind. You can easily reach it even when the jacket is fully zipped, and I like how there’s a loop which keeps the drawstring in place so that it doesn’t accidentally snag onto something. 

There are also drawstrings by the hood, but I never use them because the hood is already a good size by itself. When fully zipped, there’s no discomfort on my chin and my head can move around freely. The down-filled collar is probably my favourite feature. It keeps the back of my neck warm all day and because of that, I no longer need a scarf, which is a good thing if you’re a lean traveller like myself. 

FIT

I’m wearing a size S and the shoulders, chest and sleeves all fit well. There’s enough room for at least 3 layers, though if I wanted a slimmer look an XS would be better, but also keep in mind that the fabric has no stretch so don’t go more than one size down. The hem ends at the hips which is ideal for most people assuming you get the correct size, but I’d much prefer a cropped hem to go with my high-rise pants. On second thought, maybe I should have gone with the women’s version. 

Regardless, the jacket isn’t too puffy and I think a large part has to do with the streamlining effect created by the seamless construction and the matte fabric. Also, the jacket is marketed as having a 3D cut. Not sure what that means, let me know in the comments if you do, but I’m guessing it refers to how the back panel of the sleeve and half of the yoke are all one piece. If that’s the case, then it’s basically a fancy way of describing a raglan shoulder. I don’t really feel a difference in comfort or mobility compared to my other down jackets, so it sounds more like a marketing gimmick.

VERDICT

I bought this jacket for 14,900 yen in Japan and at that price, it’s a good buy if you’re in the market for a stylish and functional outer layer for moderate winters in mostly urban environments. The specs are decent, the details are thoughtful and the design is basic enough to go with most wardrobes. 

Thing is, this jacket is more expensive outside Japan. If you’re patient enough, I’d say wait for a sale before pulling the trigger. But if that’s not an option, there’s no harm in getting a cheaper down jacket elsewhere. You’ll be missing out on the seamless look, which in my opinion, is the biggest selling point of this jacket, but other than that, in this price bracket, the difference in quality is minimal.

Until next time, stay subtle.