I had the pleasure of testing the Whitespace Performance Parka at Baldface Lodge. The conditions were crisp and clear with fresh powder. Little to no wind and temps in the 20’s. Having never worn this jacket before, my first concern was layering. Normally, I run a good moisture-wicking first-layer under a secondary layer (thin puffy or flannel), but the Performance Parka comes equipped with light insulation called PrimaLoft® Black Rise, so was that secondary layer necessary? I opted to skip the flannel and just wear my first layer under the parka which proved to be perfect! 

When you first put on the parka, the insulation feels almost non-existent because it’s so lightweight. It’s not like a thick puffy coat where the insulation is bulky and very noticeable, which leads me to my first point: The PrimaLoft insulation is the perfect blend because it provides added warmth that we all want, thus eliminating the need to layer up. I’ve never been a fan of added layers because it makes me feel claustrophobic and a bit like the Stay Puffed Marshmallow man. Minimalism is key when it comes to outerwear because who really enjoys adding/subtracting layers throughout the day? Not me. 

The Performance Parka has all the traditional bells and whistles that we’re used to seeing in high-end outerwear but a couple of my favorite features include: 

1) The adjustable hood had the right amount of chin and face cover. I’ve worn plenty of other jackets where the neck and chin collar droop or just aren’t cut to the proper dimensions and therefore don’t adequately cover your chin/face enough. As a result, snow can easily seep inside making your chest wet. Once zipped up, the Performance Parka gave me the right amount of cover to block snow and also wind. For portions of the day I didn’t even wear a face mask or balaclava thanks to the collar cover. 

2) Waterproofing. Whitespace uses a material called Pertex Shield. Ok, so it’s not Gore-Tex but it a plenty waterproof and gets the job done. It was lightly snowing on our first day riding and I stayed 100% dry and didn’t miss my normal Gore-Tex jacket one bit. In fact, the Pertex material is very comfortable and soft to the touch, unlike many Gore-Tex options that feel too stiff and rigid where you sacrifice some comfort for that added waterproofing, which you may or may not need. 

3) Pass pocket. While I didn’t need a lift ticket and season pass at Baldface, I did appreciate that the pass pocket had an attached goggle wipe. This came in handy a couple times with the multiple face shots (and couple tomahawks) throughout the trip. 

Overall, the Whitespace Performance Parka was a hit and I even received a few comments from other guests complimenting on the styling of the jacket. 

Pro Tip: The parka is designed as an oversize cut so it does run a the larger side. I’m 5’9” and normally wear a medium. This was a medium but felt more like a large. If you can, be sure to try on multiple sizes before purchasing to ensure the look you’re going for. 

MSRP: $529

Check out the jacket over on Whitespace here!