Propper® 3-in-1 Hardshell Parka

NTOA Member Tested and Recommended

With reviews from three different NTOA members, the Propper® 3 in 1 Hardshell Parka received their seal of approval garnering an overall score of 3.97 out of a possible 5 with its design, performance and durability praised across the board.

Reviewer 1

Upon receiving the parka, I noticed it was a little light as far as parkas go. After looking at the parka, I noticed ample pockets. If the inner fleece liner is removed, there are two pockets on the inside of the rain shell that have loop Velcro in them allowing for the user to attach holsters/holders. There are also removable pull-out ID panels on the front and back of the rain shell. At first, I removed the fleece liner and wore just the rain shell. This was warm enough for weather in the upper 30s/40's. I also wore the shell in the rain on a few occasions and the water beaded up well. The shell did not absorb water and I stayed dry. The sides of both the rain shell and the fleece liner unzip to allow for easy access to a sidearm. The problem I found with unzipping the side when wearing just the rain shell is that the zipper goes all the way up to the arm pit and despite only unzipping it far enough to access my sidearm, the entire side of the coat would unzip soon after if I did much movement. After I removed the fleece liner I tried it on and found it the body of the liner was cut very short. Propper advertises the liner to be a stand-alone jacket but I found the fit to be unsatisfactory to wear on its own. The short fit of it surprised me because the rain shell was plenty long. I then put the liner back in the rain shell as temperatures dropped. I found the parka to be warm enough until the temps/wind chill hit the single digits, however, it is not as warm as other parkas and jackets I own. The shell did a good job of blocking the wind though. When wearing the parka with the liner, I noticed there was not much room for layering, especially in the arms. I noticed that when I wore long sleeves, it was much harder to keep my sleeves down than on other coats I own. Initially when I got the parka I also noticed that the keepers that attach the liner to the shell did not seem very strong. Because of that I took special care when pulling my arms out to try to keep from breaking the keepers that attach the liner to the shell near the wrists, but I still broke one of the keepers. I also found that when putting the parka on, the liner extends out of the shell a bit due to the tight fit of the liner around the wrist so I would have to push the liner back in the shell after putting the parka on. There is also a rain flap covering the zipper of the shell and it closes with Velcro. I noticed it almost always closes on its own after I zip up the parka. The flap was designed with the patches of Velcro that close it extending all the way to the edge of the flap so undoing the flap when taking the coat off is cumbersome since there is no material to grab to pull it open. Other than the keepers that attach the liner to the shell, the parka seems durable. I have also noticed that dirt and dust brush off the shell easily. For me, I like the rain shell and will continue to use that on rainy spring and fall days. As for using the parka with the liner attached for cold weather, I found it not as comfortable or easy to use as other coats I own and will likely use other products moving forward.

Reviewer 2

The 3 in 1 Hardshell Parka was designed and made by Propper. If you have not experienced Propper, they design similar clothes for the budget. If you have ever worn a 3:1 jacket, this jacket is exactly like the others with some minor issues. The inner liner meant for cool days is a thin fleece jacket. The issue with the inner liner is that there are no wrist straps. The current sleeves are lined with an oversize elastic material. Small straps are included to keep the inner liner inside the outer liner. When I put on the jacket, I would often have to adjust the inner liner back underneath the outer liner. The outer layer is designed with side zippers for ease in accessing your radio and duty weapon. Several pockets are included in the liner. Two concealable ID panels are included which allow for screen printing for sewing on identification patches. The material for the outer layer is a waterproof material which doubles as a rain jacket. My suggestion to make the jacket better is add hook and loop wrist straps to adjust the sleeve diameter. Also this jacket has a stowable hood in the collar. This jacket has provided me with warmth in the bitter cold days in the Midwest. The outer shell could stand up to elements and the daily duty wear of law enforcement. Minor tears and rips were produced after dragging the jacket along the concrete for a 50 yard dummy drag, but what would you expect after dragging something across concrete?

Reviewer 3

I tested Propper's 3 in 1 Hardshell Parka and all I can say is it's great! I work plainclothes, so I was able to put this parka to its test. I have been wearing it daily since I received it, and it has not failed in any way. The jacket has a removal hood and a fleece liner, which can be worn by itself. Both the liner and the outer shell have zipper sides for easy access to your duty weapon. The parka also has three hidden agenda panels that remove with Velcro. There are pockets everywhere on this parka. The pockets are very deep and close with a zipper. It even has a chest pocket that closes with a magnet. The chest pocket provides perfect storage for your cell phone. The parka was extremely warm when worn all together. I work in Wisconsin and it can get bitterly cold here, but I stayed warm wearing the 3 in 1 Hardshell Parka. I was called out in the middle of the night for an outdoor crime scene when the temperature was near zero. The coat proved to be very helpful as I was able to concentrate on the scene, due to not being cold. In a nut shell, this parka is very functional, stylish and a good every day jacket. I would definitely recommend this jacket for duty use.

From Spotter Up Tactical

"The 3-in-1 Parka hit the nail on the head while designing this it has a great feel to it and is very lightweight even in the full configuration which is always nice because others I have had have always had a heavyweight thick type fit." Read the rest at https://spotterup.com/propper-3-1-hardshell-parka/

• Parka: 7 oz 100% nylon / waterproof
• Fleece Liner: 6.5 oz 100% polyester
• Waterproof with sealed seams
• Durable water repellent (DWR) resists dirt and moisture
• Fully lined with removable fleece jacket
• Removable hood with extended rigid brim and elastic cinch cord
• Storm flap with 2-way Vislon® zipper
• Concealed chest pockets with removable pull-out ID panels
• Magnetic document pocket
• Tricot lined hand pockets with zipper closure
• Two-way side seam zip for ventalation and duty belt access
• Back pull-out ID panel
• Lower back dump pocket
• Internal chest pockets with wire pass-through
• Internal loop lined carry pocket
• NTOA member tested and approved
• Imported

Fleece Liner

• 6.5 oz midweight fleece
• Dual hand warmer pockets
• Internal front pockets
• Elastic cuffs
• Imported