Decathlon Quechua NH500 Parka Review

Likes

We absolutely loved this parka's features. In fact, while considering its price tag, we were stunned at how many value-adding attributes the Decathlon offers — props to the designers. The features we liked the most were its drawstring waist, ribbed-knit cuffs, and cinchable hood. Our very favorite was this jacket's zippered hem. Two vertical side zippers allow the bottom half of the Decathlon to be loosened and expanded. We found this option to be super effective when we were sitting or crouching. It was also a quick fix for adding ventilation when we overheated.

The Decathlon uses polyester batting to insulate. Although we don't feel this jacket is as warm as many of our top performers, we still think it was hardy enough to keep us relatively toasty on most days, as long as we layered up and the thermometer was registering 25 degrees above zero or higher. That said, we feel this jacket's sweet spot is somewhere around freezing (32 degrees). However, this opinion was based on Utah's climate, which generally has lower humidity levels. As for rain and wind, we were quite impressed with the Decathlon's abilities. It has a fairly decent storm flap over the main zipper; this, along with its ribbed-knit cuffs and drawstring waist, provides a reasonably solid defense against wind. Likewise, we exposed this jacket to 30 minutes of solid rain and loved how it responded. Its seam-taped shell crushed it at repelling water.

Dislikes

We don't think the hood is deep enough. We noticed this during our rain testing. Although it offers a decent visor, we just don't feel that the hood extends far enough over our forehead and face to keep moisture from hitting our nose. We also didn't like the four large gaps in the rear of the hood (near the back of our neck). The hood is removable, so it secures to the rest of the jacket by four metal snaps. The gaps between each snap allowed heavier winds to penetrate.

Wearing our hood with a beanie. We didn't like the overall coverage. It always felt like our hood was going to slip off of our head.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

The same was true with baseball caps. The hood just never seemed to reach far enough over the forehead and face.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

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We loved the full-length storm flap that shields the main zipper from the elements; however, we disliked the magnetic snaps that hold it in place. We found them to be weak and easily detachable. We think the manufacturer should have gone with plain old metal snaps.

Should You Buy the Decathlon Quechua NH500 Parka?

Despite our few dislikes, we actually think the Decathlon is quite stylish and effective. It certainly isn't running at the front of the pack, but for its amazing price, we think it was a steady performer in all of our metrics, earning it average to slightly above-average marks. If you're in need of a good deal that does everything “good enough”, we wouldn't hesitate to recommend this parka. Keep in mind though that this is the first time we've tested this brand. We don't know a lot about the manufacturer, so we're not particularly sure about its long-term structural qualities.

What Other Winter Jackets Should You Consider?