Cissbury Czech Army Winter Parka

This is a great parka for the money. However, mine has a couple of serious faults. Firstly, the "fur" liner supplied with mine fits perfectly across the shoulders and down the sleeves but the lower half is just not wide enough ! This means that if it is buttoned into place, the front of the parka takes on a "pulled" and wrinkled appearance which can not be remedied, even by tightening the waist cord. The only way around this is to not use the bottom 3 buttons on either side of the liner. This leaves the liner flapping about and not correctly secured. This is very puzzling as in other respects the liner is fine - buttons and buttonholes line up correctly ! The other problem is the zip. After wearing the parka twice the zip broke - something which I notice another reviewer has mentioned. The zip itself is far too lightweight for such a garment. It should be far heavier and more robust. The small metal tang which you insert into the actual zipper fell off. The solution to this is either a new zip ( NOT feasible considering the cost of the parka ) or a repair using a "trick" I devised on a previous jacket which suffered the same fate as this one - cover the area where the tang came off with liquid super glue and allow it to dry. This works a treat and allows you to continue using the zip !These issues aside, this is a good piece of kit. I bought mine to wear when taking the dog out for a walk - I have used military parkas before and they work well. Some people complain about them not being waterproof but if this is the case it's easy to give them a quick coat of waterproofing spray. The real benefit is that whilst keeping you warm ( the "fur" liners are great for this ) they allow the body to breathe. So many budget jackets and parkas nowadays are 100% polyester and after a long walk the inside of the jacket can be soaking wet with sweat.The fit of my parka was fine. I'm tall ( 6' 2" ) and slim but I have broad shoulders ( size 16 1/2" or 17" collar ) and the XXL fits me fine. I nearly always wear a pullover with mine but even if I don't I prefer a more loose fit. It should be noted that with the liner removed this parka is much more roomy so if you are not going to be using the liner then think carefully when selecting your size.The waist drawstring can be used to 'reduce' the bagginess.I note from the illustrations on Amazon that there appear to be 2 different versions of this parka. Mine matches the second picture down and not the first one. Mine came with a belt but I have discarded this. The pockets on mine are quite small. The top 2 have flaps but the buttons to secure them are very fiddly.It is a pity that this parka is flawed as it's really a good garment at heart. It's fine for general scuffling around in and at the price there's not much that comes close ( I do note, however, that the price on Amazon has varied between £20 and £27 over the last couple of weeks ). Would I recommend it or buy another ? Probably, yes, but with reservations as described.

Bought this for my son, who was instantly taken with it. The item appeared to be unused and box-fresh. The jacket is rugged yet stylish, well cut, well stitched together and very functional. The wool collar is perhaps a bit iffy from both a style and practicality point of view, but it can be removed.The colour of the jacket is definitely on the green side - not sandy-khaki as in the picture. The overall effect is military - so not for your average pacifist - but not so much so that you're wondering where he's left his helmet and rifle.The quilted lining is by no means beautiful, but it will definitely help to keep you warm and is anyway either unseen underneath the coat or can be dispensed with on warmer days. It is pretty bulky and as far as we could make out there's no way to button it into the coat.Can't comment on its waterproof capability but on its first outing it coped admirably with a persistent shower.Overall a fantastic bit of kit and an absolute no-brainer at this price. I'll be getting myself one.

Fabulous warm coat, extremely solid. The elements have got their work cut out trying to penetrate this brute of a coat.It is quite heavy though, which doesn't bother me as I just use it for commuting but may be something to consider if anyone is contemplating using it for other activities.However, for the sole purpose of just staying warm and comfortable I would put this £20 up against any of the £300+ branded fashion statement outdoor coats any day of the week and expect to wipe the floor with almost all of them.

Wow, seriously impressed. Ordered Wednesday came by Friday morning and what a coat it is. Fits perfectly and you get a lot of bang for your buck. I received a coat, hood, thermal lining and collar. The removable thermal faux fur lining/collar is toasty and it was in great condition. It's tough and looks like it will last forever. The only two (very minor) drawbacks are, 1) Everything is buttoned in. Not a problem for me but you may not like that and, 2) The zip is a tad flimsy and was stuck initially. I just rubbed a bar of soap up and down the zip before washing it at 30 degrees and hey presto. Problem sorted.I would happily recommend this to anyone thinking of buying it, you'd pay four or five times the amount for a lesser coat elsewhere.

As the title says, excellent value. Very warm, repels water well, and was worth having a couple of alterations made to improve the fit. (I have had the arms shortened because I'm not that big). The fleece lining extends all the way down the arms to their elasticated ends making it feel even warmer. Easily removable as the weather improves. Haven't tried the hood yet, but I expect I'll get the chance soon. The only negatives are that some of the machine stitching could have been a little better and the zip already needs replacing (it's rather flimsy), but I don't see that as any reason to get over-excited. I expect to be wearing this for many a winter to come. Very happy at this price point and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a durable and economical winter coat. Here's a quick update: I've only just decided to recycle this coat today, more than 8 and half years later. I could put another zip on it and replace the single button that came off, but another coat I already have will be fine for a while. I'll probably buy another one of these before long