Arc’teryx Veilance Sorin Down Parka Review

Introduction

Introduced in 2023, the Veilance Sorin Down Parka sits at the top of the brand’s insulated lineup: a fully weatherproof, down-filled parka built for extreme city cold. It combines Veilance’s structured minimalism with Arc'teryx’s technical foundation, serving as a full-protection outer layer for deep-winter use. Offered both in a full-length version and a shorter jacket, it's the brand’s warmest piece of outerwear, rivaling their dedicated belay pieces like the Alpha Parka.

Putting it on feels like stepping into the most comfortable, overstuffed sleeping bag with a storm-ready outer and features to match. It's a huge coat with a lot to cover.

History

Veilance's insulation program has included big pieces like the Monitor Down, Patrol Down and Ledron Parka. With high-loft European grey goose down inside heavy-duty Gore-Tex shells, those coats gave users the absolute best materials in very warm packages. The Sorin line surprised long-time fans with its oversized design and almost arctic levels of insulation.

Revised for 2025 with a Gore-Tex Pro ePe shell, this review focuses on the previous rendition with the regular Gore-Tex 3L outer.

Design, Construction and Features

There is a lot to unpack here. This coat has almost every bell and whistle you would expect from Arc'teryx. Let's go.

The Sorin keeps things simple with a long, classic parka silhouette, and its relaxed design keeps the proportions nicely balanced. The patterning is minimal, with the standout features being Veilance's aggressive flapped pockets.

Veilance design is minimal yet unmistakable once you know it: large geometric panels, sharp angular flaps, and subtly notched cuffs that angle downwards. As expected, the Sorin is thoughtfully cut around the body. The sleeves are curved and the back of the shoulders has extra room for movement. Although voluminous, the Sorin moves with you instead of you feeling like you're just moving inside it. Arc'teryx designers nailed this again.

The Sorin offers six pockets on the outside, with two hidden ones, plus two internal pockets.

On the chest, two angled ones offer storage and double as classic hand warmers, big enough for any modern oversized phone. Their angled position echoes the Monitor Down design. A water resistant zipper behind the flap adds extra security, though it may feel a bit scratchy. I found these pockets, while visually interesting, to be set just a little too high for hands to comfortably rest in Napoleon style. For storage they are great.

They are also the only fully lined pockets, which I will return to later.

Below these sit another set of roomy horizontal flapped pockets. Slipping items into them is easy by lifting the flaps, which do not fully open at the corners to help mitigate water ingress. These pockets are unlined, perfect for storing damp items like gloves since water cannot penetrate the material.

Behind these sits a third layer of vertical pockets accessible through water-resistant zippers, perfect for sliding your hands in during the classic "dang it's cold" stance. These pockets are insulated, which for me is a must on cold-weather coats. However, they are not fully lined; one side is nylon, the other is the tricot Gore-Tex backer.

Some might argue that slick tricot prevents water build-up from melting snow. Maybe. But nothing beats the soft embrace of cloth during a brutal cold outing. I am also weary of body oils and dirt getting into the shell fabric, which can shorten the lifespan of Gore-Tex materials if not washed regularly. If neglected, the membrane can delaminate. And since this coat is massive, washing and drying it is a huge pain.

The Sorin being built for extreme cold, the designers might have assumed it would be worn mostly with gloves, but having the option to warm your hands in soft cloth should not be omitted at this price.

Inside the right-hand warmer pocket, there is a key loop. It's as if the designers said: it's the most expensive thing we offer, let's throw in everything we have done at Veilance. Still, it's handy and I appreciate it every time I see it.

The hood is large, insulated and highly adjustable, but it does not fully cinch down to encircle the face. Based on the StormHood design, it integrates smoothly into the collar. The brim is stiffened and can be brought down using two hidden adjusters routed inside the jacket, plus a third at the back to adjust the crown. This is a mountain-storm-ready system, perfect for waiting outside a restaurant or watching a game.

Inside the hood, there is another nice detail: a soft insulated collar that encircles the face. It does not hug like a gasket, but it traps some warmth and stops a bit of wind. It does not work as well as fur, but I appreciated it during cold, damp and windy days.

A fun detail: the cord system for the hood runs through this insulated collar, gently hugging your face while keeping the brim structured. The adjusters sit inside the hood; you push and release them to set the length.

Geek-out moment: these internal cinches do not appear to be Cohaesive hardware, unlike many high-end Veilance pieces or shells like the Beta SV. They feel like classic cinches. Maybe it's cost-driven, but that's speculation.

Below sits a second draft collar, generously filled with insulation, resting on the neck and adding yet another layer of sleeping-bag comfort.

Closing this winter fortress is handled by a smooth YKK zipper with double sliders. The zipper is watertight, with a large wind flap adding more weatherproofing.

I appreciate the double zip for mobility and access. It is a bit cumbersome to engage because you need to slot the zip into two sliders, but being able to open the coat from the bottom when sitting or reaching into trouser pockets is great.

The zipper covers about three quarters of the coat, all the way to the chin, where a synthetic suede patch prevents chafing.

Inside the Sorin, large box-walled baffles are filled with lofty 850 fill power goose down. The size Medium parka contains 329.4 grams of it, as per their online customer service. That is a lot and approaches arctic levels.

Box-walled construction means each insulated chamber has its own internal walls, maintaining even loft and eliminating cold spots that you get with sewn-through construction.

Arc'teryx uses synthetic insulation in moisture-prone areas since down loses warmth when wet. These areas include the cuffs, in front of the mouth, under the armpits and on the shoulders. At the armpits, the lining uses Permeair to dump heat quickly.

A soft downproof ripstop lining lets you slip into the coat with no resistance. It has a DWR that sheds light moisture. The sleeves are thickly padded and anatomically shaped so they almost disappear when worn. Stretchy cuffs at the wrists, separate from the Gore-Tex outer, add comfort and keep cold air out.

Internal storage consists of a zippered security pocket on the left that fits large phones, and a dump pocket on the right for a beanie or light gloves. I appreciate dump pockets for quick stashing, but I would have liked two internal zipped pockets for peace of mind at this price. The dump pocket gets the Veilance premium treatment: the elastic that lines the top is stitched, folded and laminated for a seamless look. It's massively overengineered but elevates the feel.

Stitching, taping and internal finishing meet Veilance’s high standards. Despite its volume, the coat maintains a coherent silhouette instead of ballooning out like many high-fill down parkas.

Materials

This version of the Sorin Down Parka uses 3L Gore-Tex with a matte face that feels slightly softer and less dense than older Veilance textiles. For 2025, it has been updated to Gore-Tex Pro ePe with a C-knit backer.

The Pro label promises better breathability and higher resistance to delamination, but I am still waiting to see field-tested proof.

The shell is fully windproof and waterproof with low surface noise and moderate stiffness. Three-layer Gore-Tex is technically overkill here, since insulation keeps the membrane away from the skin anyway, except in pockets. Veilance tends to choose the best possible materials - think of it as full-grain versus top grain leather - and the structured drape of 3L helps the coat maintain its shape.

Fit and wearability

The fit is relaxed and easily accommodates heavy midlayers without losing structure. Mobility is excellent considering the insulation volume. The Sorin balances weight and warmth well. It feels protective yet manageable for daily use. The 850 fill power makes it very warm for its weight.

Real-world comfort is outstanding: once zipped up, the cold stops registering.

Where I live, temperatures rarely drop below minus five degrees Celcius, but humidity sits around 90 percent in winter. I have been very happy throwing this wearable duvet on whenever going outside.

Care and durability

The 3L face fabric promises high abrasion resistance. After a season and a half, my coat still looks new save for a few wrinkles from storage. With changing chemistry and PFAS awareness, expect the C0 DWR to wear off quickly. In this context, I find the DWR largely irrelevant.

Down loft recovery is strong after compression. Care follows standard down maintenance: gentle washing, low-heat tumble drying with agitation and periodic reproofing. I always recommend having big items like this cleaned by a specialist once a year before storage. Arc'teryx offers a good guide for down care, but expect a full day of washing and drying if you do it yourself.

Verdict

The Sorin Down Parka is one of Veilance’s most capable cold-weather garments: a true barrier piece with the thermal performance of an expedition parka and the silhouette of technical tailoring. Storage and weather protection are excellent, though tactile comfort and material refinement could be improved. If you live somewhere that demands a beast of a parka, and you want that murdered-out look, the Sorin delivers and then some.

9 / 10

Extreme warmth and functional design, slightly less refined in material hand than earlier Veilance shells.

At the time of writing, the Sorin Down Parka retailed for €2200.

If you want a Veilance parka that’s not as extremely warm, check out the Monitor Down - but beware it’s shortcomings.