One of the toughest but stylish brands in the outdoor industry

Parajumpers coats are worn by film directors and arctic scientists for the same reason, one of the toughest but stylish brands in the outdoor industry.  

Parajumpers designer Massimo Rossetti has successfully built one of the world’s leading outerwear brands. This is one of our favorite brands among all winter wear not only for it interesting beginning: 

In 2006 designer Massimo Rossetti met a member of the 210th Rescue Squadron in a bar in Anchorage, Alaska. The men of the 210th Rescue Squadron, based in Anchorage, Alaska, are highly trained for extreme rescues and recoveries in the wildest, most remote and hostile corners of the Globe. Whether it be ships adrift at sea, rock-climbers stuck atop a 4,000-meter peak, or submariners sunk at unimaginable depths, these men are called to intervene.

Parajumpers train twice as hard as Navy Seals, however they use their skills to save lives not kill.

This became the inspiration for this technological outerwear collection. 

They are the PJs - short for PARAJUMPERS. Tough and courageous,

• The result is an extremely innovative outerwear collection with highly technological components, designed above all else to be functional.

• THE PRODUCT

• Made of hard-wearing nylon, these jackets come with a removable down-padded lining and a fur-trimmed hood. The collar fastens with a hook used in parachuting. On the front lies a large, zippable multi-cargo pocket containing a further three pockets designed for carrying accessories, such as ipods, GPS devices, mobile phones, etc.…

Rossetti’s designs are largely influenced by a backpack with nylon, zips and hooks, and now all PJs styles are full of such hardware. The signature hook on all jackets comes from a quick release parachutist hook, which has contributed to the creation of the Parajumpers image.

 Their motto is:
                                  "that others may live".

The original PJs collection consisted of identical jackets made of one fabric in four colours for men and women. These first styles were the Gobi, Kodiak and Denali. The Gobi features a two way zip that opens at the top and bottom. The bright yellow tab serves as a nod to Parajumpers, as yellow is a signal to find a person in a difficult situation. The jacket also includes an iPad pocket, cell phone pocket, and cargo pocket for whatever the wearer wishes to store. The men’s and women’s styles are nearly identical, with the exception of a removable interior in the men’s jacket.

The huge pocket found on many PJs styles was inspired by a research trip to Alaska; Rossetti saw a fireman’s jacket that had a pocket large enough to fit a helmet. This new and different design is one of many that sets Parajumpers apart.

One of Parajumpers’ newer styles that has become quite popular is the Long Bear. This women’s jacket is a knee length coat with a removable hood and detachable fur. This makes the coat easily machine washable; an incredibly practical feature for a winter coat!

In Rossetti’s own words; “we are a guiding light.” Parajumpers has proven itself to be an innovative and functional brand, and we can’t wait to see what new designs Rossetti has up his sleeve. We highly suggest watching the video clip below in which Rossetti details this brand history in his own words, and keep scrolling to browse the PJs styles that Sporting Life has to offer.