Columbia Sportswear has recreated the awesome Star Wars crew parkas from The Empire Strikes Back. The blue parkas are a familiar sight to anybody that has seen the behind-the-scenes footage of the 1980 movie while they were filming the Hoth scenes in Norway. The actual parkas that were owned by crew members pop up online for thousands of dollars every once in a while, so these new replicas will be a welcome addition to any hardcore Star Wars fan's collection.

This Thursday, Dec. 6th, at 9PM Pacific time (Friday at midnight for east coasters), Columbia Sportswear will put the Empire Crew Parka up for sale on their site. The price is set at $500, which is a decent amount of money, but nowhere near the prices of the real deal. Obviously, these crew parkas from The Empire Strikes Back are limited edition, so if you want one, or know anybody that does, you're going to have to act fast, because these will not last very long. Columbia released a statement about the crew parkas.

"Nearly 40 years ago in the frigid wilderness of Norway, a small group of cast and crew filmed several of the most recognizable scenes from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. They needed winter gear to keep them protected from sub-zero temperatures encountered on location. Their jacket featured a unique design that currently makes it one of the most sought-after items among Star Wars collectors. Now fans can go behind-the-scenes with Columbia's limited edition Star Wars: Empire Crew Parka."

Columbia Sportswear has run some modern updates for their Star Wars-themed jacket. According to the site, the parka is a technical high-performance jacket that features a waterproof, breathable, and critically seam-sealed outer layer to protect against the elements. Additionally, the Omni-Heat thermal-reflective lining and insulation keeps you warm. Features include a removable, adjustable hood with removable faux-fur trim, two-way collar, ribbed comfort cuffs, wrist zips, and multifunctional pockets. For $500, Star Wars fans are getting a stylish parka that is a part of history and also functional.

The Empire Strikes Back crew parkas will more than likely end up on eBay for crazy prices, so don't sleep on this if you really want to get one. This isn't the first time that Columbia Sportswear has gotten into the Star Wars universe. Last year, the company launched a line of winter coats inspired by Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo's Hoth costumes, also from The Empire Strikes Back. Just like these new crew replicas, they were awesome and they were expensive. However, they're even more expensive from third-party sellers now.

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Only a few dozen of the original crew jackets from The Empire Strikes Back were made and they are considered to be one of the most rare Star Wars collectibles. The parkas were specially designed to look just like the originals and it looks like Columbia Sportswear has done a really impressive job on these. You can head over to the Columbia Sportswear site for additional sales information. If you have the cash, set an alarm and get ready to fight with other Star Wars fans to obtain a cool piece of history. Oh, and Mark Hamill has signed a few of them...

Empire Strikes Back Crew Parka #1
Empire Strikes Back Crew Parka #2

Topics: Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars

Kevin Burwick at Movieweb
Kevin Burwick