- Sizes: S-2XL
- Colors: 7
- Material: Shell: 85% polyamide, 15% elastane; lining: 86% recycled polyester, 14% elastane
- Insulation materials: 100% recycled polyester
- Price at time of publish: $475
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Ah, winterโitโs the season of festive fun, bright, sparkling, frosty mornings, and rosy-cheeked gatherings around the nearest fire. Itโs also the season of freezing your extremities off, as icy winds blast down the back of your neck and frozen slush falls from the sky. Keep winter at bay this year with our picks for the best winter jackets for extreme cold.
Budget is pretty subjective when it comes to winter jackets, as anything designed to keep the cold and wet out will almost certainly not come cheap. While not the least expensive coat on this list, in terms of feature-stuffed value for money, this one is a winner. โThe Alpha 4.0 Jacket by Helly Hansen uses proprietary waterproofing and insulation to keep you warm and dry,โ says Evans. โIt's a great bang for your buck!โ Helly Hansen also made our lists for the best fleece jackets for men and the best ski pants for men, in case you need to round out your winter outdoor wardrobe.
A great value coat with a ton of useful features, designed to keep you warm and dry no matter what.
For hardcore insulation, nothing beats down. Think about itโhave you ever seen a shivering goose? Our pick for the best down jacket for extreme cold is this super-warm option from Rab. โThe Rab Infinity Down Jacket is worth the price for the added protection of Gore-Tex Windstopper in the outer layer,โ says Manville. โIt also boasts 800 fill power down for added warmth.โ For the truly chilly, pair it with heated gloves for unparalleled coziness.
A ridiculously warm jacket for extra-frozen days.
For a more streamlined and sporty take on the classic puffer, the โ67 down jacket is worth your time. โThis jacket features 800 fill power, water resistant down, and a water resistant, recycled nylon shell,โ says Manville. โIt has best in class warmth in the puffer style category and is packable into its attached stuff sack for a great on-the-go option.โ The included stuff sack also makes this a great jacket to toss into your luggage for vacations to colder climates.
An insulated, stylish puffer thatโs perfect for warmth without too much bulk.
โDue to their length, parkas are the best option overall for extreme cold,โ says Manville. โThe North Face McMurdo parka has great features and style to keep you warm and dry.โ These features include lined pockets, a faux fur-trimmed hood with an adjustable drawcord, and 600 fill power recycled down insulation. Shopping tip: The North Face also makes some of the best winter boots for men.
A reliable, warm parka in a range of stylish colors.
โFor more active pursuits, you want something with synthetic insulation in combination with a waterproof, breathable shell fabric,โ says Manville. โYou also want to make sure your jacket has features that are sport specific, like a powder skirt to help protect snow or even wind gusts from coming up your jacket.โ Her pick to cover all these bases is the Helly Hansen Carv Lifaloft ski jacket, which does all she says, and more.
A slope-friendly jacket to keep you warm and dry in any conditions.
โThe difference between a parka and a long coat can be subjective, but generally parkas can be considered at least thigh-, and long coats at least knee-length,โ explains Manville. โThis Helly Hansen parka has more of the traditional long coat, knee-length style, but is a great option for a less traditional long jacket, featuring more active styling and synthetic insulation for better performance in a range of conditions.โ
A stylish, extra-long winter jacket to keep more of you warmer, for longer.
Since this jacket was designed for speeding down ski slopes, itโs warm, but also lightweight enough to fold easily into a small backpack, or even just be tied around your waist when not needed. Featuring a windproof, water-repellent design, with a helmet-compatible hood for those using it on the mountain, itโs supremely practical for pretty much any outdoor winter activity.
A lightweight, warm, convenient jacket ideal for layering.
When looking for a waterproof winter jacket, Manville recommends checking for one with seam-sealed, multi-layer construction. Her personal pick is the Mountain Hardwear Weather Down Parka: โThe hardshell face is waterproof and windproof, and in terms of insulation, it has 650 fill power down to keep you warm.โ It also has lots of pocket space, and a snap-close split hem for better mobility.
An ideal option for those dealing with very cold, wet conditions.
Stylish and practical donโt always go hand in handโthatโs why Triple Fat Gooseโs insanely warm but beautiful coats are such a good find. Theyโre definitely not cheap, but with their sleek look, waterproofing, windproofing, 750 fill power recycled down, fleece-lined pockets, and insulated, detachable hood, theyโll get you through the worst of the winter while standing out from the sea of black puffer jackets.
A stylish but still supremely practical winter coat.
While there are plenty of cheaper options on Amazon, in terms of a winter jacket that really stands up to the elements, this one is hard to beat. โCanada Goose comes to mind when talking down jackets or extreme cold,โ says Manville. โYouโre paying a premium, but the warmth ratings by degree, the attention to detail, and the lifetime warranty are elements not to be missed.โ
A pricey but reliable option, delivered to your door.
We made selections incorporating a mix of expert advice (from Laurel Manville, product development manager at Eastern Mountain Sports, and Kelly Evans, CMM of men's and youth apparel at Christy Sports), first-hand experience, and thorough research to ensure all of our picks have overwhelmingly positive customer reviews.
โMaterials may vary, but in general youโll want to look for jackets that are water resistant, wind resistant, and insulated, at a minimum,โ says Laurel Manville, product development manager at Eastern Mountain Sports. โLook for a durable, multi-layer construction. If the exterior of the jacket is seam sealed and waterproof, that will help protect the insulation from getting wet.โ
โJacket length is important,โ says Manville. โVarying lengths of parkas will provide more coverage for warmth, but too long may be less comfortable when sitting, or not functional for many activities. Look for two-way zippers or side slits with zips or snaps to add ease and flexibility to a longer jacket.โ
โIf you typically run cold, going for a water- and windproof jacket with insulation will be your best bet,โ says Kelly Evans, CMM of men's and youth apparel at Christy Sports. โDown is the warmest insulation, but there are a variety of amazing synthetic options, too!โ
โMany outdoors brands have their version of the โwarmestโ jacket,โ says Manville. โIn some cases you can pay a premium for them! Because down has a better warmth-to-weight ratio, the โwarmestโ may be a multilayer down parka with at least 750+ fill power down, and with a hard shell outer thatโs waterproof and windproof. Multilayer constructions are better than just a puffer alone to help keep the wind and weather at bay.โ
โMake sure the exterior layer of fabric has waterproof and windproof protection,โ reiterates Manville. โA multilayer construction is best, so if there are bafflesโthe little pillows created by stitching insulationโyou want to make sure theyโre not stitched through the entire jacket and you have a solid layer for protection. For insulation, down is preferred for the warmth-to-weight ratio. Look for at least 650 fill power down, but the more the better, so you may want to look for higher fill power options.โ
Manville also suggests looking for the following features if youโre going to be somewhere particularly cold.
โOverall, synthetic insulation has made great strides in technology and is a sensible choice in more moist climates like the PNW or New England,โ says Evans. โIf synthetic insulation gets wet, it still performs. The con with synthetic is the warmth will never fully measure up to down on the coldest of days.โ
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