For those living in cold weather, what jacket(s) are you wearing to keep warm? (resistant, buy)
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I have both a North Face and Columbia down jacket. Thin but super warm. I wear either of those if it's physically snowing usually, like if I'm out shoveling or walking out in it, and I stick with a North Face fleece otherwise. If it's very cold, like below 20 especially with wind chill, I may go out in the down jacket.
I don't know if others are like me, but I can't stand feeling the bulk of my coat when I'm driving, so unless it's extremely cold, I take my coat off as soon as I get in the car. I was that way even when I lived in the colder climes of AK and MT, so I always sat in my car coatless and freezing until it warmed up just so I didn't feel like the Michelin man behind the wheel.
You could keep a "car-double sweater" or so because if you are getting alone into accident and cannot get your jacket on, you will die sooner. They recommend dressing warmly at car just because of this risk.
I usually wear about 4 layers in winter, but the type of layer also matters.
I usually wear a long sleeve button up shirt above a tshirt when I'm inside, and then i'll add a fleece and a jacket once outside.
In moderate cold I usually wear a soft shell with a hoodie under it, and when it gets colder I usually replace the soft shell with a long wool coat or with my long fjallraven parka with fake fur. The hoodie can be replaced by a pile fleece or a wool sweater.
I actually found out that wearing 100% wool makes a great deal of difference with wearing a cotton sweater or even something that's basically synthetic with little wool in it. Wool is warmer and more breathable, and it does not retain humidity, which is convenient when you live in a damp winter climate like here.
I'd say a wool sweater with a lined soft-shell jacket gets me through most of winter. I pull out the long parka when it gets really cold (say, below 5c high for here with subfreezing low) or if I have to stay out in the cold for a long time.
A quilted, natural down "Laundry by Shelli Segal" jacket. It's a longer style, that goes past the hips, with a belt. Not quite a coat, kind of a 3/4 version of a coat. Nice large hood with it.
If you're going for warmth in sub-zero temperatures, nothing beats a quilted down jacket, or coat. Could be either natural down or synthetic. They do hold heat, however, so if the temperature is above zero, and you're wearing the jacket for an extended time, you might find yourself overheating.
I prefer lightweight quilted jackets to heavier wool styles, but wool is also quite warm.
You could keep a "car-double sweater" or so because if you are getting alone into accident and cannot get your jacket on, you will die sooner. They recommend dressing warmly at car just because of this risk.
A fleece jacket is incredibly warm. Makes a great second (middle) layer, so it'd be a fine choice to keep as a part of a kit in a car during the winter months.
Just editing to add: With a quilted down coat, I find that layering underneath isn't even necessary. I can wear, say, a thin wool sweater underneath the coat and that works, even in -30C temperatures.
If the outside layer is wool, several middle layers will be necessary. Wool retains heat, but most wool coats that I've tried don't do a great job of blocking wind chill.
Last edited by Ottawa2011; 01-23-2016 at 08:24 PM..
A fleece jacket is incredibly warm. Makes a great second (middle) layer, so it'd be a fine choice to keep as a part of a kit in a car during the winter months.
Just editing to add: With a quilted down coat, I find that layering underneath isn't even necessary. I can wear, say, a thin wool sweater underneath the coat and that works, even in -30C temperatures.
If the outside layer is wool, several middle layers will be necessary. Wool retains heat, but most wool coats that I've tried don't do a great job of blocking wind chill.
No, please people, don't use fleece
fleece fibres travels into waters with every laundry time and fibres kills.
I have several down jackets from JC Penney and Eddie Bauer. These are warm and are what I wear most of the winter..
A couple years ago I decided to get a really warm extreme weather parka and started researching online. It had to be very warm, it had to come in tall sizes, and, I hoped, a sale price. I ended up with a Cabela's Alaska Down Parka at half price about $150. Later on a black Friday sale I picked up a Eddie Bauer Superior Down Parka. These parka see only a few days use each winter.
I have a bunch of Eddie Bauer coats for casual wear: Long parka Down Jacket (I have this in a couple of colors) Parka for when shoveling
And I have a few dressier wool & cashmere coats for when dressed up.
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