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A good winter coat will keep you warm and dry even when the snow is falling and the wind is howling. A great winter coat will keep you warm, dry, and looking good, too.
The Patagonia Men's Topley Jacket is our top pick because it's well insulated, water resistant, and imbued with understated but undeniable style.
Winter is coming, and depending on where you live, that means freezing temperatures, snow, rain, and biting wind that always seems to find the gap between your pants and jacket. But just because the winter weather can be unrelentingly savage, that's no reason not to get outside and get on with your day. With the right winter coat, you can keep the chill at bay while you work or play, and you can even look good while you're at it.
The primary job of a winter coat is pretty straightforward: It needs to keep you warm. This is both a comfort and a safety matter, so make sure to consider the insulation capabilities of a winter jacket over all other factors. It's better to not to die of exposure than it is to look good, so you might have to sacrifice style for welfare. Keep in mind that water resistance plays a big role in warmth. A sodden jacket loses most of its insulation capacity, so if you live in or frequently visit areas with lots of precipitation, you need a jacket that is waterproof (or at least highly water resistant) to ensure that you'll remain warm enough.
You also need to be able to complete a given set of tasks without your coat impeding your abilities. You wouldn't go skiing or work on a construction site in a wool pea coat because the material would restrict your motion and also there's the whole looking ridiculous thing. But you also wouldn't wear a super puffy 800-fill down parka while meeting your friends for a drink in the city on a chilly but clear winter evening. That would be overkill and also look a bit silly. So also make sure to consider when and where you'll wear your coat in terms beyond the environmental factors.
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The good news is that lots of men's winter coats are warm, water-resistant, and stylish. Once you have assessed a jacket and determined that it meets your needs in terms of safety and performance, you should absolutely shop based on looks. After all, your winter jacket is the garment people see any time you are out and about in those colder months. Read on to see which of our picks is bets for your needs.
Why you'll love it: The Patagonia Men's Topley Jacket offers the warmth of a parka in a handsome, stylish jacket that looks right at home above a pair of jeans or dress slacks.
At a glance, the Patagonia Men's Topley Jacket looks like a casual and rather simple jacket. Its design would not have looked out of place in any decade since the 1940s and will likely remain fashionable many decades into the future. Although this jacket may be unassuming in appearance, it's actually quite capable in terms of performance.
The outer shell of this two-layer coat is made from 100% recycled polyester and is waterproof yet breathable. The inner layer is quilted and features 600-fill-power recycled down that provides excellent insulation. Thanks to a zipper secured with a buttoned storm flap, even a harsh, cutting wind will be kept at bay.
But frankly, lots of jackets look rather like this one and can keep you warm and dry, too. What sets this jacket apart from the pack are the details. Its exterior pockets are lined with brushed jersey to keep your fingers warm and cozy. Its removable hood is well insulated, adjustable, and features a laminated visor to keep precipitation off your face (and out of your eyes, most notably). The left chest pocket has a waterproof zipper and a port for headphones. The waist can be cinched shut with an adjustable drawcord that keeps out that biting wind.
Most people who have worn the Topley give it at least a 4.5-star rating, though the latest version of this retro classic is too new to have many reviews. Most professional apparel writers love the jacket, while a writer from WyomingFlyFishing.com loves the way the "urban-friendly" jacket "wraps you in compressible warmth."
I own a Columbia Sportswear OutDry Ex Gold Down Hooded Jacket and I wear it dozens of times in the winter. When I'm doing any winter camping or hiking, I use it for the duration of the trip, day and night — balled up, the jacket makes a decent pillow for sleeping. By day, it keeps me warm and, as you likely surmised, 100% dry. When you see Columbia's proprietary OutDry tag on one of its garments, you can count on it to be totally waterproof.
I've worn my Ex Gold Down jacket in heavy snow and in driving rain and on some very cold days, and frankly, when paired with a couple layers of innerwear, the jacket kept me too warm once my heart rate was up. But that's a lot better than too cold. The jacket features multiple slender horizontal baffles that keep the 700-fill-power down in place and evenly distributed, and all seams are coated with an external tape, keeping out cold air and wetness.
Another thing you will love about this jacket is its remarkable compressibility. This thing can keep you warm in freezing temperatures, but then pack down small enough to tuck away into your pack or even into a glove compartment or a drawer. Or, like I do, you can roll the jacket up, fold it into its hood, and use it as a pillow. When you're exhausted after hiking all day, it will offer more than enough comfort.
The Columbia OutDry Ex Gold Down Hooded Jacket scores mainly five-star reviews online, with one customer saying he "highly recommend[s] it for anyone who goes backpacking in varying weather conditions." Another owner says it is "the best rain barrier I have owned."
A writer with Trailspace Outdoor Gear Reviews reported staying dry after a five-mile hike in the rain, and noted that the "nylon interior material is soft against the skin and comfortable." A gear tester with GearJunkie.com praised the coat for being waterproof and warm.
Pros: Exceptional waterproofing, compresses well for packing, lightweight
Cons: Limited breathability can cause sweating issues
Why you'll love it: The Caterpillar Heavy Insulated Parka will help to keep you warm and safe as you get the job done despite the winter weather.
When there's work to be done, you can't let a little thing like blizzard conditions stop you from doing your job. With the Caterpillar Heavy Insulated Parka, winter weather is no obstacle for the hard working man. The exterior of the parka is water resistant and will keep you dry in snow and in moderate rain. The coat features ample insulation for temperatures well below freezing, and thanks to a drawstring waist and hood and adjustable cuffs, the cold air won't be able to seep in anywhere.
But lots of parkas can keep you warm. That's kind of their job, in fact, isn't it? This coat has a leg up on the competition when it comes to use by workers for two primary reasons. The first is the highly reflective strips emblazoned across the chest and back of the parka, which ensure its wearer is highly visible even in low light conditions. The second is the abundance of pockets. The parka has two interior pockets and multiple exterior pockets, perfect for stashing smaller tools and hardware, a pen and pad for notes, a phone or radio, and so forth.
There's one more thing that everyone will love whether you want this coat for work or for warmth while you walk the dog: It costs well under one hundred dollars.
With more than 1,300 reviews in, the Caterpillar Heavy Insulated Parka has a 4.5-star average rating on Amazon. One owner says the "only complaint is that it is almost too warm," while another says it keeps him "toasty warm without being too bulky, has so many pockets I haven’t even found them all yet."
In a winter coat write up, one reviewer with TestFacts.com called the Caterpillar Heavy Insulated Parka the "best winter jacket for men as it boasts a number of features that make it beneficial for the winter season."
Pros: Warmth maintained by secure closures at wrists, hem, and neck, reflective patches, multiple pockets
Why you'll love it: The Mountain Hardware Absolute Zero Parka will keep you warm and dry whether you're hurrying down a snowy city street or clinging to the north face of a Himalayan mountain.
Let's get the elephant in the room out of the way early: Yes, this coat costs $800. And yes, that may be a lot of money to spend on a coat. But when said garment could be the difference between life and death during a mountaineering expedition, you really shouldn't worry over a few (hundred) dollars.
Suitable though the Mountain Hardware Absolute Zero Parka may be for high altitude winter hiking or climbing, it's also a fine choice for anyone who lives in areas prone to heavy snowfall and frigid winds, no alpine excursions required.
The parka provides its amazing insulation thanks to an abundance of large 800-fill down baffles. This is probably a good time to tell you that "fill power" essentially refers to the quality and density of down. Higher fill power means higher quality down that insulates better, it doesn't simply refer to a larger volume of material.
Its seams are welded and the exterior of the jacket is fully waterproof. Inner water bottle pockets and a mesh stash pocket help you keep your water and snacks close at hand...and not frozen. Thanks to the mid-thigh length of the jacket, your entire core will be kept warm and dry.
Around 95% of the people who own this parka recommend it to others, and it gets five-star reviews almost across the boards. One owner raves that "this parka is tremendous" and calls it perfect for "VERY cold mountain trekking," while another jokes that "this [parka] is for weekend stays on Antarctica or evening sightseeing on Everest."
In a post on Trailspace.com, a gear expert said he had worn the parka in -26-degree temperatures and found it so warm that he "never used the hood." In a video gear review from Doglotion.com, a tester who wore the parka in the Canadian Arctic said he was "the only one in the group who could comfortably just sit outside" despite the frigid temperatures.
Pros: Fantastically warm, durable construction, blocks out water and wind, thoughtful pocket layout
Why you’ll love it: Fjällräven’s Kyl parka is a perfect hybrid of street savviness and adventure readiness.
Fjällräven has been around since 1960, when it started with framed backpacks to better distribute weight for hikers. The company has branched out in the years since, and its parkas are some of the warmest around.
I just got back from fishing in a small exposed boat in-thirty-degree temperatures and high winds, and it was toasty as could be. It’s also surprisingly easy to wash after such sorts of activities, and the faux-fur hood liner is detachable.
On another note, the Kyl’s 500-cuin fill power is a little on the light side when ranked with other parkas in this price range. It’s still plenty warm, though, and runs a little large, so if the polyester Fleece lining doesn’t keep you warm enough, there’s certainly enough room to tuck a medium-weight wool sweater underneath. The parka can fly as fashionable in urban and rural settings alike.
Fjällräven focuses on sustainability, and the company is working with Stockholm University to save the Arctic fox. It's also one of the few companies that can prove that all of the down used in its parkas is 100% traceable.
Durability is Fjällräven’s winning quality, all in all, though, its outstanding customer service doesn’t hurt, either.
If you want the most technical parka adorned with the plushest, most exotic, real fur, then look elsewhere, but if you’re seeking something practical and relatively sporty yet fashion-forward enough to pull off in town, this is the parka for you. — Owen Burke
Pros: Durable, utilitarian but well-styled
Cons: Price, low/entry-level fill power, real fur substitution is not available to those who want it
Why you’ll love it: Sturdy, timeless, and beautiful,Woolrich's Classic Peacoat is hard to beat at this price point.
How you choose and wear your wool coat is a highly personal affair, but it’s hard to deny the heritage of Woolrich. It is the longest continuously running woolen mill in the US and it has been spinning very fine woolen fabric since 1830 when founder John Rich raised his first woolen mill in Plum Run, Pennsylvania to serve loggers, miners, river men, and trappers alike.
Woolrich is about as classic as American wool gets, so if heritage is your thing, look no further.
These days — eight generations later — Woolrich usually has a line of around a dozen wool coats ranging from modestly-priced, pared-down hunting coats all the way up to an excursion-worthy tech wool coat.
Woolrich may not make its clothes stateside anymore, but it has been taking initiative over the past several years to bring manufacturing stateside. The brand has introduced a few premium lines of fully American-made goods.
Despite a number aspersions about the quality of the products that ar made overseas, positive reviews and recommendations of Woolrich abound. Including this one on Amazon by a nearly lifelong customer: “I had a coat like this since I was 17 and used it many times hunting… Well this winter…I just had to get another so I ordered one… it seems to be thicker and warmer then [sic] my old one. The day it came the weather was below zero and I wore it out for a walk. Perfect…” — Owen Burke
Pros: Affordable, timeless, American-spun wool
Cons: Made overseas, a handful of customer reviews suggest sizing may be tricky and quality isn't what it used to be
The word "beanie" is kind of one of those catch-alls that encompasses a ton of different styles, from slouchy cuts to ultra-fitted ones with a variety of embellishments and fabric variations. The sheer number of options is overwhelming. After all, when you can buy a beanie anywhere, how do you narrow it down?
You could do a ton of research on the topic. Or you can read on for our top five favorite picks for men and women from around the Internet.
Your choice of scarf can make or break your comfort level in the wintertime. Opt for one that's wooly and warm and you'll be toasty. Choose a too-thin fabric and you, well, won't. Scarves are also a great opportunity to infuse a bit of personality into your winter wardrobe. And when you get bored of your outerwear, you can always pick a new scarf to mix things up.
These five brands are your best bet for warm, attractive options that will keep you cozy all winter long.
A good pair of thermal gloves can make all the difference on a cold winter day. We did the research to find the best thermal gloves you can buy to keep your hands nice and toasty for the rest of this winter and for many more winters to come.
Your body loses a significant portion of its heat through your head, so keep yourself warm this winter with a great winter hat.
The winter hat makers we're featuring today offer hats in myriad styles, so once you've narrowed down the type of winter cap you need, you should be able to find several fine options from each brand.
Mittens keep your hands warmer than gloves, so if it's cold where you live, work, or play, slip a pair on and keep the chill out.
Yes, you will lose a measure of dexterity when choosing mittens versus gloves. But you won't risk losing a finger to frostbite, or simple suffering from frigid digits, to be a bit less dramatic. Today we've lined up some of the best mittens on the market, including mittens for babies, kids, adults, and some specialty pairs, too.
Make the most of that winter wonderland this year by keeping yourself warm and dry with well-made snow pants when you're skiing, sledding, or generally romping about in the snow.
