Warm Winter Jacket advice

[JB001]

I spent 9 weeks in Europe from late November including 10 days in northern Norway (Tromso and a lodge 3 hours north) over Christmas.
I did a lot of research on the best jackets and in the end decided to go with Parajumpers. The main reasons was they were 100% waterproof and the quality of the jacket's. A lot of the PJ's jackets have removal linings which may also be of interest to you.
We couldn't have been happier with the Parajumper's jacket's and would highly recommend them. While not cheap, they were the best investment for Scandinavia at that time of year.
The temperatures you quoted was pretty much what we experienced, however, the wind chill can make it feel a lot lower.
In general provided you have good quality thermals, you won't need too many layers with a Parajumpers jacket. We generally had a thermal top and fleece under the jackets and was always very comfortable even on the coldest days and nights. Provided you have good boots, wool socks, thermals, insulated pants, scarf, gloves and beanie you should be very warm without too many layers.

If you have any specific questions about the jackets or Tromso etc feel free to PM.

Hope this helps.

 

[Fifa]

I have a Marmot Montreaux jacket which I love.
It is a toasty warm full length jacket with 700 fill power down and hood with removable fur trim (weight 1055g).

In Feb 2016 i wore it in Hokkaido, Japan for 3 weeks and more recently in Europe for 8 weeks including 2 weeks in the Italian Alps.

It was purchased last year at Larry Adler and the girls in the shop called it the walking doona! To protect it I carry a little foldable eco bag in one of the pockets to stuff it into when travelling on trains, buses etc and when there is nowhere to hang it in restaurants.

 

[jastel]

My North Face jacket with removeable inner fleece has been well worth its $500 10 years ago.
I live in the tropics so it gets zero use in Australia...even if I go to SYD etc in winter it is too warm and I use a lighter one.

It normally gets one outing a year to the cold and snow.

Other things to consider are if you are actively snow skiing some jackets are not as tough, especially the puffy ones, secure zippable pockets or lack of...many newer ones I noticed last month in Niseko have many pockets for phones, coins, ipod, lift passes (pocket on sleeves), a hood may be useful, some have venting zips if you overheat, toggles on zips...it is easy to dress with fingers, try it with your gloves on.

Sitting still waiting for the lights to appear you will definitely want 100% water/windproof...Goretex all the way.
If you are going into the Arctic winds dont cheap out...you do get what you pay for in life.

Hope you see the lights!

 

[JessicaTam]

Hmm, more food for thought. And a couple more votes for North Face. At least they have AU stockists, so I can make a decision on them well before I leave.

I will certainly be looking for a waterproof jacket, so GoreTex or the like will be the go.

Jastel, I won't need it for skiing as I have a couple of ski jackets already. I am after something 3/4 length at least. Hmm, maybe I should have put that in the first post?

 

[Justinf]

I just came back from a trip to Fairbanks where it got down to -28.
I found layers were more important than anything. A good pair of thermal underwear, T-shirt, a good fleece (I had a Kathmandu fleece) and a Patagonia 800+ fill down parka was fine.
Honestly it's the layers that will help you more than the gear itself.
For -10 you won't need a balaclava, but I needed one at night in Fairbanks.
Don't neglect your feet. They are the most important things. Once they get cold, it's all over. I wore two pairs of thermal Heatgear sock and some Salamon snow boot.s
Also, don't wear gloves...wear mittens. Mittens keep the air circulating around your finger and far more effective in cold weather than gloves. That was the best advice I received pre-trip.
I also had a good Under Armour Coldgear beanie and then wore a Heatgear one over the top of that.

 

[JessicaTam]

I just came back from a trip to Fairbanks where it got down to -28.
I found layers were more important than anything. A good pair of thermal underwear, T-shirt, a good fleece (I had a Kathmandu fleece) and a Patagonia 800+ fill down parka was fine.
Honestly it's the layers that will help you more than the gear itself.
For -10 you won't need a balaclava, but I needed one at night in Fairbanks.
Don't neglect your feet. They are the most important things. Once they get cold, it's all over. I wore two pairs of thermal Heatgear sock and some Salamon snow boot.s
Also, don't wear gloves...wear mittens. Mittens keep the air circulating around your finger and far more effective in cold weather than gloves. That was the best advice I received pre-trip.
I also had a good Under Armour Coldgear beanie and then wore a Heatgear one over the top of that.

Gosh, you did rug up!

 

[teamhamsandwich]

I'm a big fan of arc'teryx jackets. Great product.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Thoughts?

Yes as much of the good advice above indicates there is not one right generic answer. Your "best" clothing will depend on what you will be doing in the cold. ie skiing, trekking, just casual walking etc.

Remember too that if relying on "fluffy" jackets and particularly down ones that any rain-jacket needs to be large enough to go over. If you are unlikely to be out in rain more than briefly then that is not a concern so much. But if you are out for extended periods it is literally a life-saving rather than lifestyle decision.

Part of what I do on some of my holidays is going on walks where I have to assume that I may get stuck out overnight with an unexpected weather changes and so I dress and take clothing for the worst possible weather extreme (ie I have trekked to 5700m at -40 below). Last August hiking near Mont Blanc one day was t-shirt trekking, whereas the next day it closed in, was a white-out and rained. Not having the right clothing would not have ended well.

So if you are just popping out in the cold and will always have a warm car, hut, train, ship nearby then the large out jacket is a good and convenient option. For more extreme and remote activities then layering is the way to go. Though having said that it reaches a stage temperature wise where one of those layers will be "fluffy".

I would add here too that my wife, and many females, will feel the cold differently than I do (and many males) and that my wife will always reach for her down layer well before I do. Often mine will only go on when I am being sedentary back in camp. So you may wish to take particular not of what some lady travellers may recommend.



At Annapurna Base Camp where the huts had no heating and would get to about -10C inside overnight

 

[KitKat]

If considering a down jacket for the extremes/expedition wear, look at Feathered Friends, made in Seattle. Small boutique company but damn good down items..
Feathered Friends - Down Sleeping Bags, Down Outerwear, Down Bedding, and the Top Outdoor Gear Feathered Friends
So light yet so warm (but not the most fashionable cuts/look)

I have my Moncler down "Ski" Jacket - for Skiing and Non-skiing activities, similar in warmth quality (get the Moncler Skiing jackets, not the runway ones!) to Canada Goose but looks way better

 

[paxman]

Why hasn't anybody mentioned Uniqlo. Amazing cold weather gear and thermals and ultra light for travel.

 

[dmitri]

As others have said, investing in a good set of thermals would be my first purchase. I was in New York in 2014 when the "polar vortex" storm hit in early January. We had -16 to -35 celcius with the wind chill for a few days. I have a great jacket from Rodd and Gunn which helped out but the thermals were the saving grace in regards to the wind. I also have full goose down jacket from jack and jones that I bought in Quebec, it is easily the warmest jacket I've ever worn and stands up to all weather conditions. I'll be using both of these this xmas in Montreal.

 

[AisleSeat]

I was in Tromso over new years a couple of years ago. I had icebreaker 200 merino thermals, fleece, Burton snowboard jacket, gloves, beanie, jeans and, wool hiking socks and hiking boots. Not cold at all, and it was snowing for the most part.
I guess it depends how cold you get, though.
But I highly recommend Icebreaker thermals. Used them over winter in Victoria High Country and they've been a treat.

 

[LadyC]

I will second Icebreaker having good under and mid layer gear.

 

[Austman]

I am most comfortable inside in a t-shirt, so layering would just be frustrating for me. The longest period I will spend outside will probably be 'Northern Lights' hunting, and then I will be wearing a thermal top and bottom underneath.

As I have said upthread, I would rather a heavier jacket that meant I didn't have take multiple layers on and off, than a lighter one.

Then I think you're on the right track. Being a HLO type of person, I'm guessing too that it's going to be just the one outer garment that you're after?

A lot of the advice so far is for extended outdoor activities - and you really do need good layering then. But for Scandinavian city/town activities you go through warm-cold-warm-cold-warm-cold-warm-cold environments sometimes in quick succession! And having too many layers underneath the jacket can make the warm environments very uncomfortable!

So one really good long-ish jacket should work. And for the extend outdoor times, just layer more then. Some jackets even have quite smart folding or attaching hoods and neck treatments meaning a beanie and scarf are almost not needed.

The other thing to consider is that the best clothes for extended outdoor periods are usually sportswear which can look pretty poor in a urban fashion sense. If you want to look a bit smart around the cities and towns, it's a consideration. It's a bit like wearing a tracksuit top out on a Saturday night in Melbourne - which is fine if that's the look you want!

Mittens are definitely warmer but I found them to be a clumsy nuisance around town. IMO gloves are more practical - I of course had both to choose from.

 

[Justinf]

Gosh, you did rug up!

Nah, was positively beautiful out there.

 

[Justinf]

Mittens are definitely warmer but I found them to be a clumsy nuisance around town. IMO gloves are more practical - I of course had both to choose from.

Absolutely agree. Mittens for outdoor activities and gloves for walking around town. Mittens are clumsy, but effective.
Also wind chill is the big thing for clothing. It was -25 where I was, but no wind and while it was freaking cold, it wasn't blisteringly so because of the calm conditions.

 

[seanpodge]

I live in Harbin, China where tonight's low of -10C mean that Autumn has arrived. I bought a large down jacket about five years ago at Uniqlo for about A$230 and it works well. I usually wear it unzipped with just a T-shirt when walking to the supermarket as otherwise I'd be sweating like a pig. Basically I'm counter balancing an overly warm jacket with cold air on my chest.

An important part of the jacket is that it is quite wind resistant. I find that even with temperatures down to -20C, if there is little to no wind then it's quite bearable. But -5C in strong winds can feel much worse than -20C with no wind.

It should be noted that I: a) am fairly tolerant to cold weather and b) moved to Harbin because it was cold, so I wouldn't suggest that I am a sensible yardstick for the average person on these matters. I also don't tend to do much outdoor activities. When in the city, it's pretty easy to find somewhere to go into to escape the cold, which might not be available for you at all times of your trip.

While it's your money and of course your body heading up to the Arctic, here in Harbin it easily goes below -30C at night in winter and the only people spending A$1000+ on a single jacket would be those buying fur coats. If really concerned about long periods outside, you'd be better off investing in layers than just on one jacket, I think.

Why hasn't anybody mentioned Uniqlo. Amazing cold weather gear and thermals and ultra light for travel.

Fixed.

Agree with you, their stuff is genuinely good quality at a much more humane price than Kathmandu, North Face et al. They also sell a hoodie that has a "furry" lining on the inside that is very effective with just a T-shirt (at least to -10C, in my experience).

 

[lovetravellingoz]

more humane price than Kathmandu,

Kathmandu: A brand where their "real"price is one of their many sale prices. Shock horror to anyone that pays actual full price on any of their gear. Also quality went down hill when they changed ownership some time back. However I do still buy occasional items, but only from their Clearance Racks during a sale when the combined discounts presents some opportunity.

 

[JessicaTam]

Then I think you're on the right track. Being a HLO type of person, I'm guessing too that it's going to be just the one outer garment that you're after?

A lot of the advice so far is for extended outdoor activities - and you really do need good layering then. But for Scandinavian city/town activities you go through warm-cold-warm-cold-warm-cold-warm-cold environments sometimes in quick succession! And having too many layers underneath the jacket can make the warm environments very uncomfortable!

So one really good long-ish jacket should work. And for the extend outdoor times, just layer more then. Some jackets even have quite smart folding or attaching hoods and neck treatments meaning a beanie and scarf are almost not needed.

The other thing to consider is that the best clothes for extended outdoor periods are usually sportswear which can look pretty poor in a urban fashion sense. If you want to look a bit smart around the cities and towns, it's a consideration. It's a bit like wearing a tracksuit top out on a Saturday night in Melbourne - which is fine if that's the look you want!

Mittens are definitely warmer but I found them to be a clumsy nuisance around town. IMO gloves are more practical - I of course had both to choose from.

3/4 to full length will be the go, and wind/waterproof. The only long continuous stretch outside is likely to be the search for those elusive lights, and I will have layers for that.

The rest of my time in the far north is likely to be town based, but I do like wandering the streets for hours on end. The occasional visit to a store or cafe makes the convenience of a heavier all in one jacket a priority.

I have never warmed to mittens*, but I do have a pair of toasty gloves.

*See what I did there?

If considering a down jacket for the extremes/expedition wear, look at Feathered Friends, made in Seattle. Small boutique company but damn good down items..
Feathered Friends - Down Sleeping Bags, Down Outerwear, Down Bedding, and the Top Outdoor Gear Feathered Friends
So light yet so warm (but not the most fashionable cuts/look)

I have my Moncler down "Ski" Jacket - for Skiing and Non-skiing activities, similar in warmth quality (get the Moncler Skiing jackets, not the runway ones!) to Canada Goose but looks way better

Looks like they only have a store in Seattle, so that rules them out. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

An important part of the jacket is that it is quite wind resistant. I find that even with temperatures down to -20C, if there is little to no wind then it's quite bearable. But -5C in strong winds can feel much worse than -20C with no wind.
<snip>

Totally agree with you there.

Kathmandu: A brand where their "real"price is one of their many sale prices. Shock horror to anyone that pays actual full price on any of their gear. Also quality went down hill when they changed ownership some time back. However I do still buy occasional items, but only from their Clearance Racks during a sale when the combined discounts presents some opportunity.

I think I will have an hour or two spare in Melbourne this weekend, so I might have to wander Little Bourke St and see what is on offer.

 

[amaroo]

After enjoying 3 winter holidays in Quebec and one in Norway (including Tromsø) we all noticed the one that won "worn by locals" was Canada Goose.