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We bought and tested 18 winter jackets from Fjallraven, Outdoor Research, Patagonia, Rab, Canada Goose, and more to help you find the best for the coldest months.
It's hard to go wrong with so many great winter jackets to choose from.
Sick of being cold in the winter and just dying to get back indoors? We get it — winter can be beautiful, but not through chattering teeth.
For the past decade, we've purchased and tested the top winter jackets, from soft, cozy cocoons to durable beasts that shrug off winter storms. We wore them to commute, shovel snow, trek through winter storms, and tailgate after long days on the ski hill. We layer them all kinds of ways and put them to the test in bitter New England wind chills and indoor shower deluges.
The best winter jacket overall is the Fjallraven Nuuk. Our testers love the warmth and comfort of this jacket and note that its pliable material feels lovely to wear while still offering impressive weather resistance. If you'd like a good deal on a versatile and weather-resistant jacket, The North Face Arctic Parka is warm, well-made, and weather-resistant enough to rival competitors with much higher price tags.
Editor's Note: We updated our women's winter jacket review on March 25, 2025, to add new test results from additional models from Canada Goose, Cotopaxi, Fjallraven, REI, Columbia, and 32 Degrees.
The Fjallraven Nuuk was a fast favorite among our testers, keeping us warm in bitter temps with its generous insulation. The Nuuk's recycled polyamide fabric is soft and pliable, with enough heft to feel like a hug. It's also waterproof, with a generous hood and faux-fur ruff that flips out like a brim to block the wind. (If you don't love the style of the fur ruff, not to worry — it's removable.) With the zipper pulled up to your nose and the hood blocking side gusts, you're pretty much weatherproof. “I loved the generous cut, which leaves plenty of room to layer up without feeling like an overstuffed pillow,” said our lead tester, Clark Tate. All testers agreed that this jacket breathes well, and we rarely overheat while wearing it. But our favorite part may be this jacket's abundance of generously sized and artfully tucked away pockets, lending the jacket a functional, laidback style.
The Nuuk is heavy, which we think is a fair tradeoff for how much goodness it packs into every pound. “I don't love carting it around inside, though,” Clark says. If you're looking for a lighter-weight, longer, puffy-style parka, our test team also loved the toasty Outdoor Research Coze Down Parka. The larger, relaxed fit of the Nuuk can feel overwhelming at times and the sleeves are a roll too long. And, while the Nuuk keeps us dry in our shower tests, the face fabric holds onto water more than we'd like for warmer, wetter winter weather. If price isn't a concern, the pricey Canada Goose Shelburne addresses these issues with a trim cut, backpack straps, and effective durable water repellent. But if you like staying warm and dry in snow storms or apres tailgates for less, this one's for you. Those looking for a less expensive option with a similar design and waterproof shell might like the The North Face Arctic Parka.
Insulation: 600-fill recycled down | Pockets: 2 external, 1 internal
REASONS TO BUY
Waterproof and warm
Sleek and durable
Excellent hood
REASONS TO AVOID
Internal pocket unsecured
Uninsulated hand-warmer pockets
Winter jackets are an investment, and the The North Face Arctic Parka is a reasonable one. It feels well-built and likely to last. The burly, wind and waterproof fabric and 600-fill down keep you warm and dry in freezing weather. An insulated hood, generous faux fur ruff, and soft wrist gaiters keep your extremities happy. And a high, roomy collar comfortably tucks your lower face out of the weather. The jacket reaches to mid-thigh, extending the warmth to your lower body without impairing your mobility. A two-way zipper gives you all the room to move in the world if you run into an unexpected snowball attack. To top it off, the Arctic Parka is filled with recycled down wrapped in recycled polyester fabric.
There isn't much we don't like about the Arctic Parka. Compared to the rest of our test lineup, there are a few jackets that are a bit warmer and a few others that are lighter with a more comfortable cut. A couple have longer hemlines, which is nice if you want to skip warm pants or long johns when temperatures plummet. But only the Fjallraven Nuuk and Canada Goose Shelburne jackets are as warm and weather-protective as this jacket, and both cost much more. If you want a warm, waterproof, and comfortable parka and can give up the Nuuk's epic pockets to save some cash, this is an excellent option. If you need the most economical options, check out the Wantdo Snow Jacket. It's much shorter, but also weatherproof with a protective hood.
The Orolay Thickened Down is warm and incredibly comfortable, wrapping downy baffles around your core. It also features insulated hand warmer pockets, one of the few options in the test that don't force you to slide your hands past annoying zippers. The cavernous, plush fleece-lined hood blocks crosswinds. “While it's not technically waterproof, it kept me dry in the two-minute shower test,” our tester said. Combine those facts with this jacket's low price tag, and you get the gist. It does the job for less, and we love that it comes in a variety of color options and even some prints. Several Amazon user reviews also rave about how the loose fit is great for pregnant women.
A deal this good rarely comes without compromises, and this one has a few. That big hood won't block head-on winds, and neither will the jacket's low collar. This parka leaves your face and neck out in the cold. Many of the seams are internal and protected, but those that aren't hidden snag easily and bunch the fabric up when pulled. If they break, they're unlikely to isolate the damage. But what would keep most of our test team from choosing the Orolay is its style. It makes a statement, so you want to make sure you're on board with flashy zippers, ribbons, and questionably useful bells and whistles (i.e., buttons and folded panels). If you like the look, this is a great option. The REI Co-op Norseland Down Parka costs a bit more but has a more neutral style, as does the Columbia Heavenly Long Hooded.
The Orolay has a clever design feature that lets you expand the hem for maximum comfort. Though we didn't test it for these purposes, we read several reviews online from women who loved this as a maternity jacket.
Insulation: 625-fill responsible down | Pockets: 2 external, 3 internal
REASONS TO BUY
Rugged, warm, and stylish
Highly effective hood
Weather protective
Practical backpack straps
REASONS TO AVOID
Dry clean only
Slim cut is difficult to size
Fur ruff sold separately
One of the warmest and most stylish options we've tested, the Canada Goose Shelburne offers luxurious details, brand prestige, and top-notch performance. Nearly 500 grams of responsibly sourced 625-power down insulation combines with a thick, durable outer fabric to create a solid barrier between you and the weather. Thoughtful features like a protective, insulated snorkel hood, rib-knit cuffs, and a snap mobility flap make it a versatile choice for a range of conditions, while details like practical backpack straps for easy carrying and a sleek silhouette add to its appeal. A two-way zipper gives you plenty of room to move and venting options for variable weather. As a result, this versatile jacket easily transitions from running errands to outdoor adventures to classy events. Its polished, luxe, yet rugged style marries form and function beautifully.
That quality and prestigious brand patch comes at a steep price, however. The Shelburne Parka is one of the most expensive jackets in our lineup. It's also dry clean only, and it's straight, trim cut can be hard to size for curvy bodies. Though the roomy hood gives you plenty of room to duck your face out of the wind, a fur ruff would add more protection from headwinds, yet it is sold separately, adding to the cost. Still, if you're willing to pay for an iconic jacket that delivers warmth, weather protection, and quality construction in a stylish option, the Shelburne is a standout investment. If you'd like to pay less for a warmer and nearly as protective coat in a more relaxed style, we'd steer you toward the Fjallraven Nuuk. The Cotopaxi Calidez Down Parka is another easy-wearing option with a laid-back style that may be of interest to the aesthetically minded.
Insulation: 240g of 700-fill goose down | Pockets: 2 external, 2 internal
REASONS TO BUY
Lightweight and warm
Long with a protective hood
Incredibly soft
Comfy wrist gaiters
REASONS TO AVOID
Not the most stylish option
No waist cinch to hold heat in
The Outdoor Research Coze Down Parka wraps you in 250 grams of 700-fill power goose down and lives up to its name. The high-quality feathers keep the jacket light, and the pliable nylon shell is cloud-soft. An insulated hood that extends beyond your face in what Outdoor Research (OR) calls a down-baffle ruff helps keep the weather at bay. It works like a fur ruff to block wind, though not as well. OR says that this jacket zips up to your nose, and while its collar is very tall and wide enough to tuck your face into, it only reached a bit above our lead tester's chin. Still, it's one of the most comfortable collars in the test, with a knit lining and inner down baffle to hold in more heat. Knit wrist-cuffs and lined pockets beneath the down insulation keep your hands warm.
The Coze is frumpy in a way that some fashionable people can probably pull off as elegant. Our lead tester is not one of them. “I loved wearing it, despite teasing from a few friends, who weren't nearly as warm as I was,” Clark noted. We wish it cinched at the waist, which could lend a more flattering shape. More importantly, it would stop frigid temps from sneaking up into the down cocoon. This isn't a problem with temps around freezing, but it can be when the weather turns truly cold. Still, if you want to float around outside in a cloud, thumbing your nose at conventional fashion, seriously consider the Coze. For a more stylish but similar look, we like the Patagonia Down With It Parka, which also includes a convenient snap closure. The Rab Deep Cover Parka and Marmot Montreal are also excellent options. The 32 Degrees Shield Tech Maxi Poly-Fill is a more affordable option that is nearly as comfortable, though it's not nearly as warm or weather-protective.
The Coze Down Parka has a doozy of a hood. It's insulated with a baffled “ruff” that juts out to protect your face from crosswinds. It also zips up to your nose!
Insulation: 700-fill recycled down | Pockets: 2 external, 1 internal in each layer
REASONS TO BUY
Three jackets in one
Warm and flattering
Waterproof and durable shell
REASONS TO AVOID
Hood and outer pockets are uninsulated
Can be hard to size
No double zipper on the down layer
If you want a jacket that can take you from early fall to late spring, the Patagonia Tres 3-in-1 Parka is the option for you. With an inner down layer, an outer shell, and an easy-to-use zipper that combines the two, this three-in-one jacket keeps you ready for ever-changing conditions. The inner jacket is insulated with 700-fill recycled down. Our extensive test period showed that the inner layer is water-resistant enough to get through a light drizzle and is a great standalone option for clear and chilly days. The outer layer is waterproof, windproof, and breathable. When you zip the two together, this jacket is a warm and weatherproof shelter. It's also one of the more stylish and flattering options we tested.
The Tres can be tricky to size. Patagonia's size finder recommended a medium for our lead tester, but it was way too big, with comically long sleeves. The small fits well, but the liner jacket is snug on its own. That's because, when you zip it into the shell, you gain an inch or two in circumference to accommodate the outer jacket's zipper. Though the hood and outer handwarmer pockets are uninsulated, they are roomy enough to accommodate a beanie and gloves. The hood is also highly adjustable, which lets you snug it down enough to block out rain or snow. This jacket is expensive, but you are getting three high-quality options — a down layer, a hardshell exterior, and a functional winter parka. If you'd rather stick with a more traditional option from Patagionia, the Down With It Parka has a polished look in an easier-to-size package.
It doesn't take long to zip the two layers of this jacket together.
Credit: Clark Tate
Compare Products
We tested each jacket head to head to help you find the perfect one for your winter.
Credit: Ryan Reed
How We Test Women's Winter Jackets
Since 2012, we have purchased the top models to test side-by-side every winter. We spent hundreds of hours switching between over 65 different coats in similar conditions and running repeatable tests, from standing in the shower to standing outside in freezing weather and bitter winds while checking for heat leaks with a thermal camera. We hiked and walked over 125 miles in inclement weather in these coats. We tested every jacket in temps ranging from 50°F to -30°F with wind chill and in sideways snow and sloppy shoulder season weather.
Our winter jackets were tested across five rating metrics:
Warmth (30% of overall score weighting)
Weather Resistance (25% weighting)
Comfort (25% weighting)
Versatility and Style (10% weighting)
Construction Quality (10% weighting)
For more information about how we tested winter jackets, see our full How We Test article.
Why Trust GearLab
Liz Williamson helped set the foundation for this review by testing winter jackets in Yosemite and around Lake Tahoe from 2015 to 2019. She tested dozens of jackets in harsh conditions, from the High Sierra to the Andes and Patagonia. Her design and wildlife management background helps her understand practical outerwear requirements in cold environments and the functional considerations of day-to-day use around town.
Longtime GearLab tester Clark Tate combines a master's degree in Environmental Science with a decade of science writing to build on this foundation and flesh out our jacket testing plans and ratings. Clark developed an appreciation for finding the right winter coat over fifteen winters living and playing in mountain towns like Breckenridge, Durango, South Lake Tahoe, and Jay Peak. She now lives in Maine and frequents New England's snowy slopes.
Winter weather isn't predictable. We wore each model in a variety of environments, from daily city life to mountain adventures, and rated them across multiple comprehensive metrics.
Style and function can work hand-in-hand. From the bar to the mountains, we pushed the limit of each jacket we tested.
Fur ruffs and tall collars help keep the cold out. We love features that feel soft against the skin, like fleece cuffs, and those that offer practical function, like sensibly sized pockets.
We tested these jackets across three seasons and a multitude of freezing (and below-freezing) environments to find out which ones do best at keeping us warm.
Analysis and Test Results
We tested every winter jacket across five comprehensive metrics, and each score is relative to the other jackets in the review. A score of 6 or 7 in warmth is still very toasty — it's just not as warm as models that score higher. You'll want to consider your climate and favorite outdoor activities to determine which test scores and features are the most important for you. You may need a more waterproof jacket, a super warm option, or something that will breathe well enough to keep you from overheating during active pursuits. If you want something optimized for wet weather, see our reviews of women's rain jackets or hardshell jackets.
What's the Best Value?
It's essential to find the right winter jacket for your needs and your budget. For example, the Orolay Thickened Down provides an excellent performance-to-price ratio, earning high scores as one of the least expensive jackets in our test. The Wantdo Snow Jacket is even cheaper. Since it's fully waterproof, it could be a good choice if you experience wet winters.
The North Face Arctic Parka offers an excellent value.
Credit: Clark Tate
However, though the Wantdo holds in a lot of heat, it is much shorter than the Orolay. If your bum and legs get cold easily, you may want to consider a longer option like the Columbia Heavenly Long Hooded, which doesn't cost much more. Though its scores are lower because it is lighter and less weatherproof, it is a solid jacket for milder climates or shoulder seasons (spring and fall). The long and wildly inexpensive 32 Degrees Shield Tech Maxi Poly-Fill is another tempting option, though its lightweight insulation and lack of weatherproofing make it inappropriate for severe winter weather.
The Orolay offers impressive warmth and comfort at a very reasonable price.
Credit: Clark Tate
The REI Co-op Norseland Down Parka is also warm and reasonably priced. Its scores took a few hits because its hood is small and shallow, and the shoulder seams wet through in our shower tests. We still wear it often and think it's a solid value, especially given REI's customer service and return policy. The Marmot Montreal and Rab Deep Cover Parka cost quite a bit more but didn't pose the same durability concerns. Given how long they are likely to last, we think their price tags are reasonable. That said, their thin polyester fabric may not hold up as well as heavier-duty options.
We often reach for the warm and comfy REI Co-op Norseland Parka. Unfortunately, its shallow hood and leaky shoulder seams keep it from winning an award.
Credit: Clark Tate
More expensive jackets can still offer excellent value. For example, the Patagonia Tres 3-in-1 Parka gives you three jackets for the price of two similar options. Like many jackets in this review, it also offers ecological and ethical value. The coat is insulated with 100% recycled down and 75% recycled polyester (100% in the down layer and 50% in the shell), and its sewing labor is Fair Trade Certified. If these values are important to you, check the bottom of the table found at the top of this page to find out which companies make similar efforts.
While the Patagonia Tres is a big investment, you're buying three jackets for the price of two.
Credit: Clark Tate
Warmth
If you want to enjoy being outdoors in the winter, you have to stay warm. That's why warmth is our most heavily weighted metric. Much of a jacket's warmth comes down to its insulation. If a coat is filled with down feathers, its warmth is determined by the quality (fill-power) of those feathers, how many there are (fill-weight), and how thick the fabric containing them is. Higher fill-powers mean higher quality down and more warmth per weight. We consider anything over 600-fill to be excellent.
To objectively measure warmth, we stand outdoors in below-freezing temperatures for ten minutes in each jacket, using a thermal camera to see if we could detect leaking warmth. We also used a thermometer to take internal temperature readings, as shown in the chart above. The Fjallraven Nuuk and Canada Goose Shelburne parkas are the toastiest in the test, holding internal temps of 76°F and 73°F, respectively.
These jackets had some of the highest internal temperatures in the test. The darker orange sections are cooler than the bright yellow areas, indicating that they hold more body heat.
The jackets that registered lower internal temperatures in the heat test showed more bright yellow areas, indicating greater heat loss.
Comparing thermal images of some of the jackets we tested, to see what it can tell us about where they lose their heat.
While we place more weight on these measured internal temperatures than the thermal camera images, we do take a look to see which areas light up in brighter yellows. Those warmer areas indicate that heat is escaping. Take a look at the images above. They show each jacket after a full ten minutes of standing still in 20°F temperatures. The darker orange areas indicate cooler areas where heat is not escaping through the insulation — though, depending on the fit of the jacket, heat could still be released around the jacket.
We take our testing even further, considering our experiences wearing them in the real world and how warm they feel compared to one another. Other factors, such as how long a jacket is, the height of the collar, and the protectiveness of the hood and wrist cuffs, also make a big difference. Lucky for you, we tested each of these jackets side-by-side in snow, rain, wind, and frigid temperatures to gain first-hand experience.
The toastiest jackets in the tet are also some of our favorites — these are the Fjallraven Nuuk, Canada Goose Shelburne, Outdoor Research Coze, The North Face Arctic, and the Orolay. The Nuuk relies on thick, durable fabric, a protective hood, and synthetic insulation to hold in warmth. The Arctic Parka shares a similar design but is insulated with down feathers instead of polyester fibers.
We loved the toasty yet breathable Nuuk with its roomy fit and plentiful pockets.
Credit: Clark Tate
The puffy-style Coze, Marmot Montreal, and Rab Deep Cover parkas are loaded with 700-fill power down, and the Patagonia Down With It Parka uses 600-fill. The high-quality down insulation and relatively thin face fabrics maximize their warmth while keeping them impressively lightweight and compressible.
Aside from its lofty down fill and thick fabric, the Shelburne Parka keeps you warm by keeping warmth around your face with a massive hood.
Credit: Clark Tate
The Canada Goose Shelburne Parka combines the approaches, stuffing a durable fabric shell with 625-fill power down. The result is a slimmer down coat that holds warmth inside a more stylish silhouette. Thigh to knee-length parkas like these are incredibly cozy in brutally cold weather, which we think of as 10°F or below. The Outdoor Research Coze reaches to the middle of the calves and covers the head with a large, deep, and very warm hood. Coze is right.
Most of the jackets we tested have smart features to help keep out the cold. Cuffed sleeves keep drafts from creeping up the arms, and insulated fleece-lined pockets are lifesavers on truly frigid days. Check out the women's base layers we tested, which can also be part of a smart layering system and go a long way in keeping your body heat close.
You can hide from the weather in The North Face Arctic Parka.
Credit: Clark Tate
A warm hood makes a huge difference in cold weather, and we like those that are large enough to allow you to fit a beanie underneath. Insulated hoods with faux-fur ruffs that roll out around your face, like those on the Nuuk, The North Face Arctic Parka, and the Rab Deep Cover, keep your face happy in stormy weather.
The OR Coze,Canada Goose Shelburne, and Orolay Thickened Down jackets have unique hoods that serve a similar purpose. The Coze has a down baffle that juts out beyond the face to protect it, while the Shelburne and Orolay hoods are deep enough to hide inside. All help keep your face warm, but they don't replicate the wind-cutting power of fur — real or faux.
The big protective hood and calf-length down baffles of the Coze Down Parka offer a lot of warmth.
Credit: Ryan Reed
Canada Goose uses real coyote fur in their ruffs. The Shelburne Parka we tested doesn't come with one, but it is an optional accessory. While a fur ruff certainly makes a jacket more protective in a storm, the ethics of using real fur can be controversial. Canada Goose is the only manufacturer in this review that uses real coyote fur, and they are committed to sourcing the fur ethically and responsibly.
Keep in mind that the warmest jackets may be overkill in some conditions. If you live in warmer climates, finding a highly weather-resistant jacket may be more important.
The Rab Deep Cover Parka's hood is removable, and so is the fur ruff.
Credit: Clark Tate
Weather Resistance
Winter weather can range from cold and dry to sleet, wind, and freezing rain. If you live in a wet climate like the Pacific Northwest, having a moderately warm and completely waterproof winter jacket is a good idea. If cold temperatures, biting winds, and dry snow are your reality, warmth and wind resistance are critical.
All the models we tested offer some protection from wet weather, from a water-resistant coating to a full-blown waterproof membrane. To test how well each jacket keeps you dry and cuts cold winds, we went for walks on wet snow days, stood in the shower for two minutes, headed out in windstorms, and braved blizzards.
The Shelburne's effective, non-PFA durable water-repellent (DWR) finish and that generous hood work together to keep you protected from the weather.
Credit: Clark Tate
The Canada Goose Shelburne Parka wins weather protection. It's as close to impenetrable as a winter jacket can be, with a tough outer shell and an insanely protective hood to block wind and snow. Though it's not meant to be used in temperatures where water is in liquid form, it shrugs rain off as well as anything else.
The Patagonia Tres is waterproof with a highly-adjustable hood that keeps the weather out.
Credit: Clark Tate
The Patagonia Tres is also windproof and is another of our favorite options for wet weather. Its generous hood offers solid coverage, keeping our face dry during our shower tests. The Tres Parka's water and windproof outer shell works wonderfully as a rain jacket. The Columbia Hikebound II and the Moerdeng ArcticPeaks coat also work as rain jackets but have shallow hoods that do little to protect your face.
If you can't find the face in this photo, the wind isn't likely to either. And that's why we love the hood on the Fjallraven Nuuk.
Credit: Clark Tate
The North Face Arctic Parka and Fjallraven Nuuk also offer excellent shelter from a storm. Their hoods roll out to form protective tunnels, and the collars zip up to the nose. Both collars are roomy enough to be comfortable even when zipped up high enough to protect most of your face. While you'll stay dry when wearing the Nuuk, the fabric wets out in rain or wet snow. The Arctic Parka does not — it is impressively waterproof and doesn't absorb a drop.
The Outdoor Research Coze is another impressive option with a hood that forms a protective ring around your face and cinches down to keep the wind at bay. It's also incredibly water resistant, easily shrugging off 2 minutes of steady water in our shower test. The Marmot Montreal is similarly water resistant, but its hood isn't deep enough to keep rain off your face when you remove the faux fur ruff. And you'll want to remove it — they don't fare well in wet conditions.
Water beads up nicely on the OR Coze jacket, which performed well in our shower test.
Credit: Clark Tate
The Patagonia Down With It Parka has impressive wet weather chops, with a DWR coating that sheds moisture effectively and a zipper that keeps water out. Unfortunately, its small and shallow hood does very little to protect your face. It can also allow water to run down your back where the hood snaps into the jacket if you don't take care to align the layers.
The Cotopaxi Calidez Down Parka, Fjallraven Kiruna, and Wantdo Waterproof Snow Jacket all kept us dry during our shower test, and their hoods are extremely protective. But their face fabric wets through completely.
The REI Norseland Parka and 32 Degrees Shield Tech Maxi Poly-Fill both let water in at the seams. For the Norseland, it was just a trickle at the shoulders after two minutes in the shower. For the 32 Degrees, it was a complete deluge after 30 seconds.
The Montreal's hood keeps the wind off your face and the fabric sheds water like a champ.
Credit: Clark Tate
Comfort
Winter jackets can feel bulky, heavy, or restrictive, so we love the ones that feel roomy and cozy instead. We also love details like soft, welcoming pockets and protective cuffs. The most comfortable jackets we reviewed are supple and cut to provide plenty of shoulder room to stretch, move, and layer up. Some winter jackets wrap you in down from your head to your knees, and others drape you in comfortingly weighted canvas. All of these features factor into comfort.
If you like puffy jackets, consider the Outdoor Research Coze, Orolay Thickened Down, or the Patagonia Down With It Parka. All earn top marks for combining a great cut with a velvety soft feel. Even better, none of them are too tight on your face when you zip them all the way up. The Cotopaxi Calidez is a similar option with a more durable face fabric protecting the soft inner layer. A relaxed cut gives you plenty of room to move.
The Cotopaxi Calidez Down Parka is an extremely easy-to-wear option that we reach for often.
Credit: Clark Tate
We also adore the Marmot Montreal with its nicely fitted hood and soft ruff. It offers instant comfort with a plush, fleece-lined torso and collar, though the collar is tighter when zipped. The Rab Deep Cover Parka does well here for its lofty, unrestrictive down fill and light nylon shell. The 32 Degrees Shield Tech Maxi Poly-Fill is similarly cozy, though it lacks the polished details like soft cuffs and, you know, warm insulation.
The Patagonia Down With It jacket has an excellent cut that gives you plenty of room to move.
Credit: Clark Tate
If you need a sturdier exterior but don't want to cut on the cozy factor, we suggest the Fjallraven Nuuk. Its design gives you plenty of room to layer and move, the fabric is buttery soft, and its slight heft truly feels like a hug. The Canada Goose Shelburne is nearly as comfortable, though a straighter cut can feel a bit restrictive at times.
The extremely light-weight 32 Degrees Shield Tech Maxi Poly-Fill isn't as warm and weather-protective as we'd prefer, but it sure is soft and cozy.
Credit: Clark Tate
We also found the cut and comfort of the Patagonia Tres 3-in-1 Parka impressive. “It's flattering but never restrictive,” Clark says, “even with the collar fully zipped”. It also offers plenty of shoulder room, though the liner is a little snug on its own. The Columbia Suttle Mountain Long and Heavenly Long jackets are similarly easy to wear. They are lightweight with roomy cuts and soft fleece liners in the hood.
The lightweight Columbia Heavenly Long isn't suited to super cold weather, but it makes it an extremely easy-wearing option.
Credit: Clark Tate
Versatility and Style
Why not stay warm and look good doing it? We know style is subjective, so we give it less weight in our scores. We also judge how versatile a jacket is, based on how many weather and style situations it can handle.
The winter jackets in this review vary in length, fit, function, and fashion. Some have smooth, sleek outer shells like the Patagonia Tres 3-in-1 Parka, some sport the rugged, functional look of the Fjallraven Nuuk, and others feature downy baffles, like the Marmot Montreaux. We like all of these styles, but some are executed better than others.
The trim cut of the Canada Goose Shelburne creates one of the more flattering silhouettes of the test.
Credit: Clark Tate
We think the Canada Goose Shelburne balances function, versatility, and style beautifully. It's a wonderful option for the city or on the trail, and it looks good no matter where it is.
The Patagonia Tres 3-in-1 Parka nails sophisticated winter style with a flattering cut and pleasing proportions. “I like the look of all three layers,” our tester said. The Patagonia Down With It Parka is a close runner-up. Cleverly angled baffles cut down on bulk to offer a trim silhouette. The hand-warmer pockets don't interrupt the elegant line, and the high-quality fabric is evident on both.
We think the Patagonia Tres looks good in all three configurations. Shown here is the inner layer worn on its own.
Credit: Clark Tate
The Fjallraven Nuuk, REI Co-op Norseland Down Parka, Cotopaxi Calidez Down Parka,Fjallraven Kiruna, and The North Face Arctic Parka are our favorites of the more utilitarian jackets. All are understated and lean on their functionality for fashion. They're like sneakers — you just always feel good wearing them. Of the three, the Arctic Parka is the most streamlined and slimming.
Angled baffles create a slimming effect for the Patagonia Down With It Parka.
Credit: Clark Tate
The Rab Deep Cover Parka and Marmot Montreal also look great. They're quite similar, with thin fabric, horizontal baffles, and hoods with attractive faux fur ruffs. Both earned us compliments. Neither is exactly elegant, though, and the Montreal's arms are disproportionately puffy. The inexpensive 32 Degrees Shield Tech Maxi Poly-Fill is also surprisingly polished, though, if you look closely, the lack of attention to detail is telling.
The Nuuk leans on its quality construction to create its timeless style.
The Cotopaxi Calidez Down Parka has a relaxed style that we find ourselves reaching for over and over again
Construction Quality
A durable jacket should serve its intended purpose for years if not decades. To get one, you may need to spend more. Thicker fabrics stand up to rough use, but thinner shells work fine if you avoid manual labor and sharp edges, like skis. Most of the jackets in this review are made with quality materials and should last.
The North Face Arctic and Fjallraven Nuuk parkas seem practically indestructible, with minimal exterior stitching and tough polyester and polyamide shells. The Canada Goose Shelburne feels similarly bombproof. However, the stitches on its external baffles can snag.
Though much of the Canada Goose Shelburne's construction impressed us, we wish its external seams were a bit harder to snag.
Credit: Clark Tate
The Patagonia Tres has a two-layer H2No membrane and polyester shell that seems invincible. The Cotopaxi Calidez seems similarly reliable — there isn't much to snag or unravel between the sturdy material and minimal external stitching. We did notice a few down feathers escaping from the inner jacket of the Tres. It's not enough to concern us, but this layer is thin, relatively easy to snag, and has loads of external stitching. Keeping this layer up and running will require some care.
With few exposed seams, tough fabric, and high-quality snaps, the Arctic Parka has few weaknesses.
Credit: Clark Tate
Similarly, some of the softest and most comfortable jackets we tested didn't earn the highest marks for construction quality. Jackets like the Montreal and Deep Cover parkas wrap all that lovely down in a thin polyester shell. You do need to take good care of this type of winter jacket if you want it to last.
The Outdoor Research Coze Down Parka and REI Co-op Norseland Down Parka are a good compromise, offering a soft down puffy feel with thicker, presumably more durable, fabric. Unfortunately, the Norseland parka's construction is lacking — the shoulder seams don't keep moisture at bay.
We've tested the OR Coze for a few years now, and it doesn't have a mark on it.
Credit: Ryan Reed
Conclusion
There is no perfect winter jacket for every occasion, but there are plenty of excellent options for your needs. Armed with this review, we hope you can choose a parka suitable for your climate. Winter parkas are just one of many outer layer options, though, so make sure you're choosing the right one for your needs.