What’s a warm winter coat?
Coat warmth is measured by a number of factors. One of which is the quantity and quality of down or synthetic filling (Fill Power Rating) used and the ability of the shell to both repel moisture while at the same time allowing the coat to breathe so sweat doesn’t get trapped against your skin.
There are a number of other variables to keep in mind such as seals, hems, cuffs, baffling, hoods, drawstrings, and hand warmers.
The most important variable we’ll be looking at in this guide is the Fill Power Rating. This will be the biggest determiner of whether a coat will act like a screen door in the winter or keep you nice and toasty.
Related: 22 Of The Best Men’s Winter Coats
What is a Fill Power Rating?
Because the Fill Power Rating (FPR) of a coat is so important let’s learn a little about it. Fill Power measures how much loft a particular down product has. Loft is measure in the United States by placing down in a cylinder and compressing it with a weight. Most loft ratings run between 300-900 and above. I’ve only seen a handful of coats ever made that have a rating of above 900. If you looking for a good quality coat anything with a rating of 400-600 would be considered good, 600-800 is great, and anything above 800 will be best in class. These type of jackets can hand the coldest temperatures this planet has to offer.
What are good winter coat brands?
There are a number of very popular men’s winter coat brands. They trend from the fashionable to the very technical. But coats the brands listed below are consistently rated as some of the warmest jackets anywhere. They’ve delivered consistent products backed by great warranties and you’ll be happy with any of these manufacturers.
Feathered Friends | Mountain Hardware | Rab | Patagonia | Arc’teryx | Marmot
So without further ado let’s answer the question…
What is the warmest men’s winter coat?
Feathered Friends Volant Men’s Parka
Let’s just jump to the chase. The Feathered Friends Volant Men’s Parka ($409) is the warmest coat on our list. It is a perennial favorite from Feathered Friends and is listed as an expedition jacket. The Volant marks the transition from sewn-through construction to a fully baffled garment. These baffles, combined with high lofting 850+ fill power down, Pertex Shield XT waterproof/ breathable fabric, and reinforced sleeves and shoulders creates an incredibly warm, durable, and reliable jacket. Used extensively by the climbing rangers on Rainier, the Volant Jacket is the Feathered Friends recommendation for Northwest summit attempts, chilly ascents in South America, smaller peaks in Alaska, and the lower Himalaya.
User Review
“Bought the Volant Jacket 4 weeks ago. Not sure what to say. There is Canada Goose, North face, Arc’teryx to name a few. This Volant is by far the best thing ever!! Thank you, Feathered Friends!! I’m now your biggest fan forever !!
Snow blowing today in Canada at Minus 18C ( -2 F ) Wind-chill of minus 26C ( -15F ). Wearing my Volant and a t-shirt. And yes I had to unzip this jacket to cool off!! This is amazing! I’ll never wear anything else from here on in. I got the Pacific Blue! I love it! it stands out and gets a lot of attention around town.”
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Men’s Down Hooded Jacket
The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Men’s Down Hooded Jacket ($300) is another iconic jacket from an iconic brand. This jacket comes with an amazing 800-FPR rating an incredible shell technology that’s made to keep you dry throughout your adventures. To start the Ghost Whisperer is considered the world’s lightest full-featured hooded down jacket. This sub-eight-ounce jacket can be compressed into its own pocket for easy storage. It’s been designed with the essentials in mind: Q.Shield DOWN 800-fill insulation resists moisture and maintains warmth, elastic stealth elastane binding inside cuff seals out moisture, toggle hem adjusts easily. As far as the shell goes, the Ghost Whisperer is the world’s only true 7 denier by 10 denier shell, using single 7d and 10d yarns rather than pairs of strands. This maintains the jackets performance even in the dampest of conditions.
User Reviews
“The fit is huge. I wore the jacket in the mountains during a cold snap and snow and was toasty warm. It packs down small fits well in my backpack.”
“Absolutely fantastic product. If it was more affordable I would have bought one year ago. This is going to be my go-to jacket for most weather types for a LONG TIME.”
Rab Neutrino Endurance Men’s Winter Jacket
The Rab Neutrino Endurance Men’s Winter Jacket ($290) has become the benchmark technical down jacket for modern mountaineering and lightweight ascents. The light-weight nature of the Pertex fabrics gives the Neutrino Endurance excellent packability, without compromising on technical features or insulation weight. High lofting is guaranteed by 225g of the highest quality 800-FPR Hydrophobic Down. Key technical features include a down-filled helmet-compatible hood with a wired peak for extra protection. The Neutrino Endurance Jacket also features a 2-way YKK AquaGuard front zip and 2 YKK AquaGuard zipped hand pockets, which dramatically increases the water-resistance and durability of the jacket, making it ideal for winter conditions.
User Review
“Incredibly warm, comfortable, and long in the rear. I have few issues with this jacket and have really been glad to be wearing it when outside in very cold conditions or when sedentary in the cold. It is true that this jacket is simply to warm to even wear if you are being active and the temp is over 30deg F. I could wear this with perhaps just a T-shirt at 30-40 deg and be fine. Anything less, and a sweater would be expected beneath. The zipper does occasionally get stuck, and the pull is on the left side. Pockets are large and warm, with one pocket inside. Haven’t tested it in wet conditions. As a tall person, the extra length in the rear is really appreciated.”
Rab Microlight Alpine Men’s Winter Jacket
The Rab Microlight Alpine Men’s Winter Jacket ($205) is a light-weight, weather-resistant down jacket, designed for use in situations where warmth, weight, and packability are prime concerns. A mini stitch-through baffle construction and a minimal, uncluttered design make the Microlight Alpine Jacket a perfect layering piece for alpine climbers or an adaptable stand-alone jacket for day-to-day use. 143g (large) of 750-FPR Hydrophobic Goose Down provides exceptional levels of warmth without compromising on weight. A Pertex Microlight outer fabric helps to keep the warmth in and is both breathable and windproof. Key technical features include a down-filled hood and YKK zipped pockets throughout.
User Review
“This jacket is wonderfully light and reasonably warm. With only a single shirt underneath, I would rate it as comfortable to about 25 degrees F, and down to about 10 degrees F if active at the level of a brisk walk or more. Quality of manufacture seems very high, and it really does pack down to a very compact bag for travel.”
Patagonia Men’s Down Sweater Jacket
Getting out of your sleeping bag on a frigid alpine ascent can be daunting, but with the Patagonia Men’s Down Sweater Jacket ($280) you can take the comfort of your sleeping bag up the mountain with you. With a DWR treated recycled polyester ripstop shell and lining, this down jacket will repel moisture and wind leaving the 800-fill goose down to keep your body well insulated all the way to the summit.
User Review
“Great lightweight down jacket, very comfortable with just a merino base layer in temperatures from 40F down to about 20F but not substantial enough for lower temperatures. Makes a great car coat or for short hops to the gym and back. I often use this jacket as a cold weather warmup jacket before and after XC skiing or late season cycling. Great for taking the chill off after vigorous activities in cold weather.”
Arc’teryx Camosun Men’s Parka
The Arc’teryx Camosun Men’s Parka ($600) has a 750-FPR and is a technical minimalist jacket. It has technical features to place synthetic filler in high moisture areas and down where warmth is needed. The N150p-x Gore-Tex shell with Paclite technology delivers waterproof and breathable protection. While the Down Composite Mapping places quick-drying synthetic insulation in areas prone to moisture and down in areas where warmth is most needed. This system allows the down to form closer to the body, trapping heat closer to your core. Additional features include a removable insulated Coreloft hood with adjustable drawcords, internal wrist cuff gaskets to block out cold drafts, two secure hand pockets with hidden zippers, and one internal secure chest pocket.
User Review
“I cannot recommend this jacket highly enough. I had a Canada Goose Parka last winter and I ended up wearing this jacket 95% of the time. Thanks to Coreloft insulation, this jacket provides an excellent ratio of weight to warmth. It feels so much lighter than a comparable Canada Goose parka, which I wore the other 5% of the time, that there’s really no comparison. Sure, this jacket is not as warm as a Canada Goose down parka, but by a small margin. If you wear your Camosun parka with a wool sweater or a fleece jacket, along with a scarf, you’ll be fine. The Gore-Tex membrane does what it’s supposed to be causing wet snow to bead up and roll off the outer layer of fabric. Some people say Coreloft is not as breathable as down. Maybe, but I didn’t notice it in day-to-day use. It kept me warm in -20C / -4F with windchill and that’s all I care about. In terms of size, I’m 173cm / 5.7ft weighing 76kg / 168 pounds, and Medium fits me perfectly.”
Marmot Fordham Men’s Winter Jacket
The Marmot Fordham Men’s Winter Jacket ($325) is a throwback style around town jacket that’s super warm thanks to 700 fill down insulation. This is a jacket a definitely put in the daily wear category. It’s nice to not have to wear your technical ski shell out to an apres ski party; throw on the Fordham jacket and you’ll stay warm while looking fresh. We love the throwback style down paneling design and the removable hood. Although this jacket is in Marmot’s “CityTech” collection, it borrows a lot of technical details and features from their ski jackets!
User Review
“I love this Jacket! It was down to this jacket of the North Face Gotham. I selected this one because it doesn’t seem like everyone has it. the negative is that I couldn’t find much for reviews anywhere so I wanted to give a little insight. I purchased a medium, I’m 170 lbs, and have an athletic build, this fits perfectly. I didn’t want the shiny look of most puffer type jackets and this does not have that. It is more of a matte finish and the shoulder material seems more designed to be water resistant, but the lower body is also water resistant as well. the end of the sleeves has a soft tighter cuff on the inside to keep the warmth in and be more comfortable. The side pockets also have the same soft material and are deep. It feels like slipping your hand into a comfortable mitten. There is only one interior pocket that can be used for your iPod or wallet. I hope that this review does this jacket justice somewhat. I highly recommend.”
