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Sally Kaplan, Rachael Schultz, Gabrielle Chase/Business Insider
Finding the right winter coat is about more than just staying warm. It's also about feeling comfortable and protected, no matter what the season throws at you. Of course, the best winter coats look cute, too.
For this guide, our team tested over 30 winter coats for women across various styles and conditions, analyzing key factors like insulation, water and wind resistance, ventilation, and overall fit. Our testers wore each coat on multiple freezing days, with temperatures ranging from -10 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, in the harsh winters of New England, New York City, and the Colorado Rockies.
Whether you're navigating freezing coastal city streets, braving icy mountain winds, or bracing for a blizzard, here are the warmest winter coats we recommend for each occasion.
The top 5 best women's winter coats we tested:
Rachael Schultz/Business Insider
After two months of testing 24 winter coats in deep Colorado winter, this is the jacket I reached for again and again when temperatures dropped below freezing.
It's both windproof and waterproof. This jacket is constructed with the brand's proprietary Helly Tech fabric. Its construction uses a technology to balance waterproofing and breathability. Even on long walks, I never felt like I was overheating in this jacket. It also has a PFC-free Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finish, so no water seeped inside even in active snowfall or when I ran the sleeve under a faucet.
It's super warm. The Adore Helly Tech Parka uses synthetic and 100% recycled insulation and is wonderfully toasty. I wore this jacket on nighttime January walks with temperatures in the single digits and was perfectly warm from thighs to head. I found the down hood also helps to keep your head warm. Its two front toggles allow it to cinch tight when the wind kicks up, and when it's up, it's not too cumbersome and I still have peripheral vision.
It has a sleek fit. Most people will love the extra warmth that comes with a mid-thigh parka length, and the overall silhouette of this jacket, luxe material, and sleek design keep it looking clean and not too marshmallow-shaped.
The tradeoff for this level of warmth is that the puffiness is slightly restrictive, but this wasn't enough of an inconvenience to be a deal breaker. Also, it only comes in five colors. While this winter coat is likely too warm for folks who live in a mild climate, it's versatility and technicality makes it a great pick anywhere it gets down to or below freezing regularly.
It's incredibly well designed. This jacket takes the top spot for the best winter coat because in addition to all of the above, it has brushed-lining pockets for cozy hands, a well-placed vertical (and waterproof seam-taped) chest pocket for your phone or sunglasses, a high-neck zipper with a soft chin guard, fold-up reflective strips on the wrist for night visibility. Also, Helly Hansen makes this coat with bluesign certified fabrics in order to limit its production's impact on the environment.
Quince
It's very warm and water-repellent. The Quince puffer is insulated with 700+ fill power, so it'll keep you warm below freezing temperatures. The outer shell is wind-resistant and treated with a PFC-free DWR water-repellent finish to keep snow out. It also has a bungee hem when you need to better trap body heat.
It's nearly identical to (but cheaper than) The Super Puff. The Quince Puffer looks a lot like the Aritzia Super Puff with the same removable hood, thumbhole wrist cuffs, and extra pockets. The Aritzia Super Puff is slightly warmer (though our executive editor, Sally Kaplan, didn't feel a big difference here during testing) and comes in a lot more color options, but if you don't need either of those features, the Quince Puffer saves you $125.
It's responsibly made. The outer shell and lining are made with 100% recycled polyester, the down fill is responsibly sourced, and it's made by a brand that is committed to sustainability and fair manufacturing prices.
Honorable mention: For another affordable pick, the Orolay Women's Thickened Down Jacket kept our former senior style editor incredibly warm on a trip to Maine. She found it well designed and flattering, and it costs a similar amount as the Quince Puffer Jacket.
Ashley Phillips, Sally Kaplan/Business Insider
Sometimes viral things are everywhere for a reason — and after testing many iterations of the Aritzia Super Puff, we can confirm it's a very legit winter jacket.
It's seriously warm. This puffer is filled with 100% responsibly sourced premium down at 700 fill power and made to keep you warm down to -22 degrees. "The best part about the Super Puff is that it feels like being wrapped in a sleeping bag," says our former style and beauty editor, Ashley Phillips. "I never want to take it off!" The thumbhole wrist sleeves and adjustable (also removable) hood keep the heat in, too.
It's surprisingly durable and weather-resistant. The Super Puff is made with Japanese performance ripstop fabric (read: super durable) that's water-repellent and wind-resistant. "It's great in the snow thanks to its adjustable hood, and at the opening for your hands, there's an extra little sleeve with thumbholes that prevents any wind from getting in," says Insider Reviews' executive editor Sally Kaplan. "It's the only coat I trust for the coldest, windiest, crappiest days of winter."
There's a style for everyone. The original Super Puff comes in four different lengths — the original which hits just past the hips, a knee-length Long, a cropped Shorty, and a parka Mid — as well as a fully waterproof, seam-sealed, ripstop version, "The Super Puff2O." Also, every length has at least seven different color options. So, truly, whatever your taste, there's likely a Super Puff for you.
Honorable mention: During testing, we fell in love with The North Face 1996 Retro Nuptse Jacket for its steezy style and top-tier warmth. It's more expensive than the Super Puff while also being shorter and without inner wrist sleeves, so the Aritzia Super Puff is a better bang for most people's buck. But if you prioritize retro style and are fine wearing gloves on chilly days, it's worth buying.
Rachael Schultz/Business Insider
It's very, very lightweight and very warm. The Fjällräven Expedition Lätt Hoodie packs a lot of warmth into just 420 grams (just shy of 1 pound). I've worn this jacket dozens and dozens of times this winter in temperatures ranging 5 to 40 degrees. It's insulated with 100% recycled polyester with stitch-through channels; it has a loft like down, making it cozy, but moreover, it's downright warm. The elastic edging around the wrists, hood, and bottom help to keep heat in.
It's a highly versatile winter piece — especially for the price. This jacket is part of the brand's Expedition Series, so it's made to be very reliable against the elements and built to last. The design here is simple, but in my opinion, the Expedition Lätt Hoodie is the perfect basic puffer considering it's only $215. I found the light weight on this jacket made it incredibly comfortable to wear as an everyday puffer running out to the store, perfect for travel or winter hiking, and a light, mobile mid-layer on seriously cold ski days under a shell.
It feels expensive. Unlike a lot of gorp-core puffers, the material on this jacket feels particularly luxurious and silky, giving it a more elevated look.
It's from a quality brand with a sustainable focus. Fjällräven is a brand of substance that not only crafts their gear to last decades but also keeps sustainability as a cornerstone of their brand. This puffer coat is made with 100% recycled fabric and insulation, and is produced without PFAS.
Rachael Schultz/Business Insider
We love Halfdays for its unique standing with one leg in the sustainable fashion world and the other in technical outdoor gear —and its Wheeler Parka hits the same sweet spot.
It's seriously warm, wind-resistant, and nearly waterproof. Filled with Performance PrimaLoft 100% recycled insulation, the Wheeler Parka is rated to keep you warm down to -30 degrees temperatures. It's also wind-resistant and water-resistant with 20,000 mm DWR. I regularly wore this in temperatures down to 0 degrees and was perfectly toasty and felt fully protected from the elements.
It's well-designed — for the most part. Wearing this jacket is like wearing a comforter—but in a good way. The oversized puffiness is both stylish and comforting. I love that the hood is removable, the length keeps your bum warm, and it has many, many pockets including fleece-lined hand warmers.
I had a mixed relationship with the hood and chin guard, since it sits a bit floppy when not in use but does add a great layer of protection when you have it up and snapped in place. Also, while I love that the fabric is recycled, this also makes it a bit heavier and stiffer. It definitely feels durable, but the jacket does weigh on you more after a long day of walking compared to some other super warm jackets on our list. That said, this only feels like a dealbreaker for people who walk a lot in the winter.
It's very, very fun. For those of us who are looking to stay super warm to and from our car and, moreover, seriously cute during après-ski or on a winter girls' trip, it's a slam dunk. I got so many compliments while wearing this parka out and about — though I'll warn that it runs large, so I recommend sizing down. Most of all, this coat is just downright fun. It makes a statement with its exaggerated puffy shape.
Rachael Schultz/Business Insider
If you want to stay warm while achieving the après-ski look, we're absolutely obsessed with this Cotopaxi Cropped Down Jacket.
It's highly warm for a cropped fit. Cotopaxi has designed this jacket with a shorter hem to minimize the sleeping bag aesthetic, but loaded it with every feature to block out the elements. We wore it on long walks in 20-45 degree weather and stayed surprisingly warm. It's insulated with a strong 650-fill responsibly-sourced down and has drawcords in the hood and bottom hem to lock in heat, as well as wrist-sleeves and thumb loops to give more coverage over your wrist and hands.
During testing, we loved how big and warm the hood was and it added a lot of protection against the elements. The outer shell is water-resistant and there's also a storm flap over the zipper to block wind and water from getting in.
Naturally, it doesn't keep you warm below the waist, and it did fall short when we were biking in 25-degree weather as the wind started to cut through, but for everyday icy, winter-wear, we were very impressed with this coat's protection.
It has cozy, thoughtful features. This cropped winter jacket has a fleece chin guard for more warmth and comfort at your face, fleece-lined hand pockets (though, we did find these aren't the biggest for carrying essentials), and a round zipper pull that's easy to use while keeping your gloves on. The outer material of this coat is also incredibly soft to the touch, which adds to how stylish it feels.
It's responsibly produced. Cotopaxi is one of our favorite ethically-minded companies, and they've crafted the Alivio Down Cropped Jacket in Fair Trade Certified factories, from 100% recycled shell and lining materials, and responsibly-sourced down, all intentionally made without any PFAS chemicals. Cotopaxi also builds their products to last and stands behind the quality with lifetime warranty and repairs, so this jacket is a worthwhile investment.
Rachael Schultz/Business Insider
Long puffer jackets are top-tier for full-body warmth, but most come with drawbacks like restrictions from the length and an unflattering fit. The Stio Colter Windstopper Down Parka, however, is perfect from head to toe.
It's highly technical, including waterproof and windproof. Fully GORE-TEX waterproof and windproof with 650-fill sustainably-sourced down and coverage down to the mid-calf, there's no question if this winter coat will do its job. We wore it on many, many winter days from 16 to 40 degrees, in sunshine and snowstorms, and had no real complaints.
It has great heat control. While it was common to overheat in most of the other long puffers we tested, the Colter Windstopper has zippered underarm venting so it was easy to release heat without having to take the jacket off. (It's likely still too warm for more mild winter climates, though.) Also, it's pretty lightweight for the amount of material involved (36 oz or 2.25 lbs) and didn't feel heavy after wearing it for 2+ hours.
It is very well designed. We found the hood and chin cuff to be wonderfully protective against the wind and greatly appreciated the many, many pockets, including fleece-lined hand warmers high on the hips. Also, while it's normally frustrating to try and drive with a long jacket, we found the roomy design of this coat prevented that from being a problem—and it has a two-way zipper if you need more leg mobility. We did find it unzips from the bottom sometimes when we'd bend down to put boots on, but this wasn't a dealbreaker. Note that overall, the jacket runs large.
It'll last you years. All in all, Stio is a smaller brand that makes very reliable and well-constructed gear with an environmental conscience, so this is a piece worth investing in for the long run.
Honorable mention: The Patagonia Down With It Parka ($349) proved to keep the cold wind and water out and has all the standard features of a great long puffer jacket, including a two-way zipper, multiple pockets, and a frustration-free design. It doesn't have as much temperature control as the Stio Windstopper without underarm vents or as good of a hood cinch, but it is a great pick for $150 less.
