A jacket for extreme cold weather

http://www.carhartt.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10101&storeId=10051&productId=32106&langId=-1&categoryId=16106#

When it comes to extreme cold weather jackets, pick two:

cheap, light(non-bulky), warm

You can't have all three.

I'd recommend a fleece/Gore-tex shell combination. It served me well braving -15F Minnesota winters.

i can't recommend a specific one, but things that are awesome:

- down lining. i can't stress this enough. this is amazing.
- long enough to go halfway down your thighs. otherwise, lots of cold air sneaks all the way up to your nipples.
- fur-lined hood. i know this is "in" right now, but it is unbelievably warm, and blocks a lot of wind, too. i know fur is lame and shit, but fuck that. i wouldn't wear it for fashion, but for some canadian winters it's practically essential, i find.
- not TIGHT, but not much looser than tight. Too much space, and air gets in easily. no enough space, and the same thing, weirdly. a bit of air between you and jacket, but more than an inch or two anywhere.
- It's good if it has a button up elastic strap on the inside... feels irritating but NO air will blow up and in.

that's all i can think of for now.

my down jacket from eddie bauer is really good.

hood, fur etc.

I will be working outdoors

Need more information. What sort of work? Heavy exertion? Just walking around? Much chance of rips or abrasions happening to the jacket? Also, how cold is "very cold"? Thx.

I have a Carhartt jacket and cannot recommend it highly enough. except that one of my friends said it made me look like "some kind of redneck farmer"; but fuck him, guy's a douche.

carhartt OTM all the way

Lots of standing around, then moving heavy objects in a panic, then standing around again. I work in set design for TV, this winter at locations in various draughty places - Brixton market to Millwall's Den. I like the Carhartt linked to above, but not sure what size I am against the American sizing chart they have on their site. I think I am UK size 42 for chest, but is that the same in the states, can anyone tell me?

If you can afford to go up to the $2-300 range, snowboarding apparel companies (Helly Hanson, Burton, Bonfire etc.) manufature jackets which offer that seemingly unattainable combination of warmth/maneuverability. Whatever your choice for the exterio, though, you can't go wrong investing in a high-quality underlayer. Helly Hanson is probably the best - they use shis patented shit called Lifa, making your skivvies impossibly warm & wind/water-proof. If you can rationalize spending $100 on long-johns, your problem will be well taken care of.

er.. "exterior" "this patented shit"

i had a carhart jacket but it's not really warm enough for serious (ie montreal) cold

take it from me folks

The Carhartt jacket linked above doesn't look long enough - do they do anything that actually covers your butt?

Other than this, which I think might be a bit impractical for commuting to work:

https://www.carhartt.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&krypto=XF7khxJ0bgzfqciM5p%2bW7Lq61jBjaQ5zl%2fNjq1HHSuMaS4KiUNGBtnWf5CAIDEIJyjwb2HG%2fBvAa%0aA3%2bzduj3MC3KvWRxyWYG1rLRUwyPAA0Orq9DJWOYtrAcGa7sCEoW00ypXsmYqvcAHHDOBr6T8sGD%0aHaOlJKDK&ddkey=ClickInfo

Wow, beautiful URL.

You might want to consider getting some military surplus mickey mouse artic boots. Comfortable to stand around in, and your feet will never get cold. http://www.armynavydeals.com/asp/products.asp?CAT=23&CON=1&SEA=1&GEN=1&ST=1&SUB=274&RC=

I'd rather have Sorrels in the boot dept.

I'd probably rather layer my way than go with down. Get a softshell if you're gonna be dealing with sleet/rain, then layer with polarfleece. REI stuff is pretty good and reasonably priced.

If you don't sweat much in your work, and you're mainly just standing there, then down might be okay.

I have one of these. It is not gorgeous, but it has served me brilliantly in prolonged exposure to -20º

i have been a life-long patagonia acolyte
the key is to layer...poly long underwear, plenty of insulation (fleece, vests) and waterproof/breathable shell. especially if you are doing physical work you will get too hot, so you need to be able to cool down, unzip or remove a layer.

i own a penfield expedition parka but i also want to buy a canada goose arctic expedition parka!!!!

"It is the parka used at the South Pole each year by the National Science Foundation division of Polar Research"

actually it's called a penfield summit parka, warm as hell.

the key is to layer

^^^ this

You'll need something with a hood that reaches to mid thigh level to keep out the drafts. Also thick insulating gloves, scarf, and importantly a hat to keep the heat from leaking out of your head.

the one i own is the official jacket of the mountain branch of the national weather service or some nonsense like that

Sorrels OTM, or Red Wings

Toby, if your ass is cold, may as well get a pair of these:

https://www.carhartt.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10101&storeId=10051&productId=52974&langId=-1&categoryId=10933

i usta love those, but i always look/feel like a dad wearing diapers.

I work in set design for TV, this winter at locations in various draughty places - Brixton market to Millwall's Den.

I think the North Americans on this thread are overestimating how cold it gets in the UK, especially in London.

I wear Red Wing steel toes for work, and they are not adequate for extreme cold where you are mainly standing around in my opinion. Even with smart wool socks and silk liners. They are pretty great for hiking though.

caek, you're probably right about that. Where I'll be working this February, the typical day temp is going to be -5 deg F.

http://www.world66.com/europe/unitedkingdom/england/london/lib/climate

Average London temperature > 32 F all year round.

Actually, to be fair to you guys, I think the title of the thread exaggerates a little (a lot).

caek otm, my thoughts exactly.

I imagine that a down-lined barn coat (Carhartt, e.g.) might be sufficient for LDN winters, but that it would be too stiff/bulky to be appropriate. What you want is a lightweight down jacket (not parka) or heavyweight windproof fleece (Polartec 300 e.g.) like The North Face's (sorry) Nuptse and Denali, respectively. Down is a little bulkier but a little warmer. It's also less breathable, but that's not a big deal if you're not continually exerting yourself. If you're gonna be exposed to rain for short periods of time, you want at least some kind of water-resistant coating/patching, and if for longer periods, you'll need to add a lightweight gore-tex or otherwise waterproof-breathable shell. TNF is a pretty good price/quality bet, but they're hardly the only company to make such things. See also Patagonia, Marmot, Moonstone, Arcteryx, Mountain Hardwear, etc. Does REI exist in the UK? Maybe you can order from them (or LL Bean, or Eddie Bauer?) overseas. You also want a wool/fleece hat, and, if really cold, non-cotton long underwear. Helly-Hansen's Lifa is iconic, but I imagine that Patagonia's Capilene is better.

I'd vote Capilene big time, it's the most comfortable microfiber there is, especially if you are going to be moving a lot. And if it's not going to be N.A. cold, then get a windproof/weatherproof/gore shell and layer underneath. The reason I vote for REI (or LL or Bauer) is that you are getting 90% of the technology of MtnHardware/Marmot/Arcteryx for a reasonable price, especially given that you are going to be carrying shit around. I swear by my MtnHardware softshell, it's probably the best piece of outerwear I've ever bought (and they've fixed it twice at no charge) but you're gonna be in the USD $250+ range if you go for the expedition-label garment. Also, if you are really moving around a lot and prone to heat, Patagonia makes Capilene boxer briefs that are awesome.

Ha, I totally missed the UK bit! OTOH I am v scared of the Chicago winter, so the discussion here is definitely useful to me.

The OP is talking about London? Extreme cold weather? I thought you were talking about actual extreme cold weather, like -20F (-30C).

if you are talking weather that cold then you'd better get your ass in down. And good luck with the cameras and batteries.

The Den = extreme cold weather - I worked on a commercial there a few years back and neary fainted with the cold.

haha england

OK, I am nesh, I guess.

down is good for most levels of cold though and prob the kind of cold there though it is not 'eXtreMe' - it still gets into your bones. only thing re: down is to make sure the outer material is fairly windproof, as i think said above. but i don't know, if we're talking abt the addition of rain to cold then the shell + fleece layers pos the best option esp if doing manual labour - also, wicking material base layer b/c if you sweat then stand around and get cold it will suck five thousand times more if that sweat has nowhere to go and gets cold against yr skin.

srsly tho being cold in england, even if the temperature isn't near the cold of here, is no fun at all esp if there's a biting wind.

i'm still confounded abt why it's so hard to find fleece and gore-tex that actually has style to it, i mean city style not sport/'casual' style. haven't looked in a while though.

I like this coat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FZOe-nkYPg

january avg's (F)
Seattle: 46-36
Paris/Glasgow: 43-34
London: 44-32
Oklahoma City: 47-26
Vancouver: 42-32/Nashville 46-28
Amsterdam: 40-31
DC: 43-24
NYC: 39-26
Philadelphia/Salt Lake City: 39-25
Berlin: 35-26
Kansas City/St Louis: 38-21
Boston: 36-22
Pittsburgh: 37-20
Stockholm: 30-23/Detroit: 33-20
Chicago: 32-18
Portland, ME: 31-12
Toronto: 27-12
Helsinki: 24-13
Minnesota/Montreal: 22-4
Winnipeg: 8-(-10)

I know that London's not too cold compared to N. America and many other places, but I want a jacket I can use this winter AND take with me to colder climates in the future. Could anyone recommend any military jackets/online outlets dealing with extreme weather conditions?

Capilene seconded.

http://www.backcountry.com/store/BUR1876/c11/s20/Burton-Idiom-Continuum-Down-Jacket-Mens.html

This is a nice looking jacket.

I agree with Moonship - I have put the Penfield Summit jacket through its paces and it has never let me down - amazingly warm and great quality.

oh man i was going to recommend fur, evil or not there's a reason people wear it in the arctic and i am a convert

then i saw "-5 F" and thought "ok...maybe that's overkill"