4 Important Factors for Choosing the Right Winter Jacket

Finding the right quality winter coat for your needs it’s an important investment, whether you are someone who lives in snowy mountains year-round or someone who travels to Toronto for fun in the winter. Don’t just buy the first flimsy coat that comes your way, take care to ensure that the outerwear you choose is worth the price.

As experts in the fine art of fusing high-end fashion with quality craftsmanship for Canadian winter attire, Arctic Bay encourages you to always consider these 4 important factors when choosing the right winter jacket.

1. Insulation

They say it’s what’s on the inside that counts, and when it comes to the best winter jackets they couldn’t be more right. Insulation is one of the most important factors for choosing the right winter jacket.

Down is the most lightweight and compressible insulation on the market. The feathered material creates air pockets that allow for the circulation of heat. If you spend your winters in dry, cold climates, a down jacket will perform at its full potential and keep you protected from the elements.

Thankfully, with Arctic Bay you don’t have to sacrifice fashion for quality and comfort. Our catalog includes the warmest winter coats and parkas filled with premium Canadian duck down. Additionally, our men’s winter jackets include options like the Cambridge Jacket, filled with Primaloft microfiber thermal insulation.

 

2. Heat 

Even the most well-fitting winter jackets will have plenty of opening where body heat can escape. Mobility and breathability are both important, but you still want to do all you can to preserve as much heat as possible. When investing in a quality winter coat, look for those technical features that help keep the heat in.

For example, the warmest winter jackets are designed with adjustable hoods to offer extra coverage and keep you warm, complete with toggles so when those icy winds pick up, you can tighten the hood and keep the warmth in. Other winter coat features can offer even more coverage, like:

• Removable fur trim

• Adjustable cuffs

• Snow-skirts

• Storm flaps

When shopping for your next piece of winter gear, make sure to look for all the ways cold air can get in. With Arctic Bay coats and parkas, we make sure to offer options that help you keep that heat.

A great example of keeping in the heat is the Belleville Parka, one of Arctic Bay’s premier women’s winter jackets. It has a number of heat-preserving features, including:

• Canadian origin coyote fur ruff

• Canadian origin real beaver fur chin guard

• Long, elegant design for additional coverage

• Wind flap with snap closures

3. Weatherproofing

Remember how we said it’s the inside that counts? Don’t let that fool you, the surface still matters. If you want the best winter jacket, look for those with some kind of weatherproof outer shell. For the more intense cold and rainy winters, look for something waterproof or with water-repellent treatment (DWR coating).

For an example of a great weatherproof winter jacket, check out the Nunavut Parka from Arctic Bay. It is waterproofed, windproofed, and ready for the harshest elements the Canadian winter can throw at you.

 

4. Pocket Space

Perhaps one of the most overlooked but vastly important features for a proper winter coat is pocket space. For long hikes and camping, or for running around downtown Toronto, having secure, convenient pockets will help keep you organized. 

Additionally, having internal pockets is a huge help for protecting your essentials, like wallets and phones. Keeping your smart devices dry and out of the cold is a must, and having versatility with your storage options can be a huge help.

But don’t just focus on quantity. You also want to pay special attention to pocket placement and depth. Having all the pockets in the world doesn’t help if they aren’t easily accessible, or aren’t even big enough to hold all your necessary gear. Arctic Bay winter coats know the value of optimizing pocket space, which is why many of our designs offer internal stash pockets, as well as multiple chest and side pockets with plenty of room to keep your essentials safe. For one of the most stylish options with plenty of storage space, check out the Antarctica Parka.