There are regions where the weather drops down below the degrees. People living in these regions usually own a massive collection of jackets.
Luckily, jackets come in handy even when it is not drastically cold. People buy every essential jacket at the beginning of winter to keep themselves safe from extreme cold weather. Also, to level up their outfit and add an extra charm to their personalities.
It will come as no surprise to you that there is more than one kind of jacket. So, what are they, and how can you know which one’s perfect for you? Let’s explore!
Types of Jackets
At present, there are several types of heated winter jackets available everywhere. Not only do they vary in shape and style. But they also exist in different materials, leaving you with unlimited choices. Indeed there is one dream jacket that meets all your requirements!
Blazer
This type of jacket is modern, and a few years ago it was only for women. You must have seen all your favorite celebrities wear these heated winter jackets on multiple occasions.
Tailored in a perfect gentlemen's style, blazer jackets have an exceptionally classy look. This garment combines sport and formal styles.
The formal men’s blazer is versatile, so you can wear them whether you have to go out with friends, attend a fashion show or even work!
Keep in mind that this piece has a variable that can make it ideal for you. You can choose between the more sporty ones or go for a more formal one according to your mood and taste.
Huntress
This heated winter jacket is a fashion classic. It has a casual style and was popularized by motorcyclists.
The leather jacket is the most common. However, they are available in different materials, such as polyester or denim.
In the same way, it is characterized by being short and fitted to the body. Its design comprises oversized lapels, a wide neck, and several clasps to hold it from the wind. Besides being an icon of culture, it is also an icon of the rebellious boys.
Parkas
The parka is like a coat but with a more casual touch. They are better with the urban style. Its most notable feature is the hood of hair.
It usually has many pockets, and its closure is a zipper. They are ideal for heated winter jackets or to protect you during an excursion that will take the night.
This garment should fit snugly against your body and be longer than average. The ideal measurement is a little below the waist.
Heated Winter Jackets
Perhaps the single most crucial factor when choosing a winter jacket is its intended use. The heated winter jackets are designed for everyday wear around town. You’ll frequently see them in cold places like Denver, Chicago, Boston, New York, and even ski towns.
The heated winter jacket is more technical in nature and often lighter in weight due to premium materials such as graphene. These models are for mountaineering, climbing, and other cold-weather backcountry use.
The good news is that the Gamma All-Season Jacket is lightweight, packable, and offers you a wide range of movement.
So, it does not matter if you’re climbing mountains or commuting to work; the heated winter jacket is perfect for keeping you warm in cold weather and gives your outfits a distinct look.
You may also like: Top 7 Women's Winter Utility Jacket With Hood
What to Look for in the Winter Jacket
Before buying any winter jacket, you should consider a few things. Let’s see what they are.
Insulation Types
Nearly all the jackets are down-fill, which is the warmest, lightest, and most compressible type of insulation.
A few jackets—including the Columbia Whirlibird IV—are made with synthetic fiber, which is heavier and not quite as lofty but does a superior job at insulating when wet.
It's also cheaper than down, which is why you'll find it inside some of the budget-oriented designs. We love both types of insulation, and each has its purposes, but down wins out in pure warmth and coziness for winter.
Down Jackets
Down and synthetic are the types of insulation in a jacket. Let’s talk about the pros and cons of both types of insulation.
Down jackets are your typical adventure hiking jacket that you’d see on people in the backcountry. Down jackets have been around for quite a long time. And you can easily spot them because of the baffle design and the puffy look these jackets tend to have.
There are two different types of down jackets. You can either get a goose feather down jacket or a duck down jacket.
Duck-down jackets are typically a bit cheaper, and they are going to have a lower fill power than the goose-down jacket.
The goose down will be slightly more expensive than the duck down with a higher fill power.
Pros
- Compressibility
- Lightweight
- Higher warmth
Cons
- Pretty Expensive
- It takes too long to dry
Synthetic Jackets
The most significant difference between a down and synthetic jacket is the synthetic material used for insulation. That basically does the same thing. It creates a loft to provide warmth from the outside to the inside.
There are different thicknesses based on the type of synthetic material used. So you can create different thicknesses within jackets.
The warmer you get with the synthetic jacket, the more weight it produces, which is quite the opposite of the down jacket in terms of weight.
Pros
- No baffles
- No wind can get through it
- Versatile
Cons
- Heavier
- Life expectancy
- Less Compressible
Fill Power
Fill power is the most heavily marketed spec among winter jackets and parkas and refers to down specifically.
The higher the number (600 fill, 700 fill, 800 fill, etc.), the more loft ( the amount of puff) and warmth it will provide and the more quickly it will compress when packing it away.
Premium down also is the most expensive, which is why you’ll see this number loosely correlate with price.
Performance winter jackets usually are around 800-fill or higher, and casual pieces run from 450-fill to 700-fill.
Fill Weight
Fill weight is often overlooked but just as relevant as fill power. Instead of measuring the quality of the down, fill weight is simply the total weight of the down inside the jacket.
Unfortunately, manufacturers don’t provide fill weight, particularly for casual pieces.
Warmth
Warmth is a function of many factors. Insulation type and weight, shell fabrics, wind, layering, level of exertion, and how warm or cold you run personally.
But the two most important factors in determining the warmth of your jacket fill power and fill weight.
Layering
One of the major contributors to warmth is the layers you wear underneath. Due to the heavy insulation inside most jackets, a superficial base layer will do the trick in cold weather that hasn’t yet reached freezing status.
When the temperature really drops (think well below freezing), you may want to add a lightweight down or synthetic jacket as a mid-layer.
This would be a lot of insulation, but it’s an easy adjustment to make so long as you have the extra gear and the jacket has room for layering.
Weight
The importance of weight in your winter jacket buying decision depends mainly on the intended use.
For those looking in the performance category (mountaineers, climbers, winter explorers, etc.), jackets with large amounts of premium down will be the warmest, lightest, and most packable.
The type and thickness of the shell fabric matter in overall weight as well. Performance jackets tend to use technical fabrics that are light and thin, while casual pieces use more durable and heavier shells that add weight.
On the upside, the thicker shells are much better at avoiding tears and minor abrasions and, therefore, should last longer. But, on the other hand, lightweight down jackets require quite a bit of care and attention.
Water-Resistant vs. Waterproof
Down loses its ability to insulate when wet, and therefore all jackets offer some protection against precipitation. In addition, most jackets are water-resistant or water-repellant.
Meaning they have a tightly woven face fabric and durable water repellant (DWR) coating that will bead up and shed light moisture.
If you combine that with treated or hydrophobic down, a treatment added to the down reduces water absorption and helps it dry faster. So you have a pretty effective system even in wet and heavy snow.
The reality is that if you’ll be wearing a full-on winter jacket, it’s unlikely you’ll require complete waterproofing. Water-resistant shells offer plenty of protection in freezing, snowy conditions.
Wind Protection
Exposure to wind can make an otherwise freezing winter day even worse. In terms of wind resistance, a number of factors come into play. The type and thickness of the shell, amount and distribution of the insulation, and fabric of the liner.
The truth is that all jackets do a respectable job at keeping wind and the other elements at bay.
Midweight and lightweight jackets are much less substantial, and you run the risk of catching a cold breeze through the jacket itself.
Hood
Perhaps more than any other type of jacket, the hood matters a lot with a winter coat.
First, the hood almost always will have the same type of insulation as the rest of the jacket, so premium down in the body of the coat means excellent warmth for the weight in the hood.
Second, an excellent cold-weather hood can be adjusted and tightened around the head snugly so that wind doesn’t enter or blow the hood off your head (many technical winter jackets also have storm flaps around the collar to block out cold air).
Finally, many performance-oriented jackets have helmet-compatible hoods necessary for mountaineering and climbing.
Helmet compatibility makes the hood larger and slightly less desirable for wearing without a helmet. But it isn’t a deal-breaker for us as long as the hood cinches down evenly.
For use on mild-weather days, some prefer the option to remove the hood from their winter coat altogether.
Simply put, these hoods are bulky and can be annoying if they’re just sitting along the back of your head. Therefore, most designs have a zipper located just below the collar to make it easy to remove and put back on.
The feature does add weight and bulk, so you’ll typically find it on casual winter jackets.
Whether this is a priority will come down to personal preference, but it could be a difference-maker in the jacket you select.
Fashion Tip
If you do not have a well-defined waist and you’re constantly struggling with how to look your best. Here’s a little trick that can give you the waistline you never had or lost – especially for those of you who have been avoiding belts.
Wear a heated winter jacket and then belt the top underneath, so all you see (when the jacket is unbuttoned) is the belt buckle and a little bit of the belt on either side.
No one else can tell if your waist is big, tiny, thick, or thin. They just know you have one because the belt gives the illusion of a cinched waist. It works like magic!
Jackets do not have to be ho-hum or stiff. These days they come in all fabrics and designs and range from casual to trendy and sophisticated to bold.
You get to choose the right flavor for your personality and the occasion. Plus, so many jackets now come with stretch in them that it’s almost impossible not to be comfy.
Conclusion
In simple words, jackets are the most versatile and the most helpful clothing essential for winters. As the weather is already getting cold, it’s an excellent time to shop for your winter jackets.
Style, attitude, classy, or what you call it, wearing a jacket can give you the vibe you desire.
Whether you want to wear ripped jeans or a classy dress, a jacket goes with every dress and outfit. But, you will have to buy a heated winter jacket that goes with the dress you want to wear.
Also read: Best Unisex Ski Jackets 2022