Winter Jackets

What this category covers

Winter jackets are any jackets built mainly for warmth. In practice that means insulated parkas, puffer jackets, padded waterproofs, wool coats and layering combinations that do the same job. In Ireland the real enemy is damp cold rather than dry cold: air that sits close to freezing, wind off the Atlantic and rain that turns a warm jacket into a heavy, chilly one.

The main types are:

• Insulated waterproof parkas: a waterproof outer with synthetic or down fill inside. The most practical all-round winter jacket for Irish conditions.
• Puffer jackets: high warmth for their weight, best in dry cold or under a shell. See puffer jackets.
• 3-in-1 jackets: a waterproof shell with a zip-in fleece or insulated liner, wearable separately or together.
• Wool coats: warm and smart, but heavy when wet and not designed for long spells in the rain.
• Shell plus layers: a waterproof jacket worn over a fleece or light insulated jacket, adjusted to the day.

Who it suits and when in the Irish year

Most people start wearing a winter jacket from late October or early November and keep it going through March, sometimes into April on the west coast or at height. The coldest stretches tend to be clear, still nights and frosty mornings, which are the days a puffer shines.

The jacket you need depends on how much time you spend standing still. Someone walking briskly to the Luas generates their own heat and can get away with less. Someone on the sideline at an underage match on a Saturday morning, or waiting at a rural bus stop, needs a lot more. If your car is your main way of getting around, a very heavy jacket will make you uncomfortable at the wheel, and a lighter jacket that lives on the back seat may suit you better.

The key decisions

Down or synthetic

Down gives the most warmth for its weight and packs small. Its fill power, roughly 550 to 900+, tells you how lofty and efficient it is. But down loses most of its warmth when soaked. Synthetic insulation is a little heavier for the same warmth, keeps working when damp and dries faster, which counts for a lot in a house without a tumble dryer. Our guide to down vs synthetic jackets covers this in detail.

One jacket or a system

A single insulated parka is simple: grab it and go. A shell plus layers is more adaptable, because you can wear just the shell on a mild wet day and add warmth for a frosty one. If you also walk in the hills, the system approach gives you more use from each piece.

How much room to leave

You'll want space for a jumper or fleece underneath without the jacket feeling tight across the back. Our guide to room for layering explains how to check this in a fitting room or at home when ordering online.

For a full walk-through, read the winter jacket buying guide.

Common mistakes

Buying for a Scandinavian winter. Very heavy jackets designed for dry sub-zero cold are often too warm for an Irish day spent walking around, and leave you sweaty on the bus.

Choosing warmth with no weather protection. An uncovered down jacket in a long spell of drizzle can lose much of its loft. In Ireland, check the outer fabric before you check the fill.

Sizing up too far. Going up a size or two to fit layers often gives you sleeves that cover your hands and a hem that lets wind in. See common sizing mistakes before you order.

Forgetting the extremities. A good hat, gloves and a scarf often make a modest jacket feel much warmer, and cost far less than upgrading the jacket itself.