The 9 Best Winter Coats and Parkas of 2026

The key to loving winter is dressing for the occasion. The best winter coat is the jacket you grab for walking the dog, running errands, indulging in après—and sometimes even skiing. Some parkas simply add warmth to your ski kit on cold days. Others, designed with style at the forefront, demand to be seen. All of them keep you toasty and hopefully dry from snow and rain, too.

This year’s best winter coats and parkas ran the gamut from eye-catching overstuffed down puffies to low-profile body heat reflective layers. They were cropped and knee length, and made for men and women, and sometimes both. Wherever you live, and in whatever temperatures you wander, these are the best parkas and coats of 2026.

Best Winter Coats and Parkas: At a Glance

• Editors’ Choice: Ortovox Downwool 270 Jacket ($550 $440)
• Best Value: Flylow Betty Down Jacket ($280)
• Most Stylish Women’s: Helly Hansen Winter Bliss Down Jacket ($300 $236)
• Most Stylish Men’s: Arc’teryx Men’s Therme SV Parka ($900)
• Best for Frigid Temps: Fjällräven Expedition Long Down Parka ($680 $544)
• Best Warmth-to-Weight: Salomon Elixir Ultra Down Men’s Jacket ($400 $300)
• Best for Moderate Temps: Finisterre Vellus Insulated Parka ($500)
• Most Durable: Patagonia Hi-Loft Nano Puff Hoody ($329 $263)
• Coziest Winter Jacket: Rab Glaceon Pro Down Jacket ($340 $272)

Editor’s Choice

Ortovox Downwool 270 Jacket (20% Off)

$550 $440 at Backcountry (Men’s)

$550 $440 at Backcountry (Women’s)

Sizes: X-XXL (men’s); XS-XL (women’s)
Warmth: 9/10
Weather Protection: 9/10

Pros and Cons
+ Down is the coziest insulation money can buy
+ Long cut
+ Warm, even when moist
+ Transitions from slopes to town and back
– No internal pockets

Down has the highest warmth-to-weight ratio and is the coziest insulation you can buy, but when it gets wet from sweat or melting snow, it stops insulating. Meanwhile, wool is warm all the time, but it’s denser, heavier, and not as luxurious feeling. This winter jacket showcases the best qualities of both materials—70 percent responsibly certified down and 30 percent European wool. That makes this one of the best winter jackets for wetter climates. According to Ortovox, in 90 percent humidity, the Downwool gets up to 30 percent loftier and warmer, not matted.

This parka is made for skiing but just as delectable for everyday tasks. After a winter of heavy precipitation, one Vermont tester said, “Now I don’t think about which jacket I’m grabbing when I leave the house because this is always the one I want.” It’s breathable, water-resistant, and windproof thanks to the Pertex Quantum Pro shell. And it has enough technical features—a two-way adjustable hood, elastic cuffs, an adjustable waistband, spacious handwarmer pockets, and a cell phone-sized chest pocket—that multiple testers hit the slopes in this parka on cold days. The fit is generous but not oversized, perfect for layering over and under.

Best Value Winter Jacket

Flylow Betty Down Jacket (Women’s)

$280 at Backcountry

Sizes: XS-XL (women’s)
Warmth: 7/10
Weather Protection: 7/10

Pros and Cons
+ Packs into right hand pocket to make a pillow
+ Made with 800-fill RDS (Responsible Down Standard) Certified Down
+ Pit zips
– Bulky

Rain shells commonly feature armpit vents, but why not puffies? The Flylow Betty Down is the solution. “I love a down jacket with pit zips to dump heat when it’s still freezing out,” said a Wyoming-based tester who wore the “cute” and “versatile” baffled, 800-fill power down Betty jacket for chilly Jackson Hole shenanigans, such as ice skating and resort skiing.

The Pertex outer fabric is as soft as the down inside, which makes it easy to slip over layers. It packs into its right-hand pocket to make a pillow, which was a handy feature for a tester flying to Japan in search of powder. Testers also appreciated the zippered hand pockets and single chest pocket, which held a phone, keys, wallet, and other life essentials.

Most Stylish Women’s Winter Jacket

Helly Hansen Women’s Winter Bliss Down Jacket (25% Off)

$315 at Helly Hansen

$315 $236 at Backcountry

Sizes: XS-XL (women’s)
Warmth: 7/10
Weather Protection: 7/10

Pros and Cons
+ Stylish
+ Bluesign certified and made with Responsible Down Standard down
+ Available in a parka length
– Not as versatile as other jackets

The Women’s Winter Bliss Down Jacket won’t make you look like the Michelin man—or like you’re freezing all the time. “I don’t always want to look like I just dropped down from Everest Basecamp when I meet my friends for an aperol spritz,” said one Utah-based tester. “I love that this jacket has style and sass, but it still kept me warm in the dead of winter.”

Stuffed with 600-fill power responsibly-sourced down, and wrapped in both matte and shiny polyester, it’s built with the technical materials and design you’d expect from Helly Hansen. But, cut to hip length with horizontal and angled baffles, and featuring ribbed cuffs and a fleece-lined neck, it’s as cute as it is warm. Oversized slash pockets have a brushed lining that kept our hands warm without gloves on, and they were big enough to hold a clutch on nights out. More cred: This jacket is Bluesign certified, which means it treads lightly on the planet.

Most Stylish Men’s Winter Jacket

Arc’teryx Men’s Therme SV Parka

$900 at REI

$900 at Arc’teryx

Sizes: XS-XXL
Warmth: 8/10
Weather Protection: 10/10

Pros and Cons
+ Most weatherproof option we tested
+ Modern style and long cut
_ On the bulky side
– Pricey

Our New York City tester flagged this jacket as his favorite for slogging through slushy East Coast snowstorms and braving frigid, windy city days. He appreciated the sleek cut and the generous length, which meant he could finally stop layering long johns under his work pants. This is a great do-it-all jacket for winters that are equal parts wet, cold, and windy, with a two-layer Gore-Tex outer offering the most water resistance of any jacket in our final lineup. Baffled down insulation on the interior offers ample warmth, and the clever, minimalist design—with a neat zipper overlap and a high collar—doesn’t let on that this jacket is packing a serious technical punch. It is on the bulky side, however, so don’t expect to easily pack it into your backpack during winter travel.

Best Winter Jacket for Frigid Temps

Fjällräven Expedition Long Down Parka (20% Off)

$680 $544 at Backcountry (Women’s)

Sizes: XXS-XL (women’s)
Warmth: 8/10

Pros and Cons
+ Bomb-proof construction
+ Massive inner pockets
– Heavy

If you want to hide from winter, this down feather and synthetic insulated full-length jacket will wrap you up like a sleeping bag, from the top of your head to the top of your boots. It’s an extra-long version of Fjällräven’s heritage 1974 Expedition Down Jacket that the company’s founder famously conceived while bivouacked in a snow cave somewhere in Sweden.

Down and synthetic insulation are layered and offset to prevent cold spots. Our testers wore it while commuting on the bus from Driggs, Idaho to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, then walking to work and ski coaching. One Idaho tester said, “When I cinched this jacket at the waist, the bottom, and around the hood, I could block out unwanted wind and cold. If I were going on an expedition in Alaska or Antarctica, I would want this jacket.” One note: At almost 48 ounces, it’s quite heavy to pack or carry when you’re not wearing it.

Best Warmth-to-Weight Ratio

Salomon Elixir Ultra Down Jacket (25% Off)

$400 $300 at Salomon

Sizes: XS-XXL (men’s)
Warmth: 8/10
Weather Protection: 7/10

Pros and Cons:
+ High warmth-to-weight ratio
+ Low profile
+ Practical features
– Not available in women’s sizing

The 800-fill power, responsibly sourced and sustainably processed down Elixir Ultra weighs only 16 ounces, but it’s incredibly warm with the functional features to boot: two hand warmer pockets, two zippered chest pockets, an adjustable elastic hem cord to cinch the parka around your waist, and a hood with a single elastic adjustable cord that snugs the helmet compatible hood around your face. The lightweight shell material felt rugged compared to other lightweight down coats, enough so that one tester said, “While I wouldn’t ski Vermont’s glades in this coat, I didn’t worry about everyday wear and tear.”

It felt warmer than other jackets for its bulk and overall weight than similar layers. That’s likely due to the thin foil-like laminate inside that’s bonded to the outer shell and reflects body heat to the inside of the coat while maintaining breathability. This reflective layer lets Salomon use less insulation, reducing bulk and environmental footprint. On multiple occasions, coming home from dinner in Crested Butte, our tester was warm and his friends weren’t. “The lack of ‘clever’ features was my favorite feature,” he said. “The Elixir is pared down and simple–it’s a beautifully basic coat. I could easily travel with it even to Europe and wear it around town and look normal, then stuff it in the backpack for BC skiing days in the cold when I know I’ll need that extra layer.”

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Perfection never goes out of style, and that’s why Berghaus is bringing back this classic. Three layers of GORE-TEX make wet weather a non-issue. Even when a drizzle turns to a deluge, you can batten down the hatches by tightening the waist, hem, and cuffs for a perfect fit and secure barrier from the elements. The stiffened hood peak also lets the rain roll right off your back, and the four side pockets with flaps keep your things safe and dry while you’re out in the worst of it.

Best Winter Jacket for Moderate Temps

Finisterre Vellus Insulated Parka

$545 at REI (Men’s)

$545 at Finisterre (Women’s)

Sizes: XS-XXL (men’s); 2-14 (women’s)
Warmth: 5/10
Weather Protection: 9/10

Pros and Cons
+ Great for shoulder season
+ Waterproof
+ Hidden handwarmer pockets
– Not the warmest
– Two-way zipper sometimes pops open from the bottom

With taped seams, recycled ocean waste synthetic insulation, and a Sherpa fleece three-point adjustable hood, this jacket is a great example of what an outdoor gear company can bring to the lifestyle category. The raglan sleeves made layering easy, and the waist and hood adjustment were hidden to keep the jacket’s aesthetics sleek but allowed for a dialed-in fit. “I loved the ribbed cuffs which avoid clumsy velcro or pull-tab closures for warmth. They kept wind and drafts from coming up the sleeves,” said a Boulder-based tester. “The fleece lined hood added a few degrees of warmth, but it wasn’t so pronounced that I looked like I was strutting around in a status symbol jacket.”

Not only does this jacket have a toasty fleece-lined hood and eye catching square pockets but it also has sleek hidden slash handwarmer pockets. We wouldn’t recommend this for playing in the snow, but for walking around a mountain town in winter, it’s an ideal outer layer.

Most Durable

Patagonia Hi-Loft Nano Puff Hoody (20% Off)

$329 $263 at Backcountry (Men’s)

$329 $263 at Backcountry (Women’s)

$329 at Patagonia (Men’s)

$329 at Patagonia (Women’s)

Sizes: XS-3XL (men’s); XXS-XXL (women’s)
Warmth: 9/10
Weather Protection: 8/10

Pros and Cons
+ Reinforced shoulders
+ Rugged construction
+ Good ski jacket for cold days worn solo
+ Post-consumer recycled insulation
– Too bulky to pack easily

Not every winter jacket needs to be rugged enough for a serious romp. But if sledding, frolicking with four-legged companions, or motorized snowsports are on your hit list, this is a great all-around jacket that will resist more robust play while also being perfectly suited for a grocery run. The burly Hi-Loft Nano Puff is insulated with 200 grams of 100 percent postconsumer recycled polyester with a 20-denier 100 percent recycled polyester ripstop face fabric and heavier weight ripstop panels in the shoulders for added durability. “My dog likes to jump on me to greet me when I get home, and this jacket proved wonderfully toenail resistant,” said one Vermont tester.

The hood fits over a helmet, but it didn’t feel overly large when our heads were helmet-free.” We loved the big chest pocket–it fit both a fly box and notepad, and the lined handwarmer pockets were cozy on the coldest days. Bonus: It’s cut long in the back, so one tester’s bum stayed warm when she wore it to a hockey game.

Coziest Winter Jacket

Rab Glaceon Pro Down Jacket (20% Off)

$340 $272 at Backcountry (Men’s)

$340 $272 at Backcountry (Women’s)

Sizes: XS-XXL (men’s); XS-XL (women’s)
Warmth: 9/10
Weather Protection: 8/10

Pros and Cons
+ Made with waterproof down
+ High warmth to weight
+ Versatile
– UK sizing isn’t intuitive

Deliciously warm, highly packable, and almost as cozy as being tucked under a blanket in front of the fireplace, testers called Rab’s Glaceon Pro “the winter jacket that I always want to have in my closet.” Made from 700-fill power down and silky soft water-repellent Pertex inside and outside, the Glaceon Pro is windproof and water resistant. It has a wealth of technical features, such as a fully adjustable, roomy down-filled hood with a stiffened peak so you can articulate the brim for visibility and comfort. “It was nice to have a little structure in the hood,” said a Jackson Hole-based tester. “When the snow turned to rain I could keep it off my face.”

With velcro at the wrists that kept wind out and warmth in, winter storms didn’t scare testers when they had this jacket. But it wasn’t just for evening jaunts. “Before the skin and at transitions I put this jacket over my Gore-Tex,” said an Idaho-based tester. “It was warm getting my boots on and off, and then it was so compressible, it went into my pack as an emergency layer.” The harness-compatible two-way zipper also made this jacket a good choice for climbers.

How to Choose the Best Winter Coat

If you’re in the market for a new winter jacket, ask yourself these questions:

What’s My Local Winter Weather Like?

Each winter jacket offers a different degree of protection from cold, wind, and rain. Based in Vermont? You’ll probably want something with some waterproofing and wind protection. Looking for a cozy puffy to wear in Colorado’s high country you can also use as a ski layer? You might opt for something lower profile, like Salomon’s Elixir Ultra Down Jacket. Heading out into a squall? Fjallraven’s Expedition Long Down Parka is the jacket for the job.

What Do I Plan to Do in This Jacket?

We’ve highlighted lifestyle winter jackets in this review. None of them are specifically designed for skiing, winter biking, or any other high-output activity. But some will offer you better mobility and more versatility than others. If you’d like a jacket to bring on a ski trip that could serve as a cold-day layer on-slope but will still look nice when you head to dinner, Helly Hansen Women’s Winter Bliss Down Jacket will serve you just fine in both situations. But it might not offer great durability—if you’re looking for something that will hold up to outdoor chores, the Patagonia Hi-Loft Nano Puff Hoody might be a better choice.

How We Test Winter Coats and Parkas

• Number of products tested: 27
• Number of testers: 12
• Locations tested in: Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Vermont, Japan, France
• Range of temperatures during testing: -10 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit

Meet Our Testers

Lead tester Berne Broudy decided to ski 100 days this winter. She made it to about 80 thanks to deep conditions all winter in Vermont, where Broudy is based, lots of backyard shreds with her snow-surfing mutt Sassafras, and a passion for winter’s beauty as well as creamy turns through the trees. Broudy was fortunate to hit the backcountry and frontcountry slopes at Jackson Hole, Powder Mountain, and in Chamonix. A huge highlight of her ski season was ski mountaineering with athlete Vivian Bruchez.

Dana Allen started snowboarding in 1996 in his home state of Maine, converted to tele skiing in 2007, and has been solely alpine skiing since 2012. Dana spent a year in Switzerland as an exchange student and almost got kicked out of school for skipping so many days to snowboard the Alps. He moved to Crested Butte in 2007, moved back to Vermont in 2011, and grew a mustache in 2019. Knows the difference between their, there, and they’re, as well as the difference between a cornetto and a croissant. Dana works as a self-employed environmental consultant and digital mapping expert.

Andrew Freeman is a skier and climber based in Boulder, CO. He believes the true test of a product’s capabilities are not how it performs on a bluebird powder day, but how it performs when your minivan dies on I-70 and semis are spraying you with slush. His reviews proudly reflect deep experience with both ends of this pleasure spectrum.