Following is a link to the down-filled hooded winter jacket I purchased last winter. It is warm and so comfortable and I love it. But then again, our weather quite often goes down to -30C. Mine is a baby blue in color. I like the waist belt in that the cold air does not go up and under the jacket when outside. It is waterproof and breathable. I find that it is very warm at -30C and yet if I go shopping in town and have to be in a store for an extended period of time, I do not get hot in it. I bought mine in a local store here in Brandon and not through the company itself.

http://www.usoutdoorstore.com/outlet/the-north-face-atlantic-jacket-womens.html

How cold is it where you live? I know that I have visited Florida in the winter and that our bodies were used to the cold so we thought that it was great temperature wise, you know...sweater weather... whereas the native 'Florida'ians were wearing jackets, scarves and mitts.

Brenda

Wow. -22 degrees Fahrenheit??!

I don't really know my zone, I get conflicting info when I look it up. I'd say it can get down to 0 here.

I don't understand though, if it can keep you so warm outside, so it must be very padded and all that, how can you still be comfortable in it inside? My jackets make me hot inside.

I don't understand it either. It is a downfilled jacket that is breathable. With all the technology out there today....

Up here in our zone 2b we often get to -30C but two weeks ago (with the wind) the weather channel said that it felt like -42C out there. Usually for a few days or a week in the winter, we will have -35 to -40C for the actual temperature. But, those are the days where we go outside only when we have to and be sure that we have all the vehicles plugged in to keep their block heaters warm so that they will start should we need to go anywhere. Those are also the days when the fireplace is used a lot. Have you ever heard of a block heater for the car?

Back to gardening...I am also thankful at this time of year for the foot of snow in my yard on the flowerbeds that are insulating the perennials planted in there.

Brenda

I really love artic fleece (synthetic fleece). I go most of the winter wearing one or two layers of it depending on the how cold it is. The thing I like least about winter is having to bundle up so much you can't move! Hello, clausterphopia! I find fleece is very light, breathable, and allows me to move easily. I bought one from Mark's Work Wearworld that is extra stretchy and has a nylon liner so it also blocks the wind, although it doesn't breath as well. I'm good until it hits -25C. Keeping your head, feet and hands warm makes a huge difference as to how warm the rest of you feels and I find I need less of a jacket if these extremities are comfy.

Quick story...my DS was in San Fransisco a couple years ago at Christmas and it got cold enough to put quite a bit of frost on windshields (I think it even snowed in L.A.!). She found herself showing people how to clean their windsheild in a pinch with her credit card or tape case :) Funny what we take for granted in our own climates.

My jacket is one of those that has different parts - a fleece jacket that can be worn alone (and is reversible and the sleeves can be zipped off to make a vest) and it can be zipped in to an outer shell as a lining. It's nice and snuggy. :)

I think the humidity plays a huge factor in how bone chilling the cold is or isn't. Here in Manitoba, we're fairly used to low humidity in winter, but every now then we'll have a pocket of humid air come in, and I find that's when I feel the coldest. I find -35C with 15% humidity much more comfortable than -10C with 60% humidity. So depending on where you live, I think that may play a big role.

This fall, I picked up a down filled, 3/4 length jacket, and I'm so impressed with how warm it is. It's also 1/4 the weight of my old Columbia 3-in-1 jacket. I'm definitely a believer in down filled jackets now!

Laurie

"I think the humidity plays a huge factor in how bone chilling the cold is or isn't."

That is so true, Laurie.