Cold Weather Gear for Every Budget
Hot products for cold days.
Though we wintered our youth away in the stiff nylon snowsuits of yesteryear (responsible for many a mad dash from school bus to bathroom), we are happy to report that cold weather gear has come a long way, indeed. And thank goodness, because snowbirds we are not—and warm-weather vacations remain iffy at best. We’ve gathered up our go-tos for going outside when it’s really f’ing cold, and living to tell about it. Fortunate to make your home in the presence of perennially warm weather? Bully for you—skip ahead, skipperdee, or take notes for your next travels to tundra-like conditions.
The goose is loose.
You know we eschew all things basic and we really, truly tried to avoid a Canada Goose jacket—to our own detriment, it turns out. Believe the hype: It’s warmer than warm. When it finally dawned on us that there was a good reason we were seeing them absolutely everywhere, there wasn’t a size or color to be found. So when we were ready to relent, in a small act of final rebellion, we sprung for the black label (available for women and men) so we could separate ourselves from the gaggle. Want to combat the chill for fewer coins? We’ve heard good things about this Eddie Bauer polar-friendly parka and its counterparts for men.
High tech.
We can only imagine that this wonder fabric called Heattech, a creation of Japanese retailer Uniqlo, would have allowed us to actually enjoy walking in a winter wonderland in the years before we discovered it. With a wide range of pieces for both women and men and different levels of warm-ness, you can find plenty of barely-there layers to confer warmth to your OOTD.
Puff the magic jacket.
Moncler? Been There. We’ve tried all the best puffer coats and still the most bang for our buck goes again to our friends at Uniqlo. Their ultra light down is as warm as it is durable, with a number of styles for both women and men in a range of colors at prices that can’t be beat. And as advertised, it is in fact ultra light, making it easy to stow when seasons change. Another favorite with a little more heft comes from Aritzia and their popular Super Puff line, with glossy or matte finishes in a number of colors.
It’s electric.
You can only shake those drugstore hand warmers so many times before you, like us, decide you need something more permanent. A family member turned us on to these rechargeable heated gloves and we’re happy to have them for the days when nothing else will do. There are spendier versions out there, but for something that might be in light use, we think these quite handily lend the most bang for your buck.
Under there.
We’re glad that someone got the memo that base layers could be a little more fun than the standard-issue black or grey. Sweaty Betty has great (and well-fitting) base layer bundles, in a number of cute patterns, made from a wicking, anti-bacterial fabric. We wouldn’t mind being caught in these après ski. For gents, these Fjӓllrӓven tops and bottoms at least break out in a nice blue—and could not be comfier.
Don a top hat.
Have a favorite NFL team? No matter—pick one, any one, because we have never found a warmer hat than the official sideline hats (make sure it says official sideline hat), which you will see players and coaches wearing on colder days. The inside of what seems like a regular hat is lined in ultra warm fleece. Not a pom pom fan? Feel free to cut it off. Game winner!
