As autumn turns the corner and temperatures start to drop, keeping warm becomes a matter of great importance. Similar to some of the other seasonal guides this guide is meant to aid new users in addition to the Basic Bastard. If you have not looked at already, it is highly recommended that you read the plethora of guides in the wiki as well as the primer on fit. As MFA has members all over the world, winter for some means, -15°C and for some it means 10°C. Regardless of your geographic location, your body needs to stay protected from the elements. Luckily, there are plenty of options that look and feel great.

Layering: The Tried and True Method

Many people come into the Simple Questions threads and ask for recommendations for a winter coat that will keep them warm in the freezing temperatures of winter. While, there are plenty of manufacturers that make coats that suit that need, they are usually quite expensive and unnecessary. For example, Canada Goose is very well known for being used by the film industry for filming in Arctic temperatures. These temperatures get as low as -40°C with wind chills that make the temperatures feel much colder. $900 jackets like those are very excessive for the average person. In essence, they are more of a status symbol rather than a practical choice as most people aren’t trekking the Poles. So what is an affordable, practical, and, in my opinion, a better looking way of staying warm in freezing temperatures? Layering. Layering works in a very similar way to the igloos of the Inuits; your clothes are meant to trap air close to your body and your natural body warmth will warm up those air molecules which will in turn heat up the next layer of air trapped between your layers and so on and so forth until you essentially have an air bubble of warmth surrounding your body like a warm glove. Another reason why layering is generally much more effective is that each person is different. Some people have faster metabolisms, sweat more, walk more throughout the day, etc and layering allows you to treat your clothes as a personal thermostat to best suit your needs. If you find yourself overheating, you can remove layers; if you find yourself getting chilly, you can add layers. Layering has much more flexibility than just throwing on a winter jacket.

Alright, you’ve convinced me, but how do I properly layer?

To start with, here are a couple of guides that I think do a pretty good job of explaining how to layer. The basic concept is to have a layer to manage moisture, a layer to manage heat, and a layer to manage the environment.

• Managing moisture: Here is where you want your thermal underwears, your technical fabrics, T-shirts, etc. Below the waist, you’ll want synthetic underpants, and possibly a pair of thin socks/gloves (if it’s exceptionally cold). For pants, if it’s so cold that you need another layer, you may need a pair of football tights or runner’s leggings. For the everyday person who lives in the cold but not the extremes (mountains, tundras, poles), this will be overkill. Most people will be okay with a T-shirt as their inner layer with no inner layer for pants, socks, or hands.

• Managing heat: This is the funnest part of layering. There are is the most variety in this section and it is where you can experiment or cover up your inner layer. The insulating category is where you’ll find pieces of varying thickness, textures, and materials. You can re-purpose denim jackets, overshirts, Harringtons, and a variety of other Spring/Fall outerwear to go underneath your heavier items. You can wear cozy flannels, chunky cardigans, and tons of different sweaters. This is the category which has the most flexibility, and it’s where your creativity can shine.

• Managing the environment: Your beautiful outerwear goes here. You want something that’ll cut through the wind, sleet, snow, hail, rain, you name it. A safe go-to piece here is a peacoat, in black, charcoal, navy, or camel, or a top/overcoat in the same colors. If you’re looking for something with a little more insulation or something a little more casual, parkas are another classic. There are other options here as well, such as Barbour jackets but I would highly recommend going with one of those coats to start off with before expanding into other outerwear. Below the waist, you can wear wool trousers, duck pants, flannel-lined pants, jeans, or regular chinos. Keep your digits warm with a pair of gloves, and the thick socks your grandmother always gives you for Christmas (who doesn’t love cozy wool socks with fun designs). As for neck protection, you can always zip up your coat, or wear a scarf. An important part of your body to keep warm and protect is your head. Obviously, it houses your all-important noggin, but since you require so much blood to be pumped up there, it loses heat just as fast as your fingers and toes. Keep it nice and protected with a hood, hats, and toques.

Down vs. Synthetic

There are plenty of people around who will tell you to never buy synthetic fill, that polyester is a crime against humanity, and that natural down absolutely the only way to stay warm. These people are wrong. Here’s a more nuanced look at the two materials, but the TL;DR is that both downs and synthetics each have their own pros and cons (such is life) and that determining what filling is right for you is a matter of use case. When looking at jackets with down or synthetic, pay attention to the fill power that is listed by the manufacturer; in general, the higher the fill power, the warmer you’ll be.

• Down: Down comes from the fluffy part at the bottom of the feathers. It is a natural material and is highly lauded for its insulating abilities. It does this through the same method that layering does except on a much smaller level. It traps air in tiny pockets within the coat in order to keep you warm. Generally, high quality down will almost always be warmer than a synthetic fill. Very expensive down’s fill power can reach upwards of 900. Another property benefit that the higher fill power has is that it is usually much lighter (and therefore more transportable). Similar to leather, and other animal products, down is incredibly durable and can last for many years with the right care. This leads me right into the cons of down. Cleaning down requires special care in order to make sure you don’t remove the loft (insulating power) of the down material. Another con with down is that you really do not want to get it wet. Usually, many jackets will have water resistant material or coating, but the best jackets use a material (like Gore-Tex) that have microscopic pores that can allow small amounts of water into the filling and cause the down to clump, reducing its insulating power, especially as down takes a long time to get dry. The last, and most important con to most, is that down is usually a lot more expensive than synthetics. Like leather, it is a premium down comes at a premium price. For some, it may be prohibitively expensive. However, there are usually plenty of sales on Sierra Trading Post, and Uniqlo’s Ultra-light Down line is relatively affordable.

• Synthetics: Synthetic insulation is usually made from ultra-fine fibers of polyester, designed to mimic the loft of down. It offers many benefits over down and, with new technologies, has come a long way. The first is insulation when wet; we already know that down doesn’t do so hot (haha) in humid, or wet temperatures, but synthetics do wonderfully. They dry quick, and maintain shape when wet. Synthetics are also generally a lot cheaper. For some people, this is good quality per dollar, especially since synthetics have gotten closer and closer to the fill power of down over the years. Manufacturers definitely have a deep incentive to continue investing in a material that is cheaper than down but performs nearly as adequately. Synthetics can reach up to around 600 fill power, which, to many, is more than enough. A major con with synthetics is that it is generally less durable, synthetic fill tends to get shifted around (not by a major amount but enough) and that can create small cold spots where there is less warmth due to the jacket being pushed around. It is also going to be a little bulkier than down.

Conclusion:

Fall and Winter are a magical time. The air is cool and crisp. You can break out some of your nicer clothes that would cause you to melt in the summer. But the elements are no joke. I hope this guide helped teach you something, and stay warm!