My favourite winter coat is made by Far West. The coat is Gore-Tex. It's lightweight yet so warm. See if you can find coats made with Gore-Tex.

Marie

I've worn a long down coat for as long as I can remember. They are the BEST coats for staying warm outside. I also get mine one size larger so I can wear a sweater underneath. Add a hat & scarf (or ear muffs in my case) and a good pair of gloves. Don't forget boots too!

Also...my down coat is lightweight too.

SamKaren
your resident DJ

I wear cuddle duds under my pants on really cold days. I even do this under dress slacks. They are usually on sale right about now. I like these better than the old long underwear type things we used to wear. They have a much lighter fabric and are breathable. This year though it hasn't been cold at all. I'm not complaining but I'd sure like some snow.

I wear a Geiger coat on really cold days. I have one that nearly reaches my ankles, one that is below my knee and one that is mid-thigh. I layer under them when I need to bu I love that they are so light weight and the wind doesn't go thru them. Geiger is Austrian boiled wool.

Here in ND they layer their clothes. Gloves, hats and good boots are necessary. I have snow boot, from Canada and you can wear hose under pants. You can also get stuff from REI and Cabala's. The main thing is wind as that makes a difference. I have a really good coat from LL Bean which is waterproof and wind resistance with a good hat. Hope this helps.

I'll bet your coat surprises you, Maire. Bean's knows what they're doing, and with a temperature rating like that the coat is bound to handle just about anything in our neck of the woods. The heavier down coats usually have added feathers, which don't have the insulating qualities of premium down.

Nice coat!! If you decide you don't like it, you know where to find me. :-)

I grew up on a dairy farm in N.E. Ohio where we had to work outdoors 12 to 14 hours a day regardless of what the weather was and I have spent probably half of my adult life between N.E. Ohio and Massachusetts so I can assure you, I am very accustomed to living & working outdoors in sub zero temperatures....

The first thing I can tell you is,,DO NOT EQUATE HEAVY WITH WARM.

When you are outdoors in winter your only source of heat is what your body is producing, so the idea is to conserve as much of that heat as possible. The uninitiated might think that a heavy layer of clothing will conserve the heat, but that is not true. The heat is conserved by the dead air space between layers of clothing. That is why a bulky knit sweater is much warmer than a tight knit one.

The absolute best insulation you can get in clothing is goose down. It may feel light weight, but it has the maximum amount of "loft" that traps heat in the air space between the fibers. The real trick to goose down is to take the garment in both hands and literally shake it like an accordian to fluff up the feathers before you put it on.

You want to minimize exposed flesh, so if your going out wear slacks, and loose fitting slacks are warmer than tight fitting ones. In real cold weather wear thermal underwear under the slacks, or even better yet, wear panty hose under the slacks..

When I was in the Air Force I had to go on a project out on the glacier 250 miles north of Thule Air Base in Greenland, where we stayed 89 days, and the highest temp we recorded in that time was -41degF with 50mph winds. The Air Force actually issued us panty hose and long sleeve nylon shirts to wear under our artic gear.

For footwear in severe cold, were either your panty hose or a pair of light nylon socks with a pair of heavy boot socks in your boots. The nylon will retain the heat while allowing moisture to be wicked into the heavy socks, keeping your feet dryer and warmer.

Now believe it or not, one of the biggest problems you face in cold climate is getting too warm. If you wear heavy clothes and you are doing even moderate activities you can get overheated and begin to perspire and as you perspire your clothing gets wet and looses its insulation value. It is far better to dress in multiple layers so as your activity increases you can peel a light layer, but if you start to get chilly you can put it on again.

By all means, wear a hat and if its really cold, wear a turtle kneck or a scarf around your neck. (The greatest amount of body heat is lost through your upper shoulders, neck and head).

If your just taking the dogs for a walk and only expect to be out an hour or less and the outdoor temp is 30deg or more, you should be fine with a pair of slacks, a tee shirt, a long sleeve shirt or blouse, (preferrably flannel) and a bulky knit scarf drapped loosely around your neck and your goose down coat. In fact, you may find that zipping that goose down all the way up is too hot, but I can assure you, when the temps drop to zero or below, you will be real proud of that goose down. (Light weight goose down is what they wear to climb mountains or work in the arctic or antarctic).

Absolutely make sure you wear gloves. Thin nylon gloves with "Thinsulate" insulation are fantastic.

I have a North Face Down Parka with a down filled hood. I believe North Face still carries a lifetime warranty too. Their reputation for antartic expedition wear is phenomenal...

Layers. I get colder as I get older. I am in a much warmer city now than I was 10 years ago (Winnipeg) and I turn into such a baby when we visit at Christmas time. So, prewarming the car is a must, mitts and not gloves, a hat and scarf and a sweater at all times. I do not miss -40 at all! and hope never to see it again. Although when my mom came to visit a few years ago said it felt colder at -3 than -35 because we have a "damp" cold here. I also love my down filled duvet and parka as it is still pretty cold where I am.

Live in Alabama, and I sleep, during winter, with a down comforter, so warm and cozy.

Summer, I sleep with a down blanket.

Good sleeping.

Scissors beat me to it. I don't live in a cold climate but we do have our cold days and Cuddle Duds are great. Light weight yet great under jeans or slacks. Try them, you'll like them and they are not that expensive. Great for walking the dog!

I love winter and would prefer cold days over hot ones for sure. I have a Liz Claiborn 100% goose down coat with a large hood trimmed in fake fur. I'm never cold down to the single digits and I walk the dogs every single day. It's even warm on windy days. I just have trouble keeping hands and feet warm. When it gets bitter, I'm going to used hand and foot warmers.

In my motorcycling days, down was the only way to go for blocking the chill of wind. Light weight, easy to pack and the absolute best at blocking cold winds at 10 to 80 miles an hour. I too recommend Cuddle Duds underwear. As warm as silk, not as pricey and easier to care for.

Layering and natural fibers,

My "regular" winter cost is a wool jacket, thigh length, with a large fur lined hood. Depending on the weather, I wear a cotton or wool sweater and mainly cotton turtlenecks from Lands End.
For dress, I have a calf length cashmere coat.

Snowy or real cold weather, I switch to a hooded down jacket or a knee length mink cost for dress.

Eddie Bauer used to rate their jackets for the degree of cold they could withstand. Years ago I bought a down jacket that rated to something like -30 below. It is incredibly warm in the most bitter temperature. I pull it out for the coldest days here in MN--wore it many times last winter but haven't touched it this winter. Otherwise I wear a lighter down jacket that comes mid-thigh and has good pockets and a good furry hood. As someone once stated to me, you people in cold climates need a whole coat wardrobe. It is true: I have coats for every weather variation!

Cookie, are you in the Toronto/Barrie area?
A damp cold winter is miserable. It's probably still better than "Winterpeg" though.
Like a "dry heat" doesn't feel as hot as humidity, hot is still hot!!

I have 3 winter coats. My favorite is my Land's End hooded parka I got last winter. If it is really cold, I wear Cuddle Duds or WinterSilk bottoms under my pants. It really makes a difference to be warm to your ankles and then your boots also keep your ankles warm. I had a parka that came below my knees but I didn't like it and gave it away.

LLBean rates their jackets, this one was rated 0 degrees to -50 degrees. It was interesting to watch the video on their website explaining that the coats are tested at the U. of Kansas lab on a simulated dummy of a 28 year old male wearing appropriate layers. "When a range is shown, the first temperature indicates the product's comfort rating during light to moderate activity, such as walking slowly. The second temperature indicates the comfort rating during moderate activity, such as jogging a short distance or snowshoeing."

I'll keep this coat, it is really long (51") which was one of my requirements and it has knitted cuffs inside the sleeve to keep the cold out. I looked at the North Face one which was twice the price and it doesn't have the cuffs and it has a really large North Face logo on the front chest and the back shoulder in bright white lettering on both the black and brown coats. But for some odd reason the light grey coat has the logo in grey threads. I wouldn't mind the bold logo and name on a ski jacket but on this long coat it detracts from it's looks and usefulness making it inappropriate to wear on a dressier occasion.

I looked for boiled wool but couldn't find any long coats, I have 2 boiled wool jackets and they are indeed lightweight, warm and so dense that they're nearly windproof.

Thanks again everyone for your advice.

Jasdip, I am in Ottawa. I also have to say that roomy boots help too. Mine are a little snug and find my feet get cold fast!

That's a lovely coat and I can't imagine that it won't keep you warm, maybe even warmer than you want to be. Since it is completely sold out in misses sizes, it looks like a lot of people agree.

Long underwear! flannel lined jeans. Windproof pants.

I wear a long coat with a light ski jacket beneath it - and a turtle neck an a sweater beneath it all - then of course my hat and scarf and appropriate boots for Cdn. weather - and I am usually still cold. It is hard for me because I like it warm, without sun. My dog has a double coat of hair, rather than fur - but is happy to keep me out freezing - not so with my husband, they are back before the door even closes. But then he is a Mommy's boy - who comes in after making me freeze and gets into bed. I often wish he was a Daddy's boy.

I don't live in a cold climate (was over 50° here today) so I guess I can't really comment. I haven't worn more than a flannel shirt all "winter".

Layers - often I have about five, especially on the torso.

I'm now wearing squeezy knee-length socks (for varicose veins), and a regular pair, usually mid-calf, over them, and have long johns, some knit wool, some waffle-weave cotton, then sometimes with lounging slacks also, under the pants.

I think that you'll be happy with the long down-filled coat.

If you find that, lacking a button and button-hole down near the lower end, you could add a button-hole and button down there.

Or. if the bottom tends to flop around in the wind, you might take a leaf from the folks who have draw-strings on the bottom of their jackets by folding up the bottom or adding a patched piece around it, with a draw-string inside, that you learn where to tie just so that it lets your legs stretch the loop as far as you wish when walking.

As the LP says, your main enemy in really cold weather is getting too heated, resulting in sweating, which dampens the cloth, reducing its insulation value: then, lacking a change of clothing, you're in real trouble, if you're stuck with being outside for an extended period!

Dressing in layers also lets you drop some when you're quite active and probably about to indulge in that cold-weather no-no called "sweating".

ole joyful

You could get one of those plastic tents like the ones that some folks have on their small snow-blowers, carry it over you like an umbrella ...

... and invite a friend who's full of hot air to walk the dog with you.

Actually, I guess that you'd need a tent somewhat larger than the ones on the snow-blowers, as they offer room for only one.

Right - forgot at first to alter the subject line, in order to avoid that dreaded "Message Rejected!"!!

o j

Oh OJ - Love the tent idea - that's the best suggestion yet!

In addition to the double zipper, the coat does have a zipper flap that snaps all the way down below the knee. So that will help keep the cold out.