Choosing a winter jacket starts with where and how you will wear it. A jacket for a ten-minute walk to the train needs different things than one for hours on a windy trail. Before comparing styles, decide on your typical temperatures, how active you will be, and whether you are likely to meet wind, rain or snow.
Insulation is the first thing most people look at. Down is light and packs small, and it gives a lot of warmth for its weight, but it loses much of its loft when wet. Synthetic fill is heavier for the same warmth, yet it keeps insulating when damp and usually dries faster. Many jackets blend the two, so check the fill type on the label instead of assuming.
Fit matters as much as fill. Warmth comes from trapped air, so a jacket that is too tight squeezes the insulation flat and one that is too loose lets heat escape. Try it on over the layers you plan to wear underneath, raise your arms, and check that the cuffs and hem stay in place.
Finally, look at the details: a storm flap over the zip, an adjustable hood, cuffs that seal against the wrist and pockets you can reach with gloves on. These small features decide whether a jacket is pleasant at the coldest moment of the day.
