Choosing a Ladies Warm, Long Winter Coat

Over the last few years long winter coats have become very popular for Ladies, with the North Face Metropolis Parka reaching the status of ‘fashion icon’. At Trailblazer Outdoors we stock four different coats falling into this broad category, each with its own features and advantages.


In addition to cost and fit, the coats differ in practical ways which will often sway customers towards one or another from the range. The first thing to point out is that all of them are designed to provide maximum warmth in a relatively light weight package. However, within this definition the weights vary from 637g at the lightest end to 1,090g at the heaviest.

Whilst all the coats feature a Durable Water Repellant (DWR) coating, it is also important to remember that they cannot be regarded as fully waterproof – since they do not incorporate a Gore-Tex style waterproof membrane. Rather these coats emphasise heat retention and wind stopping capability, coupled with breathability – so that you don’t get ‘sweaty’ inside.


The long length of each coat also makes them most suitable for shopping, watching sports or other activities, and non-energetic walking. So think of cold winter days when the weather may be windy or damp, rather than torrential rain and hiking up serious hills..!


So which should I buy, and why..?


Cost is clearly a factor, with the use of Goose and Duck Down fillings being the major determining factor. But such natural down does have its drawbacks – being particularly susceptible to moisture. All the coats incorporate ways of protecting the filling from the wet, but artificial down is still better able to cope – retaining its warming qualities, and being much easier to dry out should it become damp.


So if ease of care and use in damp conditions is a priority, the Jack Wolfskin Iceguard Coat may be the best choice. This coat uses a combination of artificial down and a layer of silver which helps to reflect heat back inwards towards you body. The outer is made from a very dense weave ripstop fabric, which is not only highly wind-stop, but also very durable.


The Iceguard scores heavily on cost as well – at £125.00 it is the cheapest option. The downside of using artificial filling is the additional weight. At just over a kilo, the Iceguard is the heaviest option – although still not excessively so for a coat of its length. In addition the rip-stop fabric is noticeably stiffer than some of the other coats – giving it a more definite shape, but perhaps meaning that it doesn’t mould to your shape quite so well as the alternatives.

Finally, the Iceguard features a removable hood – allowing you to tailor it to you taste, according to the weather.



At 900g and £200, the Jack Wolfskin Yakima features a combination of fillings. Most of it is filled with natural Duck Down at a 550 fill power* – providing great warmth at a low weight. However, the areas that might be more affected by moisture – the hood and the hem - are filled with a man made fibre. Like the Iceguard, the outer fabric of the Yakima is a durable rip-stop - giving a ‘solid’ feel to the coat – something which is characteristic of all Jack Wolfskin shells, actually.



At the lighter end of the spectrum we stock the Merrell Isadore Down Coat, and the classic North Face Metropolis Parka – both of which come in at £199.99. At around 700g and 637g respectively both are noticeably lighter than the Jack Wolfskin offerings – thanks mostly to their use of Goose Down fillings, at a 600 fill power. This level of filling probably makes these the warmest of the coats on offer, although allowance for the wind-proofing qualities of the outer shell fabric makes it hard to compare them precisely.


On this point, the outer fabrics of the Merrell and North Face are considerably lighter and more flexible than the Jack Wolfskin offerings. These lighter fabrics move with you as you walk, and mould more to the shape of your body, although they may ultimately be somewhat less durable. Having said that, given their application, you are more likely to catch these coats in the door of a car than snag them on sharp rocks on a scramble..!



In terms of fit, the North Face has a very straight cut, whilst the Merrell is more fitted - featuring a drawcord to pull the waist in even more if desired. In addition, the Merrell, at 42 inches to the middle of the back hem, is easily the longest coat. Partly because of this it also features a 3 popper ‘placket’, or vent, at the bottom to make it easier to walk in. So if you want a coat that comes down as far as possible, or you happen to very tall, then the Merrell Isadore would be the obvious choice.



The North Face does score over the Merrell in having a removable hood - so you can reduce the weight even further, and make the coat look a little neater if the hood is not needed.



So there you have our range, four different coats all with slightly different features and benefits. At the end of the day the decision of which one is for you will probably come down to budget and fit. However, we hope this quick guide will help in making the decision.