My Hunt for a Full-Body Puffer

LikeNew York’s deputy editorAlexis Swerdloff,my high-schoolNorth Face Nuptse jacketlives on — albeit in questionable shape and hanging in the very back of my parents’ cavernous hall closet. Yet I still can’t help but think of the North Face as covetable status symbol. So I had very high hopes for the North Face Hydrenalite Parka and was disappointed when it turned out to be just … fine. The function is all there (warm, windproof, water-resistant, well-made), but no matter how many times I tried it on — which was a lot, because I really did want to love it — the form always felt kindameh. The length (hits at my upper calf), cut (straight and on the slimmer side of boxy), and even color (I tried theTawny Quartz, hoping it would be a fun alternative to basic black) aren’tbad, but there’s nothing particularly special about any of it. Maybe it’s because I hold the Nuptse in such high regard? Whatever the reason, this wasn’t the one for me.

On paper, this L.L.Bean coat checks all the sleeping-bag boxes: very long (the longest I tried, in fact, hitting nearly at my ankles), a high-zip neck and full-coverage drawstring hood, comfy quilting, and superior insulation that L.L.Bean says will keep you warm in even the harshest winter conditions. But on my body, it was totally lackluster. The shape wasn’t unflattering, but it did nothing for me. The design features are entirely normal — nothing extra, nothing exaggerated. The length was really great, but the comparatively slimmer cut also meant that snapping it all the way closed limited my range of motion. I should also note there’s a fur trim on the hood that I didn’t care for, but it’s removable and thus the least of my worries. In other words, it’s a very decent coat but one that will too easily get lost in a crowd, and that’s not what I’m going for.

I had my doubts about the visual appeal of this coat before I ever tried it on, but Arc’teryx products are so notoriously well made that I remained hopeful and plowed ahead. On quality alone, it’s definitely a great coat — pleasantly lightweight despite its obvious warmth, a decently long and straight cut that doesn’t feel sloppy but still leaves plenty of room for movement and layering, and a high-zip neck and drawstring hood that feel like they’d stand up to even the coldest winds. Nevertheless (and unfortunately), it just felt too bland when I put it on, which was especially disappointing because I actually found the ever-so-slight A-line shape and minimal fill to be surprisingly flattering and very comfortable. Oh well, on to the next.

I’m guessing the “sweater” part of Patagonia’s Down Sweater Parka refers to the level of warmth it imparts, since it wears more like a shell than a stand-alone winter coat. (It does feel a bit too relaxed for wearing under anything slim-fitting, though, so I’d consider sizing down if you plan to do that.) And because it’s a lighter weight, I decided to look past its knee-length fit, which was a mistake, since the combination of minimal puff, slimmer fit, and comparative shortness made the whole thing feel wholly functional and completely lacking in coziness. That’s not to say it’s a bad coat in general — it’s comfortable and practical, especially as an emergency layer, since it folds up neatly into its own chest pocket. Still, I’m not looking for a layering piece right now, so this didn’t cut it.

The Camp Wrap is a blanket until you stick your head through the hole in the middle and turn it into a hooded poncho. While the hood make it feel like actual outerwear, it also doesn’t have arm holes (instead, it has “arm slots,” which are loops at either corner that you put your hands through, similar to what you’d find on a pair of dress-up butterfly wings), which definitely prevent it from stepping fully into the outerwear category. But it’s lightweight and easy to move in, and I could definitely see myself wearing it for a dog walk or a quick coffee run. And I do love theHarvest Moon Multicolorway, which reminds me of a Marimekko print.

I’ve never thought of Columbia as a particularly fashion-friendly brand, so I was pleasantly surprised by the chicness of the Amaze Puff. I suspect it’s taking some cues from theSuper Puff(which I also tried, as you’ll see below) — hefty puffiness, rich matte finish, relaxed yet structured cut, wind-blocking interior cuffs with thumbholes, fleece-lined pockets, removable hood. The Amaze Puff silhouette is slightly more barrel-shaped than the Super Puff, but it’s quite flattering nonetheless. And while the color selection is definitely lacking, there is a very pretty chocolate brown, and the black versions comes in both matte and shiny. The Amaze Puff also has interior backpack-style straps for hands-free carrying, which is I really appreciate. And it costs $50 less than Aritizia’s.

This Quince puffer has an undeniable yet inscrutable appeal for me. The design is totally simple: a zero-frills coat with standard puffiness and a basic Michelin Man–style quilted pattern. The very straight cut is slimmer than what I tend to go for (I err on the side of tastefully oversize). “Long” is in its name, but it still feels noticeably shorter than I’d like, which is made even more evident by the slimmer fit. And the color I chose,Sea Spray Green, is much softer than I was hoping for. Yet, paradoxically, I do think it both looks and feels pretty great on me. The slim silhouette is flattering and not at all constricting, the high funnel neck and drawstring hood are both really snuggly, and it has those long interior cuffs with the thumbholes that I’m now a big fan of. I even find the almost-pastel color quite flattering. At $200, it’s also the most affordable puffer on this list. If the hemline were a few inches longer and the silhouette a few inches boxier, I’d be all in.

The Elie has a flowing silhouette that drapes beautifully, an extravagant neckline in the form of a shawl collar that doubles as a hood, and a coziness that feels less like a sleeping bag and more like wearing a full-on duvet. There are interior backpack straps and a belted closure with a removable pouch. It’s big, dramatic, wonderfully unconventional, and bears a striking resemblance to what I consider to bethe ultimate winter coat(Norma Kamali’s, which I tried below), so I really do love it. Yet there are a few key details keeping it out of the winners circle. First, although extremely warm (it’s rated for temps as low as -25 degrees C/​​-13 degrees F), the Elie is also very airy. This adds to the lovely volume of it all but causes the whole thing to deflate somewhat significantly when it’s belted closed. While I’d gladly wear it open all the time because of the visual appeal, that’s not a practical option for winter. Second, and even more important and impractical, is the cost — it is nearly $1,000 more than any other coat on this list, which, even if it was absolutely perfect, and even if I could afford it, is askinga lot.

This made-in-Iceland coat has a majority-wool blend fill and an exterior made of slick wind- and waterproof PU, both of which make it dense and warm but also leave it looking and feeling much less marshmallowy than your average quilted puffer. Yet what the Kötlujköll lacks in cuddly-ness, it makes up for in subjective coolness: Its almost rubbery-feeling PU exterior feels much more suited to the sidewalk than tromping through a frozen Icelandic field (though I’m sure it would be fine for that, too). It’s one of longest styles I tried, siting just eight inches above my ankles in front, and even lower in back thanks to its slight fishtail shape. When fully zipped, the neck comes up nearly to the tip of my nose, and the hood has an an exaggeratedly deep snorkel shape that’s a fun departure from your standard wind-blocking hood yet still makes for cozy and wind-blocking tunnel vision when you cinch it tight. Also, the sleeves zip off — a feature I don’t particularly envision myself using, but I was nonetheless pleasantly surprised to find that the whole thing even looks cool in vest form. Were it not for the other even cozier and cooler Icewear coat that made it into the winner’s circle below, this one would be a top choice.

Altogether, the Selk’bag is cozy to a fault: a literal head-to-toe puffer that envelops you in insulation from drawstring hood to ripstop-soled booties, and feels appropriate only for the great outdoors or when it’s freezing out and your heating is on the fritz. But in pieces, it’s a versatile trio: detach the zip-off booties to turn it into a pseudo snowsuit or lounge-able onesie, or remove the pants entirely and you’ve got a comfy hooded parka. It comes in three weights: Lite, for temps between 48 and 55 degrees; Original, for 35 - 44 degrees; and Pro, for 33 – 40 degrees — all of which are generously sized, which means you can probably get away with even colder temps by adding more layers underneath.

Speaking of sizing, Selk’bags are sized according to height, which made it tough to find the perfect fit: The small is for those up to 4’11”, so it was out of the question. The medium felt great in the body, but its max height is 5’5” — I was able to get it on, but it felt awkward. The large, for up to 5’11”, felt sloppier but much better in terms of length, yet was too big everywhere else. I ultimately chose the Large since it was definitely the coziest fit, and I can always cuff the pants if need be. If you also think you’ll be in between sizes, I recommend testing both to see which feels best.

You know that scene inKPop Demon Hunterswhere one of the fans talks about Mira wearing a sleeping bag to the Met Gala? I’m getting a similar vibe here, except in blanket form. The PonchoPuff doesn’t have a hood, but, unlike the other blanket-as-poncho I tried, it does snap up on either side to create actual arm holes, which makes it feel much closer to an actual piece of outerwear and makes me much more inclined to put it on for longer than just a quick errand. Still, although I’m all for unconventional, this one’s probably a littletooweird for everyday wear. Instead, I’ll keep it on-hand for camping outdoors (which I don’t do often), and for camping out indoors on cold days (which I do more often).

This is no sleeping bag. In fact, the Restore’s lightweight nylon shell and barely perceptible poly fill give it an airy breeziness that feels more like wearing a parachute than even a blanket. But it’s an actual coat nonetheless, and a really great one if your wintertime highs rarely dip below 55 degrees — though I also wouldn’t rule it out even if it does get colder than that, since the very oversized fit (which I love) means you can put a lot of layers underneath. And while I wouldn’t make it myonlywinter coat, even in L.A., I do plan on using it regularly for winter airport travel: It has six generously sized pockets (four on the outside, two on the inside) to stash whatever didn’t fit in your carry-on, it’s light enough to crumple up and shove into a bag, and it makes an excellent actual blanket for mid-flight naps.

The Sittingsuit is a coat-blanket hybrid dreamed up by a Danish restaurateur who wanted to make sure her customers stayed warm while dining outside. It definitely works for that purpose, but it can also be an excellent everyday coat throughout much of the year: The minimally padded, windproof, and quick-drying material is warm yet comparatively lightweight, and the very generous one-size-fits-most cut provides near-total coverage on its own yet still leaves room for for plenty of layers underneath. Depending on how you style it, it’s wearable across multiple seasons. And while it may not be durable enough for a blizzard in NYC, it can certainly hold its own during a fickle L.A. winter.

Its functionality, however, is not to be outdone by its form: The Sittingsuit is large, dramatic, and made even bolder (and more André Leon Talley–esque) depending on which of thecolors,prints, orartist-edition patternsyou pick. Altogether it’s just weird in the very best way, and I even love it in spite of it having pocket holes rather than actual closed pockets. I love it so much that I’m very reluctant tonotput it in the winner’s column … but I’m looking for the perfect balance of fashionandfunction, and, sadly, this one is just a bit too weighted toward the former. (I’ll be hanging onto it nonetheless, along with the one-size-fits-mostkids version, which my daughter will definitely be wearing long after her next few growth spurts.)

[Editor’s note: Sittingsuits are priced in Euros, so the dollar amount shown above reflects the conversion rate at the time of publication.]

This is my first experience with any Aritzia Super Puff, and I finally understand what all the fuss is about. On the hanger, there’s nothing particularly special about it, but on the body, it’s excellent: definitely “super” puffy yet somehow not bulky; a down fill that manages to feel both dense and marshmallowy; a somewhat relaxed cut but with a bit of structure; and an extremely subtle A-line shape that I find extremely flattering — all of which really do make up for the fact that, despite being the longest option in the Super Puff family (which includesmidi,regular, andcroppedversions), I’d still like it to hit a couple of inches lower. And while there’s no particular stand-out when it comes to added features — the removable hood, fleece-lined pockets, and extra-long interior thumbhole cuffs are all pretty standard — the color selection is exceptional: There are 16 matte andseven high-gloss optionsto choose from, and they’re all really nice.

Yet another Icewear coat that I absolutely love. The Snjófjöll wins out over the aforementioned Kötlujköll thanks to its purposefully oversize and boxy cut; extreme funnel neck (made even more extreme when you fully fasten the hood); and slightly crinkly, slightly shiny finish that feels more like a parachute than a puffer. The flat exterior (there’s no quilting stitch) makes it more like a streetwear parka than cold-weather gear, and the whole thing has an almost floaty feel, but it’s still quite dense — its 90 percent down/10 percent feather fill is most definitely suited for very cold temps (it’s made in Iceland, after all). While it’s not quite as long as the Kötlujköll, it feels just fine thanks to the altogether generous proportions. And when I zip it up all the way, it has aLiamGallaghervibethat makes me feel pretty cool.