The Puffers Our Editors Buy Themselves

I got my puffer at a major discount at Duluth Trading Company back in 2018 or 2019, I think, post-winter — it was $100. (My exact one is no longer available, but this one is pretty similar-looking and has a near-identical material composition.) I wanted something super-bland but good quality, and this coat is exactly that. It’s all-black, with zero branding, and has a nice loose-yet-fitted silhouette. I remember wondering if I should size up to allow for thick layers, but I’m glad I didn’t. It’s never tight, even when I’m bundled, and it’s so warm that I’m usually fine in a long-sleeve base layer and sweater under the jacket, even on really cold days. And it fits me well, with the right amount of shape at the waist. It’s the jacket I wear any time it’s rainy or snowing in winter, as it keeps me dry (it’s not waterproof; it definitely starts to feel like it’s getting soaked and heavy with too much rain or snow, butInever get wet). I enjoy a bundled up winter walk, and this is the coat I wear when I take a walk in the snow or on my annual windy January walk at Rockaway beach. Any part of me that’s covered by the jacket is toasty; just my lower legs get chilled. It looks great for five or six years of heavy use, too. No stains, no tears, nothing, and I’m not even great about taking it to get cleaned.

For most of my life, I’ve been loyal to the black puffer. They go with just about anything and show fewer of the inevitable stains that happen when you wear something every day. But when this retro North Face puffer — which I own in a bold, winter-blues-fighting yellow — arrived at my door last winter, it quickly became my go-to winter coat (so long as it went with my outfit, of course). In fact, when I went back to Chicago for the holidays and then on a subsequent ski trip, it was the only jacket I packed. In Chicago, it kept me warm in sub-20 degree temperatures with only a turtleneck and a sweater. While skiing in Breckenridge, I added aheated vestand fleece jacket to the setup, but I was warm and toasty for my entire day on the mountain even though the thermometer read single digits and the snow was coming down in buckets.

I’ve had this puffer from Patagonia for a little over a year and really love it. I was worried about how it would fit, but since it’s slightly cropped, it fits my petite four-foot-11 frame perfectly. It’s extremely lightweight, and I can bundle a few layers of heavy sweaters underneath without feeling too bulky or weighed down. One of my favorite features is its fleece-lined pockets that keep your hands warm if you find yourself mitten-less. It’s also extremely warm on its own, and I wore it last winter when temperatures got down to the low teens.

Also, a special shoutout to how amazing Patagonia customer service is. I accidentally snagged a big hole in the puffer a week after I got it. I went to see if the company could repair it and the customer-service team instead sent me a brand-new jacket for free two days later.

Although my original version is long out of stock, I need to tell you about the secret that is Zara Kids coats for petites. I’ve had this long puffer from Zara Kids for over ten years. I purchased it in fall 2014 when I was living in Chicago and was looking for a longer puffer that didn’t overwhelm my four-foot-11 frame and kept me warm for my long walk to the train. (I grew up in Minnesota, so although I was used to the cold, I was not used to getting around in the cold without a car.) It hits perfectly at my calves, the sleeves aren’t too short, and the size 13-14 leaves enough room to layer underneath without feeling too bulky. Best of all, it’s extremely warm. It’s made of 50 percent real feathers and 50 percent real down, so for only $76, it’s a really good deal if you’re short like me.

I’m a huge fan of Oakley Software, the sunglass company’s now-discontinued line of extremely Y2K tech-y outdoor clothing that I imagine thecybergoth bridge raverswould wear if they went camping. (“Oakley Software jacket” is one of my longest-standing eBay search alerts.) I bought one of their puffers on eBay last year for $120, and it immediately became a daily driver. I have a love-hate relationship with down puffers: Nothing keeps you warmer, but they can be so boring, and as a five-foot-nothing adult, I always have a hard time finding one that fits me. This puffer has made me believe in puffers again. It goes with everything, but it’s slightly freaky, and has a cropped fit that sits around my hips. I’d say it’s a solid city puffer — it’s so, so warm but not waterproof, so the down gets wet if I’m outside in bad weather for too long. But since I’m usually hustling from home to the subway to my destination, it’s not a serious demerit.

Having lived in Los Angeles for the past six years, I only really need a legitimate cold-weather coat for the few weeks I travel home to New York during the holidays — at which point I wear this out-of-production J.Crew parka I bought the year before my move and subsequently decided to leave at my parents’ apartment rather than lug back and forth across the country. It’s not technically a puffer, nor is it what I’d be wearing if I still lived back east, but it’s warm and waterproof so I can’t complain.

After trying on a multitude of hardcore puffer coats for Coat Week, I do have a new favorite that I’m actually excited to stuff into my suitcase and bring home for the holidays: theArtizia Super Puff Long. It’s nothing special on the hanger, but on the body it just looks and feels so great: puffy but not overwhelming, a perfectly straight body that’s just the right amount of oversized, and the color is excellent (I chose the navy blueAdmiral). It’s water-repellant and wind-resistant, and while I haven’t tested it in true winter weather just yet, given how sweaty I got just wearing it around my house for a few minutes, I have no doubt it’ll do its job.

I’ve had a Patagonia Nano Puff hoodie for at least ten years, possibly longer. It’s my default insulated jacket anytime I’m traveling — I never go camping without it — and often the first one I reach for at home. The synthetic filling is not the warmest, but that makes it better for winter cycling and hiking where a down puffer quickly gets too hot. It’s slim enough to wear under a hard shell on the coldest winter days, yet has enough room to fit a vest underneath if need be. I also appreciate that Patagonia really stands behind its lifetime warranty. I’ve had it repaired twice now through the company’sWorn Wear program, and I don’t see myself replacing it anytime soon. That said, a new version with an updated, more tailored cut just came out this fall and after trying it on in the store (where this photo is from), it does fit a lot better than my old one.

This is definitely a giant puffer and makes me look like a marshmallow, but it is extremely warm and nicely made. It’s made without down, which is a plus for people who don’t want to wear animal product. I love the zip pockets, the stylish shiny finish, which makes it look fancier than it is, and the very large drawstring hood that provides great coverage in the freezing cold or when it’s snowing. I don’t know if it’s technically water resistant but the finish repels water when it’s raining. I like that it also has a high neck, which is great when you’re not wearing a scarf, but it’s roomy enough that it would accommodate one, too.

I bought this coat at a thrift store in Salinas, Colorado, in the summer of 2018. Colorado thrift stores have the best outdoor-gear selection I’ve ever seen. I tend to wear coats oversize, so this is a men’s large. Sometimes I layer a thinArc’teryx pufferunderneath for sub-20s temperatures, but usually a sweater underneath is all I need. It’s not a rain coat. It can repel water but after a while it will soak through. The little rollaway hood is pretty dinky, but it works in a pinch. I bought this slightly ridiculous baby version on Mercari a couple of years ago, too.

I’ve had my Super Puff for over two years now. I went with the shorty, and as someone who’s petite (I’m five-foot-one), it hits just right below my waist. I went with an extra small, so I could wear it with thicker sweaters without it being too snug. It’s held up extremely well in rain and snow (though granted, I’ve only worn it in the snow a handful of times). And, it’s survived being vacuum sealed for about a week during a move.

I bought this down-filled parka back in 2014 from an online discount retailer in a size bigger than my usual. It’s quite roomy, so I could easily layer under it, but because it’s so warm, I only need a T-shirt underneath, even in sub-freezing temperatures. It also served me well during my pregnancies and fit me even into my third trimester (though maybe not zipped). This is the coat I save for the coldest days, and I wear it most for walking the dog or running errands. The capacious pockets are a plus: Even though they’re not lined, they fit my bulkiest mittens plus anything else I might need to stash. The fabric is waxable, which I’ve done maybe a couple times over the years, but in general I find that it dries quickly when it gets a little wet.

[Editor’s note: Winnie’s exact puffer is no longer available, so we linked to a similar style.]

I bought this one justa few months agoduring a sale, and since the weather turned cooler, I’ve worn it almost every day. I think it’s ideal for temperatures between 40 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s pretty fitted and true to size, so can’t accommodate much in the way of layers underneath, but I can see layering a vest or a shell over it when it gets even colder, or even using it as a mid-layer in ultracold skiing conditions. Sometimes I wish I’d gotten the men’s version for something roomier, with more of a straight fit and bigger pockets, but given how much I’ve worn it already, this was a good buy.

I got this pistachio green puffer at Berlin’s Voo Store almost exactly three years ago. An emergency purchase when the weather turned out to be a lot colder than I’d packed for, it kept me nice and cozy while wandering cobbled streets and lining up for the club. I tend to think of Paloma Wool as being more fashion than function, but the down padding on this coat is generous enough to insulate against deep winter chill — although it lacks a hood and fastens rather loosely, so I probably won’t undertake any arctic expeditions in it. (In terms of more practical puffers, I have packable ones from Arcteryx and Hikerkind for hiking, and have been saving up for aCrescent Down Works down sweater.)

My all-time favorite puffer is theAritzia Super Puff Bomber. I own two (one in black and the other in the “mocha brown” color). Unfortunately, as of this season, it’s no longer available. I was devastated to learn this news when I checked Aritzia’s site last month. In lieu, I’m wearing the original Super Puff in the lovely cola taupe shade, which I’ve been testing for Coat Week. It’s the most classic straight-fitting puffer coat. It fits true to size (I went for my usual size small), and I can still easily layer a hoodie or sweater underneath. It’s incredibly good at blocking out cold wind, and while the “cliMATTE” outer shell fabric is not exactly waterproof, it can handle moderate rain pretty well. It keeps me bundled up and plenty warm during chilly autumn days in Pittsburgh. My advice is to just buy the Super Puff already.

My favorite puffer jacket I’ve ever owned is this one from REI. My sister has one, too — she’s the one who recommended it to me. I bought mine about three years ago. This coat has kept mesupremelywarm in just about every cold environment I’ve ever worn it in. I love having a jacket that’s long enough to cover my butt, because so much more of my warmth is trapped by the coat. And I love how warm the pockets keep my hands — I’ve been out in the cold with other people who were complaining about their hands being cold (even with gloves) and mine were nice and toasty in my jacket pockets. My jacket is a size medium, which is true to size for me (REI’s medium is an eight to ten, which is the size I usually wear). I don’t typically layer anything too bulky underneath the jacket, but I haven’t had any issue with lighter weight sweaters, sweatshirts, or long sleeve shirts. I’ve never worn it in heavy rain, but it does feel pretty waterproof in times I’ve gotten a little drizzled on while wearing it. The jacket has a hood, so I can always pop that up if it starts to rain. And I haven’t worn it when it wasactivelysnowing outside, but I have definitely worn it and kept warm in the snow! I originally bought it when I was going on a trip to Chicago in December 2022, and it kept me warm for my whole (very cold) stay in the Windy City. My only main con for this jacket is that if it is zipped up all the way, it feels a little tight around my neck, which I really don’t like. It’s a nice feature that you can zip it all the way up around your neck, but it feels a little claustrophobic to me at times.

I’ve had a black Aritzia Super Puff in the classic length for about five years now, and it’s just a really good, really reliable coat. Yes, every other person has it, but when it keeps you this warm, who cares? I usually wear it without the hood, and if I want to dress it up (as much as one can with a puffer …) sometimes I’ll add a vintage fur collar Velcroed around the neck.

This is a lighter version of the Super Puff that I just bought this week and so far love. The gridded puffing pattern caught my eye — it makes it look ever so slightly sleeker. I sized up to a medium so I can wear it over big sweaters and sweatshirts.