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A puffer is a puffer is a puffer?

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

This is my son and me, 13 years ago. My growing boy needs a jacket for our annual winter trip north. We might take a second trip to a cold place some winter in the near future, but a winter coat isn’t a priority for him—other than this one week every winter.

I think I’ll get him a simple black puffer jacket. Lots of places carry them, at various price points. Some of the price difference is related to brand, I’m sure, but some of them also claim to be extra warm. Is that true?(I'm not talking about REI or serious gear, just the average mall shops--Express, JCrew, Hollister, The Gap, etc)

He has a beanie to wear with his hoody under the puffer, so he doesn’t need a hood. We aren’t planning extensive snow activity so he doesn’t need a super duper tactical jacket, but I would pay a little extra to keep him a little cozier.

If they’re all pretty much the same, then I’ll just go by price.

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25 replies

Latest reply was from Stagiaire Fash

krishnidoux

Veteran

Oh my, Fashiontern, not every puffer is the same under the sun... or should I say, under the snow! Some puffers do offer more isolation while others are only decorative at best. You have to find out what is used inside. Down-filled is the way to go if you want to remain warm. If t's just for looks, then it's another story...

Here in Canada: Canada Goose is what you need if you want to stay outside more than 5 minutes at a time. ok Canadians will say I'm a snob. I grew up here and we didn't have Canada Goose and survived. All good. Yet, I invite you to try.

There is also the brand Stormtech: insulated, waterproof... my son and I survived various cold weathers arount the globe with our matching jackets (and underneath, sleeveless puffer jackets too!). I liked it because it was versatile, and did convene in a "warmer" cold climate (lie Britich Columbia and Washington State in January) and in a more hard core cold climate (as in Ontario in February). It proved useful even in unheated stone villas in Morocco during winter.

North Face is a good brand with usually honnest, less expensive prices. Columbia also makes reliable stuff, so does Marmot.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Krishna, I was just adding a picture and a line about what I meant at the same time as you were adding yours. Several of the shops I was in today have down puffers. I don't know how to distinguish between them.

Anonymous

Content labels will give you the down (duck vs goose ) info, but for your purposes (you don't need one for snowboarding or outdoor walks etc) one from Gap or Nike or UA will work just fine.

JAileen

Veteran

I was going to mention REI - they're having a saie right now. Have you tried the thrift store? There might be jackets someone used for a one week ski trip and then outgrew.

Jules

Veteran

Packable down is too light for truly freezing temps, but if he can layer, it's really handy for travelling between climates on airplanes because it compresses to a very small package. I bought one for my dad who goes down to the Carribean several times a winter (yup it's a lifestyle).

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

REI usually has crazy sales around this time of year. Right now they have three just over $100. If they come down to half that (which wouldn't surprise me), I could get it. But looking at the three of them, I have no idea which is warmer.

Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket - Men's

Columbia Voodoo Falls 590 TurboDown Hooded jacket - Men's

The North Face Kilowatt ThermoBall Jacket - Men's

We're probably talking about temps in the 30s. If we get lucky and there's enough snow to go sledding, he'd have all that activity to keep warm. Otherwise, we'll be driving around and going from parking lot to building, maybe going for a short walk.

He'd be wearing it with loose jeans, canvas Chuck Taylors (with socks!), a beanie, a hoodie, a thin sweater, a short-sleeved shirt and possibly a long-sleeved cotton shirt as well. I wish jackets had the kind of ratings that sleeping bags have!

ETA Stormtech is also around $100 on their website. Is that price likely to come down much?

UA is well over $100 for a black down puffer for men. For that price I can go to REI.

He likes Hollister. They have several down puffers in the price range I'm hoping for, with lots of options: lightweight and warmer, with sherpa lined hoods, fake fur around the hood, or no hood at all. My puffer vest from them should arrive next week.. Maybe I should wait and see what he thinks of the fake fur around the hood. https://www.hollisterco.com/sh.....ltered=tru

Old Navy has some with ambiguous "plush" fill and this one with "down and waterfowl fill" for around $35, which sounds about right to me.(That phrasing made me laugh) Old Navy is the other place I ordered a vest from. I don't like the color, but maybe I should look at other features carefully before returning it.. http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/.....;cid=72305

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

lisa p, I hadn't thought of UA. Thanks! I get a discount on them through My Fitness Pal.

ETA, turns out they're more than I want to spend.

JAileen

Veteran

Fashiontern, I was thinking of the nanopuff. My husband and I both have one and can wear it on its own, layer it under a shell or other coat, or layer under it. It's pretty versatile. I have a North Face thermoball, too, but it's longer so they aren't comparable. I always take the nanopuff when I fly because it's always so cold on planes, and it stuffs into its own pocket.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

JAileen, in what temps are you comfortable in the nanopuff?

f I need to spend over $100 to keep him warm, I will, but this is such
an occasional need that I'd rather not. He's growing like a weed, so even if I get it big, he might only use it one more year (=total of less than two weeks wear). If we do get to move over the summer, then we'll be in a four-season climate and need one for real, but that isn't definite yet. He's 5'9" and 140+ right now. I expect he'll be over 6', maybe by a couple inches.

JAileen

Veteran

My weather is different because it's so dry here. Here, if it's sunny, in the 30s, and not windy, with hat and gloves it's fine, for dog walking. For extended exposure and no physical activity, such as watching a soccer game, it wouldn't be warm enough.

Anonymous

He could wear something warm under it too, like a fleece or even an insulated vest.

Cute photo of good times, very sweet.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Sounds like I should go a little warmer than the nanopuff. Is the thermal all warmer? I wonder how warm the Old Navy and Hollister down jackets are, compared to the Patagonia and N Face puffers. Those are fashion stores, not gear, but their sites distinguish pretty clearly between jackets that are warmer/not so warm.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Isabel, the layers I listed are pretty much “one of everything he owns” but I suppose he could borrow a fleece from a relative.
Sometimes I miss my little sundance kid.

Anonymous

Just to put this into perspective - today (in Canada) it was about -4C ish - low 30's F. There is snow on the ground. I didn't need a coat - for the basic running around I was doing . I wouldn't overthink this one ; no one is going to freeze to death at those temps

rachylou

Veteran

In real snow, I wear Northface. But ya know, being from California, I never learned properly about cold weather dressing until I got here and Suz and others helped me. I’d throw a puffer over a dress and wonder why I was cold. I didn’t understand you still needed thermals and that cotton socks don’t cut it... lol!

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Rachylou, if only I could get him to consider the gear! But alas, he has become a Florida boy, and will be alarmed at the temps, while refusing to dress for them. Heck, the one morning where it was under 60 this fall was a shock to him. I want him to be comfortable. If he needs long johns, we’ll run out and get them.

Lisa, my parents honeymooned over New Year’s Eve in New York City. They couldn’t understand why there were so few people on the streets. It was warm enough for them to walk around with their coats open—40 degrees warmer than their wedding day in Wisconsin! It turns out that those New Yorkers thought 20 degrees was cold. Living where you do, I’d expect you to be able to handle the temps we’re expecting, but coming from where we’ve lived for the last few years, my son isn’t so winter-hardy.

NancyW

Veteran

How about Lands End? They seem to be offering 40% off nearly every day of the year! I have a very warm down coat for the coldest Massachusetts weeks, but they have a coat for nearly every temperature range.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

How irritating! I just realized that the guys jackets at Hollister are 90% down, with a 650 fill rating. No such numbers are given for the girls' items, other than that the fill is synthetic. Girls don't need warm coats?

Nancy, of course I should have thought of them. Thanks for the reminder. Checking now.

Scarlet

Veteran

As others have said all puffers are definitely not created equal! But it sounds like you don't have extreme needs, so I wouldn't worry it much. The brands you mentioned will probably be fine, but look out for real down. Personally I like keeping my feet warm, so socks with a wool blend make a difference to me. Alternatively a wool insert to go into the bottom of the shoes also helps.

LaPed

Veteran

My 3yo is a Vegas baby and hates to later, even though we've been in New England for almost half his life now. This time if year is a struggle, convincing him to keep hats/mittens/jacket on, or even just to wear socks/slippers in the house.

Anyway -- he has a Nanopuff that's been his transitional jacket and midlayer since he was teeny-tiny. It's great for summer evenings when you're camping in the mountains, or fall days down to about freezing, but not for true winter weather unless you really layer over/under it. I'd say it's comparable warmth wise to my packable Uniqlo down hoody.

I'd second the rec for Lands End or LLBean, but if he's too big for kids sizes and looking at a Men's Small, he might be sized out. DH is 135# and 5'10", and the smalls from Lands End, LLBean, Eddie Bauer, etc, are too big for him. Gear brands are generally better, as are fashion brands (ON, Uniqlo, etc).

Anonymous

If the sizing works, check out Uniqlo. I’m a Southerner with occasional need for a warm coat, and I really like my ultralight down coat.

kkards

Veteran

since he's a growing boy, and the need is really just for a week, is it possible to borrow something?

or try here...http://www.geartrade.com/cloth.....M&;

Runcarla

Veteran

I picked up a Nautica for DH at Winners (about $69. CAD) and it is perfect for our current wet weather hovering in the 0 deg. C range.

Anonymous

Cheap is the way to go.
If he likes hollister and there’s a puffer there that’s thick enough, I’d get that (and it doesn’t need to be down—super overkill for your needs).

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

LP, thanks for the size info. I was considering a medium, which per your hisband’s experience would be much too big. And I guess I’m lucky mine is old enough that I can shrug my shoulders and tell him to live with his choices if he won’t put it on.