From Issue Five of Gear Patrol Magazine.
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Winter jackets are too often treated like umbrellas. They protect you from the elements, and nothing else. Style is secondary. True, a good winter jacket shelters you from foul weather, but a great winter jacket accomplishes so much more: it seamlessly melds high-performance details — down insulation, waterproof fabrics, breathable membranes — with styling that effortlessly transitions from Fifth Avenue to the Rocky Mountains.
Norse Projects Rokkvi Gore-Tex Parka
The Rokkvi Gore-Tex Parka is the epitome of minimalism. This is deliberate; Norse Projects is well-known for its subdued branding and emphasis on near-invisible technical details. The Gore-Tex membrane is bonded to a super-fine, DWR-treated polyester face, and the jacket’s silhouette contains one vent, four front button pockets, five internal pockets and a rear fishtail notch for unrestricted movement.
Shell: Gore-Tex
Insulation: 800-fill European Goose Down
Lining: nylon
Goldwin Hooded Spur Down Coat
What sets Goldwin’s jacket apart from others is its minimal bulkiness. Thanks to its glued baffles with zero stitching and Kodenshi Down, a ceramic particle-infused insulation rarely found outside Japan, the Hooded Spur Down Coat retains warmth exceptionally while keeping the shape, weight and feel of a shell jacket. Smaller details, like dot snaps and magnetic closures on the front pockets, are a nice touch.
Shell: Gore-Tex
Insulation: 180g Kodenshi Down
Lining: nylon
Filson Down Cruiser
Filson’s Down Cruiser belongs to that precious category of workwear-inspired jackets that are equally well suited for both New York City streets and Wyoming hunting lodges. It’s made with hard-wearing, rain-repellent oiled canvas and solid brass hardware and contains eight external pockets — two of which warm your hands like a pair of burly lined mittens. The Cruiser also features a wool-lined collar that adds all-day comfort, while a storm flap and rib-knit cuffs seal out arctic winds.
Shell: 8oz Oiled Cover Cloth and 11oz Oiled Shelter Cloth
Insulation: 550-fill European goose down
Lining: nylon
Aether Apparel Tromsø Jacket
The Tromsø Jacket is made with a waterproof and wind-resistant heavy two-layer canvas, yet it’s surprisingly supple and soft to the touch. Its slim, minimalist silhouette drapes over your torso like a tailored robe; an adjustable hood and rib-knit collar and cuffs provide added protection from the elements. It’s as tough as the arctic Norwegian småby for which it is named.
Shell: wind-resistant and waterproof two-layer canvas
Insulation: 800-fill gray goose down
Lining: nylon
Arc’teryx Veilance Monitor Down Coat
For those who demand the absolute finest jacket construction and most forward-thinking styling, the Monitor Down Coat is a perfect fit. Made with Gore-Tex Pro and bolstered with Coreloft, a synthetic down material heralded for its hydrophobic and heat-retention properties, the Monitor Down Coat is Veilance’s warmest jacket. The mix of synthetic and European goose down is channeled masterfully into baffles that are invisible from the outside, creating a sleek, modern silhouette. There are also two large front hand pockets, two internal pockets, a notched rear hem, adjustable storm hood and highly water-resistant zippers.
Shell: Gore-Tex Pro and a 70-denier nylon face
Insulation: 850-fill European gray goose down, 100gsm Coreloft
Lining: nylon and polyester
Read More in Gear Patrol Magazine
A version of this story appears in Gear Patrol Magazine: Issue Five, 270 pages of guides and reports that put product first. Subscribe Now: $39
