Whats is a good winter jacket? Im a skier and winter camper and i love the snow (Snow is Gods play ground)
What would you buy keep in mind $200 is my maxx price point.

My husband and I are 1st Ascent fans (from Eddie Bauer), they have such warm down coats and you can even get them on sale occasionally or clearance at year's end. I have the downlight shirt, sweater, and vest and wouldn't winter camp without them. But, their starting cost is higher so you have to shop sales and such. One of our friends has a nice Patagonia, but we don't have any personal experience with those coats. The other thing we love about our jackets is that they fold into their own pocket and compact nicely. The do run small, but seems all outdoor clothing is like that.

Patagonia r-4 is an excellent choice, for serious cold it would need a shell. i have eddie bauer stuff that is from the 1960s. my eddie bauer sleeping bag, 800 goose down has been on at least 200 trips, it is almost, ok, not quite like new. i also have a vintage EB down vest that i won't use because it is too awesome.

if my wife says, you need new clothes, the only store i will go to is eddie bauer. and their prices are very reasonable for the quality.

columbia also makes incredible clothing. it doesn't have that snob thing going, but i have had nothing but exceptional experiences with their gear. on a budget i would choose columbia first.

Since you mention do different activities that makes it a bit tough. For winter camping your system is often quite different than skiing. Such as lots of layers with a breathable shell like a wool coat or cotton anorak. Plus if you want to use a winter jacket around a campfire you need to be really careful.

My suggestion is to consider what you would need for skiing more than winter camping. Then think about getting something like a wool jacket on the cheap from an army surplus or Mills Fleet farm store for winter camping.

Evergreen out of Ely. Don't know if it will fit your budget or style, but they are made in the USA and darn well constructed. If it can make it to the north pole it's good enough for me.

Sparetime, I think you mean Wintergreen - but I second that suggestion. I have several pieces of clothing from them, and they have held up quite well over the years. We've been passing some of their kid's coats back and forth between cousins for ten years or more. They're on their fourth or fifth kid and still going strong.

Not a big fan of winter jackets for skiing or winter camping.

Instead I choose to layer:

Long sleeve, merino undershirt or underarmor
Quick dry poly long sleeve shirt
Fleece top (i.e. Patagonia R2 or Mountain Hardware Monkey Grid)
Marmot precip rain jacket for a shell

PS: For winter camping in January I also bring a Patagonia ultra light down sweater for when it can get down to -20 and I may be sitting around camp.

Layer all that and you are good to go (with many shedding options).

I would look at Empire Canvas and Wool in Duluth for some great hard core winter gear. I have the boreal shir and the camp shirt. both great wool garments. I typically layer wool long johns or capeline under wool pants and a wool shirt. I then put the camp shirt on over the wool shirt. For a shell I have a wintergreen anorak, If snow shoeing or mushing I will wear the boreal shirt over the wool shirt. Nothing is warerproof!! Nothing should be waterprooof!! For winter camping it is far more critical to have clothing that breaths. Hence wool and fleece for insulation layers and canvas or uncoated polyester for a shell. Goretex is great for the southern crowd but when it gets really cold, leave the stuff at home for something that breathes. Good mukluks or packboots and some mittens and liners and a wool stocking cap and you can be out all day in the coldest tempatures.

The system I wear and recommend is a heavier wind pro fleece with a Goretex shell over that. When I get warm, I ditch one or the other and can always get comfortable. The shell does have a few burn holes but I wear them with pride.

Is the coat for when you are active or when you are sitting around a camp fire. Gortex is useless below 10 degrees, does not breath enough.
Sitting around a fire you need a big old parka, down best.
Get something that breaths, canvas or supplex when actice to block the wind.
CB

Hi,
There are variety of options available now a days for Jackets..
What do you think of this jacket..
I think this is the right jacket to wear in cold..

quote brossa: "Sparetime, I think you mean Wintergreen - but I second that suggestion. I have several pieces of clothing from them, and they have held up quite well over the years. We've been passing some of their kid's coats back and forth between cousins for ten years or more. They're on their fourth or fifth kid and still going strong."

I agree good product. I like a fleece vest,than fleece jacket.than a tight woven anorak,prefer cotton,otherwise a nylon wind breaker. It would be nice to go waterproof,but even Gore Tex does not breathe good enough during certain activity.
I have the fleece anorak from Wintergreen for about 12 years,use it deer hunting underlayer and winter activities. It is too much if active.
Layering is the only way to go,you can take off layers. I still have my one piece like insulated snowmobile suit when standing on the ice and fishing when I reach my destination,after skiing in.

When ever i was take tour to any cold area then i have numerous pieces of garments at their store and in addition they possess held up very well through the years.
We have been passing a number of their particular kid's jackets between the two between cousins pertaining to several years and up.

quote Joseph16: "Whats is a good winter jacket? Im a skier and winter camper and i love the snow (Snow is Gods play ground)
What would you buy keep in mind $200 is my maxx price point."

I just bought this to use on my winter trip ;
Affordable Parka=