North Face, Columbia, other?

[Colleen27]

I am shopping for a nice, very warm winter coat for my daughter as a Christmas gift. She goes away to a winter camp that has survival skills sessions as well as snowtubing and other outdoor recreation, so I want it to be very, very warm but of course I'd like to get a good deal as well. Since we don't do much winter recreation I'm used to shopping for leather or wool coats, so I'm not sure what to look for in an insulated/down jacket.

What brands/styles would you recommend?

 

[Swimalie]

Check REI's brand, too.

 

[icicle]

Do you have MC Sport where you live? They had some nice ski coats on clearance for great prices.

 

[luvmy3]

I am shopping for a nice, very warm winter coat for my daughter as a Christmas gift. She goes away to a winter camp that has survival skills sessions as well as snowtubing and other outdoor recreation, so I want it to be very, very warm but of course I'd like to get a good deal as well. Since we don't do much winter recreation I'm used to shopping for leather or wool coats, so I'm not sure what to look for in an insulated/down jacket.

What brands/styles would you recommend?

A couple years ago I got my dh a ski jacket made by Columbia, it was called omni-dry. It is absolutely the BEST ski jacket ever! One of the days he went skiing it was a mix of snow, sleet and even rain and his jacket stayed completely dry. My poor dd was soaked when they got home, and as a result was chilled to the bone. My dh's coat repelled the wetness so he stayed dry and warm. I think the inside even has some reflective material to keep the heat in. Anyway, I can't compare it to other brands except dd's which was Scott I think and it definitely was better.
I got a fantastic deal on Backcountry's outlet using a 50% off outlet code. It was orginally around $300 and I paid $100 for it.

 

[HM]

Land's End has 30% off their stuff right now and they have some very good quality winter coats. Check them out, I don't know how much longer that promotion ends. (I've been wearing a parka I bought from them in clearance for several years now and it's very warm and comfy).

 

[wiigirl]

I am a HUGE fan of North Face myself.

 

[jls886]

If you're looking at any kind of coat that has a zip-out/zip-in fleece inner liner, I would vote for North Face as far as fleece goes. I have both Columbia and North Face fleeces, and North Face's fleeces, while quite a bit more expensive, are A LOT warmer. As far as just waterproof coat, I would say they are comparable. But many of them will have an inner layer that can be zipped out so you can wear just the inner layer as a jacket or just the outer layer as a raincoat, so I would just say to make sure that you love the inner layer as much as the outer layer, if that makes any sense. The 3-way coats are also nice because it gives you that many more options and a little more bang for your buck.

 

[robinb]

My DD loves Burton jackets and snowboard pants. She JUST told me her jacket no longer fits (*sigh*) so I am now on the lookout for a new one. The kids' jackets and pants attached inside to keep snow out, but I'm not sure about the adult versions.

 

[mrsdrake625]

3 way coats are great - the fleece part zips out and she can wear it alone if she wants. Doesn't have to be brand name, but should have a water repellant shell and a nice warm inside.

I would also think about some base layers. That will do just as much for keeping her warm. Wool or poly blend, NO cotton, for those. I have some from the Terramar brand and Wickers brand, both from Sierra Trading post, they're not expensive at all. Not super high quality but they do the job well and come in fun colors your daughter might like.

[ETA just saw you live in Michigan, so you probably already knew that!]

Other sites that have not been mentioned -
LL Bean has very good quality items and a great return/guarantee policy, free shipping always. Sometimes not the cheapest but you can get a sale or try the outlet if there's one in your area.

Try steepandcheap.com, they change their items daily but they've had lots of winter coats lately.

Sierra Trading Post has great prices - sign up for the deal flyer and they send you a coupon.

Backcountry.com has great reviews if you're undecided between two items - so does trailspace.com, rei.com, etc. Lots of people who report back on how they used the item and how it held up. I find those very helpful.

 

[luvmy3]

My DD loves Burton jackets and snowboard pants. She JUST told me her jacket no longer fits (*sigh*) so I am now on the lookout for a new one. The kids' jackets and pants attached inside to keep snow out, but I'm not sure about the adult versions.

They do. Last year when shopping for dd's ski gear she tried on a few Burton jackets and pants, they are made to attach to eachother.

 

[KaLyn]

L.L. Bean!

 

[robinb]

They do. Last year when shopping for dd's ski gear she tried on a few Burton jackets and pants, they are made to attach to eachother.

That's good to know! My DD skies about twice a year and sleds about a 5-6 times and it really helps to keep her warm(er).

 

[jenniy122]

I have 3 northface coats. 1 600 fill down, 1 soft shell, and a denali. I outgrew them all this year and am unemployed now, so had to go looking elsewhere for a coat for this winter. I got my new coat at Eddie Bauer. They have comparable coats to the northface ones, and at the outlet I got mine for 40% off.

 

[dfchelbay]

I am shopping for a nice, very warm winter coat for my daughter as a Christmas gift. She goes away to a winter camp that has survival skills sessions as well as snowtubing and other outdoor recreation, so I want it to be very, very warm but of course I'd like to get a good deal as well. Since we don't do much winter recreation I'm used to shopping for leather or wool coats, so I'm not sure what to look for in an insulated/down jacket.

What brands/styles would you recommend?

Whatever brand you decide on, make sure you check the outlet stores for those brands. You'll find the prices are half what they are at the regular store.