Winter is upon us! Even on the days where the sun is warm enough to fight of some of that chill, there’s no escaping the cold! On the bright side, the change of season means we get to dress nice and warm in a new coat and head outside for strolls in the snow. Pandemic or not, the crisp, fresh air is great for the mind and soul, and it gives us one more reason to savour every minute we get to spend outdoors!

In this article, we will discuss the importance of using properly layered fabric to get a warm, breathable, and comfortable coat which will also repel the wind and water.

The first layer, or rather, outside layer, should be waterproof, to make sure you stay dry. In our case, this layer will be made of nylon. It should also be breathable: this will allow air to circulate well inside the jacket and help prevent an accumulation of humidity, which is brought on by sweating. It’s natural to sweat, but if you get damp, you will get cold! That said, you can use laminated nylon for this layer, but make sure that it’s breathable, without letting water and snow get in. Finally, it must be windproof so that you can preserve your body heat, even in the iciest gale.

The second layer will help insulate your coat to make sure you can stay as warm as possible. This layer must be insulating, breathable and resistant to moisture. There are different thicknesses to choose from, depending on your outdoor activity. If you need a coat in which to play outdoor sports, you will need insulation that provides a good balance of heat and comfort for your anticipated activity level. On the other hand, if you are not very active, you will require a thicker layer of insulation to keep you warm. For example, a ski jacket will require a Thinsulate of about 100 grams to keep you warm up to -20 degrees Celsius, since you exert a lot of energy while skiing. However, if you need a warm jacket to wear for an outdoor job, such as schoolyard duty or acting as a crossing guard, you may need to use the 150 to 200 grams, which are effective at temperatures ranging from -30 to -40 degrees Celsius, since you will be spending more time standing still.

The advantage of Thinsulate is that it’s very warm while also being extremely lightweight, thanks to the technology developed by 3M: a multilayer fiber is held in place by multiple topstitches, to keep all layers together. Also, if you wanted to topstitch-style your coat, you can use the Thinsulate’s stitch lines to guide you.

The third layer, our inside layer, will serve as a lining to protect you from the wind while remaining breathable and allowing you to maintain your body temperature. This layer can be made of a lightweight nylon or polyester, like the lining. Also, we like it better when the lining slides against our clothes, which helps prevent our sleeves from rolling up to our elbows when we put on our coat. We prefer to prevent this from happening! How about you?

You can also add fur trim to your hood to make it a bit more stylish.  If that’s the case, it’s very important to make your hood removable, so you can avoid putting the fur in the dryer.

By combining these three layers, you’ll create a warm and comfortable coat, perfect for our chilly winters. You’ll be ready to go play outside or go for an evening stroll, while staying nice and cozy!