Do you buy expensive coats?

[MrsDThomas]

Does everyone own a Rab/NorthFace/Montane coat nowadays?

I just find them expensive and too warm.

I went for a walk with friends yesterday, forest, hilly, fresh. They were in their super puffy down jackets, branded woolly hats and Buffs, and im in my Millets, generic cheap thinner down jacket (which i love) and a North Ridge fleecy lined top sweating my bollocks off🥵🥵

I’ve borrowed a thick puffy branded one off said friend and i found it too chunky and too hot.

Do you wear them or go for cheaper versions?

Yes I have expensive coats and think they’re worth it. My North Face arctic parka was £400 and still going strong after six years.
I feel the cold and love it.
Not sure why you care if they make you hot?

I absolutely love coats. I don't have any of the type you list, but I have several wool coats in the £100-200 bracket, and my most expensive is a beautiful but very impractical All Saints shearling biker (it's stunning but so warm and can't be worn in the rain, so you need one of those unicorn-like freezing but dry days that we get SOOOO many of in the UK 🙄)

My most-worn is a Lands End fleece-lined thing that was about £70, totally plain but it's wind and rainproof and has a brilliant hood that doesn't blow down.

One of my favourite coats is my cheapest one. It's a fur-lined cotton parka from La Redoute that was reduced to only about £25. The cotton is just really soft and peachy but still sturdy, and it's warm but not bulky. I love it but on the verge of being too fat for it now 😭

My most expensive coat in my dog walking coat, because I wear it the most. It's a Paramo Pajero waterproof ... cost £350 but worth every penny. Love it. It's also my second one of these. The first lasted me over 10 years of twice daily walks in rural surroundings in all weathers - wouldn't be without it.

I have a Jack Wolfskin rain jacket which was quite expensive when I bought it in 2014, but by this point the cost per wear must be very low. It’s my one waterproof jacket and I bought it slightly big to layer in winter for days when I don’t want to wear my pea coat (which was from C&A in 2015 so not very expensive and also low cost per wear).

I do outdoor work and have a Rab and Canada goose! Both really warm and I use them regularly! For mucky outdoor work I have cheaper brands and they do the job too! I can definitely tell a difference between them all though! My coat prices range from free to expensive and everything in between and wear them all for different occasions

Love my Rab

I do spend a lot on coats,I think they are worth it

I also always have a 'good ' winter coat,normally from hobbs

Big puffy coats are great if you are standing around, a waterproof one is fantastic for dog walking/walking to work. It was a revelation to me when I got my first proper warm waterproof coat from north face. I arrived at work warm, rather than damp and freezing.

But up hills and hiking I’d always be layered up instead and been toasty. Just didn’t want to wear the same kit on way to work…

@Dogmum40

I do outdoor work and have a Rab and Canada goose! Both really warm and I use them regularly! For mucky outdoor work I have cheaper brands and they do the job too! I can definitely tell a difference between them all though! My coat prices range from free to expensive and everything in between and wear them all for different occasions

Not one of the Canada goose ones with fur I hope

@MrsDThomas

Its just my body being warm enough then.

As i said, I borrowed a puffy NorthFace one and found it too thick and hot.

Im a bit confused You said you cheap coat and fleece made you sweaty -because they arent breathable presumably? Why would you wear a thick puffy NF one on a walk? You need waterproof, windproof and breathable surely? The walk warms you up.

No, my Canada Goose doesn’t have fur! It’s a parka! Working in farming I obviously use my cheaper coats for work but I do love both my Rab and Canada Goose for events that don’t involve cow muck or mud….

My "new" coat which I love (smart, wool mix, comfortable) cost me £3.50 in a charity shop.
Last year's coat was £2.99.

You don’t need thick coats for hiking type walking as the exercise warms you up. I’d never wear a parka or ski jacket.

Outdoors gear is a whole culture of its own and people can get very snobby about gear labels and the latest items even though there is so much discounted stuff around nobody need pay full price. Gear shopping is practically a sport of its own ( world championships: Hatherage or Ambleside) Possibly the OPs friends spent too long in Go outdoors?

OP you’re in good company because despite having done many Munro’s, DH would still be wearing his blue Millets cagoule and thick lumberjack shirt from the 1990s if we hadn’t been forced to buy him Christmas presents. He doesn’t own a down jacket because his trusty polar fleece is still going strong. He’s ahead of his time I guess as I expect the carbon footprint of the outdoors industry is not great for the environment it relies on!

Patagonia 👌🏽

Also it makes sense to invest in a good quality coat of the type you wear every day or every weekend, if you find a secondhand bargain that’s a bonus.

He’s ahead of his time I guess as I expect the carbon footprint of the outdoors industry is not great for the environment it relies on!

Sorry but I disagree with this.
Im not buying cheap Primark crap thats neither use nor ornament which then ends up in landfill.
I buy a new coat about every 5 years and the previous one is relegated to allotment, gardening or dogs bed .
Decent coats pay for themselves( and work out way cheaper per wear) and also Op has made the mistake of wearing the wrong coat for the conditions.

I should add that I check charity shops first and this year got a brand new Didriksons for £25

Im asking why people wear big puffy coats for walking/hiking.

I borrowed one for a 2 mile dog walk, that is not a “walk” for me, but i got super hot in it.

I do because I’m always freezing and there’s a massive difference in the warmth of a cheap and an expensive coat. I’ve a couple which were 4-500 pounds, I also think they look better too as the cut and design is more flattering but the deal breaker for me is the level of warmth

I Do buy breathable. Living in snowdonia i beed them.

I just dont do brands

@MrsDThomas

Im asking why people wear big puffy coats for walking/hiking.

I borrowed one for a 2 mile dog walk, that is not a “walk” for me, but i got super hot in it.

No idea? Maybe they dont walk much?

Ive only ever seen puffy coats if you are standing around. Fields/ horses/ watching sports
Not for going out walking

I had my early Christmas present on last night, a Didrikson knee length coat, and it's amazing ! Whenever I wear it, I always say to myself "I love this coat" ❤️
I would never spend the money myself as I usually do without or shop in charity shops but it was totally worth it x

I have losds of coats, mostly knee length pretend wool type. I just bought a puffa one from Asda for £40 for work.
I have a Timberland parka I bough 20 years ago in an outlet and it's still going strong

@StEval That's an amazing find !!! That would have gone into a glass cabinet in my charity shop 🤩

Ah, I see. I mainly wear merino wool layers and a wind-proof ski shell for winter walks.

Puffer is for short walks or cycling as transport.

Maybe they like the look of them? It’s more convenient than layers too.

As you've discovered, very thick coats are no good for hiking because you get too warm.

I have a Didriksons which I got for £130 from Cotswold in the sale. It's waterproof but not padded. It's got a good temperature range so I can wear it when it's raining but not cold, good wind protection.

The coat and a long sleeve t shirt is comfortable for walking in most weathers but when it's very cold, say under about 5 C, I wear a cheap Uniqlo down jacket underneath it. If I get too warm I can take that off and stuff it into one of the many pockets in the Didriksons coat.