The Best Puffer Jacket for Every Winter Adventure

“Puffer jackets, down jackets. What’s the difference?” you, probably. Well, all down jackets are puffers (for the most part) but not all puffers are down jackets. Down refers to the material each little quilted pocket is stuffed with. Puffer is merely an aesthetic descriptor of the puff created by particular stitching patterns. Some “puffer” jackets aren’t stuffed but simply designed to look so.

History of Puffer Jackets

Eddie Bauer designed the first puffer, the Skyliner, in 1936 after he nearly froze to death on a fishing trip. Like sleeping bags, his padded jackets insulated the wearer, trapping in heat and keeping them warm (and in Eddie’s case alive). A few decades later the style made its way into the fashion sphere, courtesy of womenswear designer Norma Kamali (with her Sleeping Bag Coat) and luxury label Moncler (with its colorful Alpine coats).

Nowadays the style’s everywhere: hidden in collab collections between Drake and Nike, worn like a uniform by British rappers, and trusted by every college-aged adult in America living on a campus where even the cold can’t stop the party.

What to Look for

Quilting

Some brands favor straight-across stripes, which create stacked pillows down the jacket. Others opt for squares, which give jackets a quilted look. Plenty create their own patterns, too, like ultra-thick puffs or Chevron-like lines. No matter the differences in their intricacies, all of the jackets on this list share a primary function: to keep the wearer warm, and they do it with down.

Down

Down is sourced from underneath the rougher outer feathers of ducks or geese. This cross-section keeps them warm all winter, and it works pretty well on humans, too. That being said, moisture is the undoing of down, which causes it to clump up and lose its heat-retaining abilities. Down is stuffed inside these sewn pockets to keep moisture out, thus keeping you warm.

And while most good down is made from the under-feathers from duck or geese, we must note that while down-sourced by big brands such as Patagonia and The North Face is done so ethically, animal cruelty does happen across the industry. That’s why synthetic counterparts exist, and while they’re animal-friendly, they aren’t all that sustainable. And when you compare natural down to its synthetic counterpart, down insulation performs best.

How to Style a Puffer Jacket

Nowadays, puffer jackets have a streetwear slant, which means they’re often comically puffy and most commonly paired with sweatpants and sneakers. (In the UK, it’s known as the “skin fade and North Face jacket combo.”) That’s probably the best way to wear one, in my opinion — I’d never wear a puffer with dress pants, for example. Try to keep your outfit casual — maybe even a little sporty. Puffers are comfortable, so keep the rest of your outfit consistent.

The North Face

Best Overall Puffer Jacket

The North Face 1996 Retro Nuptse Jacket

• $320.00 at The North Face

Thanks to both its clout and its alpine pedigree, the 1996 Nuptse is a jacket we can wholeheartedly recommend, our tester says. It looks great with just about anything and you’re guaranteed to find one that fits your style, thanks to a bevy of color options. There’s even a Real Tree Camo option, but you’ll never go wrong with all-black or the classic North Face Yellow (or orange).

It’s very accessible and available (as of mid-January), but if you don’t see a color you like in stock at The North Face or your favorite outdoor retailer, it’d be easy to find one on a resale site like eBay or Grailed.

The generous cropped fit makes it perfect for layering up and is flattering on just about anyone, our tester found. Plus, it has a few tricks up its sleeve, they explained, like a stowable hood for protecting your neck and head from intense breezes and the occasional drizzle and a right hand pocket you can pack the jacket into when you need to make space in your carry-on.

Read our full review of The North Face 1996 Retro Nuptse Jacket.

Nobis

Best Upgrade Puffer

Nobis Supra Puffer

• $995.00 at

If you’re seeking a sleeker alternative to more abundant, and overtly-branded brands, albeit at a higher price point, this is where to look, our tester says. Nobis is a reputable brand with insiders, even if they’re not so known at the commercial level.

But they compete technically, and they make — see: the Supra Puffer — good-looking outerwear, our tester says. This model in particular is rated for temperature drops all the way down to negative-20-degree Fahrenheit, and the finer details — elasticated cuffs, a bomber collar — help keep heat in, on top of the duck down, windproof membrane and sealed seams.

The best part about this Nobis jacket, though, is that it’s all of the functional elements in a premium-looking package.

Read our full review of the Nobis Supra Puffer.

Uniqlo

Best Affordable Puffer Jacket

Uniqlo Ultra Light Down Parka

• $90.00 at Uniqlo

Uniqlo knows good and well what makes a jacket worthwhile. For this puffer, it’s simplicity: it comes in five colors, has a super functional hood and no frills whatsoever. But that makes it quite versatile and affordable.

Huckberry

best Retro puffer jacket

Rocky Mountain Featherbed The Heritage Down Puffer Jacket

• $340.00 at Huckberry
  $850.00 (60% off)

Rocky Mountain Featherbed will impress even the most avid vintage outerwear collectors. Founded in Jackson, Wyoming in the ’60s, the brand specializes in well-made winter gear with Western flair.

Leather yokes contrast a green nylon body stuffed with premium 700-fill. Every jacket is made in Japan with double-layer hand-warming pockets and snap buttons.

Aritzia

Best Fashion Puffer Jacket

Aritzia The Super Puff

• $285.00 at Aritzia

Aritzia’s popular The Super Puff jacket first spread as a women’s style — it was simple, slightly oversized and super warm (hence the name). Now, it’s available as a men’s jacket, too, and for a fair $285.

It’s a maximalist’s dream, with its exaggerated quilting, 100 percent responsibly sourced goose down filler and super-sized hood. The sleeves are slightly long, too, which lends the streetwear edge I mentioned earlier. Plus, every jacket comes with free personalization: your name (or message) printed on the inside liner.

Huckberry

Goldwin Pertex Quantum Down Puffer Jacket

• $346.00 at Huckberry
  $630.00 (45% off)

Pulled from the sets of a sci-fi film, Goldwin’s Pertex Quantum (even the name sounds extraterrestrial) Down Puffer Jacket warms with its high neck, recycled down filler and stitching that centers said down, which helps keep your core heat from escaping.

Huckberry

Relwen Quilted Tanker Jacket

• $223.00 at Huckberry
  $298.00 (25% off)

Relwen’s Quilted Tanker Jacket isn’t really a puffer — at least not by modern standards. But it’s still technically a puffer, a style that’s often interchangeably called a quilted or down jacket. This one’s less obvious but equally warm — perfect for people that don’t like wearing big puffy coats.

Lululemon

Lululemon Wunder Puff Jacket

• $298.00 at Lululemon

Although Lululemon’s Wunder Puff Jacket has a soft, matte feel, it’s completely waterproof. It’s windproof, too, and warm: 600-fill-power goose down helps keep you toasty.

Columbia

Columbia Ballistic Ridge Oversized Puffer

• $200.00 at Columbia

If you want a jacket that keeps you warm without making you overheat, choose Columbia’s Ballistic Ridge Oversized Puffer, our tester says. It’s puffy, as one might guess, but it’s impressively light, they explained.

And since you can remove the hood, this jacket can be worn in several ways. That being said, you can easily add the hood back when temperatures drop even lower than they already are.

But this Columbia jacket is ready for them, even if it feels relatively lightweight, our tester says. There’s Omni-Heat Infinity advanced thermal reflective inside, a gold coating that reflects the heat you left off back at you.

Globe

Globe Prime Down Jacket

• $380.00 at

100-percent recycled materials make up the exterior and inner lining on this jacket. It’s filled with Primaloft Gold down blend, and finished with recycled zipper taping. It’s truly eco-friendly yet totally performs.

Patagonia

Patagonia Jackson Glacier Down Jacket

• $419 at Patagonia
  $599 (30% off)

I love Patagonia, but sometimes a brand suffers when it gets Patagonia-level popular. And I’m not talking about quality, but mere consumer opinion. This puffer is inconspicuous, meaning the tonal Patagonia logo is barely present. You get all of the tech included without the tech bro-look about you.

Courtesy

Rains Puffer Jacket

• $430.00 at rains.com

A puffer made by a company that specializes in rain coats? You’re getting the best of both worlds. It isn’t hard, per se, to make an insulated jacket. You just want to be sure it’s really waterproof, which Rains’ is. It’s sealed shut whenever you zipper it so that no water will penetrate.

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