What’s wrong with Driza-Bone, mate?
Yeah, at 30F you don’t need a $500 high tech jacket, you need a sweatshirt and a light coat. If you’re wearing some Antarctic survival gear, you’re going to be boiling and miserable.
It’s not watertight or knife proof or whatever (did anyone mention you have some bizarre clothing requirements?), but I find that wool and cotton are king, and wool is best for outerwear especially in the winter. This is in general, and doesn’t apply in extreme cases where technical synthetic fibers are best, like Antarctica, the moon, or when fighting forest fires in a war zone.
I’m really happy with a dark grey wool overcoat I got from Jos. A. Banks for $85, marked down from $450 or some ungodly number (never buy anything full price from Jos. A. Banks, FYI). Looks something like this. I’ve seen the exact same coat at Goodwill for $15. There is no reason to spend $500. It works great for me when layered in St. Louis all winter, which gets below zero (Fahrenheit) occasionally each year, but not as often as it used to. Again, your trip to the South Pole will probably require something more substantial.
Layer an Undershirt, Long Sleeve, Short Sleeve, Sweater, Jacket/Coat. (Chicago)
Comfortable, Adjust your temperature when needed, and potentially look stylish in any situation.
I get more worried about snow getting into my boots/shoes than anything, so make sure to get quality ones that do the job.
Robert, you must consider the environment (air temperature, sunlight, relative humidity, rain, ice, snow, wind-speed), your level of exertion (high, moderate, low), the frequency of of your exertion (continuous, periodic, sporadic), and the intensity of your exertion (high, moderate, low).
Once you identify your purpose and the anticipated conditions, re. the above, you can begin to make informed decisions.
And remember: all technical outer layers are only a part of integral systems that presume appropriate use of internal layer(s).
ProLiteGear - YouTube has some informative vids that might assist you.
Minnesota?
50-69 mph skiing Minnesota’s 42 degree Plunge in spring rain. Hardshell Goretex with soft protected neck and wrist gaskets, waist overlap and chin high neck does the trick nicely. And that isn’t even the most waterproof gear (e.g. full one-piece drysuits with rubber gaskets).
That’s an example of why Robert needs to determine his own range of activities and range of environments before making his decision, for what might work nicely for one purpose might not work at all for another purpose.
My guess is that a DWR softshell might be something for Robert to consider if he intends to wander about in light wind/mist conditions (but not hard or extended rain) at near freezing temps, but that would require a change in his dressing patterns to include a base layer or more.
Warm and cold are relative to what a person is used to. I live north of Minnesota, and for the last week have been touring about here with visitor from Sydney, Australia. We’re wearing similar clothing, but I’m comfortable while he keeps shivering, simply because we are used to different climates. Keep this in mind when making your decision, for what works for one person will not necessarily work for another person if they are used to different climates. (And yes, I keep offering him use of a sweater and a coat.)
I don’t know what’s with all the posturing here. Some people react differently to cold than others, and plenty of people are miserable at freezing temperatures. Finally investing in a decent winter coat changed my life, and made it so that (our relatively mild) winters were not a living hell.
I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the major coat manufacturers. I’d just go to someone reputable and find a coat that has features that appeal to you. Discount sites like 6PM or Sierra Trading Post often have excellent deals on last season’s stock.
I got a North Face jacket from a discount outdoors wear store. I’m not good at down, so I got synthetic, but down is probably better. I looked for 3/4 length, something that looks acceptable for business, and a high collar (which means I don’t need a scarf). I’ve been more than happy. The jacket has a lot of thoughtful details that make it a real pleasure to wear
Is it fire hose, hydrant, knife, bullet and IED proof? Can you wear it bare chested and still be warm? Is it puffy and do you risk a duck feather explosion if you get too close to sharp corners? Is it black or brown?.. Too goth or emo? Can it withstand the rigors of the Australian winter?.. Under $500?..
Perhaps your jacket requirements are not as well thought out as the OP’s…
What does this mean? It’s not as if you have to play down; it’s not a sport.
I just bought a new jacket for skiing. Went to my local REI - I’m sure Australia has something similar. Or you could search REI’s website and order via mail.
I just tried on all the jackets they had in my size, and chose the one that I thought fit/looked best, and had all the options I wanted and as few as possible that I didn’t. Checking where the pockets were and how they opened was a significant difference.
I ended up with a Columbia jacket. I think it was called “3 in 1” or something. Doubt it cost more than $200. What I like about it is it has a waterproof shell and a zip-out removable puffy liner. With the shell and liner together, it is a REALLY warm jacket, with lots of snaps and such to make the waist and sleeves snug. Has underarm vents if you want to cool off. And an easily detachable hood.
But you can also wear the liner or the shell alone. So I now have a nice spring/fall rain jacket as well.
Went skiing - it was everything I hoped it would be. (But temps were pretty warm - 30-ish.) Could have adjusted it to be a lot warmer. Also bought a nice set of long underwear. Could easily layer long underwear, long sleeved tee, and flannel if I were running the Iditarod.
Probably not important to you, but I chose the black jacket and grey pants, thinking I preferred the muted colors for casual wear. On the slopes, I would have preferred something with more color, which would stand out more. Just easier for folk you are skiing with to spot you. There was a fluorescent green one I really liked, but my wife and I nixed the color. Woulda been great on the slopes.
I suspect that I’m mildly allergic.
Pedigree: Minnesotan
As such and an aficionado for fine jackets, I would highly recommend the Arc’teryx or Spyder line of jackets. Some are waterproof, but most are warm, thin, and are perfect for movement.
Compare wearing an Arc’teryx to a Columbia. Put both jackets on. Now left your hands in the air. The Arc’teryx will stay put. The Columbia jacket will ride up and might expose the waist or higher. Yes, there is a price difference. But if you can afford it, it’s worth it.
But in the end, that’s still just my mid-level jacket.
For me, I wear this Filson tin jacket down to about 20F (about -7C)
From 20F down to about -5F, I wear this Spyder jacket. It’s pretty much wind proof but can be breathable (especially in the armpit area). It also has the adjustable waist, cuffs, and elastic for the hands which makes sure that it will keep wind out when wearing mittens/gloves.
Below that, I pull out the Woolrich parka (not that exact model, but close as mine is about 10 years old). That jacket keeps the wind out, the heat in, but is bulky af and a pain to operate a car in because it’s not flexible. But it is toasty.
I currently work outdoors in N.Alberta and have worked in temps as low as -47C (-58 with the windchill) while I was in the military. I’d wear light poly or silk long underwear next to skin, heavy poly pro long underwear, coveralls or light shirt and pants,wool scarf, then Gore-tex bibs and parka with Sorel boots rated to -100. The oil patch guys here wear pretty much the same during the real cold snaps. FWIW, it does matter what you are used to to a degree as -1C is chilly to me in the Fall, but literally t-shirt weather when I’m shoveling out the driveway in March.
The scientists ini Antarctica use(d) Canada Goose Expedition parkas and you’ll boil if you’re wearing that in anything above -20 while doing any activites where you will be exerting yourself.
Then you’re not trying hard enough when you shop. 
North Face gave me their best technical jacket, zip-in liner and bib pants, all of which I’m still using over two decades later, albeit with a bit of patching on the pants’ kneecaps and medial ankles after the first decade. When it gets really cold closing in on where C and F meet, I use a long windproof nylon and down parka from the 1970s, surprisingly under the Tip Top Tailors label.
If you think through your needs, and get something that meets those needs, all is good.
Sure, but if he drops $500 on a high-tech jacket that leaves him roasting, what’s the benefit of that? Instead of actually using a less robust coat with a sweatshirt if necessary, he has a half-grand coat hanging perennially in the closet and being eaten by Goretex moths. It’s like buying a wet suit to go swimming in a pond – it’s not the appropriate tool for the job just because there’s water involved and you’re wasting good money to do it. That’s not posturing, that’s just good sense.
Nm
He may not need an Arctic expedition jacket, but for someone who gets cold easily, 30 degrees can certainly warrant a real winter coat. And it is confusing because the different brands have proprietary technology and it’s hard to compare across them.
When I moved to a coldish climate I tried to get by on wool coats for several years and it was miserable. I just wasn’t warm enough. When I looked for a real jacket, I had no idea where to start. Is down really the gold standard, or is synthetic fine? Is there really a difference between different types of down? What do they different types of synthetics mean? Why does North Face sell those little sphere-puff jackets? Is there some kind of advantage to them? What is the purpose of a puffy vest? Are they an under layer or are they just for fall-type days? How do those expensive three layer jacket works-- like, when are you supposed to wear the different combos? What makes a jacket more likely to be durable to last longer than a couple seasons? Do all the little dongles to tighten specific areas really matter? Why would you need a zip off hood?
Honestly I still don’t know these things. When you didn’t grow up in a cold climate, you don’t really pick up this kind of knowledge.
If you’d rather spend 500 bucks and be too hot 90% of the time instead of 150 bucks and be comfortable, go ahead. After all, someone might come after you with a fire hose.
Regards,
Shodan