I’m not going to ask, but thank you for this information. I have two jackets here from L.L.Bean I’m trying to choose between. I’ll send the down back. Thanks again.
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PETA is not a good source, I am aware, but the videos and the responses from the companies don’t lie. Anything animal-related sourced from overseas, I’d question the ethics of what actually happened to get it.
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What’s a good alternative to down that keeps you warm? I’ve tried synthetic and haven’t found anything that even comes close.
I am all For not using down- just need suggestions to use instead.
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There really isn’t a like-for-like alternative, unfortunately. I find if I add one more base layer it makes up the difference. Or the jackets with the reflective lining seem to do a great job. I’d guess a heated vest would probably do the trick, though I’ve not tried it.
The light weight of down is really unparalleled. That’s not enough for me to wear it, though - not when the geese/ducks are being live-plucked to get it.
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The L.L. Bean coat I am thinking about says it is primaloft aerogel insulation. They also call it cross core. I think the catalog called it a NASA technology. I have a terrible problem w my neck; heavy coats cause a great deal of pain. This coat weighs next to nothing. I hope it works.
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Right, but PETA visited some of the source farms, and live plucking was happening right out in the open. Add to that the complexity of that supply chain (how would you ever verify anything, once it’s at your door in a box), and I stand by my statement - there is no such thing as ethical down. I guess any place that has their own farms with their own monitoring perhaps. But to just “trust” that 2nd-3rd world manufacturing countries are telling the truth about not getting 3x (or more) the down production from one bird? Not me, I’ve been there and seen the cultural outlook on animals made for harvest. They don’t care about their well being, not one little bit.
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arctic horse appears to be in hibernation since 2020. Pity as the skirts look terrific.
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They are the absolute best- I have a wool one and a thinsulate, waterproof fleece lined Arctic Horse Skirt. They are beautifully made, functional and so warm. It’s so unfortunate they seem to have gone out of business. We met several of the ladies who were founders at Equine Several years ago- delightful, real people!
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You’ve gotten some really good answers here and I’ll 2nd (or 3rd or 4th) the recommendations of wool, wool, wool, and layers!
- Wool is one of the only fibers that will still keep you warm when wet, which is great for temp regulation when you’re really working while riding, or taking a walk break, etc… I cannot recommend a wool tank or tee under a wool long sleeve enough as a dual base layer. (Smartwool, Mons Royale, Icebreaker, Kari Traa, Montbell)
- More natural fibers! Top your base layer with a wool or cashmere sweater. (Have an old jcrew merino or cashmere sweater w/some holes or that has shrunk? Here’s a new life for it!)
- Insulating jacket with breathability. If you do warm up while riding and don’t need a really intense outer layer, try an Arcteryx Atom LT jacket or Patagonia Nano Air jacket. These are warm, insulating, will protect from wind and light precip, but also have breathability.
- You can’t do better than down for warmth to weight as a final layer. The above jackets are synthetic but for me, the outer layer when it’s cold, is down.
Note about down, if this is just for barn use and you’re opposed to down, go synthetic puffy. (Patagonia has several synthetic insulated options) I stick with down, in part because I outfit myself for backcountry skiing and backpacking first, and weight matters most when you’re carrying everything on your back. All my outdoor clothes do double duty at the barn, but are purchased with different activities as the priority.
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I have silk long underwear from Eddie Bauer that I love.
Alpaca socks were actually too hot.
I do agree that the underneath is almost more important than the top layer.
I love those neck thingies, also.
I do have the Mountain Horse coach’s coat, but for dog walks. It hasn’t seen a barn but it is long, lightweight and very warm.
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I have the HKM heated coat and it’s great!
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I’m always cold and one thing that has made a huge improvement for my comfort is my Ororo heated vest. Yesterday it dropped down to a feel of -25 and with my heated vest, random brand barn coat, and long underwear from LLBean I was comfortable getting all my barn chores done. Everyone for Christmas this year is getting the heated vest because I’m just that in love with it!
I did pick the vest over the coat as I can put a barn coat or sweater over it so it doesn’t pick up the barn smell and can be worn in other aspects of life.
I have the Ororo heated glove liners which are amazing but they’re not waterproof and when I layer a waterproof pair of gloves on top I find my grip extremely bulky.
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The most important part of retaining warmth is an outer layer that is a wind break. If it doesn’t shed rain to some extent it won’t break the wind, either. Most of the coats that have been mentioned do have wind-break features, but it is something to keep in mind.
The most important part of a coat, layered or otherwise, is the outer shell. Having a great wind break on the outside gives a lot more flexibility for warmth layers on the inside.
If you look online, the brands already mentioned as well as North Face, Columbia and Patagonia (all are outdoor specialists) have a selection of good quality outdoor “barn jacket” type of coats. You’ll need to look at the length to find one that is good for riding.
Ski jackets can work well for outdoor riding if you find the shorter ones so that they don’t overlap the saddle. Ski jackets break the wind, and many are primarily the outer shell intended to be worn over insulating layers underneath.
The greatest area of heat loss (for humans) is the front of the neck. A scarf or neck gaiter can make a world of difference from feeling cold to feeling very warm.
Hands and feet are also much more comfortable by warming wrists and ankles. Sleeves that cover the wrists well help a lot with cold hands. Gloves, socks and foot wear should never be tight, but should allow room for a slight air layer of warmth.
Pants also need to be the wind-break kind. Cold legs are miserable and people lose a lot of body warmth through their legs. If we are talking about around the barn, not riding, look for ski pants. Shell pants can go over your regular pants. You can also wear puffy insulated ski bibs, which usually will fit over leggings. Ski bibs are WARM.
If you put together the parts well, you should be comfortable in almost any conditions in your climate. But it you neglect the neck and/or legs and so on, it can make you much colder than is comfortable even with a warm coat.
A lot of the fashion coats (some even found in ‘outdoor’ stores!) are useless because the wind pushes right through the fabric. In particular, those poofy balloon-looking coats rarely have any outer shell and will be of little use in windy outdoor weather. I think of them as car-to-building coats for indoor dwellers.
Fleece is not suitable as an outer layer, same for many nubby fabrics, because the wind goes right through it. On a windy day it is like not having a coat at all. Underneath an outer shell fleece becomes too warm for most people, but it might work for someone who really does not retain body heat. There are many types of fleece, of course.
Very good, effective, outdoor coats and pants can be expensive. If you find the kind you want and know the size, look for used items being sold online. I got a great layered barn coat that way that lasted for 10 years. Many people gear up for sports like riding etc. and then lose interest and sell their good-quality expensive stuff, including garments, in nearly-new condition for a fraction of what it costs new.
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Yes, windblock is super important and a waterproof jacket zipped up can really be warm. Warmer than you’d expect of a shell.
I’ve never found a fleece layer to be too warm 
under a waterproof insulated jacket. Fleece actually wicks a bit which is really helpful.
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I ran across one of these at a tack shop tent sale a few years ago. It was in the 90s and I thought I might keel over trying it on. Best coat I’ve ever had! Super warm, not bulky, stays pretty clean, well designed pockets and hood, and the skirt unzips so it lays over your legs in the saddle.
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I saw a Kerrits Coaches coat online. Are these insulated parkas or just raincoats?
I recently purchased the long waterproof coach’s coat from Kerrits. It is only meant to be a raincoat - no warm lining. I was keen to test it in a recent steady rain and I am sad to say it failed as a raincoat. I thought that I would be so happy with it layered over my puffy coat, so that I would be warm and dry but after 20 minutes it had soaked thru both layers. So disappointed.
Has anyone tried the LeMieux waterproof insulated long riding coat?
Yes, I have one. Very warm and I love the super soft lining (especially in the pockets!). The hood is a bit annoying as it seems sized to fit over a helmet (which isn’t safe), and thus when worn sans helmet, it falls over my eyes. Otherwise it’s stellar. I love it.
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Ok! I do wear hoods over my helmet trail riding. They jiggle off super easy even just trotting. I doubt it would stay on for a fall.
You are happy with the waterproofing too?
What’s the sizing like? Normal to outdoor gear generally or a bit petite like much equestrian gear?
