Cold Weather Aficionados, I Need Your Help.

March 1, 2018 5:22 AM

Will this jacket work if the forecast calls for rain, snow, and freezing rain?

I'm mostly worried about the length of this jacket.

My teenager will be wearing this jacket. He is 6'1" and it hits around the same level as the model.

We are visiting Munich and some other cities in Germany and Salzburg, Austria. Our trip starts in less than two weeks and the forecast calls for rain, snow showers and freezing rain. I know you cannot count on extended forecasts because they're not scientifically reliable, however I want to be prepared.

Should he pack a longer rain coat or a mid-thigh length water resistant coat, or will this jacket be okay if he has an umbrella? The chances of him throwing on a rain poncho are slim. I am reluctant to buy more jackets or coats since we don't use them. I will if this jacket is not practical.

My other son and I have longer parkas.

We have all of the clothing layers and waterproof and water resistant shoes covered.

We are lifelong Florida residents and have no idea about snow showers or freezing rain. (Freezing rain sounds great. ;-))Thanks for your advice.

posted by loveandhappiness to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (12 answers total)

I'm about 6ft and that's the sort of size/shape jacket I wear (in the UK). If it was going to be raining a lot and I was going to be walking about I'd wear waterproof over-trousers (or ski pants if it was snowing/v cold). An umbrella won't help keep his legs dry.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:30 AM on March 1, 2018 [1 favorite]

Add these with some long johns underneath, and he's all set. Don't forget gloves & a hat.
posted by rd45 at 5:43 AM on March 1, 2018 [1 favorite]

I spend Buffalo winters (and gross rainy-freezing springs) with a shorter coat than that. Assuming you already have that jacket:

They sell coats, raincoats, and suchlike in Germany, so if it isn't working out you can get one when you know it's necessary instead of spending a lot of money to hedge your bets.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 5:47 AM on March 1, 2018 [2 favorites]

It should be fine, barring blustering sleet storms which you're not going to want to be outside for anyway.

There will be plenty of sporty stores in Germany, you can always buy the perfect raincoat/pants/whatever you don't know you need yet/gear over there if he's uncomfortable.
posted by lydhre at 5:57 AM on March 1, 2018 [1 favorite]

I think this jacket will be just fine. Source: Chicago resident.

He needs a hat (beanie/toque type) and gloves he will actually wear because cold ears and cold fingers are a buzzkill. That hood on that coat is going to be great to keep the wind and wet off, but it's not going to be especially warm, so having a hat under it will help a LOT.

I just asked a question recently about gloves I can wear with my phone, and I can now heartily recommend Glider Gloves. They're capacitant EVERYWHERE, which means he won't ever have to take them off to use his phone. Warm hands, warm kid.

Protip: if it's VERY wet, and he'll be out and about for long periods of time walking around, even with good shoes, he should bring a spare pair of socks to swap out if the ones he's wearing get wet. Wet socks suck.

I grew up in Georgia and when I was prepping to move to Chicago for college my parents both over prepared me and under prepared me in lots of ways. My coat was just fine, it was all the other pieces of my body that I didn't know could get cold that were problems.
posted by phunniemee at 6:06 AM on March 1, 2018 [1 favorite]

I grew up in Florida and live in Minnesota, so I know the initial anxiety of dealing with cold for the first time.

Freezing rain is rarely a downpour, so I tend not to worry about getting soaked too much. And if it is, no one is going to be happy, so no need to sweat the details on this coat. One thing to note though, when it's around freezing and damp, I feel more chilled than a super cold day when it's dry, so make sure you have sweatshirts, fleeces, or sweaters to wear under that coat.
posted by advicepig at 6:18 AM on March 1, 2018 [1 favorite]

The jacket is fine. It has a hood, which is important. I'm Canadian and I rarely bother with an umbrella for cold rain. I much prefer a hood.

The point comment the hat and gloves is on point. I would worry far more about them being windproof over being able to operate a phone (touch screens don't work well outdoors in wet snow and freezing rain, so get used to using the voice text feature). Spare socks are a good idea. Wool socks are best. Real wool, not cotton, not synthetic.
posted by TORunner at 7:22 AM on March 1, 2018 [1 favorite]

European here. I'd wear that jacket for that trip, with a woolen sweater underneath and some long johns / thermal leggings under my jeans.
posted by Too-Ticky at 7:22 AM on March 1, 2018 [1 favorite]

It’s in the 40s in Munich that week?
I think you will be drenched in sweat in a parka.
Focus on keeping your feet warm and dry. Heavy socks and water proof footwear.
Wear a sweater, a rain jacket/waterproof jacket, hat and light scarf. And then plan to put the sweater in your bag when you start sweating.

Don’t carry huge jackets across Europe.
posted by littlewater at 10:00 AM on March 1, 2018 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Thank you for all for advice and recommendations. I admit I'm worried about being cold and unprepared but it's not like Florida doesn't have cold days. I'm more concerned about staying dry and comfortable. Good tips about socks and hats, shoes, and gloves. We have gloves, hats, scarves, thermal underwear and tights. We also have water resistant/proof shoes. I had a previous question about winter footwear and from that AskMe one kid ended up with water resistant Vans shoe boots and the other with waterproof Converse shoe boots.

Yes. 40 degrees might be too hot for parkas. I am slightly worried that I'll be carrying around a parka instead of wearing it. We are doing a lot of walking.

I have this parka and other son has this one (I paid way less for both btw).

I own a short hooded rain jacket (no insulation, no lining,) and another water resistant anorak that is lined but no insulation. I am thinking of brining anorak instead but still nervous about being cold.

My plan is to wear long sleeve base layer, thin merino wool sweater, and then coat or jacket. We also have thermal for under my pants. I am going to watch weather as trip nears. If it's 40 I'll probably bring anorak.

Thanks for advice and letting me ramble on about this stuff, of which I'm probably overthinking.
posted by loveandhappiness at 12:23 PM on March 1, 2018

I'm not sure how warm a Florida version of a parka is (the one in the picture looks much thinner than what I think of as a parka) but if you're walking around, an unlined rain jacket is plenty warm around freezing rain temperatures. If you'll be standing around sometimes, add some layers under it. Merino and cashmere are light, warm and dry easily. This strategy makes it much, much easier to travel with, too.

Source: I walk 20min to work every day, normally in a parka, but it's been freezing rain temperatures here recently (-5 to 5C ish) and the parka is intolerably hot so I wear a completely unlined, normal length rain jacket, with bare arms underneath if it's above zero or long sleeves on the colder days. It's chilly at first but warm within 10 min of walking.

I really, really think you'll regret bringing a parka. At least bring a light raincoat too so you can switch when you see how warm it is to walk around in.
posted by randomnity at 12:36 PM on March 2, 2018 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thank you. The mid-length black parka I linked is insulated with primaloft. It's almost like a sleeping bag with a hood. I'm going to watch weather closely and might ditch the parka and opt for non-insulated anorak with hood.

I think it depends on what the individual is used to. If it's 50-60 degrees in Florida I'm wearing jeans, closed toe shoes, and a jacket, yet I definitely can see where I will get too warm in layers and the parka.
posted by loveandhappiness at 2:22 PM on March 2, 2018