The Best Winter Barn Coat

 Living in Canada means that winter is a solid 4 months with the shoulder seasons being pretty chilly as well. It has always been important to have gear that can keep me dry and warm when the temps really start to dip. I've had quite a few coats and vests over the years. My biggest peeve with warm winter coats is that they are very heavy and awkward for riding and doing barn chores. 

Last fall I was out shopping with some friends and we went into the Columbia Outlet store (sidenote-I love this store for its quality and prices).  I was looking through the racks of winter coats and found this little gem:

I bought black. Because, horses. 

It's a 3-in-1 jacket. The outer shell was waterproof and the inner one had the 'omni-heat thermal reflective lining'. And it was on sale.  I think I paid about $150 for it, which is awesome for a good winter coat. I've had this coat now for about 3 months and I LOVE IT. 

Here I am riding in the inner jacket

It is the warmest winter coat I've ever owned. Most of the time I only wear the inner jacket and I am sweating. The inner coat weighs as much as a light rain jacket. It is ridiculous how warm it is given how little it weighs. I bought a large size and it is quite roomy for riding. My arms do not get pinched and the length is perfect. Most of time when I ride in it I am only wearing a single layer underneath. 

Until recently  I have just used the outer shell as a rain coat. I didn't think it would be waterproof if you were out in a long time in a downpour but today we're having torrential rain and it has kept me dry. 

The few times I have worn both layers have been when it's below -10 (Celsius) and I usually end up having to unzip a bit because I get warm. 

So if you are looking for a coat that is good for riding and for barn chores I would recommend this one. 

it is chicken approved, what more do you want?