Best Women's Plus Size Long Winter Travel Coats

You’re SO ready. You’ve booked the time off work, scoured the internet for the best travel inspiration and flight deals, and arranged for your neighbour to take care of the cat. You’ve been dreaming about this trip all year… maybe longer. But you’re not the type to sit around on a beach somewhere, trying to keep sand out of your swimsuit. You’re a different type altogether.

A bold, adventurous traveller, drawn to the dawn light glowing pink on untracked snow, to the twinkling lights of Christmas markets in Munich. A traveller who dreams of basking in the Northern Lights in an Icelandic winter, ice skating on a frozen lake beneath glacial peaks, of seeing sled dogs race through the Alaskan wilds. Does this sound like you? We see you, goddess of winter. We are you.

If a glittering winter escape to Europe, North America, Antartica or the Arctic Circle is in your future, you’re probably starting to think about what you’ll need to pack, and a winter jacket should be top of your list. If you live in a temperate climate or don’t spend a lot of time in snowy environments, you may not be prepared for just how cold it can get in the Northern Hemisphere. Even in a city like New York, the wind can howl between the buildings, amplifying the freezing air, and making it feel like it’s driving straight down to your bones. Your cute duffle coat or Kmart puffy are not going to cut the mustard, and you don’t want to spend your precious vacation days hunting for a winter coat in the right size. After all, you want to see the world knowing you already look cute AF, and feeling good too.

Not all plus-size winter jackets for travel are the same, and it’s important to feel great about the choice you’re making, so there are a few things you’re going to want to think about before you hit ‘add to cart'.

Top Tips for Choosing the best plus size winter coat for your adventure

Sometimes too much choice can be overwhelming, so we’ve nailed a few things that might help you make your choice. Think about:

• How much space do you have for your coat in your luggage? Will you be wearing it all the time or will you be taking it on and off?

• How cold is it going to be outside? Remember, air temperature is just a base measure - wind speed can make it exponentially colder, so factor this in as you’re deciding.

• In what ways do you need your coat to be versatile? Are you looking for a piece purely for travel, or is this something you plan to wear more regularly?

• Pockets are your best friend! Good travel coats always have lots of pockets, especially interior pockets to protect important items and extend the life of your phone battery

• How wet is it going to be? Do you need something highly waterproof and breathable like the majority of our gear or just something with a DWR coating for light rain showers?

• Buying a winter coat online can be tricky when you can’t touch or feel its thickness, so look for the amount of insulation in the jacket to get an idea of how warm it’s going to be. 100g insulation is a regular warm-weight coat for skiing and snowboarding, while 250g is more like a regular puffer style.

• Buying a winter coat online can be tricky when you can’t touch or feel its thickness, so look for the amount of insulation in the jacket to get an idea of how warm it’s going to be. 100g insulation is a regular warm-weight coat for skiing and snowboarding, while 250g is more like a regular puffer style.

• Is a long coat important to you? Long coats are ideal for travel to cold, snowy environments, keeping you extra warm and reducing the need for waterproof pants or extra layers on your legs. Like wearing a socially acceptable sleeping bag outdoors.

• Long coat features to look out for might include 2-way zips so they can unzip from the bottom, pockets, seam sealing, venting, waterproof and breathability ratings, insulation amounts, wrist, hood, and internal coat adjustments.

Right. You’ve asked yourself the important questions, and now you’re ready to find that perfect plus-size winter jacket for your dream trip. We’ve made it easy, breaking down the features of some of our most popular winter jackets, so you can find the best piece for you and get on with the important stuff - beginning your adventure!

1. Long Plus Size Puffer Jackets for Winter Travel

Puffer jackets are where it’s at for travelling to cold climates like Iceland, Canada, and Northern Europe… you get the idea. With zoned insulation (like little insulated pockets everywhere), you can be sure that a good quality, waterproof plus-size puffer jacket will keep you dry while keeping the warmth in the right places, not packing down or gathering for a party at the hem of your jacket, leaving your core to freeze.

We love the STOY Brigitta, Abbess Long, Marmot Montreal, and Mont Blanc styles, because they’re super warm as well as being *waterproof and breathable (*the Montreal jacket is only water resistant). We also love the STOY Margaretta in olive which although isn't a puffer jacket, it's super warm with faux fur back lining and highly waterproof and breathable so deserves a special mention in this category.
That means you’ll always be comfortable, whether you’re exploring the cobbled laneways of a medieval town, or following your guide into the Icelandic darkness to wait for a stunning view of the northern lights. Oh, and did anyone say snuggly faux fur-lined hood??
Fun fact: The fur actually blocks wind from your face so not only does it look cute, but it keeps you warm and comfortable too.

These plus-size long puffer winter jackets are also extremely practical. If you’re heading in and out of shops and museums or jumping onto a bus to explore the town, it’s easy to whip your jacket off so you don’t overheat, without having to manage lots of layers. They also look great - you won’t feel like a tourist wearing one of these stylish pieces into that chic restaurant you’ve been dreaming of visiting.

If you’re planning to travel to a milder winter destination (think, Nashville, San Francisco, the south of France), you might consider something like the Abbess long in light olive and dark navy jacket for its feather lightweight versatility. This plus-size beauty will keep you classy, warm and dry in winter drizzle. Oh, and did we mention they all come in extended sizing?

2. Best Crossover for Skiing AND Travel Plus Size Long Women’s Jackets

You’ve planned a dream winter getaway, combining skiing or boarding with exploring a new part of the world. Ripping it up in Kitzbuhel and putting on your finest threads to see the Vienna Philharmonic. Shredding Heavenly Valley then living it up in Vegas. Sending it at Whistler Blackcomb then going whale-watching off the coast of Vancouver. It’s fine, we’re not jealous at all.

If you’ve got a muti-itinerary vacation in mind, chances are you’re not going to want the hassle of taking two bulky jackets with you. Not with what airlines are charging for baggage fees these days. Enter the cross-over jacket, your one-jacket quiver for travel and skiing.

A plus size cross-over jacket, like the Brooky as already mentioned above is one of our favourite double-duty styles perfect for both skiing and travel. If you’re looking for a jacket that will take you from the slopes to a chi-chi dinner, the stylish Brooky Long is your go-to. With a longer length, mid-weight insulation with back-lined teddy fur, and a highly waterproof and breathable stretch exterior and full seam sealing, it will move with your body on the hill and keep your buns dry on the chairlift, and the style is on-point as jackets trend to longer cuts for skiing and boarding. With big pockets for your gloves, hat, phone, etc, and it's urban styling and removable faux-fur hood which still fits over a helmet make it an excellent choice to throw on over your nice outfit as you head to the bar for apres or explore cities in Europe or beyond.

The matte black outer fabric gives this jacket a non-parka feel, offering timeless, stylish quality, so you can be confident that you’ll be loving it just as much five or even ten years from now as you do today.

The Brooky Long is fully seam-sealed to keep you warm and dry and has underarm venting for when you work up some heat on the hill. The Brooky has a matte finish for those who prefer a more subtle style in their outerwear and works perfectly for exploring mountain towns and off-snow adventures for plus-size travel addicts. And it’s not just us… check out the 5-star reviews from other happy winter travellers who love these classic winter jackets.

Our second true love when it comes to classic crossover travel and ski long jackets is the Seattle shell jacket in black,and it also comes in other fabulous colours cherry ripe, army green. It is a shell style which means it needs to be worn with warm layers to add the insulation, but this just means it’s a more versatile piece in terms of warmth, temperatures and wearing it in different climates around the world and at home. Its stretch fabric and jacket design are heavier and more durable than a normal rain jacket, with mesh lining to keep the outer layer off your skin, which means it’s ideal for both snowsports and everyday and travel use. It has a handy removable powder skirt for when you’re not skiing and still has all the ski jacket features you’ll come to expect from high-end snow clothing like security pockets galore, underarm venting, full seam sealing and super high 15K waterproof and 15K breathability ratings. Couple this with the stretch outer fabric and adjustable hood and comfort features and you might just fall in love!

What does that 15K mean? Check out our blog on jargon-busting for the technical features in your outerwear - information is power, friends!)

The Mont Blanc jacket in black and olive (now on sale!) also deserves a special mention here as it’s also been a popular crossover style for both travel and skiing use. We love the flared hem zips at each side which allow for extra movement in a long-length jacket. This jacket is a staple favourite amongst many happy customers.

3. The Best Waterproof and Breathable Plus Size Winter Coats for Travel

We’d say the best of the rest, but these plus-size winter jackets are actually just the best for travel, whether you’re riding a double-decker bus through London or photographing Elk in the snow at dawn in Banff National Park. (Nope, still no travel envy here, carry on).

4. Plus Size Shell Rain Jackets

We love a shell rain jacket. They’re versatile, waterproof, breathable, and brilliant for layering when you’re planning to be highly active in a cold or wet environment. Shells are ideal for hiking, sailing, and generally having handy if you’re headed somewhere where rain or wind is a possibility. If you’re thinking of, say, climbing a volcano in Hawaii, a plus-size shell jacket will be great, because it’s something you can stuff in your pack at the beginning of the hike, but pull out as the temperatures drop at altitude, or if you start to get some rain or the wind picks up.

Looking for a great longer-length shell to take on your next adventure? We love the ultra-versatile, technical Fuchu and Magde Jackets. And now the latest and most stylish women-owned Amble Refuge jacket in black and Eucalyptus green. These fully seam-sealed, waterproof pieces will take you from your daily dog walk to exploring the world, whether that’s hunting for vintage gems on Portobello Road or watching grizzly bears on a remote, rainy beach on Vancouver Island. In a range of colours (because plus-size should never equal boring), they will be a wardrobe staple for many years to come regardless of your home locale.

You’ll swap length for versatility you say?

If your ears pricked up at the talk of choice and versatility, may we humbly suggest you check out the Marmot Minimalist Component Jacket (a shell and a removable puffer set) in black or purple or the Maaren range of plus-size shell jackets (we’re a little obsessed with the bright crocus, just quietly), this is a jacket with all the technical features you’re looking for. Think, fully seam-sealed (protected from wind! dry!), highly waterproof and breathable, and with venting and pockets galore a comfy, moisture-wicking mesh lining, this piece is ideal for everything from alpine hikes to spotting orcas in Howe Sound as the waves crash against the bow of your boat, and the cold spray of the ocean kisses your face. Sorry, we got a little poetic there, but this is a great jacket for travel and outdoor adventures. We love how the sizing on the Marmot Minimalist jacket is generous and will fit you when other jackets don’t have enough wiggle room, so be sure to check out our hand-measured sizing charts here

Hot Travel Tip

There’s nothing worse than planning your dream holiday, only to arrive tired, sore, and grouchy from a bad sleep on the plane. Here’s where your jacket can step up! Take along a zipped pillowcase, and when you’re ready for a snooze, stuff your jacket inside it and - voila! You’ve got a super soft, comfortable pillow that will give you a far better sleep than anything the airline has to offer.

Plus size winter travel

Winter travel can be one of the most magical ways to see the world. Tropical beaches are nice and all, but we think it’s pretty hard to beat sipping mulled wine as you wander through European Christmas markets, exploring the Cliffs of Moher, or watching the snow sparkling on colourful fishing villages on Norwegian fjords. And if you’re lucky enough to see the Northern Lights, well, you’ll have ticked off a bucket list travel item for many of us.

You’ve probably heard your mother say it a thousand times - there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. And she’s right. No longer do you have to ‘make do’ with substandard clothing because you have no choice in your size. With the right plus-size winter coat that works for your travel plans and your curves, your winter escape will be everything you’ve imagined and more. Just make sure to let us know where you went, so we can live through you!