Which Uniqlo Down Coat Should You Buy?

Compare Uniqlo's Seamless Long Down Coat (left) with its Ultra Light Long Down Coat (right). Guess which one I like?

When down coats 1st appeared on the market, I was committed to wool coats, soft alpaca wool to be precise. It wasn't until the launch of fitted-down coats I became interested. The warmth and lightness combined with a slender silhouette sold me ... and I haven't looked back since! 

Seamless

Initially, a goose-down coat was considered a casual coat. Nowadays people (me included) think nothing of wearing a down coat over a ball gown to attend galas or over a business suit to the office. With everybody wearing down coats, you don't look dressed down anymore. It's freed me from coat checks too. Weighing next to nothing, I just bring my down coat to my table, lay it either on the back of my chair ... or rolled up by my feet under the table. Nobody ever notices, nor do I have to worry about ruining or retrieving it from an attendant after the night ends. As opposed to searching for a ticket to go stand in line, I can simply head for the exit!

My new favorite retailer for down coats is Uniqlo. The quality, durability, understated style, and price points are unbeatable! Every fall the merchant brings out new styles such as a Seamless Down Long Coat in addition to their classic Ultra Light Down Long Coat. A Hybrid Down coat, a 3rd choice, is Uniqlo's warmest coat. 

Which coat is right for you depends on where you live. How cold does it get? The Ultra Light Down is my favorite because of its leaner, lighter, dressier look. In New York City I stay toasty warm in it all winter long. Perhaps on the coldest day of the year, I'll wear an extra layer of merino wool underneath it.

In fact, over the years, I bought 3 Ultra Light Down Long Coats. One about 10 years ago, the 2nd coat in 2020, and this year, a 3rd coat for my mother. Each year, Uniqlo brings them back, and they try to improve them based on customer feedback. The lengths have gotten about 3 inches longer, which works for winter, but note: the coat is not maxi-length, it's over the knees length. 

Sadly the 2022 version lost the pocket zippers, which isn't a dealbreaker. The pockets are not shallow, so items shouldn't fall out easily, I just like the extra security zippers provide. 

For customers who desire a maxi-length, Uniqlo usually brings out a much longer maxi-length Ultra Light Down Long Coat in the winter. But I like the versatility of the over-the-knees Ultra Light Down Long Coat. Easier to walk around New York City in it.

Uniqlo makes the ultra down outerwear into jackets, liners, coats, and relaxed coats without collars. Their down coats and jackets are their specialty and the apparel piece that got the innovative Japanese retailer 1st noticed in New York.

 

The best recommendation I can give the coat is ... I keep buying it. I like the looks, the warmth, and its durability. I still wear my 10-old-year ultra down coat, which is above the knees in length.

My mother and I like to go up one size as we prefer our down coats roomy for potential bulky sweaters if we decide to wear bulky styles. The coat is fitted, not boxy so sizing up won't swallow you up.

Since Uniqlo opened its doors, I've never spent more than $79 - $129 (on sale for the lower price) for a long down coat, and you can skip wearing a hat and scarf. All you need is a pair of gloves. 

In a single piece, customers are all bundled up without being all bundled up. Lightweight and super warm without the bulk! You can spend $600 - $2,300 for a down coat, but with Uniqlo, there's no need to do so. Like me, my mother loves her Uniqlo Ultra Light Long Down Coat!

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