Good outer wear for southern winter?

[Tervuren]

What is good when the temps swing below freezing, but the rain is dumping?
Right now I have a coat that is really good in the cold.
But it will soak through.

Is it better to layer up for different purposes?

Or is there a do-all wonder coat?

[masraum]

I’ve managed to purchase military all weather coats from eBay for about $20. They are well made, protect from rain really well and usually come with zip out liners for when things get cold.

[fintstone]

It depends on if you want something casual, for the field, or dress. If you want something for the wet in a military type coat (field jacket) you would want on that is somewhat waterproof and warm (but light) like the goretex ones with a hood.

[Sooner or later]

Rain? Gore-Tex.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by Sooner or later

Rain? Gore-Tex.

^^^
What he said. Rainproof/windproof and a good sweatshirt underneath will keep you warm (or at least it will us Northern folk) at those temps. Get something with a liner and you're golden. All of my cold weather hunting gear has Gore-Tex.

[LWJ]

It's pretty drippy here. Lots of gore-Tex everywhere. My family buys lots of columbia brand (Omni-dry, I think). They are local.

Cool fact. Few people in Oregon carry an umbrella.

[Seahawk]

Gore T outer with layers for 90% of the winter in my part of Maryland.

I have a gore t pullover with a hood I’ve had for twenty years.

[rfuerst911sc]

Layers are your friend . I am in GA. and temp's in the mornings lately have been high 20's to low 30's . Then warming to high 40's to low 50's . I use a tee shirt , then a flannel long sleeve shirt or sweatshirt and then a windbreaker . My windbreaker is some nylon blend and I agree with others Gore Tex would be better . Layers allow you to adjust as conditions change .

[porsche tech]

The neat thing about Gortex is that the pores are small enough to keep water molecules out but large enough to let vapor (sweat) molecules out (at least as far as I understand it). If that wet vapor can't escape, it remains on you and you get cold. I have three Gortex jackets that all work well.

[rusnak]

I have no knowledge of the Eastern weather in the US, but out on the West coast I find that you need a 100% water proof hat and an outer shell that is also waterproof. My go-to is REI for an Outdoor Research hat, and a Columbia rain shell. Both are Gore-Tex lined. I sometimes have to spend over an hour in the freezing rain. I wear rubber boots also, a must in rainy muck.

[id10t]

Layers area always good - can be 30 in the morning and 65 just before sunset here in N Florida.

For nasty rainy weather, yes, the good old fashioned M65 type jacket, with or without liner.

[Fast Freddy 944]

Find a nice down filled winter jacket, it will keep yer carcass warm. Our winters are the same as yankee territory, just shorter. So you should already know what to wear?...

[greglepore]

I have a couple of sailing coats-foul weather gear. Polarfleece liner, and totally waterproof-storm flaps over the zips, velcro at the cuffs, integrated hood and visor. They're not that expensive on ebay, and are designed to allow you to stand in the cockpit of a sailboat taking spray in all temps.

[Roswell]

Or is there a do-all wonder coat?

Yep, there is a "do all wonder coat" that is perfect for winters in the South. Barbour. Not cheap, but will last a life time. They are currently having a 25% off sale on their website. I live in mine...

[gchappel]

There is no bad weather, there is just bad clothing.
Gore Tex is terrific for rain or wind.
Gary

[Kraftwerk]

Gore -tex gives out after awhile.. a few years, then it can be useless in an all day drenching, but good enough to get from car to building. New Gore tex is great, then a light down jacket or down vest under the rain-jacket and your good. Add a sweater under-layer then ,maybe a thermal shirt & L.U. if it gets chilly-er, near zero & below. Took me 30 years to learn to figure out how to battle the cold ...and I grew up well North of Boston... Wool sox are a good idea....

[stealthn]

Speedo and a lab coat

Pansies

[wildthing]

The do-all wonder coat you are looking for is a two piece Columbia coat with an outer rain shell and an inner thermal sweater. If it gets warm, you can remove the sweater. I think it folds small enough to fit one of the pockets... Can't find them right now on the website, most are 3-in-1 probably because it's winter.

[Evans, Marv]

^^^^ Same idea as the REI Triad. I've had one for many years. Wear it for cold, wear it for rain, wear it for very cold.

[Sooner or later]

Originally Posted by Kraftwerk

Gore -tex gives out after awhile.. a few years, then it can be useless in an all day drenching, but good enough to get from car to building.

I have a 20 year old Gore-Tex jacket that works perfectly. The outer shell will lose it's waterproof properties, but the inner Gore-Tex fabric continues to work. I use ReviveX to treat the outer shell when it starts to lose it's repellent properties.