This article is part of our series Battle of the Brands, in which we compare category-leading products to their counterparts to determine which are actually worth your money.
A good, all-around winter coat needs to be three things: warm, weather-resistant and (preferably) stylish. Most jackets are investment pieces that can cost a pretty penny, so it makes sense that you’d want a garment that is functional enough to wear on a chilly day hike and stylish enough to don while knocking back a glass of wine afterward.
I’ve had my beloved Fjallraven Kiruna Padded Parka for two years now, and it is, hands down, the piece I wear the most in shoulder season and full-on winter. I practically lived in this jacket during Los Angeles’ record downpours in 2023. It’s come with me on a cruise to Antarctica with Seabourn Expeditions, on a frigid winter sojourn in Sedona and on countless midnight dog walks (in every kind of weather imaginable). It’s been my ride-or-die coat for so long that I hardly even think before grabbing it and walking out the door.
This got me and my editor here at CNN Underscored wondering how this top-tier ($350) jacket would compare when pitted head-to-head against a similar viral jacket from Amazon ($152) with over 27,000 reviews. So I got my hands on both and tested them head-to-head.
The two garments were tested in the same weather in Boulder, Colorado, for a few months, as snow crept down the mountainsides and winter marched closer, and all tests were completed with a simple cotton T-shirt underneath. I wore them both in the shower for a one-minute “downpour” to compare weather resistance, and I performed the same routine of cardio movements in both pieces to determine how well they breathe and ventilate during exercise.
Let’s get into how these two winter coats performed.
Fjallraven Kiruna Padded Parka vs. Orolay Thickened Down Jacket at a glance
This weather-resistant, stylish jacket is more expensive than the Orolay, but it’s still quite a deal compared to other top-of-the-line winter jackets. We love its all-around versatility and think it’s worth the extra money.
If all you need is a cheap jacket to keep you warm in the winter, the Orolay coat is your pick. It’s bulky, but there’s no denying its fantastic balance of style and warmth.
Quick comparison
| Weight | 1 pound, 15 ounces |
|---|---|
| FIll type | 100% recycled polyester |
| Fit | Slim and fitted |
| Fabric | G-1000 (polyester + organic cotton) |
| Pockets | 4: one inner chest, one outer chest and two hand-warmer pockets |
| Price | $350 |
| Weight | 3 pounds, 8 ounces |
|---|---|
| FIll type | 700-fill duck down |
| Fit | Bulky and spacious |
| Fabric | 100% polyester |
| Pockets | 6: two chest, two front and two hand-warmer pockets |
| Price | $152 |
Warmth
This is the one category where the Orolay Thickened Down Jacket really surprised me, though perhaps it shouldn’t have with its hefty weight of 3.5 pounds. I took both coats out on numerous hikes, dog walks and long strolls in the Rocky Mountain foothills in temperatures from 55 degress Fahrenheit down to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. In cold weather, the Orolay felt warmer than the Fjallraven, so much so that I had to wear it unzipped, with only a T-shirt underneath, unless the weather was below freezing.
For its ultra-light weight of 1 pound, 15 ounces, Fjallraven’s Kiruna Parka was (surprisingly) nearly as warm as its Orolay jacket counterpart. It insulated well when buttoned up (but not zipped) when temperatures dipped into the 30s, and I found it more versatile for the wide variety of temperature swings I tend to encounter in fall and winter in the Rockies.
When it came to ventilation, the Fjallraven jacket was the clear winner too, expertly designed to shed heat if you decide to take it on a short uphill hike. The Orolay, on the other hand, constantly left me feeling overheated, even when temperatures were in the low 40s and the garment was fully unzipped. If you live in a climate with rapid weather shifts, particularly in fall, winter and spring, get the Fjallraven, but if you simply want a cheap, warm jacket, grab that Orolay.
TL;DR: The Orolay jacket is warmer than the Fjallraven Kiruna, but that comes with a heavier weight and less ventilation. The Kiruna performed better in a wider range of temperatures and didn’t leave me overheated.
Weight and fit
As mentioned above, the Orolay jacket weighs significantly more than its Fjallraven competitor, at 3 pounds, 8 ounces (by comparison, the Fjallraven weighs just 1 pound, 15 ounces). To be perfectly honest, I was surprised when I learned that its insulation is supposedly 700-fill goose down, because it is easily the heaviest down jacket I’ve ever worn.
All that down and polyester means that the Orolay is extra warm, sure, but it’s also huge and bulky when worn over a simple pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Maybe it’s the elderly millennial in me, but the jacket felt purposefully, uncomfortably oversized on my 5-foot-2-inch frame, more like the baggy, ’90s throwback fashion that Gen Z kids are wearing, rather than a fitted winter coat.
By comparison, Fjallraven’s Kiruna Padded Parka is remarkably sleek, light and formfitting, while still insulating well and leaving room for warm layers (like a sweater or thermal top) underneath. I’ve found that it matches a wide variety of outfits, seamlessly shifting from casual day use to my overcoat on top of a date-night dress in a flash. Lighter and better cut, the Fjallraven is the clear winner of this category.
TL;DR: If you like an oversized look, the Orolay jacket will be right down your alley. It’s much bulkier and heavier than the Kiruna. On the other hand, if you want a slimmer silhouette or want to layer underneath more comfortably, go with the Fjallraven.
Water resistance
I wore both of these jackets in the shower for a full minute to simulate a torrential downpour in a controlled, measurable environment. I spun around, sure to get the hoods, sleeves, front, back and zippers adequately soaked.
After tallying the results, I’d say that both jackets are water-resistant, not waterproof. The Orolay’s long front zipper soaked through almost immediately, while the Fjallraven’s main zipper only soaked through toward the end of the minute. As for the hood and sleeves, the Fjallraven Kiruna shed water beautifully, as it has when worn on my many rainy winter walks in Los Angeles. The Orolay, on the other hand, features a great, weather-resistant hood that beads and sheds droplets well, but its designers put sweatshirt-style cuffs at the end of both sleeves, which soak through with water faster than the rest of the garment’s polyester outer.
TL;DR: While neither can withstand a proper rainstorm, the Fjallraven’s extra bit of weather resistance could come in handy when those unexpected showers roll through.
Sustainability
As a long-standing Swedish company, Fjallraven has proven its commitment to the environment and labor standards for years. The brand boasts strict guidelines for animal welfare, doesn’t use fluorocarbons and is part of worker-empowering initiatives, like the Fair Labor Association and Sustainable Apparel Coalition. It also launched its own nonprofit grant organization, the Arctic Fox Initiative, which bestows a portion of proceeds to wildlife conservation efforts and organizations that help get a diverse array of people outdoors.
Orolay’s sustainability facts and figures are murky, at best. The company’s website touts a list of sustainability efforts like Responsible Down Standard (RDS) and use of recycled nylon in certain pieces, but the Amazon page for the Thickened Down Jacket mentions nothing about either stat. There is a separate Orolay coat with “RDS Down Filling” in the name, and the Thickened Down Jacket’s landing page on the brand’s site lists RDS down, so it’s unclear which coats actually use RDS down. Orolay’s site makes it nearly impossible to verify if these sustainability claims are true, which is why we wish there were more evidence and transparency so consumers could more easily learn about the company’s sustainability efforts.
TL;DR: Fjallraven’s sustainability claims were easier to research than Orolay’s, and the Swedish brand has more transparency and a proven track record.
Bottom line
As much as I would love to sit here and rant about how cheaper gear is just as good as the expensive, brand-name stuff, the clear winner in this side-by-side test was the Fjallraven Kiruna Padded Parka. If you’re simply looking for an ultra-warm, cheap jacket that’ll shed mild precipitation and snow on mellow walks around the city, the Orolay Thickened Down Jacket will likely keep you toasty during winter months. But if you’re seeking a long-lasting, all-around jacket for chilly hikes, evening strolls and style-savvy city wear, I can’t recommend the Kiruna enough. It’s weather-resistant, practically windproof, flattering and well-priced at just $350 (compared to other winter coats, which can run well over $500).