Yes, that's me in Vermont wearing my beloved Moerdeng and a Smurf-like beanie, with the fam in tow.
I never thought I'd grow up to find myself waxing poetic about an Amazon ski jacket while lying in bed on a random weekday night with my cat at my feet. But alas, here we are...
For the past 20-plus years, I've written about, tested and obsessed over thousands of items — from Uggs-look-alike slippers to sanity-saving velvet hangers and make-your-life-easier Shark Tank inventions you never knew existed. I love shopping — especially at night, horizontal on the couch (seeing a theme here?), wearing pj's, while staring at my phone and mindlessly scrolling through deals upon deals upon deals.
When winter started bearing down this year, I wasn't on the hunt for a new jacket. I had one ... many, in fact (see shopping “hobby” above). As Yahoo's executive editor, I see tons of great cold-weather gear flash across my computer screen, but one coat in particular caught my eye — because it caught so many of yours. It has a funny name — Moerdeng — and Yahoo readers snap it up with abandon, praising its warmth, comfort and affordable price tag. It's got over 26,000 flawless five-star ratings over at Amazon. I needed to see and feel it for myself, so I added to cart, as one does. And the rest is history. (Spoiler alert: I found my forever jacket. This thing is WARM.)
Stand out on the slopes with this fiery red.
Without paying through the nose (cough cough, Canada Goose), you too can secure the warmest, comfiest jacket ever. It's wind-resistant, water-resistant and essentially winter-proof.
The outside of the coat is a smooth poly that's incredible at repelling raindrops and snow — stuff just slides off. Like water off a duck's back?! And the inside? Oh, the inside... It's lined with black faux fur that's a lot like heavenly fluff. I barely feel the weather, even on the craziest, coldest days. It's just a great combination of being warm but not too warm. The faux fur is such a nice, comforting touch. A lot of ski jackets don't have a furry lining, and it's a missed opportunity, in my humble opinion. The coat is somehow adaptable, keeping you cozy when you need it without leaving you a sweaty mess. And shoppers agree.
Take it from this reviewer: “I wore this coat outside on a cold January day with just a t-shirt underneath and was so comfortable. ... What I enjoyed about the coat was that when the sun went behind a cloud or the wind kicked up, the coat was warm enough that I didn't feel the chill. But when the sun was out and shining brightly it never became too hot that I needed to take it off.”
The hood, which happily detaches for when you want to rock a slightly pared-down look, is also lined in fluffiness.
The pockets do not disappoint, either. The main ones are roomy and zippered — two of my pocket prerequisites. Then there are two mini zippered ones, one outside and one inside. These are too small to fit a phone, but they come in handy for important things like hair ties, candy and quarters for the ski lodge arcade so the kids can spend $20 in five minutes flat.
If you're looking for a jacket to fully cover your bum, this isn't it — at least for me. I'm 5-foot-7, and a medium hits at mid-bum. This hasn't been an issue for me; I don't mind showing a little something.
I love this jacket so much that I bought one for my mother-in-law (in light blue) and father-in-law (he got navy) this year for Christmas. They were both so happy. (Yes, I'm winning at daughter-in-law-ness, and I'm definitely the favorite.)
I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but I don't see myself ever having to wash this jacket. Both the busy-ish print and the darkish colors of the style I got hide dirt so well that it still looks brand-new even though I've worn it hundreds of times. Yes, I know I should give it a clean here or there; it's machine-washable, by the way. The tag even says not to dry-clean it, which made me so happy to see. It's the little things.
I'm not alone in my love for this winter wonder. Amazon shoppers are obsessed with it, using over-the-top phrases like “saved my life” and “never ONCE felt cold.”
One person commented on the “smoothest operating zippers I've ever seen.” How's that for an endorsement?! And this shopper made a bold claim: “I'll never buy another North Face jacket again!” The believer goes on to say: “This jacket is absolutely amazing. ... I mean I really can’t fault one single bit. ... This jacket has an inside and outside breast pocket and details comparable to a North Face or Arc’teryx jacket. It looks far from cheap. In fact, it looks expensive! I bought it for hiking but it could totally be used as a daytime-casual or even a snowboarding/skiing jacket as it has a really soft furry lining. 5/5! I think [I] may buy 1-2 more in different colors!!!”
I agree with this shopper that when you order your typical size, it still offers some wiggle room: “It's not too thick. ... Plenty of room to move around. I don't feel like I'm wrapped up in bubble wrap.” Unless you're into that sort of thing?!
This shopper titled her review “Outstanding,” adding: “If you’re looking for something warm, let me tell you that where I am right now, it is 22 degrees and VERY cold. The first time I wore it, I wore it to check the mail and never even knew it was cold outside. Run to get this coat and you will not be disappointed.”
A bit of background and an interesting tidbit: I lived in New York City for over two decades, so I'm no stranger to freezing weather (enter me, walking down corridorlike streets in a foot of snow with wind whipping around as I clutch my to-go coffee like it's the last bit of caffeine I'll ever have). But at the start of the pandemic — like many others — we moved our family to the ’burbs. What's interesting is that in the city, I wasn't considered particularly fashionable; I was neither here nor there. But in the ’burbs, I wear similar clothes, but here people look at me like I'm a rock star, and the Moerdeng coat is partly why. I get compliments constantly. I bought the Black Camo version, and it's badass without being too classic army-ish.
What are you waiting for? Get moving! Get Moerdeng!
If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
