My honest review of Quince’s Responsible Down Long Puffer Jacket

Last Updated on January 18, 2026 by Rebecca

Quince is a brand that I’ve come to trust and rely on over the past couple of years. I’ve found that their sweaters, pants, luggage, and more are consistently high-quality and durable. I live in a famously cold part of the country, and when it was time for me to upgrade my winter coat, Quince was the first brand I thought of. Their Responsible Down Long Puffer Jacket had been on my radar for over a year, so I was excited to try it out! Here are my thoughts.

This post contains affiliate links, but it is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Testing Summary & Quick Verdict

• Testing duration: November to mid-January 2025 and 2026 (about 2.5 months of winter weather, worn several times per week)
• Testing weather: A very snowy, blizzardy winter, with temperatures often in the 20’s F
• Testing conditions: I haven’t yet traveled with this coat, but I’ve worn it near home frequently. I most often use it for going on wintry walks or for playing in the snow with my toddler, but I also wear it on errands around town.
• Pros: Very warm and pillowy. Great hood and wrist cuffs. Cozy and spacious pockets. Perfect length on me (I’m 5’6″). Really does its job in harsh winter weather, and helps me not hate the cold quite so much.
• Cons: Using the zipper on its own is fine, but the additional snaps are too much of a hassle to be useful. Not as stylish as a wool coat, so perhaps not great for big-city wear. Not very compact, so cumbersome to bring on plane trips.
• This coat is for you if: You need something reliable and warm for true winter weather.
• This coat might not be for you if: You live somewhere with mild winters, or if you’re looking for something compact that’s easy for plane travel.

First impressions of Quince’s down puffer jacket

This coat feels amazing right out of the bag. It’s soft, pillowy, and instantly cozy, but not in a way that feels bulky or heavy. It feels light and easy to move in. Comfortor vibes, but in a coat.

The coat also looks nice! I got it in black, but I also really like the storm blue and feather grey. I’ve been complimented on how high-quality the coat looks.

Warmth and length

I cannot overstate how warm this coat is. Quince rates it for very cold conditions, down to about -48°F. I have no idea if it really would hold up in those temperatures (and honestly, I hope to never find out), but in real life the coat does exactly what I want it to do. It blocks wind, traps heat, and makes stepping outside in freezing weather feel manageable, maybe even pleasant! It’s kept me snug and cozy through some pretty windy, blustery, and frankly miserable snowstorms.

The length is a big part of that. On me (I’m 5’6″), it hits around mid-calf. That extra coverage makes the whole coat feel like a warm cocoon, especially on windy days.

The pockets

The pockets are great. There are two outer pockets that are fleece-lined, so your hands stay warm, and there’s also a protective inner pocket, which is perfect for anything you want to keep extra secure. I use the inner pocket for items that I need to bring with me but am unlikely to be taking in and out of my jacket frequently (e.g., car fob). Every pocket can zip shut, which is helpful when carrying keys or anything else small that may fall out.

The pockets are pretty substantial in size. Things I’ve stashed in them include: a winter hat and gloves, a 2T toddler T-shirt, a packet of thank you notes to mail, and obviously my phone, keys, and wallet. These items were not all there together at the same time, of course, but each of them fit easily and still left room for my hands.

The zipper and snaps

The front closure has a zipper, and then optional snaps on top of the zipper. The zipper is very easy to do up on the run. It glides smoothly, doesn’t catch, and feels durable. It’s a YKK zipper, which is by far the best in the business. I have no doubt that it’s going to last.

The snaps, on the other hand, feel like they would take approximately a millenium to fasten. I’ve never even attempted to use them, and I’m honestly not quite sure why they’re there at all. They’re not really a downside, just an unnecessary feature. Perhaps they come in handy when it is -47 degrees out.

The inner cuffs with thumbholes

The wrist cuffs are one of my favorite features of this coat. At the end of the each sleeve is a cozy “storm cuff” with a thumb hole. I didn’t really understand what these were until the coat arrived. They’re basically like little sleeve extenders that start at the end of the coat sleeve and cover your wrist, and, if you want, part of your hand.

These are great! The material feels really nice against your skin. Even if you don’t use the thumbhole, the cuff stays fully closed around your wrist, so no cold air slips up your sleeves. They’re great for days when it’s cold, but you don’t have gloves handy. They’re also convenient for holding a cold steering wheel while driving, or for quickly brushing off your car with a cold car brush.

The hood on this puffer

The hood of Quince’s puffer coat is detachable with a zipper, which is nice if you want a simpler look, but I’ve kept it on because it’s genuinely great in cold wind.

Most coat hoods are frankly kind of useless, in my opinion. I’d pick a beanie and a scarf any day for proper warmth. But this one is the exception! You can zip the coat up to your nose, pull the hood tight with the cinch cords, and you are left with only your eyes and upper nose exposed. When it is freezing and windy, that setup feels incredibly warm and protected.

Fit and comfort

The fit is true to size. I ordered my usual size, small, and it fits exactly how I hoped, roomy enough for a thick sweater but still cozy.

This coat also easy to sit in. Long puffers can feel restrictive or difficult to move in. I was constantly breaking the zipper of my former puffer every time I tried to sit. This hasn’t been a problem with this coat at all! I can easily sit in the car or crouch down to talk to my toddler without fighting the coat. And the YKK zipper is never going to break.

Packability

This coat is not compact, so if you are imagining something that stuffs into a tiny bag, this is not it. That said, it squishes down smaller than you would expect for something this warm and puffy. I would call it sort-of packable for winter travel if you need to bring a true cold-weather coat with you.

I was able to stuff this coat down to fit in a 20″ x 14″ packing cube. It took up about a quarter of my medium-sized checked suitcase (also from Quince).

Care of Quince’s puffer jacket

Quince says the coat is machine washable and tumble-dryable. I haven’t tried washing it, so I cannot personally confirm how it holds up, but I love that they designed it to be low-maintenance!

How this coat compares

My previous puffer jacket was Columbia’s Peak to Park Insulated Jacket. The Quince coat is better in essentially every way. It’s not even close. Here are a few points of comparison:

• The Quince puffer is longer than the Columbia one, and down is much warmer than polyester. So the Quince version is about ten million times warmer than the Columbia one.
• The hood on the Columbia coat was not very warm. It was essentially useless. The Quince one is actually warm.
• The Columbia jacket did not have wrist cuffs. The wrist cuffs are great for keeping your hands, wrists, and lower arms warm. I’m so happy to have them now!
• The zipper on the Columbia jacket would break open every time I sat down. It made getting in the car a real hassle. This has not happened once with the Quince coat. The zipper is sturdier, and the jacket feels more flexible.
• The pockets were similar on both coats (spacious, fleece-lined, zipped), but the Quince coat has the added inner pocket, while the Columbia one does not.
• The Quince coat is about $70 more expensive than the Columbia coat, as date of publication. $70 is not nothing, of course, but if you live somewhere cold and will be wearing the coat frequently, I feel that the extra cost is more than worth it if its feasible for you!

Quince shipping and returns

One of the reasons I buy from Quince so often is their incredible return policy. Shipping is always free, and they offer 365-day returns, no questions asked.

Their returns are also incredibly easy. You bring the item to the post office with a QR code, no printing required. (Great for me, since I don’t have a printer). You can pack it up in the same resealable bag that they shipped it in. I didn’t return this coat, of course, but I have returned clothing items to Quince before with no trouble at all. It’s a great backup option to have in case the fit isn’t quite right!

Bottom line

I really recommend the Quince Responsible Down Long Puffer Jacket if you want a genuinely warm winter coat that feels like wearing a comforter, in the best way. It is practical, thoughtfully designed, and the kind of coat that makes winter feel a lot easier. Take a look!

You might also be interested in:
Quince Italian Wool Cocoon Coat Review
Quince Suitcase Review