ONE of the best ways of staying warm while staying stylish this spring is by donning one of the best puffer jackets for men.

North Face puffer jackets specifically are one of the most popular items you can get your hands on, especially if you've got the money and the contacts for a jacket from the brand's Gucci collaboration.

However, if you don't have the money to splash on a brand name like the North Face, there is still a wide range of options, allowing you to stay cosy and chic.

Read on for our roundup of the best puffer jackets for men.

Best puffer jackets for men at a glance:

• Best puffer jacket with wide range of colours: Schott
• Best value puffer jacket: Amazon Essentials
• Best premium puffer jacket: The North Face
• Best hybrid ski jacket: Helly Hansen
• Best high street puffer jacket: Uniqlo

Jackets we tested

1. Schott NYC Idaho Jacket

• Schott NYC Men's Idaho Jacket, £91.67 from Amazon – buy here

New York-based Schott is best known for its buttery leather jackets, but the Idaho, available on Amazon for under £100, shows that the brand knows its way around a puffer jacket, too.

The Schott comes in a wide range of colours — we're especially keen on the striking yellow, which brings a nice dash of colour to Britain's grey winter.

We also love that it's unisex — though you might not once it's been stolen by your other half — and that the hood is hidden under the collar, making the design more streamlined.

We found that it ran a little tight, so if you're between sizes or want to layer the jacket with thick jumpers, we'd size up. If you're unsure which to go for, you can use Prime's try before your buy feature.

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Material: 100% Nylon Fit: Small – we'd size up

2. Amazon Essentials Packable Water-Resistant Puffer Jacket

• Amazon Essentials Men's Packable Lightweight Water-Resistant Puffer Jacket, £37.50 – buy here

If you're on the lookout for a no-frills cheap puffer jacket that will get you to the end of winter, then we'd go for this Amazon Essentials number.

With a median price of just £37.50 (some colours and sizes are available for under £25), it's the cheapest option on this list, but we were surprised at both its quality and style credentials.

It's certainly not as warm as some of the more sophisticated puffer jackets we tried, but that fact that it's lightweight means that it fits neatly into an attached bag, making it perfectly portable.

Material: 100% Nylon Fit: True to size

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3. North Face RMST Nuptse

• Men's RMST Nuptse Jacket, £450 from North Face – buy here

There's a reason that the North Face is the trendiest name in outerwear right now. It makes some of the most iconic and best puffer jackets money can buy.

However, you will have to fork out for one. The RRP of its men's puffer jackets start at around £180, and for a top-of-the-range model such as this one, you'll have to find £450 down the back of the sofa.

The idea is, however, that once you've bought this, you'll never have to buy another puffer jacket, and you'll never have to worry about being chilly. It's insulated using 700-fill down, and there's also a water-repellent finish that means you shouldn't be bothered by a bit of light rain.

However, this is still a lifestyle jacket, so aesthetic is important, and we love the simple silhouette and emphasised logo on the RMST Nuptse, as well as the fact that the hood stows neatly into the collar.

And if you care about sustainability, you'll be pleased to find out that the fill is recycled Waterfowl down.

Material: 100% Nylon Fit: Slightly loose

4. Helly Hansen Bossanova

• Bossanova Puffy Ski Jacket, £280 from Helly Hansen – buy here

Helly Hansen's Bossanova jacket is literally warm enough to be worn on a ski slope, meaning that it's more than adequate for a British winter.

It's designed to bridge the gap between the mountain and the apres-ski, meaning that while it has all the practical qualities that you'd expect from a Helly Hansen Jacket (amazing windproofing and waterproofing, for example), it's also stylish enough to be worn just about anywhere.

As well as the blue and red colourway pictured, there's a green and yellow option, as well as an understated plain black.

Material: 100% Polyester Fit: True to size

5. Uniqlo Seamless Down 3D Cut Parka

• Seamless Down 3D Cut Parka, £119.90 (saving £30) from Uniqlo – buy here

In our opinion, Uniqlo is the best place on the high street to find affordable, quality basics, and its puffer jackets are no exception.

This jacket uses only responsibly sourced down as insulation, comes in five colours, and is lightweight and windproof.

We like it in the dark grey, which has sort of a 90s Armani vibe to it, and pairs really well with most other colours — it looks great over a chunky black knit.

We find Uniqlo's sizing to be a bit erratic a lot of the time, but this fits perfectly.

Material: 100% Polyester Fit: True to size

The best of the rest

Canada Goose Everett

• Everett Puffer Pastels, £850 from Canada Goose – buy here

Let's face it; when you buy a Canada Goose Jacket, you are paying at least in part for the status symbol.

However, that doesn't mean that they're not quality jackets — the filling is duck down, and Canada Goose claims it will keep you warm in temperatures as low as -20C.

And for when you're in a city and you don't need its thermal properties, you can rest assured that the colour selection and cut are extremely chic.

Rains Waterproof Puffer Jacket

• Puffer Jacket, £319 from Rains – buy here

If you're looking for a fashion-forward puffer Jacket, you can't do much better than Rains, which has a designer feel without a four-figure price tag.

Although it's certainly a style statement (we love the silver pine colourway pictured), it'll still perform as a winter jacket: it's waterproof, windproof, breathable and is constructed with stainless steel and durable rubber trimmings.

At £319, it's not exactly cheap, but you get a free fleece beanie when you buy from the Rains website, and once you've grown bored of it you can even trade it back to the brand for store credit.

M&S Hooded Puffer Jacket with Thermowarmth

• Hooded Puffer Jacket with Thermowarmth, £69 from M&S – buy here

A stylish option that comes in at well under £100, this Marks and Spencer puffer jacket makes a subtle statement thanks to its square-shaped padding, and it comes in two office-appropriate colours: Camel and Navy.

Like the North Face and Schott jackets, it has a hood that can be neatly rolled into the collar, and the eco-conscious will appreciate the fact that it features recycled polyester.

It also makes use of M&S' "Thermowarmth" technology, which provides warmth without adding weight.

Columbia Powder Lite Hooded Puffer Jacket

• Powder Lite Hooded Puffer Jacket Mens, £78 (saving £31) from Sports Direct – buy here

You can always depend on Sports Direct for a bargain, and at £78, this Columbia jacket is great value for money.

That's because it's packed with heat-retaining features, including an Omni-Heat reflective interior to keep the warmth in, as well as polyester padding.

It also comes in a range of dashing designs, as well as a goes-with-everything plain black.

How to wash a puffer jacket

If you need to wash your puffer jacket for any reason, the best way to do so in a washing machine is on a cold, gentle cycle, such as the presets for wool or delicates.

The biggest things to be conscious of are to not expose your jacket to a high heat, which could shrink it, and not to put it on a spin cycle, which could damage the down filling.

If the stain is small, it's very possible that you can clean it with nothing more than a damp cloth, especially if it's made of nylon or polyester.

Be sure to check the label of your jacket for washing instructions; it's possible that the brand that makes your jacket recommends avoiding the washing machine entirely.

How should a puffer jacket fit?

This is entirely down to personal preference, and also depends on whether you're aiming for style or practicality.

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The main things to look out for are the width of the shoulders (you should have ample space to move your arms, even with an extra layer underneath), and the length of the sleeves, which should fit comfortably round your wrists.

Although it can be tempting to go for a trendy oversized look, it's worth remembering that this might not be practical in super cold situations, as air can get in through baggy hems.

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