These super-soft, ultra-insulated $36 pants got me through a winter in Iceland

We're getting close to winter temperatures here, which means I'm thinking about how to stay warm, comfortable and cozy for the next few months. Enter my greatest winter-weather clothing secret: Sherpa-lined sweatpants, which have gotten me through more than one East Coast polar vortex, a snow squall and even a dark, freezing month in Iceland.

My 2021 trip to Iceland is how I first discovered these wonder sweats. I headed to a remote corner of the country — in winter — for a five-week writer's retreat. I grew up on the East Coast, but I'd been living in Los Angeles for a decade and had lost context for what "cold weather" really meant. I knew I'd be writing in drafty rooms and planned on long, frigid walks.

So, before my trip, I went overboard, buying fleece neck warmers, wool socks, a portable tea kettle and the most ludicrously warm winter boots you've ever seen. But the sherpa-lined sweatpants turned out to be the most useful item, and to this day remain the coziest garment I've ever owned.

Since Iceland, I've worn sherpa-lined sweats anytime I've encountered serious cold — to walk my mom's dog in January in New Jersey, to check out my sister's new neighborhood in Baltimore during the polar vortex of Christmas '22 and on a surprisingly freezing camping trip with my kid's school in California in March. I'm on my third pair. I'll never look back.

My first pair of sherpa-lined sweats were fire-engine red, slim cut, snug and ribbed at the ankles. They were strangely flattering but still super insulated. Slipping into them felt like having furry sleeping bags on my legs in the best possible way.

I'm tempted to buy more sherpa-lined clothes this winter. Like this entire sherpa-lined sweatsuit, because, I mean, why not? Is there a better outfit to wear with a cup of tea and a book on a chilly February morning? Or while sitting on my parents' couch, watching Yellowstone with my dad?

Sherpa-lined sweatpants for men and kids

Trust me, once you jump on the sherpa-lined bandwagon, you're going to want to share your good-warming fortune with everyone you love. And — fear not — you won't need to leave anyone out: There are styles for men and kids too!

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The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.