I sent an employee to Iqaluit, Nunavut in Canada during winter there for 6 days.

He said his Canada Goose coat was great and kept him really warm.

They are indeed a very warm coat. So warm, that I prefer a Ski jacket where I can open the armpit zipper when I overheat while walking.

Remember, if you are in motion, you will generate heat, so if you are waiting for the bus a lot, a very warm coat is good. If you walk a lot in winter, you need a versatile warm coat that also allows for heat to be released so you don't sweat, and get colder.

Edit: My ski jacket is nowhere near the price of a Canada Goose Jacket, it was bought on sale for $200. So yes, they are very expensive coats and you can buy very warm coats for much cheaper. Not endorsing any specific coat, just pointing out that they are indeed very warm coats (too warm for me).

Agreed. I have a large red winter jacket that makes me look like I am going on an artic expedition. I'll wear it to snowblow the drive and halfway through I'm sweating so bad I have the coat unzipped and my hat off.

Yeah, I have a parka I bought for some specific needs I had at the time and was really glad I had it. I rarely wear it these days though. It's just too warm unless I were walking around in sub-zero (degrees F) or I were spending a bunch of time standing around in "just" sub-freezing temperatures. And it's pretty much too warm for any real exercise.

I live in Alberta, Canada. Canada Goose is a fashion statement. The people who need a parka that warm will buy a cheaper parka that is just as warm. These people are outside working, getting dirty.

You don’t need a Canada Goose in the city. You are just going from warm car to warm building. Best to wear layers when jumping from in and out. Same goes for winter activities.

I live in Canada, a cold part even. I live in a city, it's still cold. I haven't bought anything from Canada Goose but have spent similar money on layered clothing for similar (or better) performance.

Why?

Because I don't drive. I don't live with a driver. There's a very large assumption in your comment; the kind that an Alberta shouldn't make because ending up in a ditch for an hour could kill you.

I live in Toronto and I use my feet + public transit for getting around, as do most people who don't want the hassle and expense of car ownership. I've yet to see a bus or streetcar stop that was inside of a nice warm building.

I've managed to survive in -30C with finds from TJ Maxx/Marshalls, so I certainly wouldn't pay CG jacket prices, .

The outdoor clothing market has a slightly weird dynamic. The features that make a garment suitable for use in extreme conditions tend to make them unappealing to casual users. Conversely, outdoor brands need to maintain some semblance of credibility, which is jeopardised if they exclusively make clothes for dog walkers.

There are a lot of fantastic clothing brands and products that are largely unknown to the general public, and a lot of really mediocre garments being sold by big-name brands. Many sponsored mountaineers and climbers wear brand X clothes because they're good, but have them embroidered with brand Y's logo because they pay the bills. Certain brands are known for using very discreet logos on their garments, because they don't want to cause trouble for people with endorsement deals for other brands.

Canada Goose jackets are reasonably well made, but they're fashion items and priced accordingly. The Snow Mountain and PBI Expedition parkas are decent enough garments for arctic use, but they're overkill for normal use. Rab, Montane or Marmot will sell you a jacket of equal or better quality for less than half the price.

It's a fashion statement first and a warm coat second. So the question "Are they worth it" is highly individual (I reside on the "hell no" side of the fence!).

They are very effective cold weather jackets, and have been designed and made for practical usage. High end outerwear is expensive across all brands. That it oddly took off as a fashion statement doesn't diminish the utility. Though I do think they are hitting the peak exposure moment, and soon they're going to have to remove the outer branding to allow utility buyers to not look like fashionistas.

This. Living in Toronto means living in a sea of Canada Goose wearers come winter. They're very well-made and warm coats - honestly far too warm for typical Toronto temperatures - but I wouldn't buy one currently because of the overt branding.

I don't like the overt branding either so I just got a black labeled one instead.

Living in Scandinavia, I own one, since it can get very cold. It's one of the best garments I've ever bought quality-wise, and it's extremely warm. No complaints.

"Much less"? Not so sure. Good winter coats aren't cheap even when there isn't obvious branding. In any case, most clothing has both fashion and utilitarian aspects.

A friend of mine bought a coat from what is probably Canada Goose's main competitor in their Montreal factory store. It was expensive, even on sale, but it was also a very nice cold weather coat that fit well--in addition to looking good.

Some Canada Goose coats are $900+.

You can definitely get coats with 95% the same utility for 200-300. That is considerably less.

Sure if you want to go to Antartica they might be worth the extra money, but the majority of people buy them for the fashion/status signaling.

If you go to Antartica (professionally, not sure about tourists) you will be issued clothes. For what isn't, Aldi options are sufficient, I've heard.

A couple of hundred is still much less.

Which competitor is that?

Eddie Bauer, Patagonia, LL Bean, REI all make down jackets which are arguably just as good and are half to a quarter the price.

I always thought down was groace and sweaty myself. Even in super cold weather. Easier to adjust things using layers.

Kanuk.

> Why would you buy a Canada goose in the first place?

Because you want a Canada Goose coat. For some people the high price is a feature, not a problem.

Canada Goose is the iPhone or top-price Samsung of the coat world, an OK product which retails for far more than it should because the price itself is part of the appeal for the indented customer group. If all you need is a coat which keeps you warm during cold winters you can get something for ⅒ of the price which is just as warm and lasts just as long (if not longer). The latter has the added benefit of not subjecting the wearer to the constant threat of being robbed of their affluence-signalling garment, something which is increasingly common in urban areas where gangs prey on those who wear expensive brands like Canada Goose [1].

I live in Sweden, it does tend to get cold here. I've been using the same jacket (a heavy black fleece-lined cordura/nylon work coat) for about 15 years now, it cost me 375 kr (around $45) back then. Nobody wants to rob me, the opposite is probably true as the thing does look a bit like a police or guard uniform jacket. Had I worn something like those Canada Goose products they would not have lasted more than a year or so, probably less given that I use it while logging etc.

[1] https://polisen.se/aktuellt/nyheter/2018/november/flera-pers... (Swedish police warns about increase in robbery of expensive brands)

I think it is. I've got a few more expensive parkas and jackets from Parajumpers, Fjällräven and Woolrich and while they're all good and keep you warm during cold winters, none of them has kept me as warm as my Canada Goose parka has.

I can wear just a t-shirt underneath it when it's -30°C (-22°F for you using freedom units) on my way to the gym and still feel warm.

Why people spend that amount of money on a Canada Goose while living in a place where the temperature never hits the freezing point is beyond me though.

> Why people spend that amount of money on a Canada Goose while living in a place where the temperature never hits the freezing point is beyond me though.

I assume that they're complicitly contributing to the production of public mirth. It's really funny seeing people walking around the streets of Paris when it's +15C out with their giant parkas on.

For many people, fashion is a hobby and people like spending money on their hobbies. I’ve spent a lot of money on jackets and coats when a “better” one could’ve been bought for much less.

Do I regret it? No. I feel good when I wear it and I like reading about clothes, trying things on, and deciding what to buy.

I'm willing to bet that at least some of the people all indignant about people buying coats that cost more than was "necessary" think very little about buying computers and other electronics that are more expensive than what they really need.

Warm super insulated down coats are pretty terrible above maybe 15f. They're just too hot, and sweating inside a coat like that sucks.

I live in Minnesota and wear a lighter weight parka for most of winter. On single digits days like today however I bring out my heavy duty down parka.

I have a North Face down parka, with all sorts of implications it solves the same problem, that's simply not warm enough for me. It's even named McMurdo after the Antarctic research station, and cost about £350.

There isn't too much out there with extreme rating, so if the likes of North Face and similar brands aren't warm enough you start to consider them regardless of price. Even if they have become surprisingly trendy, for no apparent reason, price alone perhaps? So who is in the same niche with a better made, but cheaper product?

For really warm down parkas, one option is buying from one of the small US manufacturers like Feathered Friends or Western Mountaineering. I have an FF one I bought years ago when I needed a really warm coat for a month-long trip. It's actually too warm to wear for casual around-town use.

And it cost in the same general high 3 figures range even though you're not paying for fashion.

I've got the same one. Not had an issue with the warmth - but bulk is ridiculous (although I quite like it). Try pulling in the waist cords, it's a bit flappy and open otherwise.

Not for most of us, unless you enjoy shelling out for the brand name. And those who are truly concerned about the cold can opt for a less expensive option, like what recreational snowmobile riders wear.

I don't think so. They are under 700 fill power goose down and at that price range should be 800+ fill power goose down. the higher level fill power will be warmer.

>but that you could get the same quality or better for much less.

If you want a winter coat on a budget your best bet is probably Russian (well, USSR probably) milsurp. You might have to do a little research on how clothing is sized to find one that fits properly and you won't give off an aura of high class while wearing it though (but this is expected with any budget solution).

"Are Canada Goose coats really worth it in the first place ?"

Define "worth"? There are many nice jackets for 1k US$ that you can buy.

This being said, I am not aware of any military Unit wearing feather coats. And this is not a money problem. AFAIK, feather coats are warm but not well suited for continuous outdoor activity.

They are very warm and are a godsend for freezing Toronto winters. Though I don't like the excessive labelling, so I replaced it with my own patch.

That's funny. If the label doesn't matter, why not opt for a less expensive option?

Same reason some (not all!) rich people take some of the badges off their very high end cars. Everyone knows you're driving a Mercedes sedan. No need to be a show off and let everyone know you bought the highest trim AMG, that would be impolite.

You say this in a thread literally about a counterfeit coat. People don't have access to Mercedes-Benz knock-offs.

> No need to be a show off and let everyone know you bought the highest trim AMG, that would be impolite.

I'd hazard with luxury vehicles, showing off is part of the appeal.

Higher end Mercs and BMWs have had a "dechrome" in the options list for years. That's paying for removing all model badges.

And yet they remain quite obviously mercs and bmws

Indeed, and obvious which are the fancy ones with the v8 without needing to hear it start.

correct. they're just overpriced sleeping bags.

Name-brand, truly cold-weather sleeping bags can run $400-$600. And there's a lot more design and stitching in a coat than a mummy bag. So, I'm not sure you're comment is accurate.

https://www.rei.com/product/127009/big-agnes-crosho-ul-20-sl...