There are three things that are worth serious money; a reliable car, decent cell coverage, and a winter coat that will last 10 years and keep me warm in below zero weather.
I’m looking the Canada Goose Women’s Snow Mantra Coat to replace my 10 year old Blue Skys coach’s jacket. OMG. It’s like a grand, and they never go on sale.
I expect a coat like that to last a decade. So, if you own one, is it worth it?
Sorry, MODs, I meant for this to go into General Questions or MPISMS.
Apparently they are quite good. Whether or not they’re worth the money is your call.
Lots of places sell wonderful cold weather gear for a lot less. Do these things at least look good?
Moved to IMHO from CoCC.
samclem, moderator
Wow, that is the ugliest jacket I have ever seen in my life.
If you live in a very harsh climate and spend a great deal of time outdoors, maybe.
But I have a $400 North Face that I grabbed on sale for $200, and its been completely adequate to get me though a long partially-outdoor transit commute in single digits. I can’t imagine an average person needing much more than that.
I have a Columbia coat with a lining that unzips and becomes a separate ski jacket. Polyester eider, no feathers leaking out. It’s as warm and comfortable a coat as I’ve ever owned.
I’ve been wearing a hoodie all winter. Sure, I’m freezing my ass off, but I’ll really appreciate spring.
I have a long wool coat and layer underneath as needed for the weather. It’s not Minnesota cold here, but this year was pretty cold.
The key for me was having good socks (I’ve been wearing ski socks), boots, gloves (I bought liners), and earmuffs or a hat.
Of course, YMMV, etc.
You’re buying a brand but anything down filled will do the job for a fraction of the cost. I’ve been wearing the male version of this with a polar fleece base layer for the past fiver years in winters reaching -40 with no problem at all.
Anything that results in less Canadian Geese in the world is absolutely worth it, yes. Canadian Goose coats, Canadian Goose underwear, Canadian Goose roadway cozies, yes, yes.
It’s “Canada” goose. They have no nationality and shit with impunity across all borders.
Either way, I still blame Canada.
In 2005, I accepted a 2 year contract to work in Canada’s arctic. I purchased a Canada Goose Snow Mantra. Without doubt, it is was the right thing to do. I don’t know how much they’re selling for now, but I paid about $600 CDN at the time.
Arctic weather is brutal. -40 to -50 for weeks on end. Winds hitting 30-40 mph regularly. The jacket performed incredibly well. It kept me warm at all times in all conditions.
Since moving back to the Canadian Prairies (cold, but not arctic cold), I wear the jacket when it hits -20 or so. Probably 2 to 3 dozen times each winter. The jacket has been quite durable with little evidence of wear and tear. Except for some slightly frayed cuffs, the jacket is in pristine condition.
There are a couple of downsides related to its size. It is difficult to travel with on an airplane. It’s larger than most carry ons and finding space in tight overhead bins can be a challenge. Sliding in behind a steering wheel is like squeezing into a sardine can with the jacket’s added bulk. Wearing the jacket while going indoors such as grocery shopping can become uncomfortable due to its warmth. But none of those issues are concerns when it’s cold outside. The jacket keeps the cold and wind out.
It has proven to be effective and durable. A 10 year investment for sure. I’ll still get close to another decade of regular winter use from it. Amortized over 10 years, it’s cost me about $60 per year so far. Quite reasonable from my perspective.
No love for Fjällräven?
Best jacket I’ve ever owned, right here.
As others have said, there are other coats that can keep you warm. I like Canada Goose because they are made in Canada, so I know that the workers are treated well. I’m willing to pay the extra $$$ to know that I’m not supporting sweatshop labor. Whether you feel that way is up to you.
Canada Goose jackets were very high quality work coats that then became fashion symbols and 2-3x more expensive. They’re now largely status symbols, like a rolex watch or gucci shoes. Whether that’s worth it is up to you.
I did some flat water paddling in Alaska and we wore “immersion suits”. We were told they’d probably keep us alive long enough for rescue ;). The suit was ungainly and unattractive.
Kinda like the coat.
I see people all over London wearing them and I can’t figure out why they’re not melting…this is definitely not the climate for this particular fashion statement. Of course they wear UGGS in August here so there’s no accounting for taste really.
When we lived in the Yukon Territory, I bought a goose down parka and as I recall, it was about C$400 in 1969, a fortune at that time, but it was really worth it. Kept me warm in -65F weather. I finally donated it to the Sally Ann when we moved to much more temperate B.C. where it was just too warm even in cold weather. The hood was just as important as the coat, because it was more of a tunnel in front of the face, goose-down insulated and lined with wolf and wolverine fur. The fur was important because condensation wouldn’t stick to it and kept my vision ice free. As I recall, Hudson Bay made the coats for severe northern service.