So snowgoose is "cool" now?

[co-joe]

For the first time ever I've been seeing Arctic Snowgoose coats all over the place. Not the big full length ones mind you, but the half length ones with the Antarctic Expedition shoulder patch. Are you guys seeing this phenomenon in other cities? At Sait they're everywhere with the young ones. Can't really use the Arctic excuse that being warm is "cool" when it's -10 out.

[Colonel Sanders]

I saw them in Barcelona recently. It was +10C.

They're a fashion statement now, like a Prada purse.

[esp803]

And like most fashion statements, they are not worth the price... Don't get me wrong I've had one for a while and it's warm as hell... but there is no way I'd ever pay full price for one. I see them in Vancouver, I'm still in shorts and T-shirt when I visit.... blah

E

[Beefitarian]

I'm not that far from sait, I was good and cold taking the kids to school this morning.

[stef]

My Expedition was well worth the price. I fly single engine airplanes so I like the peace of mind that I could go sleep in a ditch and survive it just fine.

[Redneck_pilot86]

Saw quite a few of them around Toronto in the +10 of early November...as ESP said, shorts and light shirt weather.

[2550]

On the other hand, if I think I might go to sleep in a ditch I do try to be dressed warmly.

[Beefitarian]

I'd trade the jacket for a good sleeping bag personally.

[bobm]

My Woods parka(s) beat the Snow Goose hands down. I have two "Arctic Oil Kings" (from the 70's....) and my latest is the model 9919? Even more insulation in this one.

I still use my Oil King when I go hunting so it should say something about a 35 year old parka.

Too bad they went out of business. Oh, I know the "woods" name is still out there but they did shut down. Not sure what happened / restructured or ??? but the manufacturing is no longer in Toronto. China I think now.

Had the opportunity to visit the factory once. It was just east of the DVP around King or Queen I think.

Their 5 star sleeping bags were a treasure too.....

[jpilot77]

Yeah my dad still has my grandfathers Woods sleeping bag, warm but heavy.
As far as the Canada Goose jackets are concerned the worst are the bombers that every dink now sports. They seem the most trendy and useless.

[tractor driver]

Snow Mantra. Enjoyed it for years.

[Siddley Hawker]

I wonder how many of those urban Snow Goose parkas are the ones filled with Chinese chicken shit instead of feathers.

[PositiveRate27]

Two words:

Ice Pilots.

It's what the pilots are wearing on TV. It must be what I need!

[GrOOveShark009]

Two words:

Ice Pilots.

It's what the pilots are wearing on TV. It must be what I need!

Thrue...Been to downtown toronto yesterday...Iphone 5, Dr Dre Beats head phones bigger than earmuff, canada goose...
Living in chibougamau (north quebec) and barely wear mine resolute goose 5 times a year...

[GUMPS]

The majority of people you see strutting around downtown Toronto wearing a Snow Goose has no idea what Ice Pilots is let alone could they point out Yellowknife. Someone already said it but there is so many fake ones floating around.

I'll stick to my North Face jacket.

[Johnny#5]

Yeah my dad still has my grandfathers Woods sleeping bag, warm but heavy.
As far as the Canada Goose jackets are concerned the worst are the bombers that every dink now sports. They seem the most trendy and useless.

Yeah I have the bomber-type snow goose from when I lived up north, but I'm kind of embarrassed to wear it down here...(mostly cause it still smells like avgas;)

There seems to be a difference from the "fashion" snowgoose-wear and the "real-world" snowgoose-wear...a lot of the fashion stuff is lighter and not really acceptable for real northern ops.

[esp803]

Hey now, Don't knock the bombers too much... I'm not sure if you have ever tried to climb into a Caravan with one of those full parkas... not fun... They are not nearly as warm, but functionally I prefer snow pans and a bomber over the full length parkas.

E

[GyvAir]

Two words:
Ice Pilots.
It's what the pilots are wearing on TV. It must be what I need!

Looking around downtown Toronto at all the kids wearing those Canada Goose mini-parkas, I'd guess that a very small percentage of them have ever seen an episode of Ice Pilots. Isn't that show just for the aviation junkies of the sort that read and post on AvCanada?
My guess is that PSY or Justin Bieber or the like was spotted in one and it ran from there.

I wonder how many of those urban Snow Goose parkas are the ones filled with Chinese chicken shit instead of feathers.

I do know someone that has a very thin, very light weight (Edit: turns out hers was made in Canada, not China) Canada Goose branded hooded down jacket that she swears by for cold weather performance over many heavier coats - at least for southern Ontario cold weather. Purchasing decision though was based foremost on style, of course.

Hey now, Don't knock the bombers too much... I'm not sure if you have ever tried to climb into a Caravan with one of those full parkas... not fun... They are not nearly as warm, but functionally I prefer snow pans and a bomber over the full length parkas.
E

+1 Long ones are great for staying warm when standing around or walking. Kinda curse them when doing anything involving a ladder, wing covers, etc.
Snow pants and jacket also gives you the option of stripping off a bit when the day warms up or the physical work ups the temperature or you're back and forth, inside, outside.

[Kestral]

I agree. Canada Goose Parkas/Jackets have become way over priced because, as mentioned already, they are fashion statements. Go to the Canada Goose website and take a look at the different models available and the selection of colours. I've even seen pink Canada Goose Bomber Jackets (Chilliwack) on women where I live, and where I live -10 is considered a pretty cold day.

My parents bought me a Resolute Parka at Weaver & Devore in Yellowknife many years ago as a gift when I got my first flying job up north. Lasted me almost 20 years before I replaced it with a newer company subsidized version.

I would have to say that the Resolute Parka is or was the quintessential, go-to, Parka for many pilots working in the north. Expensive now though. Looking at near $800 for a Resolute and $1000 for a Snow Mantra brand new. Ouch! Some of you may say I'm wrong and go with the Woods Parka, but I would have to say that is was the Woods 5-Star sleeping bag that was the quintessential, go-to, sleeping bag of the north??

I've worn a friends Snow Mantra a couple times and it is a great parka, but they are just a bit too bulky in my opinion. My new Resolute is in my cold weather/survival bag while I use a Chilliwack bomber as my everyday jacket. Same down fill as a Resolute, but less length and bulk for moving around inside the airplane. However when it's not that cold I use a good 3-in-1 North Face jacket so that I am able to shed layers easily as I heat up from loading and unloading.

[C208]

I saw them in Holt Renfrew and Harry Rosen and kinda laughed to myself. Their selling price is in the same league as the stores selling them. I was told that the Heli Arctic and the Mantras were the only two that used full goose and the rest were Duck....I better go check my Banff and see!

[sheephunter]

Same as Carhartt. Used to be good quality, affordable work clothes. Now it's downtown on kids that will never be off a sidewalk and too expensive for those of us that actually do the work in the ditches.

[loopy]

Got mine working out of YEV. Purely functional parka, not fashion statement. Living in Edmonton, it still gets used a lot. I've seen more than a few days in the last few winters where it has been colder here than in the Knife or Inuvik!

[g5]

Don't get so worked up about it.

Just be glad they are a successful Canadian company, creating jobs in Canada.

Happy holidays everyone.

[sheephunter]

And they tried to get them to go from real wolf trim to "fake" and management said no. I would think that the interview could be found somewhere. Good on them. Funny to see people that would generally be against the fur trade wearing Canada Goose because it's "cool". Put more fur on them please. I have a older blue Expedition that I purchase off this forum that I use as my everyday get dirty coat working on snowmachines or heavy equipment or whatever and have a Mantra that I try to keep half way respectable. My Woods 5 star is now irreplaceable and the 2 star is a great bag before it gets too cold. I did have a Woods Parka and if I remember accurately was every bit as good as the Goose but unfortunately it shrunk. Wish we still had the good ole Canadian made Woods product. Canada Goose has shown that with proper marketing, top quality, overpriced, Canadian Made product can be sold worldwide. I just hope that the price doesn't continue to go up as the quality comes down. You'll know this has happened only when it hits the shelves of Canadian Tire. It's not too bad to justify one of these parkas as costing $40.00 or $50.00 / yr. to stay extremely warm and now be in fashion as well. Actually, about two weeks ago I went to their website and commented that I would like to see the vest made in hunter orange as it is now basically impossible to find a down vest that meets fish & game colour requirements at least for Ontario & Quebec. I don't know what the other provinces have for colour laws?

[Beefitarian]

Should I complain here that I can't get a new pair of "Klondike" boots by Sorel?

The premise is they could not afford to stay in business in order to produce the best boots I have ever seen. Weird, they cost me $250+ and I would pay it for another pair. Sure you might need to be a smaller Canadian factory but you should be able to afford to make some boots for people that can tell the difference. Guess Wal-Marx killed the company off.