Canada Goose: Is a $900 winter jacket really worth it?

I’ve spent $900 on a few things in my life. My iPhone and a few well-loved bicycles. But what about a Canada Goose puffy parka?

When I first spied the huge numbers of Canada Goose jackets flocking around Toronto I had no clue the down-filled, fur-trimmed parkas boast such sizeable price tags. With everyone wearing the Canadian-made coat, I figured the price was affordable.

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Kerry K. Taylor vs. the $900 Canada Goose Kensington Parka

Boy, was I wrong.

Turns out only snowbirds with deep pockets can afford to sport this popular outdoor brand on their wings. Are these jacket wearers getting goosed? Or is there real value behind the Canada Goose brand?

Canada Goose sells “Value”

It’s hard to put a price on staying warm. I should know. As a Canadian who has lived in Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, and BC’s Okanagan Valley I’ve experienced all sorts of cold.

The worst type of cold is the feeling of the wet windchill biting your bones while waiting for a bus. So while waiting for budget transit in Toronto, I asked Canada Goose parka wearers why they bought a $900 coat.

The most common coat buying answers:

1. Warmth without bulk: The “light-as-air” coat is filled with warm down.
2. High quality materials: The parkas are made with goose down sourced from Canadian Hutterite farmers and come with a removable coyote fur-lined hood.
3. Durable: Transit travelers loved the stitching, fabric, and perceived the coat to be highly durable. “An investment that will last for years,” many said.
4. Made in Canada: “Not a cheap coat made in China.”
5. Lifetime Guarantee: From the brand: “Warranted to the original owner against defects in material and workmanship for the lifetime of the product.”
6. Fashionable: The puffy coat looks so stylish that even celebrities and athletes boast the brand.

She might catch a chill: Sports Illustrated bikini model Kate Upton is down with the goose.

Canada Goose is not racing to the bottom

Everyone knows that these parkas never go on on sale, so Canada Goose isn’t trying to race to the bottom by being the cheapest coat on the market. If you want cheap stuff made in China you shop at Walmart. If you want a Canadian-made coat, then maybe there’s a price to pay.

Also, allegedly selling a cheaper Goose-like knockoff is getting Sears sued for trademark infringement — so consumers have to buy the real thing to stay toasty warm.

The recent Canada Goose sale to U.S. company Bain Capital got a few consumers pecking over the brand staying Canadian-made in Canuckland. Something for future consumers to think about.

Canada Goose: Birds of a feather…

Would you become a member of the flock and buy a $900 coat?

My most expensive winter coat is a BCBGMAXAZRIA fully-lined, mostly wool $199 deal bought through eBay. The zippers are a little breezy, but super cool.

So far I’m dealing with the Canadian chill, but I’d love to know what you guys think:

YES to the $900 parka, or NO not down with the bird-brained deal?

Comment away!

Love,
Kerry

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