The most "wish-I-had-one-of-those" parkas and severe winter topcoats I have ever seen are designed and made in Canada by Canada Goose Inc.
Canada Goose built its name on the Canada Goose Men's Expedition Parka, the preferred extreme weather garment of many countries' Arctic and Antarctic scientists for decades.
Canada Goose for many years also has made a range of extreme weather protective clothing for urban and sporting wear. The example I chose to buy from Amazon.com, the Citadel Parka, is based on all the lessons learnt through evolution of the original Expedition Parka. I have worn a Citadel parka and found it an ideal garment for urban outer wear in north China and Spain "cold snap" sub-zero conditions over the 2011-2012 northern hemisphere winter. The Citadel is basically a slimmer-fitting, longer version of the Expedition Parka in a different range of colors. As it is a slimmer cut than the Expedition Parka, anyone with a very heavy build, or a need to wear more layers of clothing underneath for very severe conditions, should consider a larger size than they might usually wear, or one of the other roomier Canada Goose parka designs.
What makes this $695 item value-for-money, and superior to Chinese-made parkas (of which I have a rack full) which may seem warm enough and much cheaper? Some excellent top brand-name parkas are made in China with export quality control. Even some of the no-name Chinese parkas are well-made and reasonable value for money at lower prices. Every aspect of genuine Canada Goose design, materials, and construction is just of outstanding higher quality compared to anything comparable I have seen from China, or anywhere else.
The parkas definitely to be avoided are the counterfeit Canada Goose products widely sold on the Internet through authentic-looking fake CG websites with plausible URLs. The "Canada Goose" parkas I have seen recently in China outlets like the well-known Silk Alley and Yashow clothing markets in Beijing are festooned with facsimiles of the Canada Goose Arctic Program label and Canadian Downmark, but are obvious fakes made of lesser quality materials and construction.
Reputable outlets like Amazon.com and its linked resellers who are authorised agents of Canada Goose do not sell counterfeits. Be very, very careful when buying a widely-counterfeited brand like Canada Goose to ensure that you are dealing only through a reliable source like Amazon.com.
Quality of the genuine Citadel parka is uncompromising and detailed. I have uploaded some photos to better show some of those details which are not as clearly shown in the official product images.
A most important component of any down jacket is, of course, the quality of the down fill. Cheap down jackets are easy to detect by feeling the fill through the garment shell: if feather quills can be felt or are seen poking through the shell, the jacket is poor quality and will not be a genuine Canada Goose item. The poorest quality jackets by other makers are filled with unsterilised chicken feathers, and trimmed with pussycat fur.
Although the product description on the official Canada Goose website and here on Amazon.com refers to 625 fill power white duck down in the Citadel Parka, mine is labelled as filled with goose down. It appears from information on the official website that the manufacturer uses either high quality duck or goose down sourced only from one well-known Canadian supplier. Which is best duck or goose down? I don't know. I'm prepared to trust the judgment of an expert manufacturer like Canada Goose that they choose the best material for purpose. The possible inference that duck is inferior to goose down contrasts with the fact that Eider duck species are the most famous source of high quality down eiderdown.
The quality features of the Citadel Parka that I consider outstanding include:
* Fluffy high loft quality-assured down filling, with no quills that can be felt, providing high warmth with light weight;
* Highly functional overall design and sturdy construction with durable water-resistant polyester/cotton shell, including reinforcing on the high-wear area of the sleeve edge;
* Lots of useful and well-placed pockets (two large Velcro-closure outer chest pockets doubled with zippered side pockets; two large front Velcro-closure bellows pockets each doubled with zippered fleece-lined side pockets; left sleeve pen pocket; a small zippered inner left pocket; and a large open-top lower left inner pocket);
* Hood design providing excellent head, neck and face protection. The hood is amply sized to cover a wide range of headwear, caps or beanies. I usually wear it with the Canada Goose Classique Beaver Fur Hat, a visored cap which offers warmth and eye shade. A built-in bracing wire and drawstring allow extensive adjustment to wearer preferences. The genuine coyote-fur ruff (detachable if desired from the non-detachable hood) will not freeze and helps to trap a layer of warmer air near the face in extreme conditions.
My XL size Citadel Parka weighs in at 1.874kg (4.13 pounds). To put that in perspective with other good quality cold weather garments, I have a solid sheepskin jacket weighing 2.3kg (just over 5 pounds); a cashmere/wool blend overcoat that weighs in at 1.98kg (4.37 pounds); and an old Blacks of Greenock eider down duvet jacket with no pockets that weighs only 835g (1.84 pounds). As good as these other garments are for their designed purpose, the Citadel beats them all for extreme cold protection and wearer friendliness.
The Canada Goose Citadel Parka is part of this manufacturer's gold standard of hypothermia protection in extreme cold weather. Nothing is better for purpose except, perhaps, a trip to the South Pacific ;-) Anyone who wants to know more about the company will find a lot of information through online searches. But take care: there are many fake websites fraudulently using Canada Goose's name. Only is the official site, and they do *not* sell online: this is the manufacturer's informational website for branding purposes and support of retailers like Amazon. Canada Goose's hometown newspaper, the Toronto Globe and Mail, on 25 February 2010 published an interesting business feature article by Grant Robertson about the company's recent marketing and branding which can be found on theglobeandmail.com under the heading, 'Year Of The Goose'.
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This parka is great. So warm and extremely well made. The attention to detail is incredible. No loose threads. The wire support in the hood is nice. Pockets everywhere. They also use the small loop velcro for pocket and zipper closure.Regarding the size, the jacket runs maybe a bit on the large size. The Canada Goose site states that an XL will fit up to 46" chest size. I am 6'2", 220lbs and have a 46" chest size. I got an XL size parka and I have room to spare...maybe a fist size of room in chest.
Also, this parka is warm and cozy. It is like walking around with a down comforter wrapped around you. Should be great for the winters up here in Northern Illinois, even though this is the warmest winter we have had in years....
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This is a beautiful coat. The quality reminds me of the Canadian, American, and European items that were so common 30 and 40 years ago, but, are sadly missing now in our quest for cheap crap. The craftsmanship in this coat is impeccable and the design is very practical. This garment is warm and comfortable and should last a lifetime. The coat is made in Canada and utilizes down filling from Canada as well. Yes, it is expensive, but it's worth every penny.Honest reviews on Canada Goose Men's Citadel Parka
The canada goose citadel parka was not my first choice of jacket to purchase; it was the aesthetically similar expedition parka. After trying each on, my impression was that the citadel sized XL felt most comfortable: tight & secure in some places, loose in all the right others; the fit was perfect. It goes without saying you must do research on the net prior purchasing an $865 (including nyc tax) jacket but the final step in the decision process, I wholeheartedly advise should be, is to TRY IT ON! From the overall majority of the reviews I read concerning fit, I believed the sizes ran large compared to other brands. This turned out to be completely untrue thus I again recommend you try it on prior to purchase. PS I'm 6', 185 lbs with broad shoulders that normally wears slightly baggy (aka not tight) "street" clothing and slimmer fit suites & biz button downs for work. Of course your exact fit will be subjective (or actually the options are limited; not tailored made) but for me the citadel was just right. I chose the citadel over my original first choice because the expedition parka was 1 a little too baggy in XL and too tight in L, 2 cut is different so it draped over my body as opposed to follow the natural curves, and 3 due to the few extra inches in length the citadel offers.I also read many reviews advising, and almost scaring, potential customers to only buy these sub -30 degree rated jackets if you're a scientist working in the antarctic or the like. On the contrary, I purchased it for NYC winters during which the temperature on our coldest nights hovers around 25 degree F, no where near the -30 ratings. Today it was around 35 degrees and I felt absolutely comfortable in my citadel parka. My preference is to wear it with a t-shirt or something 1 or 2 layers at the max, but even with a sweater or hoodie, the body temp stays just right.
Primary benefits & words of advice to consider:
-incredible quality (will last 5+ years easily, based on comparison to other jackets I own that have lasted over 5 years)
-incredible fit (must TRY ON before ordering)
-try on the citadel parka AND the expedition parka (both aesthetically very similar but fit is different)
-buy from reputable merchant
-consider the price of the jacket and value of the purchase in terms of enjoyment, comfort & warmth for many years to come
-is as restrictive to movement as any other average winter jacket; still very easy to move around in and bend all joints freely without feeling cramped
-jacket's weight is exactly as I expect a parka to be; not too light & flimsy, not too heavy like wearing a coat made our of bear fur
-the hood is large, warm and comfortable; when not windy, I prefer to remove the coyote fur simply to not have fur in my face
-i've read it's not waterproof but so far seems as waterproof (or at least as water resistant) as I would want any winter jacket to be; haven't gotten wet on the inside and the down does not get wet, heavy & stinky (like some other also expensive down jackets)
-my jacket filled with white duck down (other reviewer mentioned his label stated goose down; don't think there is a noticeable or measurable difference)
-just pull the trigger and buy it!! you won't regret it!!
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Canada Goose Men's Citadel Parka
I just got this from Amazon. As usual the purchase and delivery were seamless. The coat itself is a slim version of Canada Goose's Expedition parka. I consider this design to be very stylish and hip. Especially in the red color that I got. I also have their Langford parka which I've worn for a while and will compare to this one. The Langford is also part of their slim, insulated line so the fit is identical. In the slim line I'm wearing a large when in most other manufacturer's garments I would wear a medium. In those I've only gotten a large if I wanted to be able to layer a fleece or light down vest underneath. With the Canada Goose slim garments a medium would have been too snug. The large is perfect while still having some room to put another layer underneath if desired.I purchased the Langford at a local retailer where I was able to try on a medium as well as an Expedition parka. The Expedition which is classified as relaxed, insulated in size is huge compared to these. If I were to purchase one of them I probably would get a small, maybe a medium if I planned to layer a lot underneath, maybe an extra small if I wanted to just wear the least under it. I believe these are sized that way with the intention of a lot of layers. The Expedition would be extreme overkill in my area, Maryland. Unless you live in the western mountains and maybe even there as well. The Citadel and Langford are reasonable to wear in a 30-40 degree (F) range in urban areas where I live. They also have coats in a regular, insulated fit. My impression with those is that they would be similar in size to what you might wear from other manufacturers, while still being able to put a layer on underneath.
The quality and construction are just what you would expect from a garment costing this much although I did have to rationalize these purchases since I already have fine coats and parkas from Marmot, Mountain Hardware and others which cost much less. I'm glad to be able to purchase a garment made in North America and would have loved to purchase one made in the U.S. There are some but none that appealed to me as much as these do. One of the qualities/features in these coats that I highly value are the double lined hand warmer pockets. It really irks me to see hand warmer pockets from some manufacturers that are only lined on the outer layer of the pocket. I have several of these and some from the same manufacturer have pockets that are double lined and some that are only single lined. No rhyme or reason that I can think of. How much can it actually cost to add another piece of microfleece to a pocket that's supposed to be a hand "warmer". One of the things that I dearly love about my Mountain Hardware Downtown parka is that not only are the pockets double lined, they are double insulated with down on both the inner and outer sides of the pockets. It's like sliding your hands into mittens. The Citadel parka actually has two sets of double lined hand warmers, upper and lower. These are double pockets with outer ones that can store items. On the Langford there are only the upper hand warmers which are angled at a slant and are quite deep putting your hands at a very comfortable angle.
Some differences between the Langford and Citadel that I found notable the Citadel hood has wire bracing that can be shaped to your needs. Both have removable fur edges. However the Citadel does not have an adjustable tab that would allow you to limit the distance the hood can come over your head, the Langford does have this. My impression with the Citadel hood is that I probably won't be using it much unless it is extremely windy and cold. With that fur edging it definitely would interfere with your vision. However the hood, while down, does provide a warm surface for the back of your neck. The other notable difference is that when zipped all the way up the Langford parka collar actually comes up to my nose, completely covering my chin and mouth even with the hood down. With it that way I have no need of a scarf or gaiter underneath to keep my neck and chin protected. The Citadel when zipped all the way just comes to the bottom of my chin. It does have an additional strip of fleece at the top but I believe I will still need an additional layer around my neck and chin when it's cold and windy. But this is still going to be a very warm, very good looking, very high quality and long lasting garment. As others have said only deal with Amazon or other authorized retailers. My local, authorized, retailer did not carry the Citadel parka so I came to Amazon which I deal with for so many items of all kinds.
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