No Canada Goose required, but if you can afford it, I guess it’ll let you flash it.
As someone who actively goes downtown to the loop for research, while you can see a Canada Goose often, most people are NOT wearing a Canada Goose (however that may be because there are fewer College Students).
A Northface or Nordstrom parka will be plenty warm. And plus, you don’t want to be going off too far from UChicago’s Hyde Park grounds because that flashy emblem might become a target (anecdote from my mentor whose friend was mugged right outside campus).
I personally wear a Vince Camuto parka my aunt bought for me for around $120 (still expensive, but SUPER warm).
Remember, Chicago is windy - get the long parkas because the wind will creep up if the parka is too short and cuts at your waist.
@kdm1582. While certainly not a must have, some things in life are worth spending a little more for- especially if someone else is spending it on us.
A CG is very common place in and around Boston, which is where I discovered the brand. I received a CG (Langford) as my lone Christmas gift and just returned from Northern Europe where it was very cold and I can tell you it lived up to the hype and did a great job of keeping me warm in some very cold weather. I give it 2 thumbs up. So, go ahead and treat yourself.
We live in a relatively northern climate. The only person that I know who had a Canada Goose jacket had it stolen. The replaced it with a similar jacket but of a brand that cost less and will attract less attention.
We have jackets from multiple different sources (Eddie Bauer, Lands End, LL Bean, Duluth, …). I never thought much about the brand names of jackets.
At my D’s college, CG is very controversial because it showcases inequality and elitism. My recommendation is to either find out the specifics for your kid’s college, or get a less high profile coat.
One thing I would think about is whether having such an expensive coat creates worry. There will likely be places where you will leave your coat in an accessible, unattended place. Maybe it’s at a party, at a bar, or maybe it’s outside the dining hall. In some environments, you could do this without a worry. At other places, theft is a concern. (I recall a notice in one of the campus newspapers we picked up that was a plea for the return of a winter parka.) If it would cause you heartache to have to replace such an expensive coat, or if you would feel compelled to keep an eye on it, maybe something less dear (and less attractive) makes more sense.
We have one kid who has a CG coat who swears by it for warmth (first and foremost) and style . I’ve looked at it and it appears very well made which did not surprise me as this kid sees every purchase as an investment-buy.
We recently took a ski vacation in Canada (verrrry cold btw) and I saw CG everywhere. Interestingly, it was not just the vacationers that were wearing CG, the hotel staff that worked outdoors all sported CG with the name of the hotel embroidered on.
I agree with @privatebanker who wrote “It just seems like people are looking for ways to be angry and judgmental with each other.” Even if CG was to disappear tomorrow something else would take its place as a reason to judge others.
I do think CG are warmer than other brands if you take style into account a bit as well. I know people who wear long brown eddie bauer down coats - just not for me. So I understand the choice. I have a friend who is always cold and she has a CG jacket and for her, it’s the only thing that’s ever kept her warm.
For me personally, I just won’t spend that much on a coat cause I don’t get cold enough to need it. If I am going to be outside for long periods of time I layer and it works but that doesn’t work if you are going in and out frequently and just want super warm outside and no extra layers inside.
The good thing is there are plenty of jackets as warm or warmer than CG one can buy that don’t cost as much. With CG, folks are paying for the label which they are entitled to do so with their own money. Just can’t claim that they NEED to do so for a really warm coat.
One other option to consider is the Columbia line of jackets with the omniheat feature, which reflects heat back at you so it doesn’t require as much bulk as other jackets for similar warmth.
I have had both the columbia omni heat jacket (western MA) and a shorter patagonia puffy jacket without down (Chicago IL) and I love the patagonia. I am never too cold even in chicago!
