We are back at it again with a Canada Goose comparison and today we will see how The North Face measures up to it.
These are two of our most reviewed and compared brands, and on our site you can find a number of other comparisons of Canada Goose and The North Face to other brands.
We picked these two because they are two of the most renowned outdoor brands in North America and have quite a reputation for the high quality of their products.
Even though Canada Goose makes exclusively winter wear, namely down jackets, whereas The North Face has a wider product range, including not solely heavy winter wear but also technical pieces for different sports, there is common ground between the two as we will see in this comparison.
With that being said, let’s get started!
Contents:
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1. The North Face
A short history of the brand
The North Face is an American-based outdoor brand that was established in 1966, and originally made equipment for climbers and backpackers.
They had an urgent need at the time for high quality and functional climbing and hiking gear and The North Face was there to provide them with such products.
Don’t miss: 10 Outdoor Brands like “The North Face” That You’ll Love
It didn’t take long for the brand to grow and become popular among outdoors’ lovers that spent most of their days out in nature.
Over the years The North Face has maintained its reputation and their products perform impressively, but with the recent trends of stylish and modern outdoor wear, they have moved on to design more eye-catching pieces as opposed to their original technical wear.
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Materials and Manufacture
With the climate change problems and the ever rising concern with environmental damage, many renowned brands in the outdoor clothing market have made great strides at reducing their impact on the nature by opting for recycled materials and the use of less chemicals in their products.
The North Face do that very same thing, where most of their polyester is sourced from recycling, whereas the organic materials, like down and cotton, are responsibly sourced through sustainable means.
The use of PFC-free DWR treatments is another step towards lowering the environmental impact as it does not cause the damage that PFC do due to being hard to break down in nature and leaking harsh and harmful chemicals.
In regards to the manufacturing process, The North Face products are some of the most well-made on the market and they also come with lifetime guarantee by the brand that covers common problems that could potentially arise when you are out and about.
Apart from the raw materials mentioned above, the brand has also developed its own fabric technologies that we have previously reviewed and compared to Gore-Tex.
DryVent, previously known as HyVent, is one of the highest performing fabric technologies that provides wind and water protection, as well as high breathability.
WindWall is the windproof fabric created by The North Face, which is great for bikers and cyclists as it serves as a shield against the wind.
FlashDry, a quick-drying and breathable fabric is another of the technologies developed by the brand.
Lastly, aside from fabrics, The North Face has also developed a special synthetic insulation that performs similarly to down.
ThermoBall is the brand’s collaboration with PrimaLoft, which has resulted in a down-mimicking insulation that is made in clusters, capable of trapping great amounts of heat and without the downside of losing its insulating ability when wet.
Recently we wrote a piece on this very same topic, where we compared ThermoBall to Down and have previously also looked at how PrimaLoft measures against Down insulation.
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Popular designs
When it comes to brands like The North Face and Canada Goose it’s a bit of a hassle choosing just two products to look at, but we did our best to find similarly-performing designs in order to keep it fair and compare like to like.
The first design by The North Face is the Gotham III design for men, a jacket that we have previously compared to the Canada Goose Chilliwack Bomber jacket.
Gotham III is made of Nylon and lined with Polyester on the inside. It is made of DryVent (HyVent) shell that gives the jacket its waterproof and windproof qualities.
It is a down-insulated jacket, with 550 fill power goose down that provides great loft and warmth. It is a hooded design, with faux fur trim on the hood that is minimalist and provides protection for the face. There are five outer pockets on this jacket and it also has an elasticized hem.
Image: pinterest.com
The design for women is a long parka, the Arctic design, which is a down-insulated parka with a HyVent shell that not only gives it weatherproof qualities, but also makes it breathable.
It is a really warm design, with an attached hood that comes with faux fur trim for protecting the face against cold winds. It has a rounded hem and a full-length zipper that is covered by a storm flap.
This parka also comes with five pockets that are placed on the outside and inside for practical carrying.
Image: pinterest.com
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You might also like: 8 Best The North Face Winter Down Jackets
Price
The North Face overall provides both affordable and pricier options, but in general its more technical pieces and those made for colder weather can go upwards of $200, with some designs being more than twice that price.
Are these jackets worth the price?
All things considered, meaning the quality, performance and durability, the jackets made by The North Face are most definitely worth their price.
To learn more: Why are The North Face jackets So Expensive? Are they worth it?
2. Canada Goose
A short history of the brand
Founded in 1957 in Toronto, Canada, under its original brand name Metro Sportswear Ltd., Canada Goose has a rich history of public and celebrity support for their high quality jackets and parkas.
Don’t miss: 6 Brands like “Canada Goose”: Our Top Picks (with Jackets Suggestions)
It’s hard to not come across a Canada Goose jacket if you live in areas where winters are especially harsh and, while to some it might be bothersome or ridiculous considering that these jackets are very expensive, it’s not all because of brand name that people choose their jackets.
They are considered to be the warmest jackets there are and the Expedition parka has yet to find a worthy rival when it comes to its ability to insulate.
Although the brand’s product range has expanded quite a bit throughout the years, their main focus is still on the down jackets and rain vests.
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Materials and Manufacture
Polyester and Nylon are the two most used materials for the shell and lining of their jackets and they are also part of the brand’s fabric technologies, the Dura-Force and Feather-Light US, which are used in some of their other products.
The use of DWR treatments is essential when it comes to down jackets, as it minimizes the risk of down wetting out, which is a serious downside of this otherwise amazing insulator.
Speaking of down, Canada Goose source most of the down used in their jackets from mature geese and the rest is from ducks.
Regardless of which bird it is sourced from, their down is RDS-certified, ensuring that the birds were humanely treated and not raised for their down, were not live-plucked and are a byproduct of the meat industry.
Coyote fur trim is another staple of the brand’s designs and it can be found in many of their jackets and parkas. It is fluffy, high quality and provides excellent protection to the face.
However, with the ethical issues that animal-sourced materials bear, the brand has begun to introduce newer designs without these trims.
Canada Goose is also renowned for its meticulous manufacturing process, which consists of 13 steps, where every little detail is checked and made sure that what is launched to the market is nothing short of perfect.
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Related: Canada Goose Fake vs Real Jacket: How To Spot It?
Popular designs
Since we chose the Gotham III jacket for The North Face’s design, we will look at the Chilliwack bomber by Canada Goose, as they are quite similar in certain regards.
Chilliwack is made of 85% Polyester and 15% Cotton, lined with 100% Nylon on the inside. This jacket is insulated with 625 fill power duck down and, like Gotham III, is a smooth jacket, without the traditional quilting of padded jackets.
It comes with numerous outer and inner pockets and has an attached hood lined with Coyote fur trim, which is removable. This is a regular-length jacket, with elasticized sleeve cuffs and hem.
Image: pinterest.com
The women’s parka we have picked is the Kensington design, a long and elegant cut, made of 85% Polyester and 15% Cotton.
This is a duck down parka, with numerous pockets on the outside and inside for a practical wear. It has a split front hem and an attached hood that is lined with soft fleece on the inside and has a removable Coyote fur trim around.
Image: pinterest.com
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You might also like: The Best Canada Goose Parkas for a Warm Winter
Price
Canada Goose is one of the priciest brands you will find online, with very few ones that can outdo it in this regard. Their average design falls in between the $500-$1000 range and some options can go above that.
Are these jackets worth the price?
Many people have argued that the prices are not solely out of a regular person’s price range, but that they are also unreasonably high.
Why are these prices so high? We have previously discussed this very same question where we explored the reasons as to why this brand is so expensive.
Are these products worth their price? If you live in areas where a down jacket is a must and you’d rather invest in a product that will last for many years, then absolutely. They are really well-made jackets and some of the warmest you will come across.
3. Which Brand is Better?
In overall quality, they are both outstanding brands. However, in regards to longevity of products, Canada Goose is renowned for their jackets lasting for decades.
The price is also a determining factor to some as The North Face has much more affordable options and overall provides different types of jackets and products, so you will be able to find year-round designs within the product range.
Canada Goose is your best bet if you are looking for a jacket that will withstand really harsh winters, provided that these are dry winters.
The North Face would be the better choice if you want a warm parka or jacket that is also highly weather-resistant. Besides, with the ThermoBall jacket series, for those who live in areas where the winters come with heavy rainfall and snowfall, The North Face is the one to go with.
Therefore, it’s not a matter of which is better of the two in general, but which one is better for you and what you are looking for.
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