The Warmest Coat on Earth - The Snow Mantra

The Warmest Coat on Earth

A reader is soon to visit Nuuk in Greenland — Do we have any readers from Nuuk who can offer traveller tips? — the world's nothernmost capital (slightly above Reykjavík). He has asked for advice on a decent winter coat designed for optimal warmth. Assuming plenty of outdoor activity, I've discounted a mink-lined overcoat. After almost 60 years in production, the Snow Mantra parka by Canada Goose has to be a decent contender.

Canada Goose say that there is only one way to make a parka: 'carefully, painstakingly and with extreme attention to detail'. For the extreme weather conditions that their coats are intended for, it's no exaggeration to say that lives are at stake.

Like all Canada Goose coats, the Snow Mantra goes through thirteen production stages, and includes the all-important Made in Canada label that goes into each one — a significant USP in terms of heritage and provenance, and for customers wanting the 'real deal'. Canada Goose coats come with a lifetime warranty. Crucially, the company decided to keep manufacturing in Canada and focus on the quality of its products to stay competitive. The strategy has worked, with manufacturing facilities in Winnipeg and Scarborough busily producing the coats for which the company is famed.

Canada Goose was founded in 1957 by Sam Tick. A family member remains at the helm, but the company is now owned by Bain Capital, who are committed to keeping manufacturing in Canada and that crucial Made in Canada label.

The Snow Mantra was developed for work in the Canadian Arctic region. Its construction — 247 parts in all — has been tested out in the field at temperatures down to −70 °C.  The shell of the parka is made from Arctic Tech - a cotton blend with a water-repellent finish. The filling is made from goose down. The tunnel hood has a coyote fur ruff for warmth, with vertical and horizontal openings and a wire to keep it in place in high winds. The construction and materials used for the coat are finely honed for the conditions in which it will be worn.

If you're set to take off on a wintry adventure to Nuuk or above, this coat will make for a fine and indispensable accomplice. I think the polar bears will be impressed.