Nobis vs Canada Goose: which parka goes colder?

The shop shelf is another matter. At Due West on 18 October 2026, no Nobis piece went past its Level 4, which reaches minus 30°C, while 4 Canada Goose parkas carried the top TEI 5.

The two are closer than their logos suggest. Robin Yates helped found Nobis in 2007, after more than 10 years as a vice president at Canada Goose.

Quick facts

• Coldest rating: Nobis, minus 35°C and below, on the Condor and Phoenix Extreme parkas, CAD 1,995 each; Canada Goose, minus 30°C and below, on 12 pieces.
• The scales: Nobis lists its Condor at Polar NTR 5; Canada Goose's Thermal Experience Index runs from 1 to 5.
• Care: machine washable on 5 of the 10 Nobis pieces at Due West, by its descriptions; dry clean only on the Canada Goose Expedition.
• Warranty to a second owner: Canada Goose's passes on if the coat is traceable; Nobis's is non transferable.
• Founded: Canada Goose's maker in 1957; Nobis in 2007, by Robin Yates and Kevin Au Yeung.
• On within: 10 Nobis pieces and 74 Canada Goose pieces at Due West, read 18 October 2026.

Which parka goes colder?

Nobis, by its own scale. Its current Condor page calls the rating Polar (NTR 5), minus 35°C and below, when rechecked on 7 November 2026. Older shop listings can use different scale names.

Only two Nobis models sat at Level 5 on 18 October 2026, the men's Condor and the women's Phoenix. A third Level 5 listing was a used Phoenix, sold as NEXT by Nobis.

Canada Goose's Thermal Experience Index runs from TEI 1, 5°C to minus 5°C, to TEI 5, minus 30°C and below. Twelve of its 256 outerwear pieces carried TEI 5 that day, including the Expedition at CAD 1,995 and the Snow Mantra at CAD 2,195.

Each maker rates its own coats on its own scale, so the two ratings are not a like for like test. The Condor's printed promise is colder. Canada Goose simply has more coats at its top level.

What does the shelf say?

Due West carries both, and there only Canada Goose had a top rated coat. Its 4 Canada Goose parkas at TEI 5 ran CAD 995 to 1,795, from a men's Skreslet to a women's Expedition PBI. Its Nobis pieces topped out at Level 4, up to minus 30°C.

Four Nobis pieces there carried Level 4. The Merideth CH parka asked CAD 1,195 in black and CAD 995 in grey; the Una asked CAD 1,050, and the Supra bomber CAD 1,195. On nobis.com the same day, the Una was CAD 1,195 and the Supra CAD 1,295.

One maker promises colder; the other sells more coats that reach its top.

Which one is easier to live with?

Nobis, for the pieces that say so. Due West's descriptions of the Nobis Atlas, Merideth CH, Una and Pelican say machine washable, in cold water with the zip closed. Nobis's own Scout page calls the parka machine washable too.

Canada Goose's Expedition pages at Due West say dry clean only, with the fur ruff removed first. The same line is on the Langford.

On down, both name their source. Nobis says certified Canadian origin white duck down. Due West's Canada Goose pages say 625 fill power white duck down from North America.

What does the warranty cover?

Both cover outerwear for its lifetime, and the fine print differs. Nobis warrants its outerwear against defects for "the reasonable lifetime of the product".

It covers only pieces bought at regular price from its authorized retailers. Legacy, final sale and discounted pieces can be serviced with a charge, and the warranty is non transferable.

That matters when buying any piece marked Legacy, final sale or discounted. The current Condor page does not identify the coat as Legacy. Canada Goose's warranty, read 17 October 2026, extends to a later owner if the product is traceable.

Both makers also sell second hand. Nobis lists used coats as NEXT by Nobis, such as a Merideth parka at CAD 665 to 765.

Who should buy which

• Buy the Nobis Condor or Phoenix if you want the coldest printed rating of the two, at CAD 1,995, knowing both are Legacy for the warranty.
• Buy a Canada Goose TEI 5 parka if you want more choice at the top, or plan to sell the coat on someday.
• Buy a Nobis piece marked machine washable if you would rather wash at home than use a cleaner; check the label of the one you want.
• Buy from a listed retailer if the warranty matters to you, since Nobis covers only regular price pieces bought there.

The answer in one paragraph

Nobis prints the colder top rating, minus 35°C and below on its Condor and Phoenix, against minus 30°C and below for Canada Goose. Canada Goose had 12 listings at its top level, against 3 for Nobis, one of them used. Five of the 10 Nobis pieces at Due West are machine washable, but its warranty stays with the first buyer, while Canada Goose's can follow a traceable coat.

For more, read whether Canada Goose is worth it, Canada Goose sizing and Moose Knuckles or Canada Goose.

Common questions

Is Nobis better than Canada Goose?

Neither is better on every count. Nobis prints a colder top rating and machine washable care on several pieces; Canada Goose has more TEI 5 coats and a warranty that can pass to a later owner.

Is Nobis a Canadian company?

Yes. A 2016 release names it a Canadian outerwear brand, launched in 2007 by Kevin Au Yeung and Robin Yates. Its Condor page says the parka is designed in Canada.

Why is Nobis so expensive?

Its Condor and Phoenix cost what Canada Goose's Expedition does, CAD 1,995. Nobis points to certified Canadian origin down, seam sealed shells and its own membranes. See the Nobis page for what Due West asks.

Who owns Nobis?

A 2016 release placed it under InnoVision Holdings Corporation, with Kevin Au Yeung as its president. We found no newer ownership record.

Shelf counts and ranges below refer to their stated check dates. Linked product prices were rechecked on 7 November 2026; available sizes can change before checkout.

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