The Canada Goose rain jacket is the first rain jacket I’ve owned that feels cool to wear… as in stylish cool.
I live in rainy North Vancouver, British Columbia. It rains a lot. Rain gear is a requirement if you hope to go outside ever.
That means I have no shortage of raincoats and jackets. I have an Arc’teryx rain coat, North Face and now a Canada Goose raincoat (I bought the Nanaimo raincoat).
What’s my favorite raincoat that I own?
=> Buy this or other Canada Goose jackets here!
It’s the Goose. It’s awesome.
I’ll get straight to the point. I recently loaded up on Canada Goose apparel to outfit me for Fall and Winter. Unless I want to cover it on this site, my go-to outerwear is Canada Goose. A few years ago my wife bought me my first Canada Goose jacket – a Base Down jacket and it’s the best jacket I’ve ever had. I still have it. It’s my go-to cold-weather everyday coat. This year I added to my Canada Goose wardrobe with the raincoat, vest, two hoodies, beanie hat, gloves, mitts (for skiing), and the Brockton Parka.
Bring on the wet and cold. I’m ready.
Of all the purchases, I’m most excited about the rain jacket just because it’s something I’ll wear a lot. I’ve already worn it. It didn’t take long after getting it that we had rain.
My favorite features?
There’s a lot to like about this jacket. Here are the biggies.
I stay dry without sweating to death
This thing repels water perfectly. Check it out… I poured water on it.
Most top rain jacket brands do this pretty well. The rain guard technology is very good and that’s no exception with the Canada Goose jacket. It keeps me dry without me sweating to death. In other words, it breathes well enough.
Fits perfectly
I own an Arc’teryx and North Face rain jackets. They’re both great but the fit isn’t quite perfect. The Arc’teryx is a tad short. If I went a size up, it would be too bulky. The North Face is too big (admittedly I bought an XL which is too big… but I don’t regret it because I can wear my down jacket underneath which comes in handy now and then).
The Canada Goose rain jacket fits like a well-fitted glove. It’s long but not too long. The arms are perfect and the cuff adjusts so I can have sealed tight or loose. The hood doesn’t clamp down on my head but isn’t some big garbage bag on my head either blocking my peripheral view. The torso is roomy enough to wear a fleece, sweater or shirt but I don’t have the bulky look.
The extras
Reflector stripes: I go for evening walks in the dark when it rains. The reflector stripes on the back, the hood and cuffs are a nice touch… could just save my life.
Shaped cuff: The cuff is cut in for improved wrist movement. It actually makes a difference. A very nice touch.
Pockets: Most coats offer decent pocket options and this coat is no exception. There’s one outer chest pocket and two very large side pockets… big enough for gloves, cell phone, keys, etc. The side pockets seal up with a zipper. The chest pocket closes with velcro. The chest pocket is large enough for a wallet or cell phone (I have a large iPhone 12).
Great zipper: One thing I like about Canada Goose wear is the zippers they use. They are smooth and solid. The teeth are a bit bigger than other zippers so they’re easier to use. They feel more solid and are very easy to zip up and down.
Adjustable hood: There’s an adjustment option for the hood to cinch it so that it’s a more snug fit to open up peripheral sight. It adjusts with one cinch drawcord. I like it’s just one drawcord instead of multiple (which other rain jackets have… it’s a bit of a balancing act with multiple cords to get the right fit).
Chin-high protection: It zips and button snaps fairly high up just above the bottom of my chin to keep rain and wind out.
Hood viser: There’s a viser that extends off the front of the hood for further protection from rain (keeping it from falling on your face and in my case, my glasses).
The tech in the coat
I always chuckle when I read all the fancy terms brands claim about their apparel. It’s meaningless to me. For example, Canada Goose says the Nanaimo raincoat has “our breathable Tri-Durance fabric for comfortable protection against downpours and strong winds.” I get that it’s designed to protect from wet and wind while not sweating to death but the “Tri-Durance fabric” means nothing to me. But there you have it… this coat has “Tri-Durance” fabric.
Fortunately, the Canada Goose website is somewhat helpful and explains “Tri-Durance” which is a fancy way of saying it’s a 3-layer fabric all of which works together to keep you dry, protected from wind and offer breathability. There’s some stretch in the fabric for added range of motion (and this is true because this coat has more give than my other rain jackets… big time).
Sealed seams: The jacket’s construction includes sealed seams to help keep the water out. I don’t think this is anything special … pretty standard feature for today’s rainwear.
=> Buy this or other Canada Goose jackets here!
Sizing Canada Goose jackets
It’s always hard buying the right size online. I opted for a large and it’s perfect. However, other customers suggest to buy a size down because they found the sleeves too long. That actually works to my advantage because I have long arms and often the arms are too short on me. I’m 6′ 3″ tall and weigh 220 lbs. The large is a perfect fit. I stick to large for Canada Goose wear… for the most part it’s good. It’s a tad small for my HyBridge Knit Hoody but that’s okay. It’ll do (I’m tempted to try an XL).
Canada Goose has an online sizing guide available on its website (I’d link to it but there’s no URL for it… it slides into view when you click it while looking at individual garments).
FAQ
Does it really rain a lot in Vancouver, BC?
Yes, it does. The plus side is our forests are epic… they’re rain forests. Check it out:
Does the hood tuck away in a pocket?
Sadly, no it doesn’t. It would be nice if it did because I reserve wearing a hood when it’s really pouring.
What temperatures is this coat designed for?
Canada Goose gives it a temperature rating of -5° to +5°C (23° to 41° F) to I wear it if it’s warmer out… up to 12° or even 15° if it’s raining. I just wear a t-shirt underneath so that I don’t get too hot while staying dry. Any warmth you want is dictated by what you wear underneath. If you pile on some layers, you could wear this in very cold weather.
Is the Nanaimo Rain Jacket part of Canada Goose’s Black Label line?
No, it’s not. However, there are Black Label rain jacket options.
Is this jacket a poncho?
No, it’s not. Canada Goose does sell ponchos though.
Does this jacket have any fur such as a fur trim?
Nope. No fur. No Down either. It’s more of a shell-style rain jacket.
Could the Canada Goose rain jacket serve as a winter jacket?
If you layer up underneath, it could. I actually bought a huge North Face raincoat for this purpose. I bought the Canada Goose raincoat to be more fitted so while I could wear a hoodie (see my Canada Goose Hoodie review article here) or sweater underneath, it won’t accommodate a puffer coat or similar.
Why did I go with the Nanaimo rain jacket over the other rain jacket lines by Canada Goose?
I didn’t want something really long which ruled out a good number of them. I also wanted a hood with a regular fit. I also didn’t want a print design or poncho… after all that I was left with the Nanaimo option.
