The affectionately nicknamed “Big Red” is a Canada Goose parka made exclusively for the official United States Antarctic Program (USAP), to be issued to all scientists and staff serving at the two largest American research stations in Antarctica, McMurdo Base and South Pole Station. These Canada Goose down parkas are a variation of the popular Canada Goose 4660M “Expedition Parka”, which is the closest civilian-available equivalent to this jacket and sells new for $1,950.00 USD. The exclusive USAP version was made solely for the official United States Antarctic Program and has been worn by generations of Antarctic researchers. Prior to Antarctic Surplus, there was no way for civilians to obtain the original Antarctic model.
Where Did The Parkas On Antarctic Surplus Come From?
The parkas available on this website have been sourced directly from the Antarctic Program’s New Zealand clothing warehouse and an Emergency Cold Weather Gear cache at the South Pole. Every year over 1,000 members of the Antarctic Program wear their Big Red throughout Antarctica, from the coastline to the frozen plateau of the South Pole.
These parkas have seen years of service on-continent before being sold as surplus by the Antarctic Program. That’s where Antarctic Surplus comes in. After purchasing the Big Reds directly from the USAP, we refurbish them, condition them, and make them available for sale. Each one is a unique piece of Antarctic history with its own story to tell.
The History of Canada Goose in the US Antarctic Program
In the 1980s, Metro Sportswear (later Canada Goose) developed a custom parka to meet the unique needs of the scientists braving the extreme conditions at Antarctica’s McMurdo Station and South Pole Station. The new ‘Expedition Parka’ quickly became standard issue for the USAP, earning itself the nickname ‘Big Red’ for its size and bright coloring.
Propelled by their success, Canada Goose has become a major luxury winterwear brand known for producing the highest-quality parkas in the world. In fact, their success is so tied to these parkas that their signature “Canada Goose Arctic Program” patch is copied from the official “United States Antarctic Program” patches featured on Big Red.
What Can I Expect From Antarctic Surplus Big Reds?
These parkas have experienced some of the harshest conditions in the world and will have varying signs of wear depending on how many seasons they were worn, what Antarctic bases they served at, and who wore them. We’ve had them professionally refurbished, fixing all major defects and ensuring that each parka is 100% wearable and functional.
You will receive a randomly-selected parka of the size and condition you choose.
Condition Grading
We have graded the parkas as Fair, Good, and Very Good depending on the overall wear and fading of the parka, and have priced them accordingly. Parkas which have unusual features, or which do not naturally fall into one of our condition categories may be listed separately.
The grades are described as follows:
- Fair – The parka will show obvious wear from service in Antarctica. Scuffs, staining, color fading, or small rips may be present. There may be evidence of field repairs done by the Antarctic Program as well as one or more visible patches from our tailor. All major flaws have been fixed.
- Good – The parka is in reasonably good condition, without major tears or damage. It may show general signs of wear, fading, staining, visible (but not excessive) patches, repairs or other imperfections.
- Very Good – The parka is in excellent condition, with minimal fading and may show minor signs of wear. There will be no major staining or obvious signs of repair.
Individual Parkas Will Vary
Each one of these parkas is a unique piece of Antarctic history. You will receive a randomly-selected parka of the size and condition you choose. Because each parka is unique, some details may vary.
Snow Goose VS Canada Goose
As mentioned above, the original brand name for Canada Goose was ‘Snow Goose’. As the brand switch did not occur until the year 2000, all parkas from the 80s or 90s will be branded as Snow Goose.
Logo
After changing the brand name to Canada Goose, the logo went through a transformation period, with several different logos being used in a relatively short period of time. It was well into the 2000s before the modern-day Canada Goose logo began to appear.
Hood Ruff Appearance
The hood of each parka will feature a faux-fur ruff of either brown of white material. Hood ruffs made of genuine coyote fur used to be quite common on the Snow Goose parkas, and still appear, in very rare cases, on older parkas.
Year of Service / Serial Number
Each Big Red is marked on one pocket cover by a unique serial number that was assigned by the Arctic program. This serial number includes the date the parkas entered entered into service with the USAP.
Can I Choose My Parka?
We’re happy to help pair you with an individual parka! Just reach out to us through the contact form prior to making your purchase. Please make sure to include the size and condition you’re looking for as part of your message, in addition to any other specifications you may have. We’ll work with you to select a parka that you’re excited to purchase.
Parka Features
The iconic “Big Red” parka is built for extreme cold and trusted by those working in the harshest environments on Earth. It features a windproof outer shell and multi-layered down insulation for superior warmth. The adjustable hood includes a shaping wire and a fur ruff—either synthetic or genuine coyote—for added protection against wind and blowing snow.
Designed with practicality in mind, the parka includes a fleece-lined chin guard, interior waist drawcord, recessed cuffs, and a Velcro flap that covers the front zipper. A snow skirt provides extra defense against the elements, while a silver reflector patch in the middle of the back adds visibility in low light.
An official USAP patch is displayed on the left-breast pocket, along with Velcro for a name patch. Each Big Red will have it’s USAP assigned serial number written in black marker on the inside of the lower left-hand pocket flap.
- Windproof outer shell
- Multi-layered down insulation
- Adjustable hood with fur ruff (synthetic or coyote) & shaping wire
- Fleece-lined chin guard
- Interior waist drawcord
- Recessed cuffs
- Velcro flap to cover zipper
- Silver reflector patch
- Snow skirt for added protection
- Velcro for name patch
- Official USAP chest patch
- 4 exterior pockets with velcro flap & zippered side entry
- 2 interior pockets (1 drop-in, 1 zippered)
- 2 utility pockets on sleeves
Please note that while the Big Red is very similar to the Canada Goose 4660M “Expedition Parka”, they are not identical.
Sizing & Shipping
The parkas are sized 2XS – 4XL, and tend to run large due to the multiple layers worn underneath by Antarctic researchers in temperatures down to -100F. You can determine your parka size with Canada Goose’s sizing tool, which can be found here. You can generally wear a size down (which will be more form-fitting) or a size up (which will be looser with more room for layering, as done at the South Pole.
Shipping is available to the USA, Canada, Europe, and Oceania. We will ship to other countries on request. Buyers are responsible for any import taxes and fees.
Availability & Returns
Our stock is very limited, and is available first-come, first-served. Size availability may vary by condition, and once a size is sold out, it’s gone. You will receive a randomly selected parka of the size and condition class you choose.
Due to the nature of our inventory, we do not accept returns or exchanges by default. However, if there’s an issue with your order, please don’t hesitate to reach out – we’re happy to review concerns on a case-by-case basis and will do our best to make things right.
Are You a Current or Former USAP Participant?
Current or former USAP program members will be provided with a coupon for $100 off the purchase of a Big Red parka! If this applies to you, please reach out to us via our contact form with proof.
Examples of proof:
- Communication via your USAP email address
- Image of your certificate
- Image of you in a Big Red parka with your name on the name tag