Parkas & Antarctic Gear Launch 10/17/19 At 6:00PM EST!
After a two plus year wait, we’re excited to release a whole new shipment of ex-United States Antarctic Program parkas, clothing and gear! We will be releasing the first wave of gear for sale on Thursday 10/17, at 6:00PM EST!
NOTE: Please bear with us as we roll out products – we will be adding more listings for the next few hours. If there are any issues with calculated shipping costs, please contact us!
In addition to a limited number of the famous Canada Goose “Big Red” down parkas, we will also be releasing additional surplus and used Antarctic field gear shipped back from the coldest continent. Here’s a preview of some of the gear we’ll have available:
NEW USAP Logo Blue Windbreakers – Purchased by the USAP for use at Palmer Station in Antarctica, but they were manufactured with too few stars on the American flag on the shoulder. Still brand new with tags!
Extreme Cold Weather Boots – These standard-issue USAP boots include models such as Baffin Boots, compound ASIC boots, and military-issue white rubber “Bunny Boots”. Designed to keep you warm in temperatures down to -100F!
Carhartts Cold Weather Workwear – Ultra-insulated Carhartt overalls and jackets are a favorite among outdoor Antarctic workers
Ski Goggles – Smith brand. Required to prevent snow blindness in Antarctica, but just as useful for snow sports anywhere!
Long Johns – Military-issue thermal long johns used to be issued by the USAP to scientists and contractors (now you have to bring your own). Several boxes of new old stock were found buried in the snow at the South Pole, and now you too can have one!
Polar Wool Socks – Ultra-warm gray wool socks, perfect for Antarctic ski treks (or just cold winter days)
Antarctica Souvenirs – Retired stock from various USAP station commissary stores, including commemorative patches, (outdated) Antarctic calendars, keychains, Antarctic photography, and more
AND MUCH MORE!
This is just a highlights list! Keep an eye on AntarcticSurplus.com, follow us on Facebook, and be sure to join our mailing list and you’ll be the first to know as new gear becomes available.
Some of the additional products we’ll have ready within the next few weeks include:
Olive Drab Military ECW Parkas – Found in storage on an Antarctic base, these vintage parkas were worn by US Navy personnel who were a part of the Naval Antarctic Support Unit (NASU) prior to the beginning of the Air Force’s Operation Deep Freeze in the 1990s.
Polar Tents – Used by deep field research parties to camp in some of the remotest areas on earth!
USAP Duffel Bags – Retired orange duffels used by USAP members to carry their issued Big Red, Carhartts, and other gear to their stations in Antarctica
Miscellaneous ECW – Hats, ski masks, gaiters, sweatshirts, red windbreakers, and more dug out from long-term storage in Antarctica
Everything is first-come-first-served, and we have very limited quantities. For many of these items, especially the vintage clothing, these may well be the very last pieces in existence!
THE PRESALE AUCTION HAS BEEN COMPLETED! We received over 170 bids, and are blown away by the demand for these parkas! Winners will be contacted shortly. Everyone else, please watch your email for announcements about the public sale launch!
After over two years of waiting, AntarcticSurplus is excited to announce that we have secured another batch of genuine surplus United States Antarctic Program “Big Red” Canada Goose Parkas!
We have an extremely limited supply of parkas available, and expect that demand will significantly outweigh supply for these extremely rare parkas. We are offering subscribers the first chance to guarantee a parka by submitting an exclusive sealed bid offer for one of our first 15 parkas.
We received over 170 bids, and are blown away by the demand for these parkas! Winners will be contacted shortly. Everyone else, please watch your email for announcements about the public sale launch!
We received over 170 bids, and are blown away by the demand for these parkas! Winners will be contacted shortly. Everyone else, please watch your email for announcements about the public sale launch!
We will be using a style of sealed-bid auction called a Vickrey auction. Each bidder will make his or her best bid for a parka of his choice. Five parkas of each condition (Fair, Good, and Very Good) are available for sale in this pre-auction.
Rather than the top five bidders for each condition receiving the parkas for their bid, the top five bidders for each parka condition will be able to purchase a parka at the fifth highest bidder’s price. This bidding style encourages bidders to bid the amount that the parka is actually worth to them, and ensures that all winners are happy with the final price – most winners will pay even less than they bid!
Bids will be accepted until Monday, 10/14/19 at 11:59PM EST
Specify your preferred parka size and condition (FAIR, GOOD, or VERY GOOD), and your sealed bid for the specified parka
Only ONE bid per parka condition is allowed. Only submit bids for multiple conditions if you want multiple parkas.
Bids are accepted solely via completing the Google Form
If we receive fewer than five bids for a category of parka, we may, at our sole discretion, contact bidders to offer a parka at their bid
Losing bidders and other members of the mailing list will be able to purchase parkas at retail price in a first-come-first-serve basis when inventory is made available to the public over the coming weeks.
Pre-Auction Winners Receive Guaranteed Parkas
Winning bidders will receive first choice of our available parkas, and we will do our best to accommodate your choice of parka and features (parka age, style, condition, etc) in the best condition available (subject to availability). Winning bidders will be contacted and provided with photos of a parka fitting their criteria for their approval. Winners may also have the opportunity to pre-buy other Antarctic surplus good available in our warehouse.
If we do not have a parka fitting your size / condition requests, we can either provide an alternative, or wait for a suitable parka to become available (we have parkas still undergoing repairs).
Please note that, with the exception of pre-auction winners as described above, AntarcticSurplus cannot guarantee individual buyers choice of parka features beyond our preset size and condition classes as described below.
The parka will be shipped upon payment by PayPal or credit card. Shipping costs will be additional – $25 per parka in the contiguous United States, or will be charged at-cost internationally.
About Antarctic Program Canada Goose “Big Red” Parkas
These are a used Canada Goose down parka, made exclusively for the official United States Antarctic Program and affectionately named “Big Red” by Antarctic researchers. This parka is an Antarctic Program exclusive version of the popular Canada Goose civilian model parka, the Canada Goose 4565M “Expedition Parka”, which sells new for $1,050.00 USD.
“Big Red” is issued by the US Antarctic Program to all scientists and staff serving at the two largest American research stations in Antarctica, McMurdo Base and South Pole Station. The parkas for sale here have been sold as surplus by the Antarctic Program, and were sourced from their New Zealand clothing warehouse and an Emergency Cold Weather Gear cache at the South Pole.
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 have professionally refurbished these parkas by fixing all major defects, dry-cleaning where necessary, inspecting each one, and ensuring that each parka is 100% wearable and functional.
Parka Condition Grading
We have graded the parkas as Fair, Good, and Very Good depending on the overall wear and fading of the parka, and priced accordingly. Example photos are shown in the listing, but individual parka’s features and condition will vary. The grades are described as follows:
Fair – The parka may show color fading and obvious wear from service in Antarctica. Scuffs, stains, or small rips may be present, and 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 good condition, without major tears or damage, but may have general signs of wear, fading, visible (but not excessive) patches, repairs or minor stains/imperfections.
Very Good – The parka is in excellent condition, with minimal fading and minor signs of wear, and no major patches or signs of repair.
