The North Face
Founded 1966 · San Francisco, United States · Douglas Tompkins and Susie Tompkins
The North Face opened in 1966 as a mountain shop in San Francisco and took its name from the north face, which in the northern hemisphere is the coldest and hardest to climb. The Nuptse jacket, from 1992, came off the Himalaya and ended up on the street.
History
Douglas Tompkins and his wife Susie opened a mountaineering shop in North Beach, San Francisco, in 1966; the Grateful Dead played the opening. In 1968 they sold the business and Tompkins went on to found Esprit — and, later, to spend his fortune buying land in Chilean and Argentine Patagonia to turn into national parks. The brand, by then under other owners, specialised in serious equipment: the Oval Intention tent of 1975 with its geodesic structure, and the Expedition System line of 1988 for the Himalaya. The Nuptse, from 1992, with 700-fill down and the name of a mountain next to Everest, is the garment that took it off the mountain and put it in the city.
Iconic models
Nuptse (1992)
700-fill down, named after a mountain beside Everest. From the expedition to the pavement.
Denali Fleece (1989)
The fleece with nylon reinforcement at the shoulders and elbows.
Base Camp Duffel
The laminated canvas bag seen at every base camp on earth.
Oval Intention (1975)
A geodesic dome tent; it changed how people camp at altitude.
Worth knowing
The name is literal: in the northern hemisphere the north face of a mountain gets the least sun, holds the ice and is the hardest to climb. The brand named itself after the difficult side.
The North Face at Reserva de Marcha
See all 25 in the catalogue →
North Face Antora Jacket (Standard & Big Size), Summit Navy/Blk, Small
North Face Antora Jacket (Standard & Big Size), Summit Navy/Blk, L
North Face Men's Wander Short 2.0, Khaki Stone, Large
North Face Men's Adventure Tee, TNF Black, Large
North Face Aconcagua 3 Jacket (Standard & Big Size), Blk-NPF, Medium
North Face Horizon Breeze Brimmer Hat, TNF Black/TNF White, Small
North Face Men's 24/7 Short-Sleeve Tee, TNF Black, X-Small
North Face Antora Jacket, Smoked Pearl/Blk-NPF, L