After a brief hiatus, The North Face has returned to their roots with the simple yet functional Summit Series Line
Growing up Alex Lowe was a hero. Why? The oversized poster above the climbing gear at Summit Canyon Mountaineering was Alex Lowe climbing some unpronounceable big wall a North Face Jacket. The dream was to someday dress the part and go out on my badass adventures. On my 18th birthday I bought a Blue North Face puffy vest. The jacket was warm, practical, and its pockets were big enough to smuggle a full 6 pack of beer past the dorm hall monitors. A few years later when it came time to buy a full down jacket like Alex's all I could find at The North Face shop were jackets with fur or heavy coats that looked like they were pulled from a rap video, I ended up opting for a lightweight puffy from Western Mountaineering.. The North Face seemed to have lost its mid-90's mojo.....WTF?
Comfortable and stylish in my L5 jacket atop of Highland Bowl
Last year that all changed with the release of the new Summit Series. Almost overnight half of the congo line that hikes Ajax (Aspen Mountain) each morning could be seen sporting the new Summit Series. But why? The new line had simplified itself and then added panache. THE NORTH FACE finally realized that making something simple and light wasn’t a step back but a move forward. Sure, it could use a few more pockets, but do you really need to carry more than a cell phone, beacon, credit card and ID? The truth is, all the other shit can go into a pack. The whole line has been distilled into a three-layer system that makes forget what your wearing and allows you to concentrate solely on the climb or decent at hand. Whether it’s training for a Ski Mountaineering Race, Spring touring or doing an epic Mid-Summer hike this gear is has been a great wing-man.
Can't say enough good things about the L3 puffy- best weight to warmth ratio I've ever experienced!
Can gear be both pragmatic and stylish? The answer to that question is hell ya! When not skiing or climbing my job has me perpetually on the road. For these business trips my go to has been the Proprius Down Hoodie or Active Jacket. These two simple pieces keep you warm and dry no matter how wet or cold it gets. Plus, they’re both very stylish. I’ve been stopped on a rainy after work run in North Carolina and a frosty dinner meeting in Fargo, North Dakota and complemented on both pieces.
Here's the best news about the new Summit Series!! The North Face is giving away their entire Ski Mountaineering his or her package valued at $5000 this Saturday at the Cripple Creek Backcountry Aspen Grand Opening! Come support this awesome new shop and check out this incredible line of gear from North Face.
- Tyler Newton
You can find him on social media as @TyNewt
When not skiing or riding bikes he is the Implementation Coordinator at PubWorks.
