Old Favorites: The North Face Apex Softshell
March 2, 2011
I haven’t kept up with North Face technology over the years since starting this site, in large part because they for whatever reason don’t really engage that much with bloggers like myself and with all the other brands that DO engage with me, I’ve had a little gear overflow issue and have not felt the need to seek out even more of it. However, today I was reminded of the true value of the gear we buy (okay, the gear YOU buy) when I was kitting up for an outing and found that I’d reached for the tried-and-true rather than the new-and-exciting.
I had grabbed my North Face Apex softshell setup; the pants and jacket that pretty much started this blog way back in the day. The reviews are so old that the photo links are now broken. However the gear itself is still going strong and is a perennial favorite. I wear the Apex jacket at least – AT LEAST – once a week and have taken it on countless adventures, misadventures, mountain bike crashes, climbing trips, lost-person searches, you name it, it’s been there. And it is still in super good shape five years later. There is a little wear around the cuffs and a burred area on an elbow from an encounter with pavement, but the zippers are solid (watch, now they’ll break this week, what am I thinking making this post?) and the softshell still performs like it did the day I got it. It’s really filthy now, so it doesn’t exactly look new, but it works like it’s new, and that’s what matters.
I haven’t worn the pants nearly as much, but today I got them out and realized belatedly that I should be wearing them more. I was just bitching on Twitter about how women’s pants don’t ever have good pockets and these pants have at least one good pocket. It’s a side pocket of good size; great for snow science tools or a map. Why didn’t I notice how great that pocket was before?
The Apex jacket seems to be mostly the same in its current iteration. The Randonee Pants have evolved quite a bit so I don’t know what they are like now. It appears that they still have that pocket which is a big part of the appeal for me. I’m fairly confident in saying that these items will perform as well for you as they have for me, and they have paid for themselves over and over and over again.
When you’re purchasing new gear, remember that the initial hurt of that big price tag will fade if the piece lasts and lasts. I think I paid about a hundred bucks for each of these pieces and they have been more than worth it. I am hoping very much that these items are still representative of North Face quality, because if that’s the case I would not hesitate to buy North Face.
If I ever get to try something from TNF that isn’t five years old, I’ll let you know!
The North Face Tundra Sleeping Bag
May 20, 2008
This thing is a perfect example of why I started this blog. There is no reason anyone else should suffer with this sleeping bag and with this blog I’ve got the vehicle to get the word out. North Face, usually so dependable, must have designed and manufactured this bag on its annual Bring Your Crack To Work Day.
Now for the backstory (settle in, folks). I am a cold sleeper. So cold, in fact, that I carried a North Face Dark Star sleeping bag, rated as -40, for years and years. I don’t really travel or camp in -40 degree weather, so I was warm in that thing, to the point that I could unzip it and still be cozy and comfortable. I reasoned that since I was too warm in the Dark Star, I could safely dial back the temperature rating by getting a -20 bag, and then sleep in a cozy cocoon of perfect temperature regulation. The Dark Star is heavy, so by carrying the Tundra instead, I could ditch about 3 lbs of weight. Good plan, eh?
Terrible! Terrible plan. I got my first inkling of what I was in for on a multi day mountain bike trip. The first night we slept in a cabin, complete with a raging inferno of a wood stove. We headed to our bunks while the cabin was probably about 80 degrees inside. Once the wood stove consumed the remaining fuel and the temperature dropped, I COULD NOT stay warm in the Tundra. I’d estimate the temperature in the cabin dropped as low as 40 degrees, which shouldn’t have been a problem with a -20 bag. But it was a problem, and a big one. I shivered through the miserable night with the sinking feeling that my sleeping bag SUCKED and I was stuck with it for the rest of the trip. And that, dear readers, was the case.
Usually I don’t read other reviews before I post, because I want to keep my opinions unsullied by the experiences of others (my, that sounded pretentious). But this time I checked out some other reviews, because I know I sleep cold and maybe the problem was mine. But no, every other Tundra review I read mentioned that the temperature rating was overly optimistic to the point of being absurd. If you’re camping in someone’s spare room or on a friend’s couch, by all means, feel safe in the knowledge that you’ll be warm in the Tundra. But if you want to ever camp outside, look elsewhere for your protection from the elements. Or just carry it on summer trips, but this is one heavy, bulky summer sleeping bag. So if being cold at night AND carrying heavy, bulky stuff is your idea of a great time, the Tundra is for you. I already know it’s not for me. So, Tundra, I am kicking you to the curb with the sound knowledge that it’s not me, it’s YOU.
The North Face Bones Beanie
March 24, 2008
Not strictly a women’s product, this little hat is one of our exceptions because we love it so much. Adorable, warm, and soft, we squabbled over this thing like seagulls over a slice of bread. Those unlucky geargals who didn’t get the sample hat all went out and bought their own, though, so now everyone’s smug, happy, warm and cute in the Bones beanie.
The North Face Bryce Mid Hiking Boot
February 15, 2008
First let’s get one thing straight. Hiking, to me, means going into the backcountry, where trails are rough, mountains are steep, rocks are sharp, gravel is loose, and water is cold and, er, wet. The backcountry is also big, which means I don’t want to carry lots of heavy stuff. So I was excited about these boots, which seemed tough, supportive, and really really light.
Huge let down. Why? Because they don’t FEEL tough, supportive and…well, they feel light, but that’s about it. They feel like a run of the mill sneaker that happen to go up to my ankles. I have had these for a while but haven’t reviewed them because basically I stopped wearing them. They didn’t feel right in any situation, especially not for hiking. I think the last time I wore them was on a stroll down a bike path, and I still couldn’t come up with anything to say about them that couldn’t be summed up in one word: “meh”. I just don’t like them. Plain, blunt, and not very detailed, but true. If I were to classify this boot, it would be as an entry-level walking boot, most at home on the feet of tourists who like dressing up in the TNF gear they bought special for their Alaska cruise, but don’t ever wear anywhere besides the paved streets lined with tchotchke shops and “homemade fudge!” vendors.
The North Face Apex Randonee Pant
January 27, 2008
This is one of the best of the outdoor pants I’ve tried (forgive me as I struggle with the semantic differences between “these pants are” and “this pant is”). Lightweight, stretchy, breathable, thin and somehow incredibly warm, this pant goes from a mid-winter hike to a apres-climb pizza and beer with ease, comfort, and style (once you take your gaiters off, that is). I have worn this pant with thermal tights underneath in single digit temperatures and have yet to be even a little cold. Well placed and large pockets with sealed zippers add utility to an already outstanding product. 10 out of 10 for performance.
The pant is obviously tailored for women. Nice trim waist with roomy hip and thigh cut, a cut that will be welcomed by athletic women with muscular legs. I ended up with a size larger than my regular size, simply because it’s the last pair that was available, and they fit nicely with lots of room for insulating under-layers. I find that The North Face pants are sized a little small so I’m not surprised that I’m happy with one size up. I mean, if I wear a size small on top, I should wear a small on bottom, too, no? Wait, never mind; I just answered my own question. I could do with a slightly lower rise, but a higher waist also equals more coverage and therefore less snow down the back in the event of a fall or slide into deep powder, so that is just a style quibble. The cut of the legs is – dare I say it? – even fashionable, and I don’t feel like a complete tool walking around town in these pants, high-ish waist or no (I just wear a fleece over, and no one can see the waist of the pants anyway).
This is a great product for moderate winter conditions, and a solid mid-layer for colder days.
The North Face Seven Summits Apex Bionic Jacket
January 27, 2008
Now, first I would like to issue a disclaimer. There are, indeed, seven different colors available in the Seven Summits collection, all of which represent a different mountain, the name of which is embroidered on the inside of the lower back along with the flag of the mountain’s country (except for Denali, which is represented by the flag of the mountain’s state, but whatever. Oh, by the way, good on The North Face for using the preferred name for the mountain and not “McKinley” the way that South Dakota senator thinks it should be). I did, in fact, test the orange color which also happens to be the “Everest” jacket. The color was the issue when picking the jacket, not the fact that the mountain is the biggest. In fact, I almost bought the lovely blue “Aconcagua” jacket, but I didn’t, because I already have many blue North Face jackets and fleeces. Note to North Face: that color blue is really awesome. So is the orange, as a matter of fact.
Anyway.
The Apex Bionic jacket is a stretchy softshell outer layer bonded to a bunny-soft inner fleece layer. It’s a lightweight jacket, but not literally light in weight, for you ultralighters out there. Ultralighters meaning ultralight backpackers, not pilots of ultralight aircraft, that is. I must say, I’m having some issues with clarifications in this post. Carrying on: I’ve had this jacket for a while but held off reviewing it because it’s taken me a while to figure out in which conditions the jacket performs best. It seems as if it would be a great winter layer, but every time I wore it, I froze my ass off unless I was constantly moving. After much experimentation, I’ve found that, with a technical base layer, this jacket kicks some serious winter booty. Without the technical base layer, I freeze. Not sure why this is, but now that I’ve figured that out, this jacket has become my winter staple. It breathes, it’s not bulky (major plus for us ladies), and it stretches to accomodate pretty much any movement. It’s a pretty decent windblocker, as long as you have that base layer I was talking about.
It’s cut “generously” but in the spirit of clarification, by “generous” I only mean that the sleeves are long enough to cover your arms when you move them, even at full stretch. The back is cut long to protect your tender butt crack from the ravages of wayward powder snow. The North Face gets even more kudos for managing to cut a jacket that fits a slim woman but gives her enough room for arm muscles. The rest of the jacket is cut slim and trim and looks great.
So, to sum up, a jacket that looks, fits, and performs well? Sign me up.
The North Face TKA 100 Glacier 1/4 Zip Fleece
January 27, 2008
Another winner from The North Face. Perfectly proportioned, with the blessed extra room in the arms. This is a great fleece that makes an easy transition from the backcountry to a casual night out. I don’t know what this thing is made of but it’s some sort of miracle fleece that never lets the wearer get too hot or too cold (within reason, people, don’t wear a light fleece when it’s 10 below and expect to stay warm). This fleece was catapulted to the top of my “favorite shirt” list.
My one complaint – because there has to be at least one, sometimes – is the recent color selection. Blech, what happened to “normal” colors like green, blue, red, brown, yellow? I’m glad I got in on the light blue color before it disappeared into oblivion at the whim of fashion, or the whim of whoever decides what colors to release.
Don’t get this one confused with the “other” TKA fleece top by North Face, that one doesn’t fit as well. This one is the winner.
