North Face Nuptse Vest Review

9.4
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Did you know that the Name of the North Face company comes from one of the founders’ biggest passions? Hiking and mountain climbing. That's right.

The late Douglas Tompkins and his first Susie Tompkins founded the North Face company back in 1968. In fact, the pair met while Douglas was hitchhiking in the Lake Tahoe area. And as for the infamous, yet simple name...  Well, the name was derived by the mountain’s north face. You see, in the northern hemisphere, the mountain’s north face is always the toughest for the climbers. The path to the peek that's hardest to climb and poses the biggest challenge.

The famous logo was inspired by the famous Half Dome. Located in massive monolith in the Yosemite, California - the Half Dome is one of the most recognizable sights of that area. The logo, on the other hand, was designed by one of the best designers, David Alcorn - the man behind logos like the Amarcord, Zartists and so much more great designs.

Douglas Tompkins spent his life pursuing his lifelong passion for the great outdoors. And in fact, he even died while kayaking in the cold rivers of Patagonia.  But for now, let’s take a moment and look at one of the Company's best creations. The Nuptse Vest by North Face. Let’s look at the pros and cons of the Nuptse vest. Hope you’ll like this review and this product as well.

Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros

Lifetime guarantee by the company

Internal pocket near the chest area

Zipper closure at the front

Machine washable

Cons

Expensive

Materials

When it comes to the materials used in the jackets, vests or any other warm type of clothing, one must know that synthetic materials are a way to go. Even in a vest that was made specifically for wearing in the urban city areas, and not in the great outdoors. Yes, the conditions may vary, but North Face used nothing but the best in the Nuptse vest as it was designed for hiking or mountain climbing.

It doesn’t matter that the Nuptse is designed for wearing in the local park. Jogging, camping, and hiking in the park (or you nearby hills) can be exhilarating and pleasant if you have the right clothing. But this particular model has two separate materials on two separate locations, which only amps up the comfort and the overall sense of warmth/dryness that you’ll get while wearing the vest. The biggest section of the vest called the solid is entirely made out of Polyester Taffeta that’s been finished off with a very durable, flexible and waterproof finish.

Oh, and that Polyester Taffeta mentioned earlier, is 100 made out of recyclable materials. So, don’t you worry. If you’re feeling environmentally conscientious and like to contribute to the eco-friendly way of life that’s been heavily promoted by North Face, you can do just that by buying the products. The Nuptse vest is a great example of that eco-friendly manufacturing process.

The top part of the vest called the heather is made out of 55% polyester and 45% durable nylon taffeta with a great water resistant finish. And as for the insulation underneath the construction, again. Only the finest were selected and used. The goose down was the choice and 700-fill was the amount.

The company also guarantees that the goose down has a certification of responsible standard, which means not one single animal was hurt in the making of this particular (or any other) garment. So, that means there’s no life-plucking of the goose, no force-feeding and definitely, no unnecessary harm is done to those animals at any stage of the production. And yes, the majority of the materials used in the creation were indeed synthetic, but the insulation used in the making of the vest is made out of the finest goose down.

And what is down as a matter a fact? Well, it’s a natural layer of insulation that provides a great deal of warmth. It’s a more resilient type of insulation material, and it comes in mostly grey and white colors. Do you know why a goose can withstand freezing temperatures while being half submerged into cold waters? Because of the layers and layers of down. The layers cause a barrier between their skin and the surface that they’re on, so a great deal in insulation is caused by that down even in the harshest of conditions. North Face realized the potential of the down and utilized in the making of their merchandise.

Comfort

What’s to say (Ok write) about a vest that has the best possible materials, and the best possible design? Well, all of those components really accentuate the comfort and make this vest so pleasant to use. And seriously. The comfort is largely due to the water-resistant type of polyester on the outside and the goose down in the insulation underneath.

But, in a vest like this, it can’t be solely down to the materials. The fit, the design and all the tiny detailing play a significant role in the comfort. According to the official website, the fit is true to size in both the female and male version. The mock neck style takes good care of the comfy warm feeling from the top of the construction, while the front zip is positioned at the center of the vest.

Oh, and speaking of the vest, it’s not only very lightweight and highly durable, but it’s also actually a VISLON type of a zipper. One of the most trusted and beloved companies for designing fastening systems in the word. That very same type of zipper can also be found on the side pockets, but believe it or not, the cinch-cord on the bottom hem also provides much of the comfort.

It’s good to have a vest that’s well protected and secured from top to bottom. Since the design doesn’t allow any other type of closure in the sleeve area, the hem on the bottom is the one that’s mostly responsible for keeping you warm from the bottom part. Once you fasten that cord and tighten that hem there’s a little change the cold could penetrate from that particular area.

Protection

Say hello to the waterproof materials, great insulation and fantastic protection from the seemingly insignificant but all so important details. You can thank the protection mostly to the materials used in the making of the Nuptse, but the design is not going to fail you as well. And what materials they are.

A mix of synthetic and natural materials, each was used in a different section of the construction. The synthetic polyester taffeta (that’s also recycled) was used in the making of the outside layers, while the goose down was used in the making of the layer of insulation underneath. In fact, some of the key areas feature a double layer of that taffeta. What are those you might ask? Well, those areas are the shoulders.

Because this is a sleeveless style of vest, it’s important to keep that area well protected and warm, so a double layer of that taffeta is a must. Just to make sure that one layer was a good start of the protection but not good enough. The heather made out of polyester and durable nylon taffeta goes all the way up to the mouth of the person that’s wearing this piece of clothing, and the hem with a hem style of clinch-cord is responsible for keeping the cold out of your body but form the bottom part of the vest. The zipper that sits in the middle is there to finish the job that the materials started and you can safely say that the protection is truly great here.

Durability

North Face guarantees lifetime durability of Nuptse Vest. That’s right the company has a much welcomed lifetime guarantee of their products and this is not an exception of that rule.

The quality materials that were used in the making of the product, along with the attention to detail that went into the creation all contribute to the durability and longevity and North Face stands by it. The company guarantees that it will last for a very long time. Forever is quite a long period, but short of that is the amount that the company guarantees that you’ll be wearing it.

Size

What’s great about the Nuptse model is that it goes from size extra small size all the way up to XXL. It’s capable of accommodating almost everybody. From the most petite ladies to the bigger broader men that have a large chest and wider shoulders.

Weight

With a total weight of just 16.23 oz, the Nuptse is one very lightweight and pleasant construction. The majority of that weight comes from the all-natural goose down that, but the small details like the zipper, the hem-cord, and the actual Polyester Taffeta compose the rest of the weight. You’ll get a pleasant, comfy and well-fitted feeling while you’re wearing it, and with the proper sizing, the weight of it will feel almost like second nature.

Maintenence

The North Face assures that every single item can be washed in the standard regular washing machine. The machine cycle won’t damage the goose down and it will remain in the same impeccable condition after the machine washing cycle. The zipper won’t get damaged and the materials as well. You can rest assured that the construction will remain in the same condition for a very long time. Even after a prolonged time in the dryer.

Use

The Nuptse vest is very practical and highly functional for your morning hike and for the weekend camping in the woods. The multi-functionality and the high levels of comfort and protection allow you to use the vest for almost everything that you can think of. If you find yourself in a windy and cold day in the city… put it on.

If you find yourself on a kayaking trip with your family or friends…. Take it with you. It won’t fail you. The strong zipper, the amazing protective insulation and even the chest pocket on the internal side of the constructions will ensure that you’re secured, protected and kept warm/dry at any time.

If you take a good look at the North Face’s official website, you’ll immediately notice over 510 written reviews left from the customers, and 451 of them gave this particular product a five-star rating. A whopping 97% of them mentioned that would recommend this product, and in most of the cases, the fit, the comfort and the protective nature of the materials were mentioned as a positive. For both male and female version.

Color

The color option of the Nuptse is one of the very few flaws that could be attributed to this model. It’s unfortunate that this amazing, highly practical and waterproof construction comes in only 3 different color options. Orange black and grey are the only available options for the female version, while the men’s version is slightly improved with the color palate. The men’s version has 5 different color options but none of them goes to the lighter tones. All of them are made with dark colors like black, grey and navy.

Price

Compared to the other options on the market, the Nuptse vest by North Face is not cheap. The price can range from 130 dollars all the way up to 180 dollars on some of the well-known e-commerce sites. However, with this particular model, the quality justifies the price. And furthermore, North Face guarantees a lifetime of wearing this particular vest, guarantees an impeccable condition, and ease of maintenance while you have it in your closet.

Bottom line

This is one of the best products from the North Face’s long list of merchandise. It’s made with the best, eco-friendly and cruelty-free materials. The design is simple and sleek, and the protection and the comfort that gives you through the cold, wind and the rain is unparalleled. And best of all, it’s also waterproof and machine washable. How cool is that?