Peak party: The North Face Summit Series turns 25
Twenty-five years after The North Face first launched its elite Summit Series range, the brand’s top-tier line of expedition gear is celebrating a quarter century of pushing boundaries – from the Himalayas to the frozen faces of Patagonia.
Born from the mantra ‘Athlete Tested. Expedition Proven’, the Summit Series has long served as the proving ground for some of the world’s most accomplished climbers, alpinists, skiers and snowboarders. Since debuting in 2000, the range has accompanied athletes on record-setting ascents, first descents and groundbreaking expeditions, its name synonymous with durability, warmth and performance in the harshest environments on Earth.
Over the past quarter century, Summit Series gear has been worn in some of the planet’s most extreme environments — from Himalayan peaks to Antarctic traverses, from big walls to ultra-endurance races. It’s been part of record-breaking moments such as Kit DesLauriers’ first ski descents of the Seven Summits, Simone Moro’s winter ascents of Makalu and Shishapangma, and Alex Honnold’s history-making El Capitan free solo. Freeride World Tour champions including Xavier de Le Rue and Marion Haerty have trusted the gear in competition, while Hilaree Nelson and Jim Morrison relied on it for their first ski descent of the Lhotse Couloir. From pioneering climbs like Meru’s Shark’s Fin to speed records on K2 and Mount Vinson, the Summit Series label has been a reassuring companion for those on the frontier of human endurance.
In-house technology
From its earliest prototypes to today’s elite expedition gear, the Summit Series has driven The North Face’s most advanced technical innovations – fabrics and constructions born directly from the demands of climbers, alpinists and snowsport athletes. The current range includes a suite of advanced materials developed in-house:
DotKnit: At the base of the system sits DotKnit, a next-generation fabric that is designed to draw moisture from the skin and push it outward for rapid evaporation. It serves as the first layer of protection against the cold – soft against the skin and breathable under load.
Futurefleece: This material is designed to deliver exceptional warmth-to-weight efficiency using octagonal yarns and a full-loop grid knit that traps body heat without bulk. Designed for comfort across variable conditions, Futurefleece works equally well as a mid-layer or next-to-skin fleece.
ProDown: For insulation, ProDown water-repellent down is claimed to retain its loft and compressibility even in damp conditions. Tested for moisture resistance, recovery and fill power, it offers reliable warmth where weight and packability are important.
Ventrix: Described as a dynamic insulation, Ventrix is designed to open microscopic perforations as the body moves, allowing excess heat and moisture to escape, and then seals them at rest to trap warmth. The result is claimed to be adaptive comfort whether climbing or resting at altitude.
FlashDry: This fabric is engineered to act like a second skin, quickly wicking sweat to the surface and resisting saturation, making it ideally suited to fast-paced aerobic activity.
Futurelight: And when the weather turns, Futurelight is engineered to provide breathable, waterproof protection through a nanomembrane that allows air to pass while blocking rain and wind. Recycled fabrics, reduced adhesives and non-PFC coatings are said to make it The North Face’s most sustainable waterproof technology yet.
CloudDown: This tech uses asymmetrical inner and outer construction to maximise loft while keeping the lining close to the skin for better heat retention. A welded design (no stitching) eliminates cold spots for maximum thermal efficiency and comfort. With minimal fabric use, CloudDown is exceptionally compressible, packing down small when needed. Using only Responsible Down Standard (RDS) filling, the insulation is ethically sourced, traceable and is claimed to deliver the highest warmth-to-weight ratio of any natural down.
Gore-Tex returns
To mark 25 years of Summit Series, The North Face has reintegrated Gore-Tex into the range, combining the original waterproof-windproof membrane with its own in-house technologies for maximum protection and breathability. The brand has also added Spectra yarn – claimed to be one of the world’s lightest and strongest fibres – to improve abrasion resistance and longevity in its ultralight fabrics.
While the 25 years anniversary celebrates past triumphs, The North Face is already focused on the next evolution. New alpine climb and snow-sport collections are slated for release in the coming months, each refined through feedback from the brand’s global athlete team and field-tested on live expeditions.
For The North Face, the philosophy remains unchanged: innovation born from the world’s toughest conditions, designed to serve anyone who chases adventure.
See The North Face for more on the Summit Series and all the brand’s outdoor gear.
