The North Face's new outdoor range sounds like it's from the future

Designed based on the feedback of top outdoor athletes in extreme conditions
The North Face Futurelight range is here

The North Face has updated its outdoor apparel with the launch of its new Futurelight technology, set to be used across a wide range of products.

The recently developed technology utilises 'nanospinning' – a completely new technique which aims to offer new levels of breathable and waterproof protection to jackets, pants, and bibs.

Those products that use the new material will feature across the Summit Series, the Steep Series and the Flight Series collections.

The innovation was designed off the back of requests and feedback from The North Face global athlete team, who wanted increased performance and breathability in their waterproof gear.

The North Face Futurelight range is designed to

The three-year project's aim was to dispel the concept that waterproof kit tends to be heavy and stiff by producing a fabric a that’s not only soft, light, flexible and comfortable, but also durable and sustainably designed.

The North Face notes that the process saw a lengthy amount of product development as well as extensive lab and field testing to ensure that the final products developed surpassed existing expectations of outdoor kit.

The science

The nanospinning process claims to add air permeability into the membrane of a fabric, producing nano-level holes which allow for incredible porosity while maintaining total waterproofness. That results in air being able to move freely through the material.

That process also can be modified based on the type of activity being carried out, so each product range can be tailored towards the environment and type of movement athletes perform when they're out there.

The North Face Futurelight range is designed to

Apparently, those technical advances have also meant that the brand can responsibly create three-layer garments where the face and backer layers are made up of 90% recycled materials.

Testing

The fabric has seen extensive testing for over 400 continuous days by 15 members of the brand’s global athlete team. That testing was done in the highest peaks and harshest environments, including the Himalayas’ Lhotse and Everest, in temperatures ranging from -50 degrees F to 60 degrees F.

The North Face team alpinist, Jim Morrison, climbed and skied three 8,000m peaks 2018, including Everest, Cho Oyu and the world’s first descent of Lhotse Couilor with his partner Hilaree Nelson.

The North Face Futurelight range is designed to

“During the past two years, our world-class team of climbers, skiers, alpinists, snowboarders and trail runners has been rigorously testing Futurelight across every discipline to prove this technology in varying weather conditions and climates all over the world,” Nelson, The North Face athlete team captain, said. “In all my years in the mountains, I’ve never experienced a product that moved and performed as well as Futurelight. It is creating a new paradigm for what I expect out of a waterproof material.”

To verify the quality and functionality of the technology, The North Face also worked with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an organisation that certifies first responder gear for firefighters, EMS and hazmat responders.

Launch products

Key products that incorporate the new technology include the Flight Series Futurelight Jacket ($280) and the Summit Series L5 Futurelight Jacket ($650).

The North Face Futurelight range is designed to

The Futurelight fabric is currently being used in jackets, pants and bibs across the specified apparel ranges. Those items utilising the technology can be found here. The North Face will continue to incorporate the new fabric into more products.

Tags:    Trekking
Tagged    Trekking