The North Face has taken its iconic puffer jacket back to its mountaineering roots with 800-fill water-repellent down and ripstop reinforcement
The new Summit Nuptse keeps the unmistakable puffer-jacket look but adds some seriously technical upgrades
Few puffer jackets are as instantly recognisable as The North Face Nuptse, but the brand has now given its most famous down jacket a considerably more technical makeover.
For AW26, The North Face is taking its iconic puffer back towards those mountaineering roots with the new Summit Nuptse Jacket.
It's a far more technical take on the familiar design, built for climbing and mountaineering rather than commuting.
It still looks unmistakably like a Nuptse, with the oversized down-filled body and contrasting shoulder panel we've come to associate with the jacket.
However, instead of the relatively simple horizontal chambers of the classic Nuptse, the Summit model uses The North Face's Cloud Down technology, featuring an offset baffle construction that gives the down more space to loft while reducing cold spots.
Inside those chambers is 800-fill water-repellent ProDown, which should provide considerably more warmth for its weight at high altitudes.
The unusual-looking baffles aren't completely new territory for The North Face's Summit Series, with the bulkier Himalayan Down Parka using the same CLOUD DOWN construction.
Their appearance on the Nuptse, though, underscores how far this version has moved toward serious alpine use.
A Nuptse built for the mountains again
The yoke, collar and hood use Spectra ripstop, blending recycled nylon with ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethene fibres to improve abrasion resistance in areas likely to take a beating when you're climbing or wearing a pack.
The rest of the outer is made from lightweight 30g/m² recycled nylon, with both fabrics receiving a non-PFC durable water-repellent finish.
It also has an adjustable, climbing-helmet-compatible hood that packs into a zipped collar compartment when you don't need it.
The main Vislon zip works in both directions, letting climbers open the bottom of the jacket while wearing a harness.
The hand pockets sit in positions that make them easier to reach when geared up, and the jacket also has two internal mesh drop-in pockets, an internal hem cinch, FlashDry stretch-knit cuffs and a lightweight stuffsack.
Despite all that insulation, the Summit Nuptse has an average weight of 554g.
The Nuptse was originally developed as serious expedition clothing before gradually becoming one of the defining puffer jackets of streetwear.
With the Summit version, the Nuptse returns to the mountains where it belongs.
The Summit Nuptse Jacket is available now from The North Face UK for £540 in four colours.
It's listed as out of stock in the US, but it appears on the brand's European site for €600. AU price and availability TBC.
