The North Face’s most advanced gear yet is built with steel-strong yarns and space-age insulation

The North Face has unveiled the next generation of its Summit Series Advanced Mountain Kit, and while it’s designed with elite alpinists in mind, the technology behind the new 24-piece collection says a lot about where outdoor gear is heading.

The collection is a full system spanning apparel, packs, tents and accessories, all reworked to be faster, lighter and tougher.

The updates showcase three big advances: a women-specific kit designed through gender-based thermal testing, a modular layering system for changing conditions, and some genuinely groundbreaking material innovations.

Steel-strong fabrics meet space-age insulation

The fabrics in this year’s Advanced Mountain Kit sound more like something from aerospace engineering than outdoor clothing.

Spectra yarns, stronger than steel yet ultra-light, boost durability without adding weight.

Meanwhile, new Cloud Down technology eliminates cold spots and introduces a versatile mid-loft option, while FUTURELIGHT electrospun membranes provide waterproof breathability without PFAS.

There’s also 50/50 insulation with an aluminium-titanium reflective coating for maximum warmth-to-weight, plus a next-gen DotKnit Wool that combines thermal performance with natural odour control and moisture management.

Built by and for athletes

True to The North Face’s “Athlete Tested, Expedition Proven” tagline, the gear has already been put through the wringer.

Benjamin Védrines wore the kit during his record-breaking K2 speed ascent, while Christina Lustenberger used it on a pioneering ski descent of Mt. Robson’s south face.

Their input, as well as that of other athletes, shaped details from fit to insulation mapping, ensuring the kit performs when it really matters.

For us mere mortals, the takeaway isn’t that everyone needs a 135L expedition duffel or a superlight sleep system, but that The North Face continues to push materials and design in ways that will eventually filter down into more accessible lines.

Just as FUTURELIGHT and 50/50 insulation have already appeared in mainstream collections, the technologies debuting here are likely to set the tone for The North Face’s next wave of jackets, packs and base layers.

The new Summit Series Advanced Mountain Kit is available now through The North Face’s regional websites, with prices starting from around £135 in the UK for pieces like the Summit Futurefleece Full-Zip Hoodie and climbing to £315–£360 for the Summit AMK packs.

In the U.S., outer layers such as the FUTURELIGHT AMK jacket begin at $700, while bigger-ticket expedition gear like the Superlight Sleep System lists for $760.

European pricing follows a similar structure, with jackets in the €650–€800 range, while Australian availability is expected via The North Face AU and regional stockists.