The Address Magazine Nov-Dec 2013 #92: The Winter Issue

Be it expeditions to the bitter heights of
the Himalayas or the barren Sahara desert,
The North Face is a consistent and dependable
companion for professional athletes as well as
amateur sports fans
Different Strokes
The North Face founders Doug Tompkins and Kenneth ‘Hap’
Klopp have gone vastly different ways in the last few decades.
While Klopp remained with the company for 20 years and is now
a business consultant, Doug Tompkins took the opposite tack to
become an ecologist, forming the Deep Ecology Foundation with
his wife Kristine.
pore in October; the last two races are in Japan in November
and Hong Kong in December. Meanwhile, The North
Face 100 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, which spanned seven
valleys, 71 glaciers and 400 summits across France, Switzerland
and Italy, concluded this year on 1 September.
As the brand prides itself on clothing and equipment that
can live up to the rigorous demands of trail running, mountain
climbing, skiing and even expeditions to remote locations,
extensive R&D is a must, resulting in products that
perform better in terms of durability as well as efficiency
without a corresponding increase in bulk or weight. For example,
The North Face lays claim to innovative new insula-
tion technologies such as ThermoBall (synthetic fibre clusters
using Primaloft which mimics the insulating properties
of down without the weight), 950 Fill Pro Down (natural
down treated with a water-resistant finish to stay dry 17
times longer compared to non-treated down, and ZLOFT,
which uses Primaloft synthetic insulation and a Z-Baffle
construction to maximise warmth without adding weight
or bulk, keeping cold air out and warm air in.
These innovations come in particularly handy when designing
outerwear that needs to withstand changing weather
conditions such as the Summit Series, which helps prevent
overheating while ascending and reduce flash cooling
while descending, and FlashDry fabrics designed for faster
removal of moisture from the skin and speedier evaporation
for faster drying so that users can remain more comfortable
regardless of the weather.
For 47 years, The North Face has surpassed itself in performance
and innovation, just as the athletes it supports
have pushed themselves to go beyond the limits of their
physical endurance. Having been shaped by dreams, challenges,
and corporate ingenuity, the brand we know today
is a symbol of style, substance and progress in the world of
outdoor gear and apparel.
1986 1989 1990 2001 2005 2008
Backs a 550-mile,
unsupported
dogsled expedition
to the NORTH
POLE, led by Will
Steger.
Sees an
international
six-man team
through the FIRST
UNMECHANISED
CROSSING of the
coldest continent,
spanning 4,000
miles and seven
months.
Supports the
OXYGENLESS
ASCENT of
the WORLD’S
SECOND HIGHEST
MOUNTAIN PEAK
by Greg Child,
Steve Swenson
and Greg
Mortimer.
Supports an ALL-
WOMEN CLIMBING
and ski expedition
in the KASHMIRI
SNOW PEAKS.
Supports the
achievement of
DEAN KARNAZES
as he runs 50
MARATHONS IN
50 US STATES in
50 consecutive
days.
The fi rst THE
NORTH FACE 100
distance trail run
is organised.
NOV/DEC 2013 | TA 71