The North Face Ice Jacket

Warmest jacket I have ever owned. Had my first in 2008 and it lasted up to now. .

I first discovered these around 2007 when I was looking for the Nuptse puffer that was very popular in those days.

I had seen an inspiring advert for the Ice Jacket and it really looked the part but sadly it was way out of my price range with an RRP at the time of about £350 if my memory is correct.

When I finally went to shop for a Nuptse, I saw a black, large size, Ice Jacket on the hanger that had been discounted down to £160 and my wife persuaded me that this was a much better looking and more substantial coat for the same money.

Little did I know that I was holding the most significant piece of clothing I would ever own.

I fell in love with this jacket and it became my daily wear from November to March every year and wherever I went, this coat always got noticed.

It was so well insulated that I could just throw the coat on over a T-shirt , go out into a frosty night and stay perfectly warm—no need for the layering up ritual.

Plenty of lined pockets and a fantastic hood made it practical and when it was new, it was waterproof too and although it lost that quality through age—and probably incorrect washing on my part!—it remains windproof to this day.

On the strength of this jacket I went on to buy several different TNF products for my young family and was very happy with them for many years.

Fast forward to 2025 and by now the coat was starting to look very tatty.

Trying to find an identical replacement I had to look at used coats and was in for a bit of a shock.

Having now seen a few later Ice Jackets, it's very obvious to me that TNF were trying to cut costs with subsequent batches.

This is a shame as it makes finding decent used examples more difficult.

This might have coincided with the fact that TNF had by then become better known for fashionable streetwear, and so had to some extent, traded hard won outdoors reputation for street cred.

Where once you might have seen, say, a TV reporter on assignment in a snowy part of the world looking appropriately dressed in a North Face, now you were more likely to see the logo on a street corner.

I have no issue with this as long as quality is maintained which many say just wasn't the case...

I currently have three Ice Jackets made from 2007 to about 2012 and the difference between the first and last is very noticeable.

Compared to my first Ice Jacket that always looked like it might actually be able to go to the North Pole, the "newest" coat looks more like a cheap replica as it has certain features missing such as the in pocket key retainer, cheaper zips, and less fill.

(Maybe it is a fake, but the hologram and logos check out perfectly so I would be very surprised if it did!).

It's lighter too, the fur looks dull, thinner, and very artificial looking compared to the older furs which did at least look real.

Strangely, compared to my 2007 jacket thats been washed at least 20 times, its not as deep black in colour either.

I have since learned that these also came in a dark grey called Asphalt Grey so maybe it's one of these?

I now suspect so.

I also notice it was made in Bangladesh, not China where the older ones were made, and I imagine this could only have been another cost-saving decision on the part of TNF.

Don't let me put you off, this later one would make a perfectly good used winter coat for someone who doesn't know the product well, but I know what these coats used to be and so can't bring myself to adopt this late run model as a worthy replacement. So am keeping my original and another I just found in green (and down to a medium size which now suits my older, smaller, frame) which is almost as good.

This middle jacket from 2009 is much better made than the later one and still has all the original style zips, keys retainer in the pocket, same level of fill and quality of materials and is only missing the better stitched contrasting lining of the original.

These slightly later versions also had larger chambers for the down but fewer of them, probably to make them slightly quicker to make.

Like the 2007, this 2009 was still made in China.

Both the 2007 and 2009 both look and feel equally warm too when worn.

So, the older the better as long as it's in good condition.

The equivalent longer, Parka, version would be the McMurdo, but to be honest, the Ice Jackets are such a generous cut, they still feel large enough and although the McMurdo is the one TNF continued to run with to this day, I have seen a few comments suggesting it suffered from even more cost-saving changes than the Ice Jacket.

Having said that, if I could not find an older used Ice Jacket, I would probably still buy it if I wanted to own—or could afford—something from new.

In summary, the Ice Jacket is a superb bit of clothing. It's not a year-round jacket as its far too warm for that. Instead I will usually wear this from mid autumn through to early spring and then it gets washed and stored until the days shorten and the temperatures drop below about 6 Dec C.

I am eternally grateful to TNF for my 2007 Ice Jacket and feel privileged to have owned it and worn it for so many years. It still feels special everytime I put it on.

And even though these days it's looking a bit worse for wear and spends alot of time in a cupboard in semi retirement, I will always keep it for the times we have shared.

It's looked after me really well and their other products from that time continue to look after me and my family to this day. Thanks, guys.

As a post script, I managed to find a 'black' one in medium, to replace my original black one and although it is actually in 'as new condition' (remarkable for a coat made in 2008!) It's sadly not the same as my first one (it is instead the same as the 2009 Green one I have which is still good) and is a very dark but still obviously grey colour not deep black... so this will go up for sale and my search for a genuine 2007 black North Face Ice Jacket continues. ...I will then have two decent examples in both black and green—which at my age means an Ice Jacket to wear for life!

Background

Outdoors person but not a polar explorer! 16 years of use with the same jacket from new, four more Ice Jackets owned used and know the owners of three more (who were all inspired by my original). Worn in winter all over suburban and rural UK from London to the Highlands of Scotland.

Great jacket, warm, only worn it a couple of times. The first was out of the shop as it was a really cold day and the jacket I had wasn’t cutting it as it was too cold to have it on so I decided to buy a new jacket and keep warm.

The thing I like about this jacket is it doesn’t take much to get warm and keep warm, due to the choice of fabrics and linings. The removable faux-fur rim I keep on it as I think it’s another layer of insulation; also it would keep the snow and rain away from your face.

The only thing I find that could be better on this jacket is a rear scoop at the rear of the jacket to keep your lower back really warm, but keeping the clinch cords at the hem tight will do the job as well, if you don’t like this the McMurdo would be the way to go. Other than that the 8 pockets will keep a lot of your gear, although the sleeve pocket may not carry much in my opinion.

I would say this jacket is a good investment.

Phenomenal jacket.

Nice jacket. I would compare this jacket to a classic Carhartt coat, but this North Face jacket is even better. Very tough shell material, thick down insulation. Unfortunately I believe the North Face discontinued this jacket.

Also I hear a rumor that the North Face took the McMurdo Parka and lightened the outside shell material. Too bad because the North Face and the other overpriced mountaineering companies already make plenty of worthless lightweight down and synthetic fill jackets.  

Anyway, this Ice Jacket is an extremely nice, tough, and warm jacket. If you can find one...they don't make them like the used to. Cry....

I bought this jacket when I was in NYC, by 2008 (IIRC). Coming from a warmer city, I had to warm myself. And this jacket was, hands down, the cream I could get from paid price. Even without an insane Black Friday discount, it was well worth its full price. It’s a perfect companion to match NYC's winter season.

It has plenty of pockets for more stuff you should carry, multimedia pocket and headphone cables guides included, has a decent vent so you are never sweating inside, and all internal fleeces are very well placed so you always feel like wearing an already warmed jacket. And the gloves clip is very well thought.

Although slightly heavy, you shortly get used to its weight. I really love it!