The North Face Nuptse Jacket

Summary

Solid winter jacket.

I have used mine hard for 7 years and it is still going strong. I have had NONE of the zipper problems other reviewers have mentioned. 

I have used it as an ice climbing jacket in very cold conditions, often using it as a belay jacket. In addition, I have been very comfortable using it and some fleece pants as a sleeping system when going ultralight. I am careful to keep it dry, and have not had the odor problems other folks have had. 

TNF seemed to go through a quality control issue a few years back, so I would check one out before I bought it, but I have had such a good experience that I would get another one if I ever need to replace the one I have now. 

It looks good and it's warm but...

The zippers get stuck continuously (especially pockets) and it drives you mad, and worse still it's completely unwashable. Follow the instructions and it ends up lumpy and unusable - it's a disposable coat!

Basically don't use the pockets and never wash it and it's OK. There are better coats at this price range for sure.

My main complaint about this jacket is that the zippers are cheap and maddening. The pocket zippers are hard to shut and get caught often. The main zipper also jams up frequently. Not up to the quality of the zipper on the NF Denali fleece, for example.

Otherwise ok. Plenty of down.

This used to be a good jacket... not any more. After researching I THOUGHT that this was one of the best jackets out there. They have changed things. Unfortunately, after ordering it, I found out that they have changed the quality of materials they use.

For instance, they now use cheap-ass black painted zippers instead of the smooth running zinc-plated zippers before. The zipper is wavy and gets caught on the surrounding fabric...clearly a low quality zipper. They also now use generic plastic snaps on the cuffs instead of their usual high quality metal logo snaps. The weight is also actually heavier than their specs...Plus they majorly underfill the channels with down. There is not enough down in it to loft up to any reasonable amount. Even though it's 700 fill power, that doesn't mean you can use significantly less down in the jacket thinking it will make up for itself.

Compared to a lesser priced competitors jacket I own, the Nuptse was very poor at lofting up even though its fill power was greater. I believe that The North Face figures it can get away with using cheaper materials because they know that many of their customers only care about a big fancy name brand.

Not all customers use them for style alone. In fact their whole spirit has emphasized exploring and extreme activities, and many people, like myself use their products for extended outdoor use, relying on good materials and workmanship. If those aren't there, why pay more? They may be trying to sell it at the same price, but in order to do that year after year they have to use less expensive materials. Or they could be just getting cheap on us and have decided to use crummier materials and still sell it at an exorbitant price so they can cash in.

Even so, this jacket does not meet even the most basic standards I have come to expect from TNF. I am very disappointed at their change for the worse. However, if you would still like to get this product, make sure you get an older model or one still containing high quality materials. It's not worth paying twice as much for something with less than great materials. Be a smart consumer, don't be fooled by a fancy label and a fancy price tag, those don't always mean a good product.

Is this a real Nuptse or a knock-off?? That's the question a lot of buyers are facing. One writer gave this explanation:

Many cheaper Nuptses are knock-offs. Here is what happens. The overseas factory finishes its shift, after producing a few thousand jackets. Some personnel stay late and make a run of 'bogus' Nuptse Jackets using much the same materials on the same machinery as the real ones. Same nylon, same labels, same down, same thread. Maybe the quality control is not as high, maybe the down is not as dense, but the jackets are almost the real thing - only sold on the black market at half price.

Are they just as good as the genuine Nuptse? Not quite. But are they worth $100 rather than the usual $200?
In my opinion... yes.

But if you get a Nuptse with hardly any down in the baffles, send it back for a new one.

Buyers beware.

There's just nothing like down! The Nuptse parka is probably the most comfortable winter parka I have ever owned. Down acts almost like it has some sort of natural thermostat. You always just feel comfortable, no matter how warm or cold it is out. It's way different than any synthetic.

I also own a Patagonia Guide parka which is stuffed to the gills with Quallofil. Its a mighty warm jacket, but MUCH heavier and I sweat like a pig whenever I'm in any weather other than freezing cold. With the Nuptse though, I'm always comfortable no matter what the temperature outside is. And, it's light as a feather and almost as comfy as my Marmot Couloir bag, and that's saying a lot since my Marmot is second only to good sex!

Construction of this parka is excellent, and is MUCH BETTER than I have experienced recently with THF down bags. Not a feather, not a ONE, has found its way out. Way to go North Face!

This jacket is excellent against the cold. I was sweating in it while hiking at between -1 and 10 degrees in Barrow, Alaska, and this was with 20-25 mph winds.

However, the down stinks almost intolerably when you sweat or get it wet. I was about to tell my hiking partner that he needed a shower when I realized that it was my jacket!

I got the jacket last week so haven't had the opportunity to try it out in cold weather. It looks like a good jacket and had to look hard to find it for $165 (not a discontinued or unpopular color).

One problem that I noticed is that the zipper gets caught on the nylon material that comprised the little flap behind the zipper that keeps the cold out. This happens a lot up in the neck area where the zipper isn't straight (curves with the neck).

I've thought of a couple of options to fix it.

Excellent, I have owned my Nuptse for two years. I don't mind the down migration as it means the shell is single and not double and hence lighter to carry. I feel that the down is not really 700 more like 600 by UK standards, but it is instantly warm and wearable both round town and on the hill. I have found the materials to be much more durable than previously stated in other reviews. Love it!

Very warm jacket. Looks good and performs well. Try not to get the bugga wet though, the down smells and will decompose after a while. The really anoying thing is the the feathers come out, so you have to constantly pull them back through the outer layer if you want to keep them. It's a wonder that The North Face has not solved this problem. But, worth the money.

This really is a warm coat but at times it can feel a bit bulky. I've owned mine for 3 years and it's still going strong. It is expensive but i don't regret buying it.

I followed the label's instructions for machine washing and result - jacket was flattened + holed. Totally ruined. I am very angry + disappointed and won't be buying any North Face products again.